Yassi Aghazadeh
@yassiag.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at IRCM, University of Montreal; Adjunct at McGill University. Stem cells, islets, vessels & regenerative medicine for T1D. AghazadehLab.com
She/her. Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal. Opinions are my own.
She/her. Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal. Opinions are my own.
Congratulations are in order for Usama for finishing his M.Sc. at @mcgill.ca Experimental Medicine!
September 14, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Congratulations are in order for Usama for finishing his M.Sc. at @mcgill.ca Experimental Medicine!
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
First 22 hours of zebrafish development. Credit to @zebrafish007.bsky.social at #WeinsteinLab. #ZebrafishZunday 🧪
May 3, 2026 at 8:41 AM
First 22 hours of zebrafish development. Credit to @zebrafish007.bsky.social at #WeinsteinLab. #ZebrafishZunday 🧪
Inspiring #DesignDay @mcgilluniversity.bsky.social! Proud of Giselle for her capstone presentation on improving islet-on-a-chip platforms to better model development & obtaining a BSc in Bioeng. The fabrication/3D printing wouldn’t be possible w/o collaboration w Juncker lab & @hoeslilab.bsky.social
April 15, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Inspiring #DesignDay @mcgilluniversity.bsky.social! Proud of Giselle for her capstone presentation on improving islet-on-a-chip platforms to better model development & obtaining a BSc in Bioeng. The fabrication/3D printing wouldn’t be possible w/o collaboration w Juncker lab & @hoeslilab.bsky.social
Great work by @tigerhzjian.bsky.social
(1/6): How can we better test therapeutics without using animals or risking lives? Lab-grown human mini-organs, called “organoids”, provide an answer! Despite their progress, organoids and related methods lack realistic flow through blood vessels, the “plumbing” of our bodies.
March 25, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Great work by @tigerhzjian.bsky.social
Congratulations to all the awardees of IRCM foundation scholarship, including our own Théa Milland & Noah Verreault. I appreciate the donors who made this possible. These awards are competitive & externally reviewed - I highly appreciate the reviewers for their time, effort and support of students!
February 25, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Congratulations to all the awardees of IRCM foundation scholarship, including our own Théa Milland & Noah Verreault. I appreciate the donors who made this possible. These awards are competitive & externally reviewed - I highly appreciate the reviewers for their time, effort and support of students!
Junior PI position in cancer research open at the IRCM. Apply below 👇🏽 #PIposition #assistantprofessor #cancer #openposition #ircm
Principal investigator job alert @ircm.bsky.social! We are recruiting a new junior faculty member working in the field of cancer. Apply before February 22nd. Contact me if you have more questions.
www.ircm.qc.ca/en/position-...
www.ircm.qc.ca/en/position-...
Research Unit Director – IRCM Cancer Research Center
Job reference code: IRCM-Cancer
www.ircm.qc.ca
February 10, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Junior PI position in cancer research open at the IRCM. Apply below 👇🏽 #PIposition #assistantprofessor #cancer #openposition #ircm
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Today in the 🇨🇦 National Grad course in #Islet Biology and #Diabetes we welcome superstars Cristina Nostro and @yassiag.bsky.social to discuss the latest on using #stemcell derived islet cells as a strategy to treat (cure?) #T1D!
a woman wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt is making a funny face and saying `` no autographs please '' .
ALT: a woman wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt is making a funny face and saying `` no autographs please '' .
media.tenor.com
January 21, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Today in the 🇨🇦 National Grad course in #Islet Biology and #Diabetes we welcome superstars Cristina Nostro and @yassiag.bsky.social to discuss the latest on using #stemcell derived islet cells as a strategy to treat (cure?) #T1D!
Wrapping up a great year for the lab. We in 2025 we expanded and reached some important milestones as a growing team. Grateful for the collective effort and momentum. Wishing friends and colleagues a restful holiday season and a happy start to the new year.
December 16, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Wrapping up a great year for the lab. We in 2025 we expanded and reached some important milestones as a growing team. Grateful for the collective effort and momentum. Wishing friends and colleagues a restful holiday season and a happy start to the new year.
