Abbas Burhan Salihi

پ.د.عباس برهان ساڵەیی

Professor

Department of Biology, College of Science

Specialization: Molecular Physiology

College of Science :: Department of Biology

General Specialization:

Biology

Specific Specialization:

Molecular Physiology

[email protected]

Biography

A molecular physiology professor and cancer biology researcher with a Ph.D. from Zakho University, completed in collaboration with the Institute of Biophysics (IBF) at the National Research Council (CNR) in Genoa, Italy. Postdoctoral studies were conducted at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, focusing on advanced cancer biology and molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression.

Research Interest

My studies are predominantly focused on the complex interactions between hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide, as well as gene mutations and enzyme expression in a variety of cancer types. I am interested in identifying the key mechanisms that promote the progression of cancer, with a particular focus on angiogenesis, through the application of a wide variety of molecular approaches. Providing a comprehensive understanding of tumour biology, my work encompasses a variety of experimental models, such as animal models, cancer cell lines, and clinical samples. My research aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and contribute to the development of innovative cancer treatments by employing this integrative approach.

Publications

Saber, B.A., Aygan, A., and Salihi, A. (2024). Mutations in Genes Producing Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Sulfide and Their Connection With Apoptotic Genes in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Cureus 16. 10.7759/cureus.61570.

Mohammed, S.I., Hassan, K.M.-a., Azeez, D.M., Qadir, F.A., and Salihi, A.B. (2024). IL-15 gene mutation as a molecular risk factor in acute lymphoid leukemia. Cellular and Molecular Biology 70, 10-17. 10.14715/cmb/2024.70.5.3.

Khalil, S.S., Salihi, A., and Khalil, S. (2024). Mutations in the TP53, VEGFA, and CTH Genes as Key Molecular Markers for the Diagnosis of Glioblastoma. Cureus 16. 10.7759/cureus.61165.

Ramadhan, I.A., Sulaiman, L.R., and Salihi, A. (2023). NOS3 and CTH gene mutations as new molecular markers for detection of lung adenocarcinoma. PeerJ 11, e16209. 10.7717/peerj.16209.

Hussen, B.M., Rasul, M.F., Abdullah, S.R., Hidayat, H.J., Faraj, G.S.H., Ali, F.A., Salihi, A., Baniahmad, A., Ghafouri-Fard, S., Rahman, M., et al. (2023). Targeting miRNA by CRISPR/Cas in cancer: advantages and challenges. Mil Med Res 10, 32. 10.1186/s40779-023-00468-6.

Azeez, D.M., Mohammed, S.I., K, M.H., and Salihi, A. (2023). Investigating the interplay of hematological parameters, CD markers, genetic polymorphisms, and database mutations in the IL15 gene in acute myeloid leukemia patients. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 69, 31-36. 10.14715/cmb/2023.69.9.5.

Alzebari, A.M., Qadir, A.M., Rafaat, M.S., and Salihi, A. (2023). Therapeutic Potential of Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitors, Geldanamycin, and Analog Compounds in Precision Cancer Therapy. BioMed Target Journal 1, 2-21. 10.59786/bmtj.122.

Abdullah, R.M., Masseh, H.D.I., Salihi, A., and Faraj, B.M. (2023). Unleashing the Power of OpenAI in Shaping the Future of Cancer Research. BioMed Target Journal 1, 2-11. 10.59786/bmtj.112.

Salihi, A., Al-Naqshabandi, M.A., Khudhur, Z.O., Housein, Z., Hama, H.A., Abdullah, R.M., Hussen, B.M., and Alkasalias, T. (2022). Gasotransmitters in the tumor microenvironment: Impacts on cancer chemotherapy (Review). Mol Med Rep 26, 233. 10.3892/mmr.2022.12749.

Rasul, M.F., Hussen, B.M., Salihi, A., Ismael, B.S., Jalal, P.J., Zanichelli, A., Jamali, E., Baniahmad, A., Ghafouri-Fard, S., and Basiri, A. (2022). Strategies to overcome the main challenges of the use of CRISPR/Cas9 as a replacement for cancer therapy. Molecular Cancer 21, 1-30. 0.1186/s12943-021-01487-4.

Lain, S., Alkasalias, T., Zhang, J., Madapura, H., Dalaroun, B., Reina, O.B., Lewensohn, R., Viktorsson, K., Salihi, A., and Darekar, S. (2022). Proof-of-principle studies on a strategy to enhance nucleotide imbalance specifically in cancer cells. Cell Death Discov. 2022 Nov 24;8(1):464. doi: 10.1038/s41420-022-01254-4.

