Dr Mirna Mourtada-Maarabouni

Title: Lecturer in Bioscience
Phone: +44 (0)1782 733679
Email:
Location: Huxley Building : 303A
Role: Second Year Human Biology Tutor.
ISTM research theme: Clinical & Diagnostic Science
Contacting me: Try my office or arrange an appointment by e-mail.
mirna maarabouni

I was appointed at Keele as a Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences in August 2009. Prior to this, I obtained a first class BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry in 1995 and a PhD in cellular pharmacology in 1998, both from Keele. I subsequently was employed as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Apoptosis Research Group led by Prof Gwyn Williams, where my work involved identifying and studying novel molecules which control apoptosis, in order to define new drug targets for the therapy of cancer and other human diseases where apoptosis control is dysfunctional. The work has resulted in excess of twenty publications in largely high impact journals.
Since starting my lecturer post, I became interested in educational research and in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. This culminated in the completion of a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (MATLHE) at Keele in 2011. 

ISTM Research theme: 1. Clinical & Diagnostic Science

My research interests are in molecular cell biology and cell signalling i.e. investigating the way that mammalian cells function and communicate. I have been working on apoptosis, the genetically programmed cell death, for the last 12 years, where the focus of the research group was to identify novel genes involved in apoptosis using functional expression cloning. This work has led to the identification of several apoptosis controlling genes. My research concentrates on the elucidation of the signalling pathways initiated by these genes and how they eventually cause the destruction of the cell. In addition, my research involves the investigation of the role of non-coding-protein RNAs (ncRNAs) in the apoptosis of human cells and in cancer and identification of novel ncRNAs involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cancer.

Selected Publications

  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Watson D, Munir M, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2013. Apoptosis suppression by candidate oncogene PLAC8 is reversed in other cell types. Curr Cancer Drug Targets, vol. 13(1), 80-91. link>
  • Pickard MR, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT. 2011. Candidate tumour suppressor Fau regulates apoptosis in human cells: an essential role for Bcl-G. Biochim Biophys Acta, vol. 1812(9), 1146-1153. link> doi>
  • Maarabouni MM, Pickard, MR, Williams, GT. 2011. Candidate tumour suppressor Fau regulates apoptosis in human cells: an essential role for Bcl-G. Biochim Biophys Acta, vol. 1812(9), 1146-1153. doi>
  • Moss EL, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Pickard MR, Redman CW, Williams GT. 2010. FAU regulates carboplatin resistance in ovarian cancer. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, vol. 49(1), 70-77. link> doi>
  • Maarabouni MM, Hassan AM, Williams GT, Farazaneh, F. 2010. Inhibition of Human T-Cell Proliferation by mTOR antagonists requires Non-Coding RNA growth-arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5). Molecular Pharmacology, vol. 1(78), 19-28. link> doi>

