Team 1: Pharmacology of Inflammation

Principal Investigator

Wissam H. Faour, PhD

Associate Professor of Pharmacology
LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, room 4722
Lebanese American University, Byblos
Telephone: +961-9-547262 ext 2396, Fax: 961-9-546262
Email: wissam.faour@lau.edu.lb

Areas of Research

My research program is dedicated to three major areas of investigation: In the field of inflammopharmacology, we evaluate the pharmacologic anti-inflammatory properties of pure chemical compounds either isolated or synthesized from plants. We also study the molecular and cellular biology of kidney podocytes, using models that allow us to assess the effects of inflammation. Finally, our laboratory is concerned with the burgeoning field of stem cells - with a particular focus on immunobiology.

Primary human adipose-derived stem cells cultivated at passage. (Inflamm Res. 2014 Nov;63(11):907-17)

Team Members

• Carole Dagher Hamalian, MD, Histology-Pathology.
• Rajaa Chatila, MD, Division of Gastroenterology.
• Zeina Harhous, PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow.

Research Collaborators

• Mohammad Mroueh, PhD, School of Pharmacy.
• Joseph Stephan, PhD, School of Medicine.
• Wassim Shebaby, PhD, School of Arts & Sciences/Biology.
• Costantine Daher, PhD, School of Arts & Sciences/Biology.
• Robin Taleb, PhD, School of Arts & Sciences/Chemistry.
• Nadine Zeeni, PhD, School of Arts & Sciences/Nutrition.

Selected Publications

Maya Abdallah, Marta Martin, Sebastien Balme, Frederic Cuisinier, Csilla Gregely, Maria Bassil, Mario Tahchi, Wissam H. Faour, Michael Bechelany. Influence of Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Stiffness on Podcocyte Morphology, Phenotype and Mechanical Properties. LBMI, Department of Physics, Lebanese University - Faculty of Sciences II, Jdeidet, Lebanon; Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR 5635, CNRS, Université Montpellier, ENSCM, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex5, France; Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2019 Sep 11;11(36):32623-32632

Najar M, Lombard CA, Fayyad-Kazan H, Faour WH, Merimi M, Sokal EM, Lagneaux L, Fahmi H. Th17 immune response to adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Nov;234(11):21145-21152

El Zein N, Abdallah MS, Daher CF, Mroueh M, Stephan J, Bahous SA, Eid A, Faour WH. Ghrelin modulates intracellular signalling pathways that are critical for podocyte survival. Cell Biochem Funct. 2019 Jun;37(4):245-255

Skafi N, Abdallah D, Soulage C, Reibel S, Vitale N, Hamade E, Faour W, Magne D, Badran B, Hussein N, Buchet R, Brizuela L, Mebarek. Phospholipase D: A new mediator during high phosphate-induced vascular calcification associated with chronic kidney disease. S. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Apr;234(4):4825-4839. doi: 10.1002/jcp.27281. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Najar M, Fayyad-Kazan H, Faour WH, Merimi M, Sokal EM, Lombard CA, Fahmi H. Immunological modulation following bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells and Th17 lymphocyte co-cultures. Inflamm Res. 2019 Mar;68(3):203-213. doi: 10.1007/s00011-018-1205-0. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Grants

National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS)-LAU Joint Grant, 2018-2019.