Karwan, M., Abdullah, O.S., Amin, A.M., Mohamed, Z.A., Bestoon, B., Shekha, M., Najmuldeen, H.H., Rahman, F.M., Housein, Z., and Salih, A.M. (2022). Cancer incidence in the Kurdistan region of Iraq: Results of a seven-year cancer registration in Erbil and Duhok Governorates. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP 23, 601. 10.31557/APJCP.2022.23.2.601.

Karami, P., Othman, G., Housein, Z., Salihi, A., Hosseinpour Feizi, M.A., Azeez, H.J., and Babaei, E. (2022). Nanoformulation of Polyphenol Curcumin Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis in Drug-Resistant MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells. Molecules 27, 2917. 10.3390/molecules27092917.

Hussen, B.M., Salihi, A., Abdullah, S.T., Rasul, M.F., Hidayat, H.J., Hajiesmaeili, M., and Ghafouri-Fard, S. (2022). Signaling pathways modulated by miRNAs in breast cancer angiogenesis and new therapeutics. Pathol Res Pract 230, 153764. 10.1016/j.prp.2022.153764.

Hussen, B.M., Kheder, R.K., Abdullah, S.T., Hidayat, H.J., Rahman, H.S., Salihi, A., Taheri, M., and Ghafouri-Fard, S. (2022). Functional interplay between long non-coding RNAs and Breast CSCs. Cancer Cell International 22, 233. 10.1186/s12935-022-02653-4.

Hussen, B.M., Faraj, G.S.H., Rasul, M.F., Hidayat, H.J., Salihi, A., Baniahmad, A., Taheri, M., and Ghafouri-Frad, S. (2022). Strategies to overcome the main challenges of the use of exosomes as drug carrier for cancer therapy. Cancer Cell International 22, 323. 10.1186/s12935-022-02743-3.

Hussen, B.M., Abdullah, S.T., Salihi, A., Sabir, D.K., Sidiq, K.R., Rasul, M.F., Hidayat, H.J., Ghafouri-Fard, S., Taheri, M., and Jamali, E. (2022). The emerging roles of NGS in clinical oncology and personalized medicine. Pathol Res Pract 230, 153760. 10.1016/j.prp.2022.153760.

Hussen, B.M., Abdullah, S.R., Hama Faraj, G.S., Rasul, M.F., Salihi, A., Ghafouri-Fard, S., Taheri, M., and Mokhtari, M. (2022). Exosomal circular RNA: a signature for lung cancer progression. Cancer Cell Int 22, 378. 10.1186/s12935-022-02793-7.

Hussen BM, Hidayat HJ, Salihi A, Sabir DK, Taheri M, Ghafouri-Fard S. MicroRNA: A signature for cancer progression. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Jun;138:111528. 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111528.

Qader G, Aali M, Smail SW, Mahmood K, Hasan B, M-Amen K, Rahman DB, Qadir FA, Mohammad DK, Najmuldeen HH, Rahman FM, Ahmad SI, Salih NS, Khdhr ZM, Mohammed BA, Majeed AM, Hasan XM, Khidhir BH, Muhammad ES, Muhamadsalih BA, Hasan SK, Hamad AJ, Esmail ZK, Ismael CM, Husaen SM, Abdulla CA, Hussen BM, Housein Z, Shekha M, Salihi A. (2021). Cardiac, Hepatic and Renal Dysfunction and IL-18 Polymorphism in Breast, Colorectal, and Prostate Cancer Patients. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 22, 131-137. 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.1.131.

Hussen, B.M., Abdullah, S.T., Rasul, M.F., Salihi, A., Ghafouri-Fard, S., Hidayat, H.J., and Taheri, M. (2021). MicroRNAs: Important Players in Breast Cancer Angiogenesis and Therapeutic Targets. Front Mol Biosci 8, 764025. 10.3389/fmolb.2021.764025.

Housein, Z., Kareem T, and Salihi, A. (2021). In vitro anticancer activity of hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide alongside nickel nanoparticle and novel mutations in their genes in CRC patients. Scientific Reports 11, 2536, 2531-2511.

Awat Y. Hassan, Ismail M. Maulood, and Salihi, A. (2021). The vasodilatory mechanism of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide in the human mesenteric artery in patients with colorectal cancer. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 21, 1-7. 10.3892/etm.2021.9646.

Abid, M.N., Qadir, F.A., and Salihi, A. (2021). Association between the serum concentrations and mutational status of IL-8, IL-27 and VEGF and the expression levels of the hERG potassium channel gene in patients with colorectal cancer. Oncol Lett 22, 665. 10.3892/ol.2021.12926.