Full Publications List show

Journal Articles

  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Watson D, Munir M, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2013. Apoptosis suppression by candidate oncogene PLAC8 is reversed in other cell types. Curr Cancer Drug Targets, vol. 13(1), 80-91. link>
  • Pickard MR, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT. 2011. Candidate tumour suppressor Fau regulates apoptosis in human cells: an essential role for Bcl-G. Biochim Biophys Acta, vol. 1812(9), 1146-1153. link> doi>
  • Maarabouni MM, Pickard, MR, Williams, GT. 2011. Candidate tumour suppressor Fau regulates apoptosis in human cells: an essential role for Bcl-G. Biochim Biophys Acta, vol. 1812(9), 1146-1153. doi>
  • Moss EL, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Pickard MR, Redman CW, Williams GT. 2010. FAU regulates carboplatin resistance in ovarian cancer. Genes Chromosomes Cancer, vol. 49(1), 70-77. link> doi>
  • Maarabouni MM, Hassan AM, Williams GT, Farazaneh, F. 2010. Inhibition of Human T-Cell Proliferation by mTOR antagonists requires Non-Coding RNA growth-arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5). Molecular Pharmacology, vol. 1(78), 19-28. link> doi>
  • Inayat-Hussain SH, Wong LT, Chan KM, Rajab NF, Din LB, Harun R, Kizilors A, Saxena N, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2009. RACK-1 overexpression protects against goniothalamin-induced cell death. TOXICOLOGY LETTERS, vol. 191(2-3), 118-122. link> doi>
  • Maarabouni MM. 2009. GAS5 (growth arrest-specific 5 (non-protein coding)). Atlas Genet Cytogenet Oncol Haematol. Atlas Genet Cytogenet Oncol Haematol.. link>
  • Pickard MR, Green AR, Ellis IO, Caldas C, Hedge VL, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT. 2009. Dysregulated expression of Fau and MELK is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res, vol. 11(4), R60. link> doi>
  • Pickard MR, Green AR, Ellis IO, Caldas C, Hedge VL, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT. 2009. Fau down-regulation inhibits breast cancer cell death and correlates with poor prognosis. Breast Cancer Research, vol. 11(4), Article 60.
  • MAARABOUNI MM, Moss EL, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Pickard MR, Redman CWE, Williams GT. 2009. Fau regulates carboplatin resistance in ovarian cancer. Genes Chromosomes and Cancer.
  • MOURTADA-MAARABOUNI M, PICKARD MR, HEDGE VL, FARZANEH F, WILLIAMS GT. 2009. GAS5, a non-protein- coding RNA, controls apoptosis and is down regulated in breast cancer. Onocogene, vol. 28(2), 195-208.
  • MOURTADA-MAARABOUNI M and WILLIAMS G. 2009. Protein phosphatatase 4 regulates apoptosis in human T-cells. Luekemia Research, vol. 33, 1539-1551.
  • MOURTADA-MAARABOUNI M, HEDGE VL, KIRKHAM L, FARZANEH F, WILLIAMS GT. 2008. Growth arrest in human T-cells is controlled by growth arrest specific transcript 5 (GAS5), a non-coding RNA. Cell Sci., vol. 121, 939-946. doi>
  • Williams GT, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Pickard MR, Hedge VL, Sutherland A. 2008. Investigation into the roles of novel apoptosis genes in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research 2008, vol. 10(Suppl 2), 26.
  • MOURTADA-MAARABOUNI M and WILLIAMS GT. 2008. Protein phosphatase 4 regulates apoptosis, proliferation and mutation rate of human cells. Biophys. Biochem. Acta., vol. 1783(8), 1490-1502. doi>
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Keen J, Clark J, Cooper CS, Williams GT. 2006. Candidate tumor suppressor LUCA-15/RBM5/H37 modulates expression of apoptosis and cell cycle genes. Exp Cell Res., vol. 312, 1745-1752.
  • Williams GT, Hughes JP, Stoneman V, Anderson CL, McCarthy NJ, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Pickard M, Hedge VL, Trayner I, Farzaneh F. 2006. Isolation of genes controlling apoptosis through their effects on cell survival. Gene Ther. Mol. Biol., vol. 10, 255-262.
  • Maarabouni MM and Williams GT. 2006. The antiapoptotic RBM5/LUCA-15/H37 gene and its role in apoptosis and human cancer: research update. ScientificWorldJournal, vol. 6, 1705-1712. link> doi>
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Kirkham L, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2005. Functional expression cloning reveals a central role for the receptor for activated protein kinase C 1 (RACK1) in T cell apoptosis. Leukoc Biol., vol. 78, 503-514.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Kirkham L, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2004. Regulation of apoptosis by fau revealed by functional expression cloning and antisense expression. Oncogene, vol. 23(58), 9419-9426. link> doi>
  • Bahar A, Simpson DJ, Cutty SJ, Bicknell JE, Hoban PR, Holley S, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT, Clayton RN, Farrell WE. 2004. Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Pituitary Tumor Apoptosis Gene. Mol Endocrinol., vol. 18, 1827-1839.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Kirkham L, Farzaneh F, Williams GT. 2004. Regulation of apoptosis by fau revealed by functional expression cloning and antisense expression. Oncogene, vol. 16(23), 9419-9426.
  • Gao HW, Mourtada M, Morgan NG. 2003. Effects of the Imidazoline binding site ligands idazoxan and efaroxan on the viability of insulin-secreting BRIN-BD11 cells. Journal of Pancreas, vol. 4(3), 117-124.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Kirkham L, Jenkins B, Rayner J, Gonda TJ, Starr R, Trayner I, Williams GT. 2003. Functional expression cloning reveals pro-apoptotic role for protein phosphatase 4. Cell Death Differ, vol. 10, 1016-1024.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Sutherland LC, Williams GT. 2003. Splice variant delta 6 of the candidate tumor suppressor LUCA-15/RBM5 both stimulates cell proliferation and suppresses apoptosis. Genes to cell, vol. 8, 109-119.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Sutherland LC, Williams GT. 2002. Candidate tumour supressor LUCA-15 can regulate multiple apoptosis pathways. Apoptosis, vol. 7, 421-432.
  • Gao HG, Mourtada M, Murphy S, Chan SLF, Morgan NG. 2002. Effects of imidazoline receptor ligands on islet cells. Diabetic Med.
  • MAARABOUNI MM, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Williams GT. 2002. RMB5/LUCA-15- tumour suppression by control of apoptosis and the cell cycle. The Scientific World, vol. 2, 1885-1890.
  • Chan SLF, Mourtada M, Morgan NG. 2001. Characterisation of a KATP channel-independent pathway involved in potentiation of insulin secretion by efaroxan. Diabetes, vol. 50, 340-347.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Sutherland LC, Clark JP, Cooper CS, Williams GT. 2001. Regulation of T-cell apoptosisby sequences encoded at the LUCA-15 candidate tumour suppressor Locus. Miami Nature Biotechnology, vol. 12, 40.
  • Mourtada M, Eliott J, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 2000. Effects of imidazoline binding site ligands on the growth and viability of clonal pancreatic B-cells. Naunyn. Schmiedebeg's Arch Pharmacology, vol. 361, 146-154.
  • Williams GT, Sutherland LC, Mourtada M, Edwards SE, Cable HC, Poirer GG, Miller BA, Cooper CS. 2000. Functional Expression cloning identifies novel apoptosis regulator Luca-15. British Society for Cell Biology. Cell and Molecular Biology of Apoptosis, Article 96.
  • Morgan NG, Chan SLF, Mourtada M, Monks LR, Ramsden CA. 1999. Imidazolines and pancreatic hormone secretion. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 881, 217-228.
  • Mourtada M, Chan SLF, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1999. Multiple effector pathways regulate the insulin secretory response to the imidazoline RX871024 in isolated rat pancreatic islets. British Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 127, 1279-1287.
  • Mourtada M, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1998. Effector systems involved in the insulin secretory responses to efaroxan and RX871024 in rat islets of Langerhans. European Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 350(251), Article 528.
  • Mourtada M, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1998. The imidazoline RX871024 induces postglandin synthesis and inhibits insulin secretion from freshly isolated islets. Diabetologia, vol. 41, 589.
  • Morgan NG, Chan SLF, Mourtada M. 1997. Imidazoline receptors in the endocrine pancreas: possible theraputic targets?. Br. J. Pharmacol., vol. 122, 184.
  • Mourtada M, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1997. Insulin secretagogues with an imidazoline structure inhibit arginine-induced secretion from isolated rat islets of Langerhans. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 236, 162-166.
  • Mourtada M, Brown CA, Smith SA, Piercy V, Chan SLF, Morgan NG. 1997. Interactions between imidiazoline compounds and sulphonylureas in teh regulation of insulin secretion. British Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 121, 799-805.
  • Mourtada M, Brown CA, Chan SLF, Smith SA, Piercy V, Morgan NG. 1997. Potentiation of sulphonylurea-induced insulin secretion by efaroxan involves blockade of 2-adrenoceptors. Diabetologia, vol. 40, 393.
  • Mourtada M, Chan SLF, Smith SA, Morgan NG. 1997. Potentiation of sulphonylurea-induced secretion by the imidazoline efaroxan results from interaction with 2-adrenoceptors rather than imidazoline binding sites. Diabetic Med, vol. 14, Article 36.
  • Morgan NG, Pallet AL, Mourtada M, Chan SLF, Clews J, Ramsden CA. 1996. Synthesis and characterisation of the pancreatic islet imidazoline binding site. Diabetologia, vol. 39, 456.

