Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo, PhD
Associate Research ScientistAbout
Titles
Associate Research Scientist
Biography
Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo, PhD is an Associate Research Scientist at Yale. He specializes in the field of neurophysiology and ion channel modulation. With an academic background and experience in both experimental and computational approaches, Dr. Ghovanloo has made contributions to our understanding of sodium channel function and its implications in neuronal excitability and interactions with cannabinoids. His research has primarily focused on investigating the effects of various compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN), on voltage-gated sodium channels and their impact on neuronal function.
Dr. Ghovanloo obtained his PhD from Simon Fraser University, Canada, in 2021, following the completion of his Bachelor of Science (Hons.) degree at the same institution in 2015. He completed his postdoctoral training at Yale School of Medicine in 2024.
In 2020, Dr. Ghovanloo trained as a Visiting Researcher at the Science for Life Laboratory in Sweden, broadening research scope and engaging with computational biology experts. From 2017 to 2019, as a Research Fellow at Xenon Pharmaceuticals in Canada, Dr. Ghovanloo contributed to projects on ion channel function and drug discovery.
Dr. Ghovanloo's research has encompassed a wide range of topics, including the modulation of ion channels by cannabinoids, the effects of pH on voltage-gated sodium channels, the characterization of various ion channel mutations associated with rare disorders, and the development of cutting-edge methods for investigating functional properties of primary neurons.
Dr. Ghovanloo's research has garnered recognition through numerous awards and honors. His exceptional academic achievements were acknowledged when he was selected as the Graduand Speaker at the Convocation Ceremony at Simon Fraser University in 2021. Moreover, he has been the recipient of prestigious fellowships, including the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), named after the renowned Nobel Prize laureate Sir Frederick Banting, as well as the Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Dr. Ghovanloo's research contributions have been further acknowledged through various awards, including travel grants, research grants, and publication accolades. His work and written articles have been featured in esteemed Canadian newspapers and magazines, including The National Post, The Toronto Star, and The Canadian Business Journal.
Appointments
Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale School of Medicine (2024)
- PhD
- Simon Fraser University (2021)
- Visiting Researcher
- SciLifeLab (2020)
- Research Fellow
- Xenon Pharmaceuticals (2019)
- BSc (Hon)
- Simon Fraser University (2015)
Research
Overview
I specialize in the fields of ion channels and cannabinoid pharmacology. My work has played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of the inhibitory effects of cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN) on voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav channels). Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed scientists from academic and industry sectors around the world, resulting in significant discoveries.
Together with my collaborators, we have employed state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies, including patch-clamp electrophysiology, X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and computational modelling, among others, to investigate the interactions between cannabinoids and various ion channels, with a specific focus on Nav channels.
Our research efforts have provided valuable insights into the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of CBD and CBG in addressing disorders of excitability through Nav channels. In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in 2018, we provided the first detailed description of CBD effects on Nav channels. We demonstrated that CBD inhibits Nav currents, suggesting potential anticonvulsant properties at relevant concentrations that could be partially dependent on Nav channels. Building upon this, our study published in the Journal of General Physiology in 2021 revealed that CBD's Nav inhibition occurs through multiple mechanisms, including pore block and alterations in membrane elasticity. In 2020, we further supported the activity at the channel pore level through a crystal structure published in eLife.
In 2022, our research expanded to investigate the effects of CBG, another phytocannabinoid, on Nav channels. Published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, our study demonstrated that CBG inhibits Nav channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons, contributing to neuronal hypoexcitability and its potential implications for pain.
Parallel to my contributions to cannabinoid pharmacology, in 2023, my colleagues and I at Yale developed a powerful high-throughput method, as published in Cell Reports Methods. This innovative approach allows for the functional definition of populations of freshly isolated neurons, revolutionizing the analysis of excitable cells and significantly enhancing the throughput and efficiency of patch-clamp techniques.
In 2024, we conducted a study, detailed in Communications Biology, unravelling the functional-selective nature of CBN's inhibition on Nav channels within diverse neuronal populations. This pioneering work utilized a novel methodology developed by our team. The study not only elucidated the functional selectivity of CBN's impact on neurons with different stoichiometry and ensembles of ion channels but also contributed to defining a spectrum of promising non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids—such as CBD, CBG, and CBN—for effectively addressing peripheral hyperexcitability. This research holds significant promise for advancing the development of treatments in this domain.
Currently, I am actively pursuing my research interests in the field of molecular neuroscience, with a particular emphasis on ion channel biophysics and pharmacology.
Research Pages: Google Scholar, Research Gate