Mohamed Chakkour

Mohamed Chakkour

I am from Beirut, Lebanon. I am undertaking a PhD in Biological Sciences and Urban Sustainability, aiming to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change and forge a sustainable path forward for both our planet and its inhabitants. My research focus lies in cell biology, specifically exploring the intricate mechanisms of cellular metabolism. I am particularly intrigued by understanding how cellular communication influences cellular metabolism, believing that a profound comprehension of metabolic reactions is indispensable for developing effective treatments for diseases.

Research interest(s)/area of expertise

 Molecular biology and Urban sustainability

Research

Inositol is a six-carbon ring made from glucose and is a precursor to several essential signaling lipids, including: phosphoinositides, inositol phosphates, and inositol pyrophosphates. These inositol compounds play essential roles in an array of cellular processes, including inter- and intracellular signaling, metabolism, membrane biogenesis, membrane trafficking, gene expression, and cytoskeletal organization. Alterations in inositol homeostasis are linked to numerous serious human disorders, including bipolar disorder (BD), epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, Lowe syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and various cancers. Despite recognizing the sources and functions of inositol-related compounds, the mechanisms governing inositol homeostasis remain enigmatic, and very little is known about the regulatory process itself. My research seeks to understand how inositol synthesis is regulated in mammalian cells at the molecular and genetic levels.

Education

• Masters in General Biology MS. from the American University of Beirut
• First year Master’s degree in Animal Biology (M1) from the Lebanese University
• Bachelor degree in Life and Earth Sciences from the Lebanese University

Awards and grants

 First Place - Annual Fund It Forward Student Video Challenge - Graduate Level.

Selected publications

1. Chakkour, M., & Greenberg, M. L. (2024). Insights into the roles of inositol hexakisphosphate kinase (IP6K1) in mammalian cellular processes. The Journal of biological chemistry, 107116. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107116
2. Liang, Z., Ralph-Epps, T., Schmidtke, M. W., Lazcano, P., Denis, S. W., Balážová, M., Chakkour, M., Hazime, S., Ren, M., Schlame, M., Houtkooper, R. H., & Greenberg, M. L. (2024). Upregulation of the AMPK-FOXO1-PDK4 pathway is a primary mechanism of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity reduction and leads to increased glucose uptake in tafazzin-deficient cells. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2024.02.03.578755. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.03.578755
3. Abbas, R., Chakkour, M., Zein El Dine, H., Obaseki, E. F., Obeid, S. T., Jezzini, A., Ghssein, G., & Ezzeddine, Z. (2024). General Overview of Klebsiella pneumonia: Epidemiology and the Role of Siderophores in Its Pathogenicity. Biology, 13(2), 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13020078
4. Chakkour M, Salami A, Olleik D, Kamal I, Noureddine FY, Roz AE, Ghssein G. Risk Markers of COVID-19, a Study from South-Lebanon. COVID. 2022; 2(7):867-876. https://doi.org/10.3390/covid2070063.
5. Chakkour, M. & Noureddine, F. Y., et al. (2021). The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variant(s) and its impact on the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in Nabatieh region, Lebanon. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.08.21255005
6. Hodeify, R., Chakkour, M., Rida, R., & Kreydiyyeh, S. (2021). PGE2 upregulates The Na+/k+ Atpase In hepg2 cells Via EP4 receptors and intracellular calcium. PLOS ONE, 16(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.
7. Moussawi, L. E., Chakkour, M., & Kreydiyyeh, S. (2019). The epinephrine-induced PGE2 reduces Na /K ATPase activity in Caco-2 cells via PKC, NF-κB and NO. Plos One, 14(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220987
8. Chakkour M, Kreydiyyeh S. FTY720P Upregulates the Na+/K+ ATPase in HepG2 Cells by Activating S1PR3 and Inducing PGE2 Release. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2019;53(3):518-531. doi: 10.33594/000000155. PMID: 31502430.
9. Salami, A., Fakih, H., Chakkour, M., Salloum, L., Bahmad, H. F., & Ghssein, G. (2019). Prevalence, risk factors and seasonal variations of different Enteropathogens in Lebanese hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis. BMC Pediatrics, 19(1). doi:10.1186/s12887-019-1513-8
10. El Moussawi L, Chakkour M, Kreydiyyeh SI. Epinephrine modulates Na+/K+ ATPase activity in Caco-2 cells via Src, p38MAPK, ERK and PGE2. PLoS One. 2018 Feb 21;13(2):e0193139. doi: 10.1371

 

Citation index

 114 Citations, h-index: 5

Courses taught by Mohamed Chakkour

Spring-Summer Term 2024 (current)

• BIO4120 - Comparative Physiology

Winter Term 2024

• BIO1511 - Basic Life Mechanisms Laboratory

Winter Term 2023

• BIO4120 - Comparative Physiology

Fall Term 2022

• BIO1511 - Basic Life Mechanisms Laboratory