Mohammed Kamil, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar | Mohd.Kamil@seattlechildrens.org
Kamil is a molecular biologist specialising in research related to cancer biology and malaria pathogenesis. He completed his Ph.D. in Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology in 2017 in India, where he built a strong foundation in cellular signaling and the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer progression.
In 2018, he moved to Türkiye to join Bezmialem Vakif University as a postdoctoral research scientist. During his time there, Kamil transitioned into malaria biology, working extensively with rodent malaria models Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium yoelii. He conducted gene-targeting studies and generated numerous genetically engineered parasite strains. He also developed drug-resistant parasite models.
In May 2023, Kamil relocated to the United States to join Dr. Ashley Vaughan's lab in Seattle Children’s Research Institute as a postdoctoral scientist. Currently, he works on Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium yoelii, focusing on all life-cycle stages of the parasites. Kamil also works with P. falciparum field isolates and conducts genetic crosses between different strains to better understand the role of non-nuclear genome inheritance in recombinant progeny. He aims to identify molecular vulnerabilities in the parasite’s development and develop new strategies for intervention. Additionally, using the P. yoelii model, he is working to enhance CD8-T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses in LARC-GAP vaccines.
Kamil aims to develop customized whole-parasite vaccines and identify novel drug targets that can effectively interrupt the parasite’s life cycle and lessen disease burden. He is deeply dedicated to translational research, connecting laboratory discoveries with real-world impact, especially in the fight against malaria.
Outside the lab, he enjoys spending time with friends and staying active. Kamil is an avid cricket enthusiast, enjoying watching matches and playing the game whenever he can.
Kamil is dedicated to interdisciplinary science, international collaboration, and translational innovation. He continues to seek opportunities to contribute to infectious disease research and mentor the next generation of scientists.
Publications
1. Melanie HD, Jill C, Li-Jin C, Li LT, Amy A, Frankie MTL, Mikha G, Sash L, Toby AD, Laura FD, Lucia P, Priya G, Kamil M, Ashley MV, Rattanaporn R, Anju A, Ramin M, Rhea JL, Kathleen Z, Quentin G, Ivo M, Stewart AF, Rekha SM, Colin WPo, Alisa G, Shabih S, Wai-Hong T., Cryo-EM Structure of Endogenous Plasmodium falciparum Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 Fertilization Complex. Science. 10.1126/science.ady0241
2. Kamil M, Kina UY, Atmaca H, Unal S, Deveci G, Burak P, Aly ASI. Endoplasmic Reticulum Localized TMEM33 Domain-Containing Protein is Crucial for all Life Cycle Stages of the Malaria Parasite. Mol Microbiol . 2024 Jan 18. doi: 10.1111/mmi.15228.
3. Unal S, Kina UY, Kamil M, Aly ASI, Palabiyik B. Drug-Induced ER Stress Leads to Induction of Programmed Cell Death Pathways of Malaria Parasite. Parasitol Res. 2024; 123(7): 263. doi: 10.1007/s00436-024-08281-3
4. Kina UY, Kamil M, Deveci G, Rafiqi AM, Matuschewski K, Aly ASI. A Candidate Bacterial-Type Amino Acid Decarboxylase is Essential for Male Gamete Exflagellation and Mosquito Transmission of the Malaria Parasite. Infection and Immunity. 2023 Jun 1;e0016723. doi: 10.1128/iai.00167-23.
5. Deveci G#, Kamil M#, Aly ASI. A Single Dose of Genetically Attenuated Malaria Blood-Stage Parasites Protects Against Two Plasmodium Species Infections. Vaccine. 2023 Feb 10;41(7):1281-1285. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.01.004. Epub 2023 Jan 16. PMID: 36653222.
6. Kamil M, Atmaca H, Unal S, Kina UY, Burak P, Deveci G, Yilmaz I, Aly ASI. An Alternative Autophagy-Related Mechanism of Drug Resistance of Chloroquine in the Malaria Parasite. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2022 Dec 20;66(12):e0026922. doi: 10.1128/aac.00269-22. Epub 2022 Nov 7. PMID: 36342168.
7. Kamil M, Deveci G, Kina UY, Kappe SHI, Aly ASI. Subcutaneous Immunization with Unaltered Axenic Malaria Parasite Liver Stages Induces Sterile Protection against Infectious Sporozoite Challenge. Vaccines 2022, 10, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10111884. PMID:36366392.
8. Kamil M, Kina UY, Deveci G, Aykuz SN, Yilmaz I, Aly ASI. Mitochondrial Spermidine Synthase is Essential for Blood-Stage Growth of the Malaria Parasite. Microbiological research 265 (2022) 127181. doi:10.1016/j.micres.2022.127181.
