Research roundup

The progress we have made in treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases over the last 20 to 30 years is driven entirely by research. Behind every modern treatment available today is a deep commitment to uncovering how these complex conditions operate at a cellular level.

During my time at the University of Washington, my research focused on the pivotal role neutrophils play in autoimmune conditions. Using specialized techniques like electron and immunofluorescence microscopy, I worked to visualize and map cellular interactions to help advance our understanding of inflammatory disease mechanisms.

2025

• Le E, Moadab F, Wang X, Najjar R, Bays A, Hastie KM, Shek J, Saphire EO, Mustelin T. Type I interferons increase expression of endogenous retrovirus K102 and envelope protein in myeloid cells from patients with autoimmune disease. Mobile DNA. 2025;16(1):36. doi:10.1186/s13100-025-00371-y
• Shek J, Sun C, Wilson EM, Moadab F, Hastie KM, Rajamanickam RR, Penalosa PJ, Harkins SS, Parekh D, Hariharan C, Zyla DS, Yu C, Shaffer KCL, Lewis VI, Avalos RD, Mustelin T, Saphire EO. Human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) envelope structures in pre- and postfusion by cryo-EM. Science Advances. 2025;11(35):eady8168. doi:10.1126/sciadv.ady8168
• Wang X, Moadab F, Shaikh F, An J, Mustelin C, Le E, Van der Bogaerde S, Najjar R, Mustelin T. Association of protein arginine deiminase 4 with the myosin-9 motor complex. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2025;301(9):110513. doi:10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110513
• Le E, Moadab F, Wang X, Najjar R, Van den Bogaerde SJ, Bays A, LaCava J, Mustelin T. Interferons and cytokines induce transcriptional activation of the long-interspersed element-1 in myeloid cells from autoimmune patients. European Journal of Immunology. 2025;55(3):e2451351. doi:10.1002/eji.202451351

2024

• Bagheri-Hosseinabadi Z, Moadab F, Abbasifard M. Prevalence and contributing factors of metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis patients. BMC Endocrine Disorders. 2024;24(1):140. doi:10.1186/s12902-024-01675-5
• Moadab F, Wang X, Le E, Gazitt T, Najjar R, Nelson JL, Joshua V, Malmström V, Elkon K, Grönwall C, Mustelin T. Evidence of membranolytic targeting and intracellular citrullination in neutrophils isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Scientific Reports. 2024;14(1):15511. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-66516-w
• Moadab F, Sohrabi S, Wang X, Najjar R, Wolters JC, Jiang H, Miao W, Romero D, Zaller DM, Tran M, Bays A, Taylor MS, Kapeller R, LaCava J, Mustelin T. Subcellular location of L1 retrotransposon-encoded ORF1p, reverse transcription products, and DNA sensors in lupus granulocytes. Mobile DNA. 2024;15(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13100-024-00324-x

2023

• Mohammad-Rafiei F, Moadab F, Mahmoudi A, Navashenaq JG, Gheibihayat SM. Efferocytosis: a double-edged sword in microbial immunity. Archives of Microbiology. 2023;205(12):370. doi:10.1007/s00203-023-03704-8
• Moadab F, Wang X, Najjar R, Ukadike KC, Hu S, Hulett T, Bengtsson AA, Lood C, Mustelin T. Argonaute, vault, and ribosomal proteins targeted by autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. The Journal of Rheumatology. 2023;50(9):1136-1144. doi:10.3899/jrheum.2022-1327
• Bagheri-Hosseinabadi Z, Moadab F, Amiri A, Abbasifard M. The prevalence and contributing risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 infection in patients with metabolic syndrome. BMC Endocrine Disorders. 2023;23(1):100. doi:10.1186/s12902-023-01351-0
• Masoumi M, Hashemi N, Moadab F, Didehdar M, Farahani R, Khorramdelazad H, Sahebkar A, Johnston TP, Karami J. Immunometabolism dysfunction in the pathophysiology and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Current Medicinal Chemistry. 2023;30(27):3119-3136. doi:10.2174/0929867329666220907151213

2022

• Mahmoudi A, Moadab F, Safdarian E, Navashenaq JG, Rezaee M, Gheibihayat SM. MicroRNAs and efferocytosis: implications for diagnosis and therapy. Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. 2022;22(20):2641-2660. doi:10.2174/1389557522666220330150937

2021

• Vandchali NR, Moadab F, Taghizadeh E, Tajbakhsh A, Gheibihayat SM. CD47 functionalization of nanoparticles as a poly(ethylene glycol) alternative: a novel approach to improve drug delivery. Current Drug Targets. 2021;22(15):1750-1759. doi:10.2174/1389450122666210204203514
• Moadab F, Khorramdelazad H, Abbasifard M. Role of CCL2/CCR2 axis in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis: latest evidence and therapeutic approaches. Life Sciences. 2021;269:119034. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119034