Postdoctoral Fellow–
Dr. Tavasolli is studying the regulation of αT-catenin protein through phosphorylation in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). αT-catenin is an intercalated disc (ICD)-resident protein in cardiomyocytes involved in cell-cell adhesion. She is trying to genetically manipulate phosphorylation levels of catenin protein to investigate its protein-protein interaction, cellular localization, and degradation in response to Wnt-β-catenin and Hippo signalling pathways in cardiac development and disease. This work is in collaboration with other lab members Dr. Kuzmanov and Dr. Reitz. Marjan is also involved in the PLN project with Dr. Allen Teng.
Education and Professional Experience
Postdoctoral Fellowship
(2020 – Present)
Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
Ph.D. in Biochemistry
(2013 – 2019)
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Biochemistry Research Associate – Obesity and Diabetes
(2013-2019)
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Teaching Assistant
(2013-2018)
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Master’s of Science in Chemistry
(2010 – 2013)
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.
Teaching Assistant
(2010 – 2012)
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.
Biophysical Chemistry Research Associate
(2010 – 2012)
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.
Selected Publications
Phosphorylation of the lipid droplet localized glycerol‑3‑phosphate acyltransferase Gpt2 prevents a futile triacylglycerol cycle in yeast
Kiegerl, B., Tavassoli, M., Smart, H., Shabits, B. N., Zaremberg, V., & Athenstaedt, K. (2019). Phosphorylation of the lipid droplet localized glycerol‑3‑phosphate acyltransferase Gpt2 prevents a futile triacylglycerol cycle in yeast. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1864(12), 158509.
Metabolic control of cytosolic-facing pools of diacylglycerol in budding yeast
Ganesan, S., Sosa Ponce, M. L., Tavassoli, M., Shabits, B. N., Mahadeo, M., Prenner, E. J., … & Zaremberg, V. (2019). Metabolic control of cytosolic‐facing pools of diacylglycerol in budding yeast. Traffic, 20(3), 226-245.
Phylogenetic analysis of glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferases in opisthokonts reveals unexpected ancestral complexity and novel modern biosynthetic components
Smart, H. C., Mast, F. D., Chilije, M. F., Tavassoli, M., Dacks, J. B., & Zaremberg, V. (2014). Phylogenetic analysis of glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferases in opisthokonts reveals unexpected ancestral complexity and novel modern biosynthetic components. PloS one, 9(10), e110684.
Conformational itinerary of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1,6-anhydro-N-acetylmuramic acid kinase during its catalytic cycle
Bacik, J. P., Tavassoli, M., Patel, T. R., McKenna, S. A., Vocadlo, D. J., Khajehpour, M., & Mark, B. L. (2014). Conformational itinerary of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1, 6-anhydro-N-acetylmuramic acid kinase during its catalytic cycle. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 289(7), 4504-4514.
Gramolini Lab 