Nanyang Technology University

Academic Profile
Vg Assoc Prof Said Eshaghi 

Visiting Associate Professor 
Division of Structural Biology & Biochemistry 
School of Biological Sciences 
College of Science 



Email: SAID.ESHAGHI@ntu.edu.sg
Phone: (+65)63162819/65869705 
Office: Biopolis 7-01 
Education
  • PhD (Biochem) Stockholm University 2001
  • BSc (Chem) Stockholm University 1996
Biography
Date of joining NTU: January 2009

Designation/Role: Principal Investigator

Other external appointments: Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Selected publications:

1.Eshaghi S, Hedrén M, Nasser MI, Hammarberg T, Thornell A, Nordlund P. An efficient strategy for high-throughput expression screening of recombinant integral membrane proteins. Protein Sci. (2005) 14(3):676-83.

2.Eshaghi S, Niegowski D, Kohl A, Martinez Molina D, Lesley SA, Nordlund P. Crystal structure of a divalent metal ion transporter CorA at 2.9 angstrom resolution. Science (2006) 313:354-357

3.Martinez Molina D, Wetterholm A, Kohl A, McCarthy AA, Niegowski D, Ohlson E, Hammarberg T, Eshaghi S, Haeggstrom JZ, Nordlund P. Structure and mechanism of human Leukotriene C4 synthase - an integral membrane protein in allergic inflammation and immune regulation, Nature (2007) 448:613-616

4.Niegowski D. and Eshaghi S. The CorA family: structure and function revisited. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. (2007) 64:2564-2574

5.Martinez Molina, D., Eshaghi, S. and Nordlund, P. (2008) Catalysis within the lipid bilayer - Structure and mechanism of the MAPEG family of integral membrane proteins. Curr Opin Struct Biol (2008) 18:442-449

6.Martinez Molina, D., Lundbäck, A-K., Niegowski, D., Eshaghi S. Expression and purification of the recombinant membrane protein YidC: a case study for increased stability and solubility. Prot Expr Purif (2008) 62:49-52

7.Lundbäck, A-K., van den Berg, S., Hebert, H., Berglund, H., Eshaghi, S. Exploring the activity of TEV protease in detergent solutions. Anal Biochem (2008) 382:69-71
Research Interests
The focus of our research is to elucidate the molecular biology of divalent cation (Mg2+, Co2+, Zn2+ and Ca2+) transporters. These families of transporters are integral membrane proteins involved in cellular activities (e.g. cell signaling and homeostasis) where impairments lead to pathological conditions, thus making them biomedically very interesting.

Structure determination using X-ray crystallography is the main strategy for this. We also implement various biophysical assays as complementary tools. In addition, we constantly work on method developments and improvements in order to isolate these membrane proteins in large quantities and of high qualities.
Current Projects
  • Revealing the structure and function of Orai1 and Stim1: the cause of severe combined immune (SCID) syndrome
Selected Publications
  • Lundbäck, A-K., van den Berg, S., Hebert, H., Berglund, H., Eshaghi, S. (2008). Exploring the activity of TEV protease in detergent solutions. Analytical Biochemistry, 382, 69-71.
  • Niegowski D. and Eshaghi S. (2007). The CorA family: structure and function revisited. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64, 2564-2574.
  • Eshaghi S, Niegowski D, Kohl A, Martinez Molina D, Lesley SA, Nordlund P. (2006). Crystal structure of a divalent metal ion transporter CorA at 2.9 angstrom resolution. Science, 313, 354-357.
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