2026
Research field: Inorganic medicinal chemistry / Metal-based anticancer agents
Project title: Design and biological evaluation of novel water-soluble complexes based on thiosemicarbazone as prospective anticancer agents
Short summary:
New fluorescent thiosemicarbazone ligand and its Mn(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized. They showed high water solubility and stability. Anti-proliferative activity was tested on SW-872 and MCF-7 cells. LMn and LZn complexes exhibited good activity against SW-872 cells, with LZn inducing apoptosis and S-phase cell cycle arrest. Fluorescence enabled cell imaging.
Supervisor: Dr. Elham Safarzadeh
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-33889-5
Research field: Medical Education / Educational Psychology
Project title: Investigating the mediating role of learning engagement in the relationship between self-efficacy for managing emotional challenges and subjective well-being among medical students
Short summary: This study of 237 medical students at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences found that self-efficacy in managing emotional challenges positively predicts subjective well-being, with learning engagement partially mediating this relationship. Together, these variables explained 48% of the variance in well-being. The findings suggest that interventions targeting emotional management skills and active learning can enhance medical students' resilience, academic performance, and overall well-being.
Supervisor: Dr. Mahzad Yousef
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-40021-8
Research field: Medical Education / Health Policy
Project title: Exploring the effects of the health transformation plan on the quality of clinical education in teaching hospitals: a qualitative study
Short summary: This qualitative study explored how Iran's Health Transformation Plan (HTP), implemented in 2014, affected undergraduate clinical education in teaching hospitals. Interviews with 21 clinical faculty and educational leaders revealed that while the HTP improved infrastructure and clinical exposure, it also created constraints through crowded environments, competing service demands, and misaligned incentives, ultimately marginalizing educational priorities within teaching hospitals.
Supervisor: Dr. Aziz Kamran
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-026-08848-x
Research field: Nursing / Psychometrics
Project title: Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the caring behaviors assessment tool in clinical nurses: a methodological study based on watson's theory of human caring
Short summary: This study validated the Persian version of the Caring Behaviors Assessment Tool (CBAT-P) among 250 nurses in Iran. Results showed excellent reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.972) and strong validity. The tool is a reliable instrument for measuring caring behaviors in Iranian clinical nursing, supporting improved patient care quality.
Supervisor: Dr. Reza Nemati-Vakilabad
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12931074/
Research field: Zoonotic tuberculosis / Molecular epidemiology
Project title: Genomic investigation of Mycobacterium bovis in bulk unpasteurized dairy products in Ardabil Province, Iran
Short summary: This 2024 cross-sectional study screened 150 bulk unpasteurized dairy samples (raw milk, traditional cheese, and artisanal yogurt) from Ardabil Province for Mycobacterium bovis using multi-gene PCR targeting IS6110, 16S rRNA, and gyrB, with Sanger sequencing validation. M. bovis DNA was detected in 8% of samples, with the highest prevalence in raw milk, indicating a potential zoonotic transmission risk.
Supervisor: Dr. Farzad Khademi
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-47419-4
Research field: Environmental Biotechnology / Wastewater Treatment
Project title: Modeling and Box-Behnken optimization of bisphenol A biodegradation in a pilot-scale moving bed biofilm reactor
Short summary: This study evaluated a pilot-scale MBBR for simultaneous BPA and COD removal using Box–Behnken optimization. Under optimized conditions (HRT ≈ 72 h, carrier filling ratio ≈ 70%, COD ≈ 520 mg/L, BPA ≈ 55 mg/L), removal efficiencies reached 92.2% and 90.4%, respectively. GC–MS/LC–MS and microbial analyses confirmed oxidative biodegradation via synergistic bacterial pathways as the dominant removal mechanism.
Supervisor: Dr. S. Ahmad Mokhtari
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123026026964
Research field: Gastroenterology / Hepatology / Infectious disease epidemiology
Project title: Helicobacter pylori infection and liver function alterations in individuals undergoing gastric cancer screening: a cohort study
Short summary: This analysis of 16,855 participants from the Ardabil gastric cancer prevention cohort found a 70.5% prevalence of H. pylori infection, which was independently associated with liver disease (OR = 1.91) and subtle AST elevation. Metabolic factors (BMI, triglycerides, FBS) showed stronger and broader associations with liver enzymes than H. pylori, highlighting the complex interplay between infectious and metabolic determinants of liver function.
Supervisor: Dr. Pourya Gholizadeh
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42009715/
Research field: Neglected tropical diseases / Antileishmanial drug discovery / Medicinal chemistry
Project title: Synthesis and anti-antileishmanial profile of novel thiazolidine-4-one derivatives and molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations studies
Short summary: This study synthesized and evaluated a novel series of thiazolidine-4-one analogues (7a–g) against Leishmania major. Compounds 7a, 7b, and 7c showed the highest anti-promastigote activity, inducing apoptosis and necrosis. In silico analyses confirmed favorable drug-likeness and stable binding to LmPTR1, with 7a and 7c demonstrating the strongest interactions and selectivity.
