Mohamad Khazaei

Dr Khazaei received his PhD in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of Münster, Germany and completed postdoctoral training at McGill University and University Health Network (UHN), where his work focused on neural stem cells, CNS injury, and regenerative neuroscience.

Research Overview

The Khazaei Lab investigates how human brain circuits are disrupted and repaired in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI), neurodegeneration, and brain cancer. The overarching goal of the lab is to understand why the adult human brain has such limited capacity for repair, and how modern stem cell and regenerative approaches can be leveraged to restore neural function.

A major focus of the lab is traumatic brain injury and its long-term consequences, including increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. The lab develops and uses human iPSC-derived brain organoids and assembloids to model injury-induced circuit disruption in fully human systems. These platforms enable investigation of early molecular, cellular, and circuit-level changes following injury, identification of predictive biomarkers, and testing of strategies aimed at promoting neural repair and functional reintegration.

A second major research direction is cell-based therapy for glioblastoma, where human neural stem cells are engineered to selectively target invasive tumor cells within the brain. This work integrates developmental neurobiology, cancer biology, and translational neuroscience, with the goal of creating more precise and biologically informed therapeutic strategies for aggressive brain tumors.

Training Opportunities

The lab is embedded within the rich neuroscience ecosystem of the University of Toronto and University Health Network, providing access to cutting-edge core facilities and close interaction with clinician-scientists.

Prospective trainees with backgrounds in neuroscience, biology, bioengineering, or related fields are encouraged to contact Dr. Khazaei with a CV and a brief statement of research interests.

Selected Publications

1. Khazaei M. et al. GDNF rescues the fate of neural progenitor grafts by attenuating Notch signaling in the injured CNS. Science Translational Medicine (2020).
2. Luo Z., … Khazaei M., Fehlings MG. Oligodendrogenic neural progenitors for treatment of chronic CNS injury. Stem Cells Translational Medicine (2025).
3. Hejrati N., … Khazaei M., Fehlings MG. DLK1-expressing neural progenitors promote tissue repair after CNS injury. Stem Cells Translational Medicine (2025).
4. McIntyre W.B., … Khazaei M., Fehlings MG. Cell-cell contact regulates fate and function of human neural progenitor cells. Cells (2022).
5. Khazaei M., Fehlings MG. Regenerative replacement of neural cells for CNS repair. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy (2021).