Home » Mo Hashemian

Mo Hashemian

Mo Hashemian

Education: B.S. Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 2019 

From: Irvine, California

Joined David Lab: January 2021

Outside of lab: working out, watching TV

Research in David Lab:

In the lab, I utilize techniques in molecular and structural biology, protein biochemistry and enzymology. These skills were cultivated and applied in the process of solving the first full-length structure of an important human base excision repair glycosylase, MUTYH. This work has enabled us to characterize many functional features of the enzyme but has raised additional questions pertaining to the coordination of a zinc ion which is missing from the structure. My current work involves characterizing the structural motif that binds zinc, as well as characterizing naturally occurring cancer variants surrounding this motif. Our structure of MUTYH has also informed a second project, involving the potential discovery of a small molecule inhibitor that binds to a C-terminal substrate recognition motif, thereby diminishing enzymatic activity.

RSS Science Daily News

  • Heavy particles, big secrets: What happened right after the Big Bang June 17, 2025
    Smashing atomic nuclei together at mind-bending speeds recreates the fiery conditions of the early universe and scientists are finally getting a better handle on what happens next. A sweeping new study dives deep into how ultra-heavy particles behave after these high-energy collisions, revealing they don t just vanish after the initial impact but continue interacting […]
  • Cozmic’s Milky Way clones are cracking the universe’s dark code June 17, 2025
    Scientists have built detailed Milky Way simulations under strange new physical laws to probe dark matter, revealing how different versions of the universe might behave and helping us get closer to the real one.
  • Rainbow reefs revealed: The secret 112-million-year saga of glowing fish June 17, 2025
    Scientists have uncovered that fish biofluorescence a captivating ability to glow in vivid colors has ancient roots stretching back over 100 million years. This trait evolved independently in reef fish more than 100 times, likely influenced by post-dinosaur-extinction reef expansion. The glowing spectacle is more diverse than previously imagined, spanning multiple colors across hundreds of […]
  • Clever worms form superorganism towers to hitch rides on insects June 17, 2025
    Nematodes tiny yet mighty form wriggling towers to survive and travel as a team. Long thought to exist only in labs, scientists have now spotted these towers naturally forming in rotting orchard fruit. Remarkably, the worms aren t just piling up they build responsive, coordinated structures that hitch rides on insects to escape harsh conditions.
  • Cluck once, and the river shakes: Inside the Amazon’s giant snake saga June 16, 2025
    A lifelong fascination with nature and fieldwork led this researcher to the world of ethnobiology a field where ecology, culture, and community come together. Investigating how local people relate to species like the anaconda, their work blends traditional knowledge with scientific methods for better conservation. The tale of the mythic Great Snake morphs into economic […]

Contact:

Dr. Sheila S. David
ssdavid@ucdavis.edu
(530)-752-4280

Department of Chemistry
One Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616