Imed Gallouzi

Professor, Bioscience Associate Director, KAUST Smart-Health Initiative

Biography

Professor Gallouzi’s research focuses on delineating the role of posttranscriptional regulatory events (processes that control gene expression at the mRNA level) in physiological and pathological processes. He was the co-discoverer of the cytoplasmic RNA granules known as stress granules and their importance in cell stress response and in some pathologies. His work on mRNA binding proteins (RBP) has led to the discovery that RBPs play an important role in muscle fiber formation and the onset of pathological conditions such as muscle wasting, cancer and aging-related diseases. His group has identified several factors/pathways and the mode of action by which they promote cancer-induced muscle wasting. These observations opened the door to consider novel therapeutic avenues to treat this deadly syndrome. Recently, Prof. Gallouzi by studying the role of RNA granules and some RBPs in senescence (one of the main features of aged cells), he uncovered their role in controlling the behavior of senescent cells, making them potential targets to control the deleterious effects of aging cells.
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