About M. (Mohsen) Ghanbari, MD, MSc, PhD
Introduction
I am a Medical Doctor and Molecular Epidemiologist, currently working as Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology.
As the Principal Investigator (PI) of the “Molecular and Systems Epidemiology” research line, I lead a dynamic team of several MSc students, PhD candidates, and Postdoctoral researchers.
In my role as PI, I also coordinate the 'omics' data in the population-based Rotterdam Study cohort and manage the family-based Erasmus Rucphen Family (ERF) study.
My primary research focuses on uncovering genetic determinants and identifying novel biomarkers for complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and metabolic disorders.
To achieve this, I integrate multi-omics data from large-scale epidemiological studies, apply advanced analytical methods, and conduct molecular and cellular model studies to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying aging and its related diseases.
I actively contribute to several consortia and initiatives in the field, including CHARGE, X-OMICS, BIOS/BBMRI-NL, MODEM, COMETS, NUTRICA, and EpicRNA, which has led to numerous multi-center collaborative projects. Beyond research, I am deeply engaged in teaching through the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES), a part of the Erasmus MC Graduate School, where I coordinate and lecture a variety of courses.
Field(s) of expertise
Molecular epidemiology, Population-based omics, Non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, Metabolomics, Biomarker discovery, Age-related diseases, Alzheimer’s disease
Education and career
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A. Positions and career:
November 2022 – present
Associate Professor and PI of Molecular and Systems Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
June 2019 – October 2022
Assistant Professor and PI of Molecular and Systems Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
July 2017- May 2019
Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Dec 2012 - June 2017
PhD candidate, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Sep 2011 - Nov 2012
PhD candidate, Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
May 2008 - May 2010
CEO of “Shamim Salamat Parsian” company for Health and Medical Services, Mashhad, Iran
Nov 2007 - Aug 2010
General practitioner, Emergency ward of Qaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
June 2005 - Aug 2011
Academic employee and manager, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
B. Academic education and degrees:
July 2017
Doctorate degree (PhD), Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Aug 2015
Master of Science (MSc) in Health Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES), Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Nov 2004
Medical degree (MD), Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Publications
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=mohsen+ghanbari
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pwJpmOQAAAAJ&hl=nl
Teaching activities
Over the last eight years, I have served as a lecturer in several academic courses. From 2017 to 2019, I taught in two courses “Cardiovascular Epidemiology” and “Genomics in Molecular Medicine”, both part of the Epidemiology Master’s program at the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES).
Since 2021, I have been the coordinator and primary lecturer for the “Principles of Genetic Epidemiology” course in the Erasmus Summer Program. Additionally, I co-coordinate and lecture in two other NIHES courses, “Introduction to the Analysis of Population Epigenomics & Transcriptomics” and “Introduction to the Analysis of Population Proteomics & Metabolomics” since 2022.
I have also contributed as a lecturer in the “Molecular Epidemiology” course at Imperial College London since 2020. I also teach in the “Genomics in Society” master from two years ago. Beyond these teaching roles, I have supervised—and continue to supervise—research projects for numerous MSc and PhD students. Through regular meetings, I provide guidance on key concepts and methodologies in molecular and genetic epidemiology, fostering both theoretical understanding and practical application.
Scholarships, grants, and awards
- NUTRICA grant, A ERA4HEALTH European partnership grant under the NutriBrain program, aimed at modulating brain-aging through nutrition and lifestyle. One of the four main investigators, 2025-2027.
- MODEM grant, A national multi-centric grant for understanding Mechanisms of Dementia, Co-investigator, 2022-2027
- Alzheimer Nederland grant, Role of non-coding RNAs in metabolic pathways underlying Alzheimer’s disease, Main investigator, 2022-2024.
- Erasmus MC Fellowship, Atlas of genetic architecture and disease association of microRNAs, Main Investigator, 2022-2026.
- SOPHIA grant, A multi-centric H2020 grant for Obesity, Co-investigator, 2020-2024
- An NIH grant for Gene-lifestyle interaction analysis, Co-investigator, 2021-2023
- Janssen Prevention Center Leiden, Collaboration on Prevention Biomarkers, Co-Investigator, 2017-2020.
- Alzheimer Nederland travel grant, Casual Inference and Alzheimer’s disease, 2018
- European Fellowship for study of the Diabetes, Visiting Imperial College London, 2018
- European Society of Human Genetics fellowship, for advanced courses in Human Genetics, 2016
- Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education Scholarship, 4-year fund for PhD research, 2011-2015
- "Early Career Achievements Award" from the CHARGE consortium 2018, recognizing my substantial contributions to their international projects.
- "Outstanding Poster Presentation Award" from the CHARGE consortium 2024.
