Hamed Jafar-Nejad

Hamed Jafar-Nejad is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, affiliated with the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Program in Developmental Biology. He received his MD from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Ottawa and Baylor College of Medicine.

• Research Interests: Glycosylation and deglycosylation in Notch signaling, Alagille syndrome (biliary development), NGLY1 deficiency, and their roles in human disease pathophysiology.
• Key Projects: Development of mouse models for Alagille syndrome, identification of dosage-sensitive modifiers like Poglut1, and investigation of NGLY1's role in BMP and AMPK signaling using Drosophila and mouse models.

Recent Publications focus on therapeutic strategies for Alagille syndrome via gene silencing, POGLUT1's role in muscular dystrophy, and deglycosylation's impact on metabolic and immune dysregulation. His work bridges Drosophila genetics and mammalian systems to uncover mechanisms for developmental disorders.

• Scientific Awards: Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award (2025), Alagille Syndrome Accelerator Awards (2019, 2015), Glycobiology Significant Achievement Award (2017), and others.
• Labs & Collaborations: Leads the Hamed Jafar-Nejad Lab, collaborating with Haltiwanger, Paradas, and Darabi groups. His team includes graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni now in academia and industry.