Postdoctoral research fellow Dr. Yasin Tabatabaei is studying mechanisms of autoimmune diseases in Dr. Dieter Brömme’s lab.

Tell us a bit about what led you to a career in research.

After completing my undergraduate degree in pharmacy, I became interested in drug discovery, chemistry and molecular mechanisms of disease.

I moved to the United Kingdom to pursue an MSc in analytical chemistry and a PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Manchester. My PhD aimed to determine new avenues of drug discovery using enzymes.

I then went to the University of Alberta, working closely with a pharmaceutical company to develop and synthesize new antibiotics to fight superbugs. We successfully synthesized several antibiotic drug candidates as part of that project before I moved to UBC in 2021 to work on an exciting project at the interface of immunology and biochemistry in Dr. Brömme’s laboratory.

What is the focus of your postdoctoral research?

I study the molecular mechanisms behind autoimmune diseases. These diseases arise when the immune system mistakenly targets the body’s own cells. One promising area of research is looking at the role of proteases, such as cathepsins, in this process.

Cathepsins are crucial players in the immune response. When a foreign substance enters the body, cathepsins and other proteases break it down into smaller fragments known as antigens. The immune system then recognizes these antigens, which produce antibodies to combat the perceived threat.

We hypothesize that cathepsins might also generate new antigens that could mistakenly trigger an autoimmune response. By studying how cathepsins function and interact with other proteins, we hope to discover whether they contribute to the misidentification of self versus non-self. This will shed light on the molecular origins of autoimmune diseases.

Why is this work important?

The goal is to develop safer and more efficient therapeutics and diagnostic tools against autoimmune disorders. To do this, we first need to understand the mechanism behind what causes these disorders.

Why did you decide to come to UBC Dentistry?

My PhD research focused on an enzyme in the cathepsin family. Given Dr. Brömme’s expertise in the role of cathepsins in human health and disease, joining his team was a natural fit. This project also provided the perfect opportunity to merge my passion for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of diseases with my background in organic chemistry.

Where do you hope your postdoctoral research leads you?

My goal is to continue my research and eventually open my own laboratory. I am interested in working at the intersection of immunology and chemistry. I hope to develop new diagnostic tools and therapeutics for immunotherapy, a field I find particularly exciting and challenging, but that has received little attention in drug discovery.