Media Zanganeh

My research primarily focuses on the development of a potential diagnostic method to identify Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE); this can be used to aid the diagnosis of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) from an early age. individuals with FASD can therefore receive early and effective developmental, psychological, medical and possibly pharmaceutical treatment, prevent secondary defects and experience a significant improvement in quality of life. 

My aim is to establish a range of activity for urinary aminopeptidases (IRAP, ApA, ApB and ApN) in healthy adults, whilst taking into account various confounding factors, and healthy and FASD children. This range of activity of urinary aminopeptidases has the potential to act as a biomarker in identifying PAE.

I have also been investigating the effects of alcohol exposure on aminopeptidases, especially IRAP, in in vivo and in vitro models. IRAP has a role in learning and memory, which makes it an enzyme of interest in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions. The current part of my research involves investigating the effects of alcohol exposure in vitro and PAE in vivo to study physical changes to various organs, as well as changes to the activity of IRAP and other aminopeptidases.