Let’s meet our Hypatia Fellow an interview with Zohreh Hosseinzadeh

10 January 2025

This fellowship, originating from 2008, aims to promote innovation in academic research by giving young and talented researchers the opportunity to establish an independent research group within the strategic areas of Radboudumc. Zohreh Hosseinzadeh received the Hypatia fellowship in 2023.

Who are you? 

I am an expert in the physiology and pathology of the retina at cellular and molecular levels by using interdisciplinary approaches including electrophysiology, molecular biology, stem cell technology and machine learning. I began my scientific journey at Eberhard-Karls University, where I completed my PhD in bioelectronic signaling and molecular pathways of cancer and immunology. I then joined Eye clinic, at the University Clinic in Tübingen as deputy of the Experimental Retinal Prosthetics group. There, my team developed an electronic device to restore vision in blind patients, utilizing machine learning, cell biology and electrophysiology. However, the project was eventually halted due to technical limitations and financial constraints that affected patient access.

In 2018, I became a senior researcher at the Centre for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD) at TU Dresden, focusing on stem cell-derived neurons and muscle research. Since 2019, I have led my independent research group at Leipzig University, where I classified fingerprints of the retinal pathways in healthy and degenerated retinas using stem cells. After being awarded the Hypatia fellowship in 2023, I relocated with my research group to the ophthalmology department at Radboudumc, where I am establishing advanced electrophysiology technology for functional readout of stem cell derived retinal organoids. The goal of my research is to uncover the molecular mechanisms leading to retinal diseases and to develop personalized therapies for retinal diseases.

I have been awarded several major grants including these individual grants: ERC starting grant (PI, 2022) and Principal investigator DFG grant (PI,2018); and collaborative grants: Zwaartekracht (co-PI, 2024),  Marie Currie-doctoral network (Co-PI, 2022), EuProNet, Sachsen (PI, 2019), and DAAD international grant under Australia-Germany joint research scheme (co-PI, 2019).

I have been awarded several prizes and recognitions including: Cambridge bursary from Eye Trust (Cambridge University), AcademiaNet for excellent women(Switzerland), Tübitak visiting Professor (Turkey, BAU university),  Pre-doc graduate academy award (Leipzig university),  Maria Reiche program (TU Dresden), Team UNIBUND postdoc (Halle-Jena-Leipzig), and DAAD fellowship, German Academic Exchange (Tübingen University).

Why did you choose for Nijmegen and Radboudumc?

I chose Nijmegen and Radboudumc because of its outstanding reputation for cutting-edge medical research, its status as a hotspot for vision research in Europe, and its strong focus on translational science. Radboudumc offers a vibrant community of researchers, a well-established infrastructure in biology and regenerative medicine, and a clear commitment to advancing patient care through research. This aligns perfectly with my vision.

How did you land, how the first  half year went?  

I am happy to be part of the Radboudumc family, where I received a warm welcome during my onboarding. The first year has been both productive and rewarding. We successfully established ourselves, moving the team to Radboudumc and transferring two major European grants—ERC and Marie Curie. We have built numerous collaborations both within Radboudumc and at the national level, which led to the successful acquisition of a prestigious Gravitation Grant, working alongside a team of outstanding scientists. I am also actively involved in various organizations, such as the PhD committee, and helped organize the Retina Meeting at Amsterdam UMC and NIN. These experiences have provided valuable networking opportunities and further strengthened my ties within the research community.

How will you use the Hypatia grant? What is your research line? 

The Hypatia Grant will enable me to build a new niche in vision research by combining vision electrophysiology, AI for neurocircuitry, and stem cell technology at Radboudumc. I am establishing a cutting-edge electrophysiology platform for vision research.

Hosseinzadeh explains, "The way your eyes work involves a lot of electrical signals. The electrophysiology studies this electrical activity to understand how we see. When light enters your eyes, it hits special cells called photoreceptors in the retina, located at the back of the eye. These cells act like tiny sensors that convert light into electrical signals, which then travel like messages being passed from one cell to another and are finally sent to the brain."

Electrophysiology for recording visual functions helps to unravel the mysteries of vision and how it can be affected by various conditions or diseases. It also allows us to evaluate the impact of new interventions on eye function. With this technology, I aim to generate functional retinal organoids from stem cells. These lab-grown human retinas will be suitable for gene and cell/tissue-based replacement therapies, serve as platforms to unravel disease pathology, and aid in the development of novel treatments. Ultimately, this work will pave the way for personalized therapies, providing the right treatment for patients suffering from retinal diseases.

What do you need in the future?

In the future, our focus will be on advancing our work in vision research. To succeed, we will develop new electrophysiology technology for stem cells-derived retina, new collaborations with research and industry partners, and continued funding. Additionally, support in translating our findings into clinical applications will be essential. Last, assistance from the Radboudumc Grant Office in identifying and applying for funding opportunities, as well as facility support to implement advanced technologies, will be vital for strengthening our research. 

Zohreh Hosseinzadeh's research group is part of the research program: 

• Hearing & vision for all: from diagnosis to treatment
• 3D biology and disease mechanisms
• Tissue modeling & regeneration

 

Interview by Radboudumc Research Newsletter Editorial