About

Mohamad Rima

Assistant Professor of Biology

Dr. Mohamad RIMA joined LAU as an assistant professor of cell biology in Fall 2023. He holds a PhD degree in Neuroscience from Grenoble Alpes University, France. In his thesis, he described new cellular functions of the beta4 subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels including the regulation of cell proliferation, cell cycle and gene expression. After obtaining his PhD, he joined the Sorbonne University, Paris, to study the role of the cholinergic system in neuronal network wiring during zebrafish early development. Afterward, in the University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Studies (USIAS) excellence project, he combined his expertise in cell biology and zebrafish development to validate a new method for visualizing and analyzing retinoid metabolism in living organisms. Later, he joined the Research and Development departments of two different startups as a research scientist and worked on developing immunotherapies targeting cancer and age-related diseases.

Research Interests

Dr. Rima’s research focuses on the cellular mechanisms by which environmental factors trigger accelerated aging in the Lebanese population. The outcomes of this study help in raising awareness about the risks and negative consequences of a bad lifestyle linked to age-related diseases and premature aging. Also, it dissects the beneficial effects of natural products in fighting aging. Overall, understanding the cellular mechanisms behind aging is essential for developing strategies to prevent or slow down the aging process, and to propose novel therapies for healthy aging.

SDGs Research Mapping

Dr. Mohamad Rima conducts research relevant to the following SDGs:

Selected Publications

  1. Sahyoun, C., Krezel, W., Mattei, C., Sabatier, J. M., Legros, C., Fajloun, Z., & Rima, M. (2022). Neuro-and cardiovascular activities of Montivipera bornmuelleri snake venom. Biology, 11(6), 888.
  2. Sahyoun, C., Rima, M., Mattei, C., Sabatier, J. M., Fajloun, Z., & Legros, C. (2022). Separation and Analytical Techniques Used in Snake Venomics: A Review Article. Processes, 10(7), 1380.
  3. Rima, M., Lattouf, Y., Abi Younes, M., Bullier, E., Legendre, P., Mangin, J. M., & Hong, E. (2020). Dynamic regulation of the cholinergic system in the spinal central nervous system. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 15338.
  4. Haddoub C, Rima M, Heurtebise S, Lawand M, Jundi D, Sadek R, Amigorena S, Fajloun Z, Karam MC. 2020. Cytotoxic effect of Montivipera bornmuelleri’s venom on cancer cell lines: in vitro and in vivo studies. PeerJ 8:e9909
  5. Wehbe, R., Frangieh, J., Rima, M., El Obeid, D., Sabatier, J. M., & Fajloun, Z. (2019). Bee venom: Overview of main compounds and bioactivities for therapeutic interests. Molecules, 24(16), 2997.
  6. Rima, M., Alavi Naini, S. M., Karam, M., Sadek, R., Sabatier, J. M., & Fajloun, Z. (2018). Vipers of the middle east: a rich source of bioactive molecules. Molecules, 23(10), 2721.
  7. Rima, M., Daghsni, M., Lopez, A., Fajloun, Z., Lefrancois, L., Dunach, M., … & Ronjat, M. (2017). Down-regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by Cacnb4. Molecular biology of the cell, 28(25), 3699-3708.
  8. Rima, M., Daghsni, M., De Waard, S., Gaborit, N., Fajloun, Z., Ronjat, M., … & De Waard, M. (2017). The β4 subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channel (Cacnb4) regulates the rate of cell proliferation in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 89, 57-70.
  9. Rima, M., Daghsni, M., Fajloun, Z., M’rad, R., Brusés, J. L., Ronjat, M., & De Waard, M. (2016). Protein partners of the calcium channel β subunit highlight new cellular functions. Biochemical Journal, 473(13), 1831-1844.
  10. Rima, M., Accary, C., Haddad, K., Sadek, R., Hraoui-Bloquet, S., C Desfontis, J., & Fajloun, Z. (2013). Identification of L-amino acid oxidase (Mb-LAAO) with antibacterial activity in the venom of Montivipera bornmuelleri, a viper from Lebanon. Infectious Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Infectious Disorders), 13(5), 337-343.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in Neuroscience and Biotechnology, Grenoble Alpes University, France, and Lebanese University, Lebanon (2016).
  • MS in biotechnology, Lebanese University, Lebanon (2013).
  • BS in Biochemistry, Lebanese University, Lebanon (2011).