Dr Omar Mossad
Scientist at Grünenthal (Translational Disease Understanding Unit)
Dr Omar Mossad
Dr Omar Mossad
About
Mossad is a scientist at Grünenthal. He holds a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Freiburg.
Current research
In his current role at Grünenthal, Mossad is primarily focused on studying the specific molecular mechanisms that result in chronic pain based on human/humanized models and human disease tissue. Using state-of-the-art molecular biology and bioinformatic techniques, his team investigates the signaling pathways that offer potential for targeting with new pain medications.
Future research vision
Coming with a neuroimmunology experience into the field of chronic pain, Mossad realized how the immune component of disease pathogenesis and prognosis is understudied. Moreover, a history of many failures in bringing preclinical studies into the clinic is clearly due to unknown biological differences between rodents and humans, more complexity in cell-cell interactions than what the available models utilize, and the undervalued impact of sex, all of which, can be related to immune cells.
Key publications

Mossad O et al. Gut Microbiota Modulate Age-Related Changes in Microglia Function via the Metabolite N(6)-Carboxymethyllysine. Nature Neuroscience, 2022.

Mossad O et al. Microbiota-Dependent Increase in δ-Valerobetaine Alters Neuronal Function and is Responsible for Age-Related Cognitive Decline. Nature Aging, 2021.

Erny D et al. Microbiota-Derived Acetate Enables the Metabolic Fitness of the CNS Innate Immune System during Health and Neurodegeneration. Cell Metabolism, 2021.

Sheikh BN et al. Neural Metabolic Imbalance Induced by MOF Dysfunction Triggers Pericyte Activation and Breakdown of Vasculature. Nature Cell Biology, 2020.

Ydens E et al. Distinct Signature, Origin and Dynamics of Macrophages in the Peripheral and Central Nervous System. Nature Neuroscience, 2020.

Key awards

Reciprocal Knowledge Transfer Award, University of Freiburg.

Masters Scholarship, Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

Workshop Scholarship, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.

Internship Fellowship, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

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