Faculty of Medicine

The ability for cancers to grow rapidly is in part due to the activation of certain proteins exposed on the membrane of cancer cells. The goal of immunotherapy is to target cells exposing these proteins while sparing normal, healthy cells. Among immunotherapy strategies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy exploits the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. CAR T cell therapy has achieved promising results in pediatric blood cancers; however, this strategy has not been tested extensively in pediatric brain tumors such as medulloblastoma.

Characterization of brain and retinal degenerations in Alzheimer's disease
Tear fluid microRNAs as Biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease
Understand the role of Apolipoprotein E in the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease
Understand the amyloid beta clearance mechanisms at the inner blood-retina barrier (iBRB)
Neuroprotective effects of natural products

Deciphering the role of granzyme B in choroidal neovascularization and subretinal fibrosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration

My current research focuses on developing new diagnostic assays to aid in the early and accurate diagnosis of dementia. More broadly, I am interested in the contribution of early-life environmental factors (e.g., sickness, socio-economic statues, diet) in the development of neurodegenerative disease. 

As a member of the Canadians Saving Arrest Victims Everywhere (CanSAVE) Novel Biosensor project, Mahsa's research is focused on developing wearable technologies to detect out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest incidents. This work involves (1) designing wearable sensors to collect bio-signals associated with cardiac arrest conditions (e.g., electrocardiogram, breathing rate); and (2) using machine learning to identify appropriate combinations of collected bio-signals to detect a sudden cardiac arrest event.

As a CIHR postdoctoral fellow in the Kobor lab, I am currently expanding my research to understand the biological embedding of early social experience through epigenetic pathways, specifically DNA methylation and epigenetic aging, and its impact on children’s health and development. I am also interested in understanding how culture, ethnic and racial identities may shape DNA methylation above and beyond genetic ancestry.

Mechanisms mediating hyperinsulinemia and metabolic dysfunction in physical inactivity. 

Overall, my research aims to advance our understanding of the ecological (and particularly familial) factors shaping health behaviors and weight trajectories of children and adolescents, identify strategies to prevent or reduce childhood obesity and promote lifelong healthy habits, and leverage technology to improve obesity-related measurement and treatment.

Investigating the role of the anterior cingulate cortex and ventral tegmental area in motivation and decision-making