Supervisor: Dr. Saghi Sepehri
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-53762-3
Research field: Geriatric health / Hypertension management / Nutrition and physical activity
Project title: Physical activity and dietary patterns of older women with hypertension: a cross-sectional study
Short summary: This cross-sectional study of 334 older women with hypertension in Ardabil found that 60.1% had high physical activity levels, with an inverse association between physical activity and systolic blood pressure. Body mass index, daily energy intake, calcium, magnesium, and fiber intake were significant predictors of systolic blood pressure, highlighting the importance of lifestyle factors in hypertension management.
Supervisor: Dr. Afrouz Mardi
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12877-025-06839-z
Research field: Disaster preparedness / Behavioral psychology in healthcare / Chemical decontamination compliance
Project title: Predicting nurses' adherence to chemical decontamination procedures: a transtheoretical model SEM analysis
Short summary: This cross-sectional study of 561 nurses across 75 Iranian medical centers used the Transtheoretical Model and SEM to identify psychological determinants of adherence to chemical decontamination protocols. Processes of change, particularly behavioral strategies and environmental/social cues within self-efficacy, emerged as the strongest predictors of compliance, while decisional balance ("pros") showed no significant influence. Findings support process-based, stage-specific interventions over motivational approaches.
Supervisor: Dr. Sajjad Narimani
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41495785/
Research field: Environmental science / Waste management / Microplastic pollution
Project title: Microplastic pollution during organic compost production: Occurrence and ecological risks
Short summary: This study investigated microplastic (MP) levels and characteristics across 54 samples from different composting stages, from incoming waste to refined compost. MP concentration increased from 22,800 N/kg to 75,928 N/kg, with fibers and black particles dominating. Ecological risk assessment revealed extremely high risk levels (PHI 491.7, PLI 59), highlighting the need for effective pre-treatment strategies.
Supervisor: Dr. Adel Mokammel
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X26004253
Research field: Physical chemistry / Photochemistry / Spectroscopy
Project title: A benzoyl-thiazole thiourea derivative photophysically observed: Unveiling the role of hydrogen bonding and solvent interactions
Short summary: This study combined experimental techniques with DFT and TD-DFT calculations to investigate how intramolecular hydrogen bonding (IHB) affects excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) in a chlorobenzoyl-phenylthiazolyl thiourea derivative across various solvents. Results showed that IHB suppresses ESIPT while promoting a delocalized ICT mechanism, providing insights for rational design of thiourea-based optical materials.
Supervisor: Dr. Nima Razzaghi-Asl
Publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167732226005222
Research field: Nutrition / Cardiovascular epidemiology / Public health
Project title: Dietary antioxidants and cardiometabolic health in the Ardabil Persian cohort
Short summary: This cross-sectional study of 500 participants aged 35–75 from the Ardabil Persian Cohort Study examined the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and cardiovascular risk factors. Higher DTAC and adherence to a fruit-and-vegetable dietary pattern were inversely associated with total cholesterol, BMI, hyperglycemia, and hypertension, suggesting that healthier dietary patterns may reduce cardiometabolic risk.
Supervisor: Dr. Farhad Pourfarzi
ublication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475326001274
Research field: Biomedical engineering / Nanomedicine / Wound healing
Project title: Vancomycin-Loaded PVA/ZnO Nanofibers with Enhanced Antibacterial Activity and Controlled Release for Wound Healing Applications
Short summary: This study developed stable PVA/ZnO-NP nanofibers via blend-electrospinning, incorporating vancomycin at 1, 3, and 5% concentrations. The 3% VAN formulation showed optimal flexibility, potent antibacterial activity, and no significant cytotoxicity. In a rat full-thickness wound model, the PVA/ZnO-NPs/VAN 3% composite accelerated wound closure and achieved the most complete healing, demonstrating a synergistic effect between ZnO nanoparticles and vancomycin.
Supervisor: Dr. Farzaneh Fathi
publication year: 2026
Read more: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12221-026-01432-6
Research field: neuroscience / Neuroprotection / Ischemic stroke
Project title: Investigating the therapeutic potential of nasal administration of mitochondria on blood-brain barrier integrity and vasogenic brain Edema in a rat ischemic stroke model
Short summary: his study investigated intranasally delivered mitochondria as a therapeutic strategy in a rat model of ischemic stroke. Daily mitochondrial treatment (750 μg/50 μl) for two days significantly reduced infarct size, decreased cerebral edema, preserved BBB integrity, improved mitochondrial function (reduced swelling and ROS, restored MMP and SDH activity), and lowered apoptosis and expression of MMP-9 and ICAM-1, suggesting a promising neuroprotective approach.
Supervisor: Dr. Hamdollah Panahpour
publication year: 2026
Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014488625004741