Armin Bayati, PhD

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Translational Drug Discovery

Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. My work spans neuroscience, cancer immunology, infectious disease, pancreatic biology, and cardiovascular biology — using iPSC-derived cell models, high-content imaging, flow cytometry, proteomics, and computational tools to dissect disease mechanisms and advance preclinical drug discovery.

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First-author, Nature Neuroscience
Developed novel iPSC-based Lewy body model for Parkinson's disease

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First to characterize SARS-CoV-2 cell entry
JBC Editors' Pick — clathrin-mediated endocytosis mechanism

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Led preclinical drug discovery programs
Novel therapeutics targeting neurodegeneration, viral entry & cancer

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25+ publications · 1,300+ citations
Harvard, McGill, Nature Neuroscience, Cell Reports, JBC, Lancet

About

Background

I am a scientist with a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Cell Biology from McGill University and 10+ years of hands-on research experience. My work centers on modeling neurodegenerative and infectious diseases using iPSC-derived neurons, molecular and cellular techniques, and advanced imaging to uncover disease pathophysiology and test preclinical compounds designed to reverse degeneration.

I have led projects that identified how pathogenic proteins enter and infect cells, uncovered mechanisms involved in neuronal degeneration, developed Python-based tools to analyze live-cell imaging, and helped advance novel small-molecule therapeutics targeting mitochondrial health, viral entry, and cellular aging.

25+

Peer-reviewed publications

1,300+

Citations

500K+

Paper downloads

With first-author studies in Nature Neuroscience, Cell Reports, and Journal of Biological Chemistry, my research bridges fundamental discovery with translational drug development across neuroscience, immunology, infectious disease, and oncology.

Research at a Glance

Impact metrics & technical breadth across 10+ years in biomedical research

Research Impact

Publications

Nature Neurosci, Cell Reports, JBC

Total Citations

Google Scholar verified

First-Author Papers

Incl. Nature Neuroscience

Institutional Affiliations

Harvard · McGill · MGB · MNI · UVic

Technical Breadth

iPSC Lineages Differentiated

qPCR Primer Pairs

Flow Cytometry Panels

Assay Platforms

CRISPR · Viral · Protein · Imaging

Viral Vector Systems

Lenti · AAV · SARS-CoV-2

Differentiation Protocols

Neurons · Islets · Immune

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Experience

Work Experience & Education

2024 – Present

Harvard Medical School & Mass General Brigham — Research Fellow / Research Instructor

Led preclinical testing of novel drug candidates targeting neurodegeneration, cellular aging, and cancer. Designed high-throughput imaging assays for cytotoxicity, mitophagy, and protein aggregation. Established iPSC differentiation protocols across neuronal and endodermal lineages. Created Python-based pipelines (AutoMorphoTrack) for automated live-cell imaging analysis. Mentored and supervised junior scientists.

2023 – 2024

Montreal Neurological Institute & McGill University — Research Associate

Led multi-year Parkinson's disease program culminating in first- and corresponding-author Nature Neuroscience publication. Advanced iPSC-based disease modeling to dissect mechanisms of apoptosis, autophagy, and protein aggregation. Developed high-resolution electron microscopy workflows. Applied CRISPR/siRNA editing to identify therapeutic targets. Designed EV/exosome transfer assays using CD63/CD9 reporter systems. Integrated mass spectrometry–based proteomics for biomarker discovery. Trained and supervised junior team members.

2018 – 2023

McGill University — Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Cell Biology

PhD research at the Montreal Neurological Institute focused on modeling neurodegenerative and infectious diseases using human cancer cell lines and iPSC-derived neurons. Uncovered molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal vulnerability. Published the first paper on the internalization of SARS-CoV-2. Work with BSL-2 and BSL-3 environments.

2018

University of Victoria — Undergraduate Researcher (USRA)

Tissue processing, sectioning, and sample preparation for electron microscopy in the Nahirney lab.

2013 – 2018

University of Victoria — B.Sc. (Honours) with Distinction

Honours work exploring the neurodegenerative effects of stroke in mice using electron microscopy.

Research

Explore My Work

My research spans iPSC-based disease modeling, cellular and molecular assays, advanced microscopy, drug discovery, automation, and computational image analysis.

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iPSC-Derived Neurons

Dopaminergic, cortical, and glial differentiation. Lewy body disease modeling. MEA electrophysiology, calcium imaging, HPLC dopamine quantification.

Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Translational Drug Discovery

Background

Work Experience & Education

Explore My Work

Recent Activity

Thesis Documents

Core Expertise