9. Deveci G, Kamil M, Kina UY, Aly ASI. Aly. Plasmodium Berghei Nucleoside Transporter Gene-4 Play Important Role in Sporozoite Invasion and Infectivity. Pathogens and Global Health 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.2022.2112880
10. Rider PJF#, Kamil M#, Yilmaz I, Atmaca HN, Kalkan-Yazici M, Ziya Doymaz M, Kousoulas KG, Aly ASI. An Attenuated HSV-1-Derived Malaria Vaccine Expressing Liver-Stage Exported Proteins Induces Sterilizing Protection against Infectious Sporozoite Challenge. Vaccines. 2022 Feb 16; 10 (2):300. doi: 10.3390/vaccines10020300. PMID: 35214758. #
11. Akcakir O, Celebi LK, Kamil M, Aly ASI. Automated Wide-Field Malaria Parasite Infection Detection Using Fourier Ptychography on Stain-Free Thin-Smears. Biomedical Optics Express 2022 Jun 15;13(7):3904-3921. doi: 10.1364/BOE.448099. PMID: 35991917.
12. Hasan A, Haque E, Hameed R, Maier PN, Irfan S, Kamil M, Nazir A, Mir SS. Hsp90 Inhibitor Gedunin Causes Apoptosis in A549 Lung Cancer Cells by Disrupting Hsp90:Beclin-1:Bcl-2 Interaction and Downregulating Autophagy. Life Sci. 2020 Sep 1; 256:118000. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118000. Epub 2020 Jun 22. PMID: 32585246.
13. Haque E#, Kamil M#, Hasan A#, Irfan S, Sheikh S, Khatoon A, Nazir A, Mir SS. Advanced Glycation End Products (Ages), Protein Aggregation and Their Cross Talk: New Insight in Tumorigenesis. Glycobiology. 2019 Dec 12; 30(1):49-57. doi: 10.1093/glycob/cwz073. PMID: 31508802.
14. Pukáncsik M, Molnár P, Orbán Á, Butykai Á, Marton L, Kézsmárki I, Vértessy BG, Kamil M, Abraham A, Aly ASI. Highly Sensitive and Rapid Characterization of the Development of Synchronized Blood Stage Malaria Parasites via Magneto-Optical Hemozoin Quantification. Biomolecules. 2019 Oct 7; 9(10):579. doi: 10.3390/biom9100579. PMID: 31591333.
15. Kamil M, Haque E, Mir SS, Irfan S, Hasan A, Sheikh S, Alam S, Ansari KM, Nazir A. Hydroxyl Group Difference between Anthraquinone Derivatives Regulate Different Cell Death Pathways via Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Shuttling of p53. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2019;19(2):184-193. doi: 10.2174/1871520618666181029133041. PMID: 30370860.
16. Haque E, Kamil M, Irfan S, Sheikh S, Hasan A, Nazir A, Mir SS. Blocking Mutation Independent p53 Aggregation by Emodin Modulates Autophagic Cell Death Pathway in Lung Cancer. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2018 Mar; 96:90-95. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.01.014. Epub 2018 Feb 6. PMID: 29355754.
17. Kamil M, Haque E, Irfan S, Sheikh S, Hasan A, Nazir A, Lohani M, Mir SS. ER Chaperone GRP78 Regulates Autophagy by Modulation of p53 Localization. Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2017 Jan 1;9(1):54-66. doi: 10.2741/e785. PMID: 27814589.
18. Haque E, Safia, Kamil M, Sheikh S, Hasan A, Lakshmi V, Nazir A, Mir SS. Terpenoids with Antifungal Activity Trigger Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microbiology, 2016, Vol. 85, No. 4, pp. 436–443.
19. Safia, Kamil M, Jadiya P, Sheikh S, Haque E, Nazir A, Lakshmi V, Mir SS. The Chromone Alkaloid, Rohitukine, Affords Anti-Cancer Activity via Modulating Apoptosis Pathways in A549Cell Line and Yeast Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Pathway. PLoS One. 2015 Sep 25; 10(9):e0137991. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137991. PMID: 26405812.
20. Sheikh S, Siddiqui S, Dhasmana A, Safia, Haque E, Kamil M, Lohani M, Arshad M, Mir SS. Cissus quadrangularis Linn. Stem Ethanolic Extract Liberates Reactive Oxygen Species and Induces Mitochondria Mediated Apoptosis in KB Cells. Pharmacogn Mag. 2015 Oct; 11(Suppl 3):S365-74. doi: 10.4103/0973-1296.168972. PMID: 26929569.