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Lietzke et al. demonstrate that pluripotent stem cell-derived β cells exhibit reduced oxidative and mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism compared to primary human islets, which is related to limitations in key mitochondrial transcriptional networks. 🧪
#PancSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#PancSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Limitations in PPARα-dependent mitochondrial programming restrain the differentiation of human stem cell-derived β cells - Nature Communications
Here they show that PPARα-dependent mitochondrial programming promotes the differentiation of pluripotent stem cell-derived β cells. Targeting mitochondria has the potential to improve β cell replacem...
www.nature.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Lietzke et al. demonstrate that pluripotent stem cell-derived β cells exhibit reduced oxidative and mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism compared to primary human islets, which is related to limitations in key mitochondrial transcriptional networks. 🧪
#PancSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#PancSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
(3/3) SCN has supported this work every step of the way. From 2016–2028, SCN has committed over $11.5 million in funding for innovative diabetes research and clinical trials.
✨ Meet the SCN-funded researchers are helping pave the way.
✨ Meet the SCN-funded researchers are helping pave the way.
November 14, 2025 at 6:08 PM
(3/3) SCN has supported this work every step of the way. From 2016–2028, SCN has committed over $11.5 million in funding for innovative diabetes research and clinical trials.
✨ Meet the SCN-funded researchers are helping pave the way.
✨ Meet the SCN-funded researchers are helping pave the way.
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
(3/3) Le RCS a soutenu chaque étape de ces travaux, s’engageant à fournir plus de 11,5 M$ de 2016 à 2028 pour des recherches innovantes et des essais cliniques sur le diabète.
✨ Faites connaissance avec les chercheurs soutenus par le RCS qui contribuent à tracer le chemin dans ce domaine.
✨ Faites connaissance avec les chercheurs soutenus par le RCS qui contribuent à tracer le chemin dans ce domaine.
November 14, 2025 at 6:08 PM
(3/3) Le RCS a soutenu chaque étape de ces travaux, s’engageant à fournir plus de 11,5 M$ de 2016 à 2028 pour des recherches innovantes et des essais cliniques sur le diabète.
✨ Faites connaissance avec les chercheurs soutenus par le RCS qui contribuent à tracer le chemin dans ce domaine.
✨ Faites connaissance avec les chercheurs soutenus par le RCS qui contribuent à tracer le chemin dans ce domaine.
Proud PI moment at @RéseauThéCell:
🏅 Ying Deng – Best Poster PhD
🏅 Thea Milland – Best Poster MSc
🏅 Giselle de Leon – Best Poster BSc
Representing @ircm.bsky.social , Ying and Thea @umontreal.ca , Giselle @mcgill.ca
Grateful to organizers Kim Santerre and Dr Corinne Hoesli for this meeting!
🏅 Ying Deng – Best Poster PhD
🏅 Thea Milland – Best Poster MSc
🏅 Giselle de Leon – Best Poster BSc
Representing @ircm.bsky.social , Ying and Thea @umontreal.ca , Giselle @mcgill.ca
Grateful to organizers Kim Santerre and Dr Corinne Hoesli for this meeting!
October 23, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Proud PI moment at @RéseauThéCell:
🏅 Ying Deng – Best Poster PhD
🏅 Thea Milland – Best Poster MSc
🏅 Giselle de Leon – Best Poster BSc
Representing @ircm.bsky.social , Ying and Thea @umontreal.ca , Giselle @mcgill.ca
Grateful to organizers Kim Santerre and Dr Corinne Hoesli for this meeting!
🏅 Ying Deng – Best Poster PhD
🏅 Thea Milland – Best Poster MSc
🏅 Giselle de Leon – Best Poster BSc
Representing @ircm.bsky.social , Ying and Thea @umontreal.ca , Giselle @mcgill.ca
Grateful to organizers Kim Santerre and Dr Corinne Hoesli for this meeting!
It was great honor to attend and present at @navbo.bsky.social Vascular 2025 meeting. Huge thanks to the organizers for putting this tremendous meeting together. And what a special session focusing on vascularization of organoids and disease on a chip models.
