Jalilian Lab
Addressing the critical clinical need for therapies that can effectively promote rapid regeneration of corneal peripheral nerves and minimize vision loss in patients with corneal diseases.
Our ultimate goal is to enhance our understanding of corneal nerve regeneration and identify effective therapeutic strategies for patients with corneal diseases. By unraveling the therapeutic specificity of MSC-derived EVs and investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms, we hope to contribute to the development of novel treatments that can restore damaged corneal nerves and potentially address other neurological ocular conditions.
Two Focus Areas Heading link
Therapeutic specificity of extracellular vesicles (EVs)
We are conducting in-depth investigations into the therapeutic potential of two distinct sources of extracellular vesicles derived from bone marrow and corneal mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs). These EVs will be evaluated for their ability to promote nerve regeneration in murine corneas, both in vitro and in vivo. By studying the regenerative effects of these EVs, we aim to understand their specific impact on corneal nerves and their potential as targeted therapies.
Molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways
Additionally, our research involves an in- depth analysis of the cargo carried by the two types of MSC-derived EVs. Through transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, we aim to identify the specific components within these EVs that contribute to their neuroregenerative effects. By elucidating the molecular mechanisms and downstream signaling pathways involved in the regenerative response of nerve cells, we seek to uncover targetable molecules that can facilitate neuroregeneration in various clinical applications.
Lab Director Heading link
Our Team Heading link
Lab Publications Heading link
-
Recent Publications
Soleimani, M., Mirshahi, R., Cheraqpour, K., Baharnoori, S. M., Massoumi, H., Chow, C., … Jalilian, E., Djalilian, A. R. Intrastromal versus subconjunctival injection of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells for promoting corneal repair. (2023) The ocular surface, 30, 187-195
Massoumi, H., Katz, E., Thanh, T., Zhou, N., Jazayerli, C., Anwar, K., Ashraf, M., Soleimani, M., Guaiquil, V., Rosenblatt, M., Djalilian, A., Jalilian, E.; Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from 3D cultured human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSC) demonstrated increased complexity and neurite elongation in an in-vivo corneal injury model. June 2023 Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2023;64(8):2350.
Massoumi H, Amin S, Soleimani M, Momenaei B, Ashraf MJ, Guaiquil VH, Hematti P, Rosenblatt MI, Djalilian AR, Jalilian E*. Extracellular-Vesicle-Based Therapeutics in Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023; 24(10):9006. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24109006
Yazdanpanah, G., Jalilian, E., Shen, X. et al. The effect of decellularization protocols on characterizations of thermoresponsive and light-curable corneal extracellular matrix hydrogels. Sci Rep 13, 8145 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35202-8
Jalilian, E., Shin, S.R. Novel model of cortical–meningeal organoid co-culture system improves human cortical brain organoid cytoarchitecture. Sci Rep 13, 7809 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35077-9
Jalilian, E., Massoumi, H., Bigit, B. et al. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells in a 3D system produce higher concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) with increased complexity and enhanced neuronal growth properties. Stem Cell Res Ther 13, 425 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-022-03128-z
Jalilian, E., Bigit, B., Sohil Amin, Hamed Massoumi, Eitan Katz, Victor H Guaiquil, Mark Rosenblatt, Ali R Djalilian; Exosomes from 3D cultures of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell (BM-MSCs) have higher neuro-regenerative potential than those generated from 2D conditions. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2022;63(7):1209 – A0209.
Jalilian, E., Putra, I., Katz, E., Yazdanpanah, G., Guaiquil, V., Shen, X., Anwar, K., An, S., Rosenblatt, M., Djalilian, A. et al; Interactions between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and trigeminal ganglion (TGs) improve neurite growth and elongation. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2021;62(8):892.
Yazdanpanah, G., Jiang, Y., Jabbehdari, S., Anwar, K., Shen, X., An, S., Jalilian, E., Omidi, M., Rosenblatt, M., Shokuhfar, T., Pan, Y., Naba, A., Djalilian, A. ; Rheological and Proteomics Characterization of Thermoresponsive Hydrogel from Porcine Cornea Extracellular Matrix for Corneal Tissue Engineering Purposes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2021;62(8):872.
Amin S, Jalilian E, Katz E, Frank C, Yazdanpanah G, Guaiquil VH, Rosenblatt MI, Djalilian AR. The Limbal Niche and Regenerative Strategies. Vision. 2021; 5(4):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/vision5040043
Katz, E., Guaiquil, V., Ivakhnitskaia, E., Lara, D., Anwar, K., Jalilian, E., Rosenblatt, M., Djalilian, A.; Exosomes as a Novel Multitarget Approach to Promote Growth of Corneal Sensory Neurons. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2021;62(8):749.
