Mani Larijani

Mani Larijani is a Professor and Shrum Chair in Biological Mechanisms of Disease at Simon Fraser University's Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. His research focuses on DNA/RNA-mutating processes and their roles in immunity, cancer, and evolution.

• MSc in Immunology (University of Toronto)
• PhD in Immunology (University of Toronto & Harvard University)

Research Interests:
• Structural dynamics of genome-mutating enzymes
• Biochemical mechanisms of AID/APOBEC family proteins
• Evolutionary roles of DNA-editing enzymes across species
• DNA/RNA-editing in cancer initiation and progression
• Immune response modulation by viral/host interactions

Recent publication trends emphasize interdisciplinary approaches combining structural biology with evolutionary analysis, revealing conserved regulatory mechanisms of mutagenic enzymes. Key studies explore catalytic pocket dynamics, viral immune evasion strategies, and ancient enzyme functions in lampreys.

Scientific Awards:

• Terra Nova Young Innovator
• President's Award for Outstanding Research
• Senior Scientist, Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute
• CIHR-funded research
• Canadian Cancer Society Innovation Grant

Lab Information:
Larijani Lab (SSB 6159) investigates genome-mutating processes through biochemical, computational, and evolutionary frameworks. Current projects include structural modeling of mutagenic enzymes, cancer immunotherapy applications, and ancient enzyme discovery.