Zahra Afrasiabi
Zahra Afrasiabi, PhD
Faculty - Full-Time
I am a bioinorganic chemist interested in biological application of synthetic and natural molecules specifically for cancer treatment. In addition, I study the application of nanomaterials in medicinal, environmental, and food & agricultural fields. I am passionate about teaching chemistry and I have taught undergraduate and graduate chemistry courses such as General, Organic, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry courses & Cancer and Nanochemistry special topic courses.
- PhD, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- MSc, University of Pune
- BSc, K. N. Toosi University of Science and Technology
- Chemistry for Life (CHEM 112)
- General Chemistry I and Lab (CHEM 140)
- General Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 141)
- Foundations of Chemistry (CHEM 150)
- Organic Chemistry I and Lab (CHEM 301)
- Organic Chemistry II and Lab (CHEM 302)
- Development of nanosensors for the detection of biomolecules
- Application of nanomaterials in Environmental Science, Animal Science, Agriculture, and Food Science
- Synthesis of organic and inorganic chemotherapeutic agents
- P. Mishra, Y. Xue, F. Eivazi, Z. Afrasiabi “Size, Concentration, Coating, and Exposure Time Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on the Activities of Selected Soil Enzymes” Geoderma 381, 2021, 114682
- Y. Xue, P. Mishra, F. Eivazi, Z. Afrasiabi “Silver Nanoparticles and Sulfur Cycling Enzymes” Pedosphere paper ID # pedos202007441, accepted for publication 2021-pagination process
- S. Ghoshdastidar, A. Gangula, J. Kainth, S. Saranathan, A. Elangovan, Z. Afrasiabi, D. Hainsworth, A. Upendran, R. Kannan “Plate-Adherent Nanosubstrate for Improved ELISA of Small Molecules: A Proof of Concept Study” Anal. Chem. 92(16), 2020, 10952–10956
- F. Eivazi, Z. Afrasiabi, and E. Jose “Effect of silver nanoparticles on the activities of soil enzymes involved in Carbon and Nutrient Cycling” Pedosphere 28 (2), 2018, 209-214
- S. F. Cheung; M. F. Yee; N. K. Le; E. A. Gomes; Z. Afrasiabi; D. Kamei “A Combined Aqueous Two-Phase System and Spot Test Platform for the Rapid Detection of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 in Milk”, SLAS Technol. 23(1), 2018, 57-63
- Z. Afrasiabi, H. Popham, D. Stanley, D. Suresh, K. Finley, J. Campbell, R. Kannan, A. Upendran “Dietary Silver Nanoparticles Reduce Fitness in Beneficial, but not Pest, Insect Species”, Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, 93 (4), 2016, 190-201
- C. Wathen, C. Caldwell, N. Chanda, A. Upendran, Z. Afrasiabi, S. Chapaman, N. Foje, Nathan; Leevy, R. Kannan “Selective X-ray Contrast Enhancement of the Spleen of Living Mice Mediated by Gold Nanorods” Contrast Media and Molecular Imaging, 10(3), 2015, 188-193
- A. Zambre, F. Silva, A. Upendran, Z. Afrasiabi, Y. Xin, A. Paulo, R. Kannan “Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Multicomponent Nanosized Gallium Chelated Gold Crystals” Chemical Communications (RSC Publications), 50 (25), 2014, 3281-3284
- N. Chanda, A. Upendran, E. Boote, A. Zambre, S. Axiak, K. Selting, K. Katti, M. Leevy, Z. Afrasiabi, R. Kannan “Gold Nanoparticle Based X-ray Contrast Agent for Tumor Imaging in Mice and Dog: A Potential Nano- Platform for CT Theranostics” J. Biomed. Nanotech, 10 (3), 2014, 383-392
- A. Vyas, V. Kain, Z. Afrasiabi, S. Sitasawad, M. Khetmalas, V. Nivière, S. Padhye “Novel Mn-SOD Mimetics Offer Superior Protection Against Oxidative Damages in Hek293 Kidney Cells” J. Pharmaceutical. Sci. Pharmacology, 1, (2014), 1-8
- S. Ghatak, A. Vyas, S. Misra, P. Brien, A. Zambre, V. Fresco, R. Markwald, K. Swamy, Z. Afrasiabi, S. Padhye “Novel Di-Tertiary-Butyl Phenylhydrazones as Dual Cyclooxygenase-2/5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors: Synthesis, COX/LOX Inhibition, Molecular Modeling, and Insights into Their Cytotoxicities” Bioorg. Medicinal Chem. Lett. 24 (1), (2014), 317-324
- USDA Teaching Capacity Building Grant, 2007-2010, Teaching Innovation Using Personal Response System (PI)
- USDA CSREES, 2007-2010, Gold nanoparticle-based nanosensors for detection of biomolecules (PI)
- USDA CSREES, 2010-2013, Gold nanoparticle-based nanosensor for accurate detection of luteinizing hormone in small ruminants (PI)
- NIH Pilot Program, EARDA, 2009-2010, Biological Activity of Quinones (Co-PI)
- NASA Missouri Space Grant Consortium, 2009-2013, Purification of Waste-water from Research Facilities Using Palladium Nanoparticles (Co-PI)
- NSF AMASS Instructional Development Grant, 2011-2012, Math Tutorial for Chemistry (Co-PI)
- USDA-NIFA Grant, 2011-2014, Silver Nanoparticles as Pesticides (PI)
- USDA-NIFA Teaching Grant, 2012-2015, A Practical Approach to Integrating Nanotechnology Education into Agriculture and Environmental Science Curriculum (PI)
- USDA-AFRI Grant, 2014-2017, High Throughput NanoSensor for Accurate and Sensitive Detection of E. Coli O157:H7 (PI)
- USDA-AFRI Grant, 2016-2017, Innovative Methods to Improve the Sensitivity of Nanosensors For Detection of Biomolecules in Food Systems (PI)
- USDA-NIFA Teaching Grant, 2017-2020, Use of Simulation Modules to Enhance Learning Chemistry and its Applications in Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (Co-PI)
- USDA-NIFA Grant, 2019-2022, Efficient Nanotechnology Methods to Remove Contaminants for Improved Water Quality (Co-PI)