Jalilian E, Elkin K, Shin SR. Novel Cell-Based and Tissue Engineering Approaches for Induction of Angiogenesis as an Alternative Therapy for Diabetic Retinopathy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(10):3496. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21103496
Jalilian, E., & Raimes, W. (2020). Transcriptional profiling reveals fundamental differences in iPS-derived progenitors of endothelial cells (PECs) versus adult circulating EPCs. arXiv preprint arXiv:2005.01491.
Jalilian, E, Xu, Q, Horton, L, et al. Contrast-enhanced optical coherence tomography for melanoma detection: An in vitro study. J. Biophotonics. 2020; 13:e201960097. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbio.201960097
Xu, Q, Jalilian, E, Fakhoury, JW, et al. Monitoring the topical delivery of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles using optical coherence tomography. Skin Res Technol. 2020; 26: 263–268. https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.12789
Hemmatian, Z., Jalilian, E., Lee, S., Strakosas, X., Khademhosseini, A., Almutairi, A., Shin, S. R., & Rolandi, M. (2018). Delivery of Cargo with a Bioelectronic Trigger. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces., 10(26), 21782–21787. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b02724
News Heading link
-
Cover Article in The International Journal of Molecular Sciences
In March 2024, a review paper by the Jalilian Lab, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (impact factor 5.6), was chosen as the volume’s cover article. Additionally, the paper’s comprehensive design on Exosome Generation and its Clinical Research was selected as the volume’s cover image.
Read the paper: “Cell Type-Specific Extracellular Vesicles and Their Impact on Health and Disease”.
Internship at AbbVie
An internship at AbbVie company in Illinois was awarded to Hamed Massoumi. This competitive nationwide opportunity selects only a few Ph.D. students through rigorous interviews. Hamed Massoumi was chosen to join the Science & Technology (S&T) – Drug and Device Products team for the summer.
Second Place at the UIC Biomedical Engineering Symposium
On March 8, 2024, Hamed Massoumi participated in the 6th Annual Biomedical Engineering Symposium hosted by the Richard and Loan Hill Department of Biomedical Engineering. This symposium allows undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellows to showcase their research through posters or oral presentations. A panel of judges evaluated participants in each category, selecting the top three finalists. Hamed Massoumi achieved second place in the graduate poster presentation category.
-
MD Program Admission
The Jalilian Lab is thrilled to share the achievement of our undergraduate student, Abhi Krishan, who has been admitted into UIC’s MD program, set to start after he finishes his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering this spring! Abhi looks forward to being a part of our lab for the next four years, while also learning as much as he can to serve his community as a future ophthalmologist. Join us in celebrating his incredible milestone!
-
Women In Medicine Summit
Madhurima Chaudhuri, MD (Ophthalmologist and research scholar) had an amazing experience presenting at the Women In Medicine Summit 2023 held at The Drake Hotel, Chicago in September. She presented the lab’s work on “Evaluating the effects of exosomes obtained from 3D cultured human bone marrow mesenchymal cells on nerve regeneration in a rodent wounded cornea model”. Dr. Chaudhuri got the chance to advocate our lab findings to physicians, graduate students and researchers from all over the country, and exchange ideas on the field with some amazing professionals. Meeting esteemed figures and forming meaningful connections with women physicians and scientists was nothing short of inspiring for her!
-
LASURI Scholarship
Cedra Jazayerli has been honored with the LASURI Scholarship for her project, titled “The Impact of Nerve Regeneration in the Presence of Extracellular Vesicles.” This prestigious scholarship, sponsored by UIC Honors College, includes a tuition scholarship and a lab stipend to support the student’s experience in the lab. This recognition highlights the invaluable mentorship provided by Dr. Jalilian and will culminate in an exciting presentation of Cedra’s research at the UIC Undergraduate Research Forum in April.
Positions Heading link
Self-funded visiting scholars
Applicants with background in cellular and molecular biology, neuroscience, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, medical students and ophthalmology are preferred. Applicants who aim to visit for more than 6 months will be considered. A recently updated CV and two references are required. Source of funding should be clearly stated.
Applicants who are interested should send the CV to Dr. Jalilian (Jalilian@uic.edu or Elmira.Jalilian@gmail.com)