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Head of Neurovascular Research Unit

PD Dr. med. Sajjad Muhammad
Department of Neurosurgery
Heinrich Heine University/University Hospital Düsseldorf
Moorenstraße 5
40225 Düsseldorf


Research Interest

The research group of S. Muhammad is primarily interested neurovascular pathologies including intracranial aneurysms, subarachnoid hemorrhage and brain AVMs. Being a Surgeon/Scientist, my main emphasis is on translational research projects. Our core projects are focused on investigation of interactions between the central nervous system and immune system to search for biomarkers to develop point of care diagnostics and find novel pharmacological targets to treat neurovascular diseases. Another focus is placed on the role of non-coding RNAs and epigenetic alterations, including changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications in intracranial aneurysms. We have established infrastructure including Bio-Bank for liquid and solid biopsies from patients, basic science lab (Cell cultures, PCR, Western Blotting, immunostaining, ELISA, Microscopy) and animal lab (mouse model of SAH and intracranial aneurysms) covering most of the aspects of basic and translational clinical research.

Further information
Selected Publications
  1. Chaudhry SR, Kahlert UD, Kinfe TM, Endl E, Dolf A, Niemelä M,Daniel Hänggi D, Muhammad S. Differential polarization and activation dynamics of systemic T helper cell subsets after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and during post-SAH complications. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 9;11(1):14226. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92873-x. PubMed

  2. Muhammad S, Chaudhry SR, Kahlert UD, Lehecka M, Korja M, Mika Niemelä M, Hänggi D, Targeting High Mobility Group Box 1 in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review: Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 14;21(8):2709. doi: 10.3390/ijms21082709. PubMed

  3. Chaudhary SR, Kahlert UD, Kinfe TM, Lamprecht A, Niemelä M, Hänggi D, Muhammad S. Elevated systemic IL-10 is a sign of immunodepression leading to nosocomial infections after aneurysmal subarachnoidal hemorrhage. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Feb 25;21(5):1569. doi: 10.3390/ijms21051569. PubMed

  4. Chaudhry SR, Güresir A, Stoffel-Wagner B, Fimmers R, Kinfe TM, Dietrich D, Lamprecht A, Vatter H, Güresir E, Muhammad S. Systemic HMGB1, a novel predictive biomarker for cerebral vasospasm in aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Crit Care Med.2018 Nov;46(11):e1023-e1028. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003319. PubMed

  5. Chaudhry SR, Hafez A, Rezai Jahromi B, Kinfe TM, Lamprecht A, Niemelä M, Muhammad S. Role of Damage Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules (DAMPs) in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH). Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Jul 13;19(7):2035. doi: 10.3390/ijms19072035. PubMed

  6. Chaudhry SR, Stoffel-Wagner B, Kinfe TM, Güresir E, Vatter H, Dietrich D, Lamprecht A, Muhammad S. Elevated Systemic IL-6 Levels in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Is an Unspecific Marker for Post-SAH Complications. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 1;18(12):2580. doi: 10.3390/ijms18122580. PubMed

  7. Chaudhry SR, Güresir E, Vatter H, Kinfe TM, Dietrich D, Lamprecht A, Muhammad S. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage lead to systemic upregulation of IL-23/IL-17 inflammatory axis. Cytokine. 2017 Sep;97:96-103. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2017.05.025. Epub 2017 Jun 10. PubMed

  8. Rahman M*, Muhammad S*, Khan M*, Chen H, Ridder DA, Müller-Fielitz H, Pokorna B,  Vollbrandt T, Stötling I, Nadrowitz R, Okun JG, Offermanns S, Schwaninger M. The β-hydroxybutyrate receptor HCA2 induces a neuroprotective phenotype of macrophages. Nature. Commun; 2014 May 21;5:3944. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4944. (* Equally contributed) PubMed

  9. Muhammad S, Haasbach E, Kotchourko M, Strigli A, Krenz A, Ridder DA, Vogel AB, Marti HH, Al-Abed Y, Planz O, Schwaninger M; Influenza virus infection aggravates stroke outcome through cytokine release. 2011 Mar;42(3):783-91. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.596783. Epub 2011 Feb 3. PubMed

  10. Muhammad S, Barakat W, Stoyanov S, Murikinati S, Yang H, Tracey KJ, Bendszus M, Rossetti G, Nawroth PP, Bierhaus A, Schwaninger M.; The HMGB1 receptor RAGE mediates ischemic brain damage. J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 12;28(46):12023-12031. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2435-08.2008. PubMed

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