Biochemist Mohsan Saeed Awarded Two Prestigious Federal Grants to Study Viruses
Mohsan Saeed, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry, has received a five-year, $2 million R35 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, as well as a five-year, $2.5 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It is extremely rare for an early-stage investigator to win these highly competitive awards during the same funding cycle.
Human cells respond to foreign agents such as pathogens and toxins by initiating a strong innate defense response that creates a protective environment in the cells and incapacitates the invading pathogens and foreign substances. The initiation, activation and resolution of this innate defense response is a carefully regulated process designed to avoid both hyperactivation and underactivation of the immune system, either of which can lead to tissue damage, organ dysfunction and microbial diseases.
Read the full article on the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine website.