Research Experience
Graduate Student Researcher, Berman Lab, Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
Advisor: Andrea J. Berman, PhD
Al-Ashtal, H.A., Rubottom, C., Berman, A.J. “The LARP1 La-Module recognizes both ends of TOP mRNAs” RNA Biology (2019).
Lahr, R.M., Fonseca, B.D., Ciotti, G.E., Al-Ashtal, H.A., Jian-Ju, J., Niklaus, M.R., Alain, T., Berman, A.J. “La-Related Protein 1 (LARP1) binds the mRNA cap, blocking eIF4F assembly on TOP mRNAs.” eLife (2017)
Manos-Turvey, A., Al-Ashtal, H.A., Needham, P.G., Hartline, C.B., Prichard, M.N., Wipf, P., Brodsky, J.L., “Dihydropyrimidinones and –thiones with improved activity against human polyomavirus family members.” Bioorganic & Medicinal chemistry Letters (2016)
Hopkins, T.G., Mura, M., Al-Ashtal, H.A., Lahr, R.M., Abd-Latip, N., Sweeney, K., Lu, H., Weir, J., El-Bahrawy, M., Ghaem-Maghami, S., Aboagye, E.O, Berman, A.J., Blagden, S.P. “The RNA-binding protein LARP1 is a post-transcriptional regulator of survival and tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer.” Nucleic Acids Research (2015).
Investigated interactions between proteins and non-coding RNAs regulate translation in healthy and cancerous cells using biochemical, biophysical, and structural techniques.
Postdoctoral Researcher, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Department, University of Pittsburgh
Advisor: Nara Lee, PhD
Investigated the mechanisms by which Epstein-Barr virus non-coding RNAs facilitate viral life cycle and infection.