Sharifi, M., Hasan, A., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Salihi, A., Qadir, F.A., Muhammad, H.A., Shekha, M.S., Aziz, F.M., Amen, K.M., Najafi, F., et al. (2020). Combined chemo-magnetic field-photothermal breast cancer therapy based on porous magnetite nanospheres. Sci Rep 10, 5925. 10.1038/s41598-020-62429-6.

Sharifi, M., Sohrabi, M.J., Hosseinali, S.H., Hasan, A., Kani, P.H., Talaei, A.J., Karim, A.Y., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Salihi, A., Aziz, F.M., et al. (2020). Enzyme immobilization onto the nanomaterials: Application in enzyme stability and prodrug-activated cancer therapy. Int J Biol Macromol 143, 665-676. 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.12.064.

Sharifi, M., Karim, A.Y., Mustafa Qadir Nanakali, N., Salihi, A., Aziz, F.M., Hong, J., Khan, R.H., Saboury, A.A., Hasan, A., and Abou-Zied, O.K. (2020). Strategies of enzyme immobilization on nanomatrix supports and their intracellular delivery. Journal of biomolecular structure and Dynamics 38, 2746-2762.

Sharifi, M., Hosseinali, S.H., Yousefvand, P., Salihi, A., Shekha, M.S., Aziz, F.M., JouyaTalaei, A., Hasan, A., and Falahati, M. (2020). Gold nanozyme: Biosensing and therapeutic activities. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 108, 110422. 10.1016/j.msec.2019.110422.

Sharifi, M., Hosseinali, S.H., Hossein Alizadeh, R., Hasan, A., Attar, F., Salihi, A., Shekha, M.S., Amen, K.M., Aziz, F.M., Saboury, A.A., et al. (2020). Plasmonic and chiroplasmonic nanobiosensors based on gold nanoparticles. Talanta 212, 120782. 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120782.

Sharifi, M., Faryabi, K., Talaei, A.J., Shekha, M.S., Ale-Ebrahim, M., Salihi, A., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Aziz, F.M., Rasti, B., and Hasan, A. (2020). Antioxidant properties of gold nanozyme: a review. Journal of Molecular Liquids 297, 112004.

Qader, G., Aali, M., Amen, K.M., Mahmood, K., Hasan, B., Shekha, M., Mohammad, D.K., Najmuldeen, H.H., Mahmood, D., Awla, F.A., Mohammed, K.A., Salihi, A. (2020). The status of cancer publications in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Journal of Cancer Policy 24, 100221. 10.1016/j.jcpo.2020.100221.

Hasan, A., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Salihi, A., Rasti, B., Sharifi, M., Attar, F., Derakhshankhah, H., Mustafa, I.A., Abdulqadir, S.Z., and Falahati, M. (2020). Nanozyme-based sensing platforms for detection of toxic mercury ions: An alternative approach to conventional methods. Talanta 215, 120939. 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120939.

Gamasaee, N.A., Muhammad, H.A., Tadayon, E., Ale-Ebrahim, M., Mirpour, M., Sharifi, M., Salihi, A., Shekha, M.S., Alasady, A.A.B., Aziz, F.M., et al. (2020). The effects of nickel oxide nanoparticles on structural changes, heme degradation, aggregation of hemoglobin and expression of apoptotic genes in lymphocytes. J Biomol Struct Dyn 38, 3676-3686. 10.1080/07391102.2019.1662850.

Falahati, M., Attar, F., Sharifi, M., Saboury, A.A., Salihi, A., Aziz, F.M., Kostova, I., Burda, C., Priecel, P., and Lopez-Sanchez, J.A. (2020). Gold nanomaterials as key suppliers in biological and chemical sensing, catalysis, and medicine. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-General Subjects 1864, 129435. 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.129435.

Ahmed, S.A., Hameed, S.A., Hussen, B.M., and Salihi, A. (2020). Prevalence of the prothrombin G20210A mutation among ischemic stroke patients. J Cardiovasc Thorac Res 12, 227-230. 10.34172/jcvtr.2020.39.

Zand, Z., Khaki, P.A., Salihi, A., Sharifi, M., Qadir Nanakali, N.M., Alasady, A.A., Aziz, F.M., Shahpasand, K., Hasan, A., and Falahati, M. (2019). Cerium oxide NPs mitigate the amyloid formation of alpha-synuclein and associated cytotoxicity. Int J Nanomedicine 14, 6989-7000. 10.2147/IJN.S220380.

SZ, K.R., Kahbasi, S., Sohrabi, M., Hasan, A., Salihi, A., Mirzaie, A., Niyazmand, A., NM, Q.N., Shekha, M., and Aziz, F. (2019). Albumin binding, antioxidant and antibacterial effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles. Journal of Molecular Liquids. 296, 111839.