October 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
It was great honor to attend and present at @navbo.bsky.social Vascular 2025 meeting. Huge thanks to the organizers for putting this tremendous meeting together. And what a special session focusing on vascularization of organoids and disease on a chip models.
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
📢 McGill University is hiring!
The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, with the Meakins-Christie Labs at the RI-MUHC, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine.
Learn more and apply. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/wp-content/u...
The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, with the Meakins-Christie Labs at the RI-MUHC, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine.
Learn more and apply. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/wp-content/u...
September 29, 2025 at 1:35 PM
📢 McGill University is hiring!
The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, with the Meakins-Christie Labs at the RI-MUHC, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine.
Learn more and apply. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/wp-content/u...
The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, with the Meakins-Christie Labs at the RI-MUHC, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine.
Learn more and apply. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/wp-content/u...
Interesting and impactful new work by Estall lab: “Here, we identify a novel biological pathway downstream of glucagon that promotes the hepatic lipid accumulation associated with fasting” 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
#Glucagon #MASLD #Fasting
#Glucagon #MASLD #Fasting
I am happy to share the latest preprint from our lab (@ircm.bsky.social, @umontreal.ca, @mcgill.ca) exploring why and how the liver gets fatty when you are fasting, and how this could impact MASLD.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵1/6
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵1/6
Glucagon-induced PGC-1α4/PPARγ promotes hepatic lipid storage and macrosteatosis in fasting and MASLD
The liver plays a central role in regulating the transition between fasting and feeding states, coordinating glycogen breakdown, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid catabolism, and lipid storage. Disruptions ...
www.biorxiv.org
September 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Congratulations to Dr. Côté on his appointment to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences! This prestigious distinction recognizes his scientific leadership, the excellence of his health research as well as his commitment to collaboration and innovation in health.
🔗 bit.ly/3HGWhX3
🔗 bit.ly/3HGWhX3
August 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Congratulations to Dr. Côté on his appointment to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences! This prestigious distinction recognizes his scientific leadership, the excellence of his health research as well as his commitment to collaboration and innovation in health.
🔗 bit.ly/3HGWhX3
🔗 bit.ly/3HGWhX3
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
I’m one of the mentors for this year long internship :) Apply if you have interest in writing and Science Communication. There’s opportunity to get some of your pieces in DB @devbiol.bsky.social!
Apply today!!
Apply today!!
🚨Only 4 days to apply!!!🚨Join the SDB SciComm Internship! Gain hands-on experience writing stories on the latest developmental biology discoveries🔬Connect with top mentors & earn $500 to attend the SDB Annual Meeting 🎉! 👉 www.sdbonline.org/science_comm... #SciComm #DevBio
August 13, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I’m one of the mentors for this year long internship :) Apply if you have interest in writing and Science Communication. There’s opportunity to get some of your pieces in DB @devbiol.bsky.social!
Apply today!!
Apply today!!
Very proud to share the first review from the lab with contributions of all lab members. Writing this gave our new lab opportunity to read and discuss many papers and grow as a team. www.frontiersin.org/journals/imm...
www.frontiersin.org
August 4, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Very proud to share the first review from the lab with contributions of all lab members. Writing this gave our new lab opportunity to read and discuss many papers and grow as a team. www.frontiersin.org/journals/imm...
Very excited about our project aiming at advancing cell therapies for type 1 diabetes. and very thankful for receiving funding from @stemcellnetwork.ca
🚨 BIG NEWS! SCN announces $33M to advance 36 #RegenerativeMedicine research projects and #ClinicalTrials!
Learn more. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/research/res...
Learn more. ➡️ stemcellnetwork.ca/research/res...
