Rami Al Batran
Profile
Biography
Dr Al Batran has extensive expertise in the areas of obesity and energy metabolism, as well as animal models of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. His ongoing research program primarily focusing on how obesity-induced alterations in energy metabolism, and how targeting energy metabolism may be a novel approach to counteract obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Awards and recognitions
Research Scholars Junior 1 - Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé (FRQS)
KRESCENT New Investigator Award - A Joint Program Between KFC and CIHR
Post-Doctoral Fellowship - Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR / IRSC)
Post-Doctoral Fellowship - Diabetes Canada
Affiliations and responsabilities
Research affiliations
Teaching and supervision
Recruitment in research
PhD Position in Energy Metabolism
About the Lab
The Al Batran lab is looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated PhD candidate who has a degree in Molecular Biology and/or Biotechnology. The laboratory is located at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, and the Lab offers an attractive and friendly research environment, provides state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques.
Project Description
This position is available in the laboratory headed by Dr. Rami Al Batran. The project goal is focused on understanding how alterations in ketone body metabolism at the cellular and molecular levels contribute to obesity-related metabolic disorders including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and diabetic kidney disease.
Qualification Requirements
- Applicants must hold a master’s degree in Molecular Biology and/or Biotechnology.
- To have obtained at least 3.3 out of 4 GPA of during his/her undergraduate studies.
- Background and experience in some of the following areas is required: biochemistry, animal studies and cell culture.
- Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and French.
Personal skills
The successful candidate will be:
- Highly motivated to do world class research.
- Self-driven and enthusiastic.
- Able to work independently and in a structured manner.
- Willing to learn new skills.
- Proactive in solving problems.
How to apply
The application must include
- Cover letter statement of motivation and research interests.
- CV (summarizing education and list of laboratory experience).
- Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
- A complete list of publications and academic works.
- List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, and e-mail).
These documents must be submitted before September 1, 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted during September 2021.
Contact information
Applicants should submit their files in one PDF to Dr. Rami Al Batran for further details.
Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Montreal
E-mail: rami.al.batran@umontreal.ca
Website: https://www.albatranlab.com
Teaching
Courses taught (current session only)
Programs
Projects
Research projects
Exploring the Hepatoprotective Actions of Sodium-glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors
Investigating the Short- and Long-term Effects of Ketogenic Diet on Atherosclerosis
Cibler le métabolisme des corps cétoniques dans l'obésité et le syndrome métabolique
Cibler le métabolisme des corps cétoniques dans l'obésité et le syndrome métabolique
Medium Chain Triglycerides and Ketogenesis
Medium Chain Triglycerides and Ketogenesis
Investigating the Role of Ketone Body Metabolism in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Pharmacothérapie du métabolisme du corps cétonique dans l'obésité
Could a Ketogenic Diet Slow the Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease?
Réseau de recherche en santé cadiométabolique, diabète et obésité CMDO / Quantitative fluxomics of ketone bodies in diabetic kidney disease (the identified trainee is Abdualrahman Abdualkader and the intercenter collaborator is Dr. Matthieu Ruiz (IRCM)).
Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Insulin Resistance
Investigating the Role of Ketone Body Metabolism in Diabetic Kidney Disease
Pharmacothérapie du métabolisme du corps cétonique dans l'obésité
Outreach
Publications and presentations
Publications
Selected Publications:
Al Batran R, Gopal K, Capozzi ME, Chahade JJ, Saleme B, Tabatabaei-Dakhili SA, Greenwell AA, Niu J, Almutairi M, Byrne NJ, Masson G, Kim R, Eaton F, Mulvihill EE, Garneau L, Masters AR, Desta Z, Velázquez-Martínez CA, Aguer C, Crawford PA, Sutendra G, Campbell JE, Dyck JRB, and Ussher JR. Pimozide Alleviates Hyperglycemia in Diet-Induced Obesity by Inhibiting Skeletal Muscle Ketone Oxidation. Cell Metabolism. 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2020.03.017
Eshreif A, Al Batran R, Jamieson KL, Darwesh AM, Gopal K, Greenwell AA, Zlobine I, Aburasayn H, Eaton F, Mulvihill EE, Campbell JE, Seubert JM, Ussher JR. L-citrulline supplementation improves glucose and exercise tolerance in obese mice. Exp Physiol. 2019 Dec 5. doi: 10.1113/EP088109.
Uddin GM, Zhang L, Shah S, Fukushima A, Wagg CS, Gopal K, Al Batran R, Pherwani S, Ho KL, Boisvenue J, Karwi QG, Altamimi T, Wishart DS, Dyck JRB, Ussher JR, Oudit GY, Lopaschuk GD. Impaired branched chain amino acid oxidation contributes to cardiac insulin resistance in heart failure. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2019 Jul 5;18(1):86.
Ho KL, Zhang L, Wagg C, Al Batran R, Gopal K, Levasseur J, Leone T, Dyck JRB, Ussher JR, Muoio DM, Kelly DP, and Lopaschuk GD. Increased ketone body oxidation provides additional energy for the failing heart without improving cardiac efficiency. Cardiovasc Res. 2019 Feb 18. pii: cvz045.
Al Batran R, Gopal K, Aburasayn H, Eshreif A, Almutairi M, Greenwell AA, Campbell SA, Saleme B, Court EA, Eaton F, Light PE, Sutendra G, Ussher JR. The antianginal ranolazine mitigates obesity-induced hepatic steatosis and increases hepatic dehydrogenase activity. JCI Insight. 2019 Jan 10;4(1). pii: 124643.
Al Batran R, Gopal K, Martin MD, Ho KL, Almutairi M, Aburasayn H, Eaton F, Campbell JE, Ussher JR. Skeletal muscle-specific Cre recombinase expression, controlled by the human α-skeletal actin promoter, improves glucose tolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet. Diabetologia. 2018 Aug;61(8):1849-1855.
Gopal K, Almutairi M, Al Batran R, Eaton F, Gandhi M, Ussher JR. Cardiac-specific deletion of pyruvate dehydrogenase impairs glucose oxidation rates and induces diastolic dysfunction. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018 Mar 6; 5:17.
Al Batran R, Almutairi M, Ussher JR. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor mediated control of cardiac energy metabolism. Peptides. 2018 Feb;100:94-100.
Aburasayn H, Al Batran R, Gopal K, Almutairi M, Eshreif A, Eaton F, Ussher JR. Female offspring born to obese and insulin-resistant dams are not at increased risk for obesity and metabolic dysfunction during early development. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2018 Jan;96(1):97-102.
Al Batran R, & Ussher JR. Revisiting protein acetylation and myocardial fatty acid oxidation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2017 Sep 1;313(3):H617-H619
Gopal K, Saleme B, Al Batran R, Aburasayn H, Eshreif A, Ho KL, Ma WK, Almutairi M, Eaton F, Gandhi M, Park EA, Sutendra G, Ussher JR. FoxO1 regulates myocardial glucose oxidation rates via transcriptional control of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 expression. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2017 Sep 1;313(3):H479-H490.
Aburasayn H, Al Batran R, Ussher JR. Targeting ceramide metabolism in obesity. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Aug 1;311(2):E423-35.
Disciplines
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacology
Areas of expertise
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Pharmacologie métabolique
- Pharmacologie cardiovasculaire
- Axe : Découverte et validation de cibles thérapeutiques