Sohrabi, M.J., Dehpour, A.-R., Attar, F., Hasan, A., Mohammad-Sadeghi, N., Meratan, A.A., Aziz, F.M., Salihi, A., Shekha, M.S., and Akhtari, K. (2019). Silymarin-albumin nanoplex: preparation and its potential application as an antioxidant in nervous system in vitro and in vivo. International journal of pharmaceutics. 572, 118824.

Seyedeh Sahar Tahaei Gilan, D.Y.R., ,Twana Ahmed Mustafa, Falah Mohammad Aziz, Koorosh Shahpasand, Keivan Akhtari, Abbas Salihi, Osama K Abou-Zied, Mojtaba Falahati (2019). α-synuclein interaction with zero-valent iron nanoparticles accelerates structural rearrangement into amyloid-susceptible structure with increased cytotoxic tendency. International Journal of Nanomedicine 14, 4637–4648.

Roudbaneh, S.Z.K., Kahbasi, S., Sohrabi, M.J., Hasan, A., Salihi, A., Mirzaie, A., Niyazmand, A., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Shekha, M.S., and Aziz, F.M. (2019). Albumin binding, antioxidant and antibacterial effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles. Journal of Molecular Liquids 296, 111839.

Naskhi, A., Jabbari, S., Othman, G.Q., Aziz, F.M., Salihi, A., Sharifi, M., Sari, S., Akhtari, K., Abdulqadir, S.Z., Alasady, A.A., et al. (2019). Vitamin K1 As A Potential Molecule For Reducing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes-Stimulated alpha-Synuclein Structural Changes And Cytotoxicity. Int J Nanomedicine 14, 8433-8444. 10.2147/IJN.S223182.

Mina Mousavi, S.H., Twana Ahmed Mustafa, Falah Mohammad Aziz, Abbas Salihi, Mahsa Ale-Ebrahim, Mirsasan Mirpour, Behnam Rasti, Keivan Akhtari, Koorosh Shahpasand, Osama K Abou-Zied, Mojtaba Falahati (2019). The interaction of silica nanoparticles with catalase and human mesenchymal stem cells: biophysical, theoretical and cellular studies. International Journal of Nanomedicine 14, 5355—5355.

Kahbasi, S., Samadbin, M., Attar, F., Heshmati, M., Danaei, D., Rasti, B., Salihi, A., Nanakali, N.M.Q., Aziz, F.M., and Akhtari, K. (2019). The effect of aluminum oxide on red blood cell integrity and hemoglobin structure at nanoscale. International journal of biological macromolecules 138, 800-809.

Salihi, A., Shekha, M.S., Hamadamin, P.S., Maulood, I.M., Rasul, K.H., Salim, M.A., Qadir, F.A., Othman, G.Q., Mahmud, A.M., and Al-Habib, O.A. (2017). In vivo cardiac electrical activity of nitric oxide in barium chloride treated male rats. In 1. (AIP Publishing).

Salihi, A.B., Shekha, M.S., and AL HABIB, O.A. (2016). Vasodilatory effects of nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide in rats: Time-dependent interaction study. Progress in Biological Sciences. 6, 19-30. 0.22059/pbs.2016.59004.

Salihi A B. Activation of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels in High Salt Impairment of Hydrogen Sulfide-Induced Aortic Relaxation in Rats. Physiol Pharmacol 2015; 19 (4) :263-273.

Salihi, A., Shekha, M., Maulood, I., Mahmud, A., and Omar, A.-H. (2016). Nitric Oxide Donor Dilates Aorta in Salt Loaded Rats via Activation of Inward-Rectifier Potassium Channels. ZANCO Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 28, 69-77.

Salihi, A.B.Q., and Al-Habib, O.A. (2013). The Role of Endothelium and Endothelium-Derived Relaxation Factors in Nitric Oxide-Induced Aortic Relaxation. Science Journal of University of Zakho 1, 95-100.

Al-Habib, O.A., and Salihi, A.B. (2013). Endothelium derived relaxation factors reduce sulfur dioxide-induced aortic relaxation. Open Journal of Molecular and Integrative Physiology 2013. 10.4236/ojmip.2013.34023

Salihi, A., Maulood, I., and Majeed, Z. (2009). Effects of omega 3 and L-carnitine on some hematological parameters in sucrose treated male albino rats. J. Duhok Univ 12, 125-128.

Mahmud, A.S., and M., A. (2007). Effect of Ubiquinone and Omega-3 on Plasma Angiotensin II Level in Male Albino Rats. Zanco, Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 20, 65-73.

Teaching

Undergraduate study

Endocrinology

Postgraduate study

Molecular physiology

Research Methodology

Pedagogical courses

Research and Development Module