Mahmoud Mona

Entered Combined-Degree Program: Fall 2014 as 2nd year DMD student.
Thesis Advisor: Seunghee Cha, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Graduated program: Fall 2019 with a PhD in Immunology and Microbiology.

Biography

Mahmoud Mona

Mahmoud Mona grew up in Latakia, Syria. Moved to Gainesville, FL in 2008. He graduated with Suma Cum Laude from the University of Florida Interdisciplinary program with a major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He subsequently joined Dr. Grant McFadden’s lab as a research assistant developing an interest in treatment of pancreatic cancer with Myxoma virus.  During his work with Dr. McFaden, he received a research fellowship from the American Cancer Society. In 2013, he started his DMD training at the University of Florida.

While in dental school, Mahmoud served as the class of 2017 Chair of Academic Affairs. He served for two years on the board of National Student Research Group as a Southeast Regional Representative.  He also served on the board of the American Student Dental Association. In 2014, he matriculated into the DMD-PHD program when he developed an interest in Sjögren’s syndrome. His work focused on salivary gland stem cell regeneration as a potential treatment for Sjögren’s syndrome patients . Mahmoud will soon be entering the Endodontics Residency program in the School of Advanced Dental Sciences at the UF College of Dentistry.

In his free time, he likes to run, camp, play ping pong and travel.

Publications

Mona M, Miller R, Li H, Park YJ, Zaman R, Yang LJ, Cha S. MIST1, an Inductive Signal for Salivary Amylase in Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2019. 12;20(3):767. PMID: 30759717.
Cha S, Mona M, Lee KE, Kim DH, Han K. MicroRNAs in Autoimmune Sjögren’s Syndrome. Genomics Inform. 2018. 16(4):e19. PMID: 30602080.
Wennier ST, Liu J, Li S, Rahman MM, Mona M, McFadden G. Myxoma virus sensitizes cancer cells to gemcitabine and is an effective oncolytic virotherapeutic in models of disseminated pancreatic cancer. Mol Ther. 2012. 20(4):759-68. PMID: 22233582.
M. Mona, S. Mondello, J.Y. Hyon, W. Saleh, K. Han, H.-J. Lee, Y.-J. Ha, E.H. Kang, Y.J. Lee, S. Cha. Clinical usefulness of anti-muscarinic type 3 receptor autoantibodies in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2020

Case Reports

Bowers L, Mona M, Bhattacharyya I, Cohen D. Combined Odontogenic Keratocyst and Mural Ameloblastoma: An Unusual Case of a Hybrid Odontogenic Tumor. Abstract: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2012; 136(9): 1087
Alkhasawneh A, Mona M, Bhattacharyya I, Cohen D. Metastatic Ameloblastoma to the Chest, Liver and Lung. Abstract: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2012; 136(9): 1119

Abstracts

Moreb JS, Mona M, Chang L, Yeh Y, Amory J, Goldstein A. The role of aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes in cancer cell proliferation, migration and drug resistance. Abstract 3762: Cancer Res. 2013; 73(8) Supplement. DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3762