USA Researchers’ Work Published in Science Signaling Journal

USA Researchers’ Work Published in Science Signaling Journal

Dr. Abu-Bakr Al-Mehdi's photomicrograph on the cover of Science Signaling

The work of four researchers at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine was recently published in the July 3 issue of Science Signaling.

Dr. Abu-Bakr Al-Mehdi, associate professor of pharmacology at the USA College of Medicine, along with Dr. Mark Gillespie, chair of pharmacology; Dr. Viktor Pastukh, pharmacology instructor; and Dr. Mikhail Alexeyev, associate professor of cell biology and neuroscience, co-authored the paper that outlines research conducted at USA.

“The results of our research contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of a variety of human diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, developmental abnormalities, cancer growth and other conditions where hypoxia is involved,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said.

Dr. Al-Mehdi said the information points to several new, interrelated concepts in hypoxic signaling. Hypoxia, or low blood oxygen, is a stimulus that serves as an inciting factor in cancerous tumor growth and other human diseases.

According to Dr. Al-Mehdi, the mitochondria – ultimate consumers of oxygen – are increasingly being recognized as a new player in cellular response to hypoxia.

“In this report, we show that mitochondria, the producers of energy and other signaling molecules, cluster around the nucleus for targeted delivery of oxidants to facilitate gene expression in cellular adaptation to hypoxia,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said. “This model of directed organellar migration is an exciting and novel paradigm in cellular signaling.”

Because the presence of hypoxia in solid tumors is an indicator of poor prognosis, Dr. Al-Mehdi said understanding the details of the transcriptional response to hypoxia may provide new targets for the therapeutic treatment of solid tumors.

“The major abnormalities in cancer are uncontrolled cellular proliferation and the ability of the cells to metastasize,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said. “Mitochondrial clustering may play a significant role in how cancer cells acquire the ability to colonize and proliferate in cancer tissues that are often low in oxygen.”

Dr. Al-Mehdi said the results from this study suggest that modulation of mitochondrial clustering may impact the progression and outcome of the disease processes involving hypoxia and point towards new drug development strategies that would target mitochondrial translocation.
Read Details

Human Simulators Enhance Learning Experiences in USA Pharmacology Department

Dr. Abu-Bakr Al-Mehdi (left) with student Travis Harris

Students in the pharmacology department at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine have been introduced to a new and innovative teaching method – human simulators.

Dr. Abu-Bakr Al-Mehdi, associate professor of pharmacology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, said the pharmacology department was the first among the basic science departments at USA to use human simulators.

“We use the simulators in the medical and clinical pharmacology courses to introduce students to the clinical experience,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said. “Students are able to get hands-on experience in a hospital-like setting. This makes it more realistic and a better learning experience.”

The human simulators are computer controlled robotic mannequins that can be programmed to simulate physiological and pathological states, including symptoms, signs, diseases and drug effects. Pharmacology students are able to administer drugs and then monitor important changes in physiological parameters, such as heart rate, EKG, and urinary output.

“They can do this without worrying about causing harm to the patient,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said. “It is a great teaching tool in a much more relaxed environment.”

Dr. Al-Mehdi said there are several aspects of simulation that make it a preferred teaching method over simply listening to a lecture or reading about a procedure in a textbook.

“The simulations enable students to practice scenarios ahead of time,” he said. “It gives them the opportunity to experience procedures that they will never learn until they do it themselves.”

“In a human patient, students only see a specific subset of signs and symptoms of a disease that is present in that particular patient,” Dr. Al-Mehdi said. “With a human simulator, professors can deliver built-in standard clinical scenarios or a customized set of signs and symptoms for a richer clinical experience.”

USA has established an impressive infrastructure of human simulation, with multiple full body simulators and partial task trainers. The simulators are used in the College of Nursing and College of Medicine, and Dr. Al-Mehdi hopes that they will become more common in basic science curriculum.

“It is a great opportunity for students to rehearse their basic science skills in a mock clinical setting,” he said, “and the experience promises to be a valuable teaching tool in basic science education.”
Did you know about Dr. Abu Bakr Al Mehdi ? CLICK HERE

Read details....