Chapters

  • MORGAN NG, CHAN SLF, MAARABOUNI M, MONKS LR, RAMSDEN CA. 1999. Imidazolines and pancreatic hormone secretion. In Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. (vol. 881).

Other

  • Williams GT and Mourtada0Maarabouni M. 2008. Gas5 encodes non-coding RNA which controls apoptosis and growth arrest in human cells.
  • MOURTADA-MAARABOUNI M. 2007. GNB2L1 (guanie nucleotide binding protein (G protein), beta polypeptide 2-like 1). link>
  • Maarabouni-Mourtada M and Williams GT. 2007. Protein Phosphatase 4: A Novel Modulator of Apoptosis.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M. 2007. RBM5 (RNA binding motif protein 5). link>
  • Maarabouni-Mourtada M and Williams GT. 2006. Role of protein phosphatise 4 in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation.
  • Maarabouni-Mourtada M and Williams GT. 2006. Role of protein phosphatise 4 in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation.
  • Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Keen J, Sutherland LS, Clark JP, Cooper CS, Williams GT. 2002. The LUCA-15/RBM5 candidate tumour supressor regulates T-cell apoptosis. Am. Ass. Cancer Res. Proc. (p. 77).
  • Morgan NG, Mourtada-Maarabouni M, Monks LK, Chan SLF. 2001. Expression of imidazoline-binding proteins in the endocrine pancreas.

  • Year 1

  • LSC-10031 Cell and Molecular Biology

  • LSC-10040: Introduction to Human Physiology

  • LSC-10039: Human Physiology and Pathology

  • LSC-10036: Cells and organelles

  • Year 2

  • LSC-20052 Nutrition and Energy Balance (Module Manager)

  • LSC-20003: Gene and Protein Engineering

  • LSC-20005: Endocrinology and Signalling

  • Year 3

  • LSC-30015: Biology of Disease

  • LSC-30004: Research project (Experimental)

  • LSC-30007: Research project (Dissertation)

  • LSC 30028: Advances in Medicine

  • LSC-30030: Human Evolution

  • Year 4/ MSc Biomedical Blood Science

  • LSC-40033 Advanced Laboratory Techniques (Module Manager)