Biophysical Society Bulletin | May 2019

Biophysicist in Profile

Parisa Asghari Areas of Research Cardiac Cell Physiology

Institution University of British Columbia, Canada

At-a-Glance

Parisa Asghari is a biophysicist with expertise in cardiac cell physiology. Her work particularly focuses on cardiac excitation-contraction coupling using a diverse range of microscopic meth- ods such as correlative microscopy, calcium imaging, and electron tomography. With a history of inherited cardiovascular disease in her family, she has always been motivated to pursue a career in cardiovascular research. Asghari’s research has enhanced our understanding of a complex calcium channel that controls our heartbeat, and she hopes that her current research will lead to new drug discoveries and healthier hearts. She also believes in coaching and teaching undergrad- uate and graduate students as another contribution to the biophysics community.

Parisa Asghari

Parisa Asghari , a post doctorate research fellow at the Univer- sity of British Columbia, Canada, was born in Tehran, Iran, to a mother who was an English teacher and a father who was an accountant. Asghari is the only scientist in her family. From early on, her biggest influence was her grandfather, who was an English college professor. He was very passionate about teaching, especially when it came to his grandchildren. “As a child, I always wanted to be a scientist. My interest in science started when I was only six years old. I loved to dissect insects, worms, and butterflies, unlike my siblings and friends. By the age of 11, I had decided I wanted to be a biology teacher or research scientist in the field of biology and I know exactly when and how I arrived at this decision,” she recalls. “When I was in the first year of middle school, one of my school assignments was about William Harvey’s life and his discoveries on human anatomy. I found it quite fascinating how his experiments led him to the theory of blood circulation and how that theory changed the intellectual system and overall view of human and animal physiology, disease, and therapy.” Her love for science continued through high school and biology and physics were her favorite subjects. During her undergraduate years, Asghari worked with different tutoring centers and also taught biology to high school students. In addition, she gained research experience in a number of pharmaceutical research institutes, which “helped me easily find a job later on when I moved to Canada,” she said. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in molecular microbiology, she worked as a lab technician at the Universi- ty of Toronto and then at the University of British Columbia (UBC). After a few years, she decided to go back to school and pursue her graduate studies. “Inspired by William Harvey and also for a personal reason — I lost my father when he was relatively young due to an inherited cardiovascular disease — I focused my research and graduate studies in cardiovascular

research.” She graduated from UBC in 2014 with a PhD in cell and developmental biology focusing in cardiac cell physiology. During her PhD research, Asghari used a biophysical approach (she developed a new correlative light and electron microsco- py technique) and discovered a mechanism, which might con- trol contractility in heart cells. After graduation, she decided to stay in the same lab under supervision of Edwin Moore to investigate this mechanism in further detail. “We established a collaboration with the leading scientists in our field, and that has been the focus of my postdoctoral research projects. In general, I am investigating the effect of physiological regula- tors on function and distribution of the sarcoplasmic reticu- lum cardiac calcium release channel, Ryanodine receptor, in health and disease.” According to the World Health Organiza- tion, ischemic heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death globally — 15.2 million deaths in 2016. Malfunction of the Ryanodine receptor has been implicated in heart failure, and mutations have been shown to lead to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. “We use genetically modified mice and recombinant protein expression technolo- gy to examine the Ryanodine receptor structure and function relationship in cardiac cells,” explains Asghari Asghari has a husband and son and she tells us that the biggest challenge in her career is balancing career and family. She says, “As a scientist, it’s not easy to navigate a career with a partner and find two fulfilling positions in the same city. Add children to the mix, and it feels like something — or someone — has to give! But balance is key.” When not in the lab she spends time with her family and enjoys hiking and biking. “I also love volunteering at my son’s school, helping with field trips, special events, and talks. I really enjoy speak- ing to students in primary school, from kindergarten through grade 7, about possible careers in science and what it’s like to be a functioning scientist.”

May 2019

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