The Stem Cell Network Announces $33M to Advance Regenerative Medicine Research and Clinical Trials
YouTube video by Stem Cell Network - Réseau de cellules souches
youtu.be
June 27, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Very excited about our project aiming at advancing cell therapies for type 1 diabetes. and very thankful for receiving funding from @stemcellnetwork.ca
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Preza et al. show that a circadian transcription factor specific to maturing stem cell-derived-β cells, DEC1, regulates insulin responsiveness to glucose. 🧪
#PancSky #StemCells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#PancSky #StemCells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
DEC1 Regulates Human β Cell Functional Maturation and Circadian Rhythm
Stem cell-derived islet (SC-islet) organoids offer hope for cell replacement therapy in diabetes, but their immature function remains a challenge. Mature islet function requires the β-cell circadian c...
www.biorxiv.org
April 22, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Preza et al. show that a circadian transcription factor specific to maturing stem cell-derived-β cells, DEC1, regulates insulin responsiveness to glucose. 🧪
#PancSky #StemCells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#PancSky #StemCells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Stem cell-based models of early human development
Read this Development at a Glance Article by Lizhong Liu @liliulab.bsky.social and Jun Wu @jun-wu-lab.bsky.social:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Read this Development at a Glance Article by Lizhong Liu @liliulab.bsky.social and Jun Wu @jun-wu-lab.bsky.social:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
April 22, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Stem cell-based models of early human development
Read this Development at a Glance Article by Lizhong Liu @liliulab.bsky.social and Jun Wu @jun-wu-lab.bsky.social:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Read this Development at a Glance Article by Lizhong Liu @liliulab.bsky.social and Jun Wu @jun-wu-lab.bsky.social:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Bonifacio and Ziegler summarize current evidence and guidance while emphasizing the need for continued research alongside broader screening application in #type1diabetes. 🧪
#PancSky
dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#PancSky
dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Type 1 diabetes risk factors, risk prediction and presymptomatic detection: Evidence and guidance for screening
Type 1 diabetes is recognized as a chronic disease with a presymptomatic phase that does not require insulin therapy and a clinical phase where insulin treatment becomes necessary. The presymptomati...
dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 9, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Bonifacio and Ziegler summarize current evidence and guidance while emphasizing the need for continued research alongside broader screening application in #type1diabetes. 🧪
#PancSky
dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#PancSky
dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A protective INS SNP causes accelerated IRE1α-dependent decay of insulin mRNA, alleviates ER stress and reduces beta-cell immunogenicity
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Genetic protection from type 1 diabetes resulting from accelerated insulin mRNA decay
Insulin gene variation predisposes individuals to type 1 diabetes (T1D). We report
a new mechanism of genetic protection from T1D in which insulin mRNA with a protective
SNP is broken down by IRE1α, t...
www.cell.com
March 31, 2025 at 8:23 AM
A protective INS SNP causes accelerated IRE1α-dependent decay of insulin mRNA, alleviates ER stress and reduces beta-cell immunogenicity
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Yassi Aghazadeh
Enterovirus infections may occur throughout the natural history of type 1 #diabetes and may be associated to islet cell HLA-I hyperexpression. @teresarc.bsky.social @sarahibex.bsky.social #T1D #DiabetesResearch link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
Enterovirus VP1 protein and HLA class I hyperexpression in pancreatic islet cells of organ donors with type 1 diabetes - Diabetologia
Aims/hypothesis Earlier studies of pancreases from donors with type 1 diabetes demonstrated enteroviral capsid protein VP1 in beta cells. In the context of a multidisciplinary approach undertaken by t...
link.springer.com
March 28, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Enterovirus infections may occur throughout the natural history of type 1 #diabetes and may be associated to islet cell HLA-I hyperexpression. @teresarc.bsky.social @sarahibex.bsky.social #T1D #DiabetesResearch link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🔓
Cdc42 coordinates PDGFRb+ Mural Cell migration proliferation morphogenesis (wrapping filopodia) during postanatal retinal #Angiogenesis👁️
PDGFRb+ mural cell Cdc42 KO🐭➡️
⏫Angiogenic front leakage
⏬Tip cell filopodia
Perturbed arterial patterning
#VasPharma 2025
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
PDGFRb+ mural cell Cdc42 KO🐭➡️
⏫Angiogenic front leakage
⏬Tip cell filopodia
Perturbed arterial patterning
#VasPharma 2025
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
March 26, 2025 at 7:18 AM