Mojgan Rastegar, University of Manitoba

Research

Dna Methylation Gene Regulation Epigenetics Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders Genetics Human Brain Tissues Mechanism Of Disease Metabolic Drugs

Latest papers

Mechanistic Links Between DNA Methylation and Protein Translation and Their Impacts on Brain Development.
Biology · 2026 · senior author
Metformin Treatment Shows Beneficial Effects on RTT-Associated Phenotypical Deficits in Mecp2 T158M Male Mice.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026 · senior author
A Developmental Study of MeCP2 with Core and Linker Histones Indicates a Dynamic Change During Adolescent Brain Development in a Region- and Strain-Specific Manner in Mice.
Biomolecules · 2026 · senior author

All 65 publications

Latest funding

Investigating the impact of MeCP2 mutation on the epigenetic landscape of brain cells
CIHR · 2025 · Supervisor
$120,000
Epigenetic control of brain development
NSERC · 2024 · Principal investigator
$55,000
Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) Conference 2024
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$15,000

All 9 grants and awards

65 publications.

01

Mechanistic Links Between DNA Methylation and Protein Translation and Their Impacts on Brain Development.

Kadar Shahib A, Rastegar M

Biology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/biology15090687 PMID: 42117826

02

Metformin Treatment Shows Beneficial Effects on RTT-Associated Phenotypical Deficits in Mecp2 T158M Male Mice.

Arezoumand KS, Akhtar GB, Kadar Shahib A, Jarmasz JS, Roberts CT, Mehrabadi AR, Olson CO, Rastegar M

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)2026Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/ph19040621 PMID: 42075876

03

A Developmental Study of MeCP2 with Core and Linker Histones Indicates a Dynamic Change During Adolescent Brain Development in a Region- and Strain-Specific Manner in Mice.

Kadar Shahib A, Ziaee SM, Nejati-Koshki K, Davie JR, Rastegar M

Biomolecules2026Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/biom16020337 PMID: 41750404

04

Mutation of MeCP2 at T158M Leads to Distinct Molecular and Phenotypic Abnormalities in Male and Female Mice.

Roberts CT, Kadar Shahib A, Arezoumand KS, Akhtar GB, Nejati-Koshki K, Jarmasz JS, Ziaee SM, Buist M, Raabe N, Rezaeian Mehrabadi A, Olson CO, Rastegar M

Cells2025Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/cells14161286 PMID: 40862765

05

Creating accessible and inclusive undergraduate studentship opportunities: the ENRRICH experience.

Beattie R, Russell K, Wittmeier K, Mitchell-Dueck J, Cheung K, Rastegar M, Slike A, Williams V, Chan MK, Wilson M, Protudjer J

BMC medical education2025

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-06847-y PMID: 39956893

06

Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) 2024 Conference - Gene Regulation: From Cells to Systems.

Rastegar M, Wieden H, Davie JR

Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire2025First author

DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2025-0146 PMID: 40522166

07

Basic Epigenetic Mechanisms.

Davie JR, Sattarifard H, Sudhakar SRN, Roberts CT, Beacon TH, Muker I, Shahib AK, Rastegar M

Sub-cellular biochemistry2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-75980-2_1 PMID: 39820859

08

Neurodevelopmental functions and activities of the KAT3 class of lysine acetyltransferases.

Shahib AK, Rastegar M, van Wijnen AJ, Davie JR

Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire2024

DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2024-0156 PMID: 39293094

09

Diverse Applications of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin in Treating Human Disease.

Roberts CT, Raabe N, Wiegand L, Kadar Shahib A, Rastegar M

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)2024Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/ph17121601 PMID: 39770443

10

Editorial: Epigenetic modification in neurological diseases.

Rastegar M

Frontiers in genetics2024First author

DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1506551 PMID: 39534079

Investigating the impact of MeCP2 mutation on the epigenetic landscape of brain cells

SupervisorCIHR2025DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Principal investigators: KADAR SHAHIB, ASHRAF

Keywords: Brain Tissues; Dna Methylation; Epigenetics; Genetics; Histones; Mecp2; Molecular And Cellular Biology; Neurodevelopment; Neurons; Neuroscience

$120,000

Epigenetic control of brain development

Principal investigatorNSERC2024Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

Keywords: epigenetics; dna methylation; brain development; gene regulation; brain cells; cell biology; molecular biology; neurodevelopment; neurons; astrocytes

$55,000

Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) Conference 2024

Nominated PICIHR2023Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

Keywords: Cancer Genetics; Cell Death Regulatory Mechanisms; Epigenetics; Gene Regulation; Immunology; Model Organisms; Molecular Biosciences; Neurobiology; Neurogenetics; Rna Biology

$15,000

Investigating the molecular and cellular abnormalities of the brain in Rett Syndrome

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

Keywords: Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Dna Methylation; Epigenetics; Genetics; Human Brain Tissues; Mechanism Of Disease; Metabolic Drugs; Pre-Clinical Studies; Rett Syndrome; Transgenic Mice

$990,675

Investigating the molecular and cellular abnormalities of the brain in Rett Syndrome

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant - PA: Epigenetics/epigenomics in human health or disease

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

Keywords: Childhood Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Dna Methylation; Genetics; Human Brain Tissues; Mechanism Of Disease; Mecp2; Metabolic Drugs; Pre-Clinical Studies; Rett Syndrome; Transgenic Mice

$100,000

Gene Regulatory Network of Neural Stem Cells; Implicating the Role of MeCP2 Isoforms

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

$186,000

Investigating the Cell Type-Specific Regulatory Role of Ethanol on MeCP2 Expression

Nominated PICIHR2013Catalyst Grant: Environments, Genes and Chronic Disease

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan; Davie, James R

Keywords: Alcohol Exposure And Withdrawal; Brain Cells; Brain Development; Dna Methylation; Epigenetic Control; Fasd; Gene Expression; Gene Regulation; Mecp2 Gene

$100,000

Discovering the Epigenetic Signatures Associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Co-investigatorCIHR2012Team Grant: CEEHRC - Full application

Principal investigators: Davie, James R

Keywords: Bioinformatics; Bisulfite Sequencing; Epigenetics; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; Knock-Out Mice; Methylation Array; Translating To The Community; Xenopus

$1,372,800

HOX regulatory network during neural stem cell differentiation

Principal investigatorNSERC2009Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Rastegar, Mojgan

$190,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Biochemistry and Medical Genetics
Pediatrics and Child Health
Physiology
Other

Co-authors at University of Manitoba, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Kelly Russell

Pediatrics and Child Health

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Kristy Wittmeier

Pediatrics and Child Health

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Mary Wilson

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Robert Beattie

Biochemistry and Medical Genetics

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Sabine Mai

Physiology

1 shared papers, latest 2012

James Davie

Biochemistry and Medical Genetics

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Dna Methylation Dear Professor Rastegar, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Mechanistic Links Between DNA Methylation and Protein Translation and Their Impacts on Brain Development." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Epigenetic control of brain development" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]