M. (Mohsen) Ghanbari, MD, MSc, PhD

I am a Medical Doctor and Molecular Epidemiologist, currently serving as an Associate Professor (UHD) in the Department of Epidemiology at Erasmus MC. I have a multidisciplinary background that bridges clinical medicine, epidemiology, and molecular biology. As the Principal Investigator of the Molecular & Systems Epidemiology research line, I lead a dynamic team comprising MSc students, PhD candidates, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting researchers. Moreover, I coordinate and teach multiple omics-related courses offered by the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES). I am also contributing to the generation, management, and maintenance of omics data within the population-based Rotterdam Study (ERGO) and the family-based Erasmus Rucphen Family (ERF) study. My research focuses on identifying genetic determinants and novel biomarkers for complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s, fatty liver, and cardiometabolic disorders. To achieve this, my team integrates multi-omics data from large-scale epidemiological studies, applies advanced analytical methodologies, and conducts state-of-the-art molecular investigations. My research particularly centers on elucidating the role of microRNAs, metabolites, and lifestyle factors in the development of complex diseases. I actively participate in and contribute to several national and international research initiatives and consortia, including EpicRNA, NUTRICIA, CHARGE, X-omics, COMETS, and MODEM.

Molecular Epidemiology, Population-omics, Non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, Metabolomics, Biomarker discovery, Age-related diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, Metabolic disorders, Lifestyle, Cohort study

• A. Positions and career:

  November 2022 – present

  Associate Professor and PI of Molecular and Systems Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  June 2019 – October 2022

  Assistant Professor and PI of Molecular and Systems Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  July 2017- May 2019

  Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  Dec 2012 - June 2017

  PhD candidate, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  Sep 2011 - Nov 2012  

  PhD candidate, Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  May 2008 - May 2010

  CEO of “Shamim Salamat Parsian” company for Health and Medical Services, Mashhad, Iran

   

  Nov 2007 - Aug 2010

  General practitioner, Emergency ward of Qaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

   

  June 2005 - Aug 2011 

  Academic employee and manager, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

   

  B. Academic education and degrees:

  July 2017

  Doctorate degree (PhD), Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  Aug 2015

  Master of Science (MSc) in Health Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES), Rotterdam, the Netherlands

   

  Nov 2004

  Medical degree (MD), Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=mohsen+ghanbari

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pwJpmOQAAAAJ&hl=nl

https://www.mirnomics.com/

Over the last eight years, I have served as a lecturer in several academic courses. From 2017 to 2019, I taught in two courses “Cardiovascular Epidemiology” and “Genomics in Molecular Medicine”, both part of the Epidemiology Master’s program at the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES).

Since 2021, I have been the coordinator and primary lecturer for the “Principles of Genetic Epidemiology” course in the Erasmus Summer Program. Additionally, I co-coordinate and lecture in two other NIHES courses, “Introduction to the Analysis of Population Epigenomics & Transcriptomics” and “Introduction to the Analysis of Population Proteomics & Metabolomics” since 2022.

I have also contributed as a lecturer in the “Molecular Epidemiology” course at Imperial College London since 2020. I also teach in the “Genomics in Society” master from two years ago. Beyond these teaching roles, I have supervised—and continue to supervise—research projects for numerous MSc and PhD students. Through regular meetings, I provide guidance on key concepts and methodologies in molecular and genetic epidemiology, fostering both theoretical understanding and practical application.

o Alzheimer Nederland Impulssubsidie grant, Delving into the Roles of Extracellular Non-Coding RNAs in Brain and Mental Disorders (DecodeBrain), Main investigator, 2026-2030.
o Erasmus MC Incentive grant, Extracellular Non-coding RNAs as Potential Disease Drivers and Biomarkers, Main investigator, 2025-2027
o ERA4HEALTH European partnership grant under the NutriBrain program, NUTRICIA project, aimed at modulating brain-aging through nutrition and lifestyle. Main investigator in the Netherlands, 2025-2027.
o MODEM grant, A national multi-centric grant for understanding Mechanisms of Dementia, Co-investigator, 2022-2027
o Alzheimer Nederland grant, Role of non-coding RNAs in metabolic pathways underlying Alzheimer’s disease, Main investigator, 2022-2024.
o Erasmus MC Fellowship, Atlas of genetic architecture and disease association of microRNAs, Main Investigator, 2022-2026.
o SOPHIA grant, A multi-centric H2020 grant for Obesity, Co-investigator, 2020-2024
o NIH grant for Gene-lifestyle interaction analysis, Co-investigator, 2021-2023
o Janssen Prevention Center Leiden, Collaboration on Prevention Biomarkers, Co-Investigator, 2017-2020.
o Alzheimer Nederland travel grant, Casual Inference and Alzheimer’s disease, 2018
o European Fellowship for study of the Diabetes, Visiting Imperial College London, 2018
o European Society of Human Genetics fellowship, for advanced courses in Human Genetics, 2016
o IRN Ministry of Health and Medical Education Scholarship, 4-year fund for PhD research, 2011-2015
o "Early Career Achievements Award" from the CHARGE consortium 2018, recognizing my substantial contributions to their international projects.
o "Outstanding Poster Presentation Award" from the CHARGE consortium 2024.

Molecular and Systems Epidemiology: https://www.erasmusmc.nl/en/research/groups/molecular-and-systems-epidemiology