Episode 136: Tissue Culture and Micropropagation with Dr. Adel Zarei
Dr. Zarei earned his Ph.D. degree from Leiden University in the Netherlands, specializing in molecular mechanisms governing defense and secondary metabolism in plants. Dr. Zarei spent a decade as a Research Associate at the University of Guelph, where his research focused on stress physiology in plants. His primary passion lies in the study of plant secondary metabolites, many of which possess pharmaceutical significance. In 2017, Adel transitioned to the Cannabis industry, serving as a Scientific Advisor and Cannabis Micropropagation Expert. He played a pivotal role in designing and establishing multiple Cannabis Micropropagation labs for Cannabis Production License Holders. His groundbreaking work in this field garnered multiple Government grants and led to the development of commercial-scale cannabis micropropagation techniques. The results of this research were published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals, including "In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology-Plant" and "Plants”. Throughout his scientific career, Adel has authored more than twenty-two peer-reviewed articles covering topics such as plant stress physiology, secondary metabolites, and plant pathology.
Dr. Adel Zarei is an integral member of the PharmaCrop team, serving as the Chief Operating Officer at PharmaCrop Pty. Ltd. in Queensland, Australia. In this role, he oversees operations that encompass every stage of the process, from seed cultivation to the final production of medical-grade cannabis products. Dr. Zarei has successfully transferred his extensive knowledge and experience in the cultivation and processing of medical cannabis into Australia's burgeoning industry. One of Dr. Zarei's primary objectives is to train and develop talented local staff to enhance the quality of locally grown medical cannabis. He believes that by improving the standards and practices within Australia's medical cannabis sector, the country can significantly reduce its reliance on imported cannabis, which currently constitutes about 80% of total consumption. His commitment to fostering local expertise and improving production practices aims to ensure that Australian patients have access to high-quality, domestically produced medical cannabis.
LinkedIn: adel-zarei-a363a456
PUBLICATIONS
Zarei A, Feyissa BA, Davis B, Tavakouli Dinani E (2022) Cannabis synthetic seeds: An alternative approach for commercial scale of clonal propagation and germplasm conservation. Plants (In preparation).
Zarei A, Davis B, Feyissa BA, Tavakouli Dinani E, Simons B (2022) Improvement of mineral nutrition and rooting efficiency of Cannabis sativa L. for in vitro large-scale propagation. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant (Under review).
Zarei A, Behdarvandi, B, Tavakouli Dinani, E. et al. (2021) Cannabis sativa L. photoautotrophic micropropagation: a powerful tool for industrial scale in vitro propagation. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-021-10167-3.
Seifi HS, Zarei A, Hsiang T, Shelp BJ (2019) Spermine is a potent plant defense activator against gray mold disease on Solanum lycopersicum, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytopathology (8):1367-1377.
Brikis CJ†, Zarei A†, Chiu GZ, Deyman KL, Liu J, Trobacher CP, Hoover, GJ, Subedi S, DeEll JR, Bozzo GG, Shelp BJ (2018) Targeted quantitative profiling of metabolites and gene transcripts associated with 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) in ‘Empire’ apple fruit stored under low-temperature controlled-atmosphere conditions. Hortic Res. (5) 61. †equal contribution.
Shelp BJ, Bown AW, Zarei A (2017) 4-Aminobutyrate (GABA): a metabolite and signal with practical significance. Botany (95): 1015-1032.
Zarei A†, Brikis CJ†, Bajwa VS, Chiu GZ, Simpson JP, DeEll JR, Bozzo GG, Shelp BJ (2017) Plant glyoxylate/succinic semialdehyde reductases: Comparative biochemical properties, function during chilling stress, and subcellular localization. Front. Plant Sci. (8): 1399. †equal contribution.
Shelp BJ, Zarei A (2017) Subcellular compartmentation of 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) metabolism in Arabidopsis: an update. Plant Signal Behav. (12): e1322244.
Brikis CJ†, Zarei A†, Bajwa VS, Trobacher CP, Mullen R, Akama K, Bozzo GG, Shelp BJ (2017) Ancient plant glyoxylate/succinic semialdehyde reductases: GLYR1s are cytosolic, whereas GLYR2s are localized to both mitochondria and plastids. Front. Plant Sci. (8): 601. †equal contribution.
Zarei A, Chiu GZ, Yu G, Trobacher CP, Shelp BJ (2017) Salinity-regulated expression of genes involved in GABA metabolism and signaling. Botany (95): 621-627.
Zarei A, Trobacher PC, Shelp BJ (2016) Arabidopsis aldehyde dehydrogenase 10 family members confer salt tolerance through putrescine-derived 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) production. Scientific reports (6): 35115.
Zarei A, Trobacher PC, Shelp BJ (2015) NAD+‐aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase candidates for 4‐aminobutyrate (GABA) and β‐alanine production during terminal oxidation of polyamines in apple fruit. FEBS Lett. (589): 2695-2700.
Zarei A, Trobacher CP, Cooke AR, Meyers AJ, Hall JC, Shelp BJ (2015) Plant Cell Physiol. (56): 137-147.
Trobacher CP†, Zarei A†, Liu J, Clark SM, Bozzo GG, Shelp BJ (2013) Calmodulin-dependent and calmodulin-independent glutamate decarboxylases in apple fruit. BMC Plant Biol. (13): 144. †equal contribution
Shelp BJ, Bozzo GG, Trobacher CP, Zarei A, Deyman KL, Brikis CJ (2012) Hypothesis/Review: Contribution of putrescine to 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) production in response to abiotic stress. Plant Sci. (193-194): 130-35.
Shelp BJ, Bozzo GG, Zarei A, Simpson J, Trobacher CP, Allan W. (2012) Strategies and tools for studying the metabolism and function of γ-aminobutyrate in plants: II. Integrated analysis. Botany (90): 781-793.
Zarei A†, Körbes AP†, Younessi P, Montiel G, Champion A, Memelink J. (2011) Two GCC boxes and AP2/ERF-domain transcription factor ORA59 in jasmonate/ethylene-mediated activation of the PDF1.2 promoter in Arabidopsis. Plant Mol. Biol. (75): 321-31. †equal contribution
Montiel G†, Zarei A†, Körbes AP, Memelink J (2011) The jasmonate-responsive element from the ORCA3 promoter from Catharanthus roseus is active in Arabidopsis and is controlled by the transcription factor AtMYC2. Plant Cell Physiol. (52): 578-87. †equal contribution
Robison M, Ling X, Smid M, Zarei A, Wolyn DJ (2009) Antisense expression of mitochondrial ATP synthase subunits OSCP (ATP5) and gamma (ATP3) alters leaf morphology, metabolism and gene expression in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Physiol. (50): 1840-50.
Rahimian H, Zarei A (2003) A leaf spot and blight of pot marigold by a variant of Pseudomonas viriflava. J. Agri. Sci. Resour. Khazar. (1): 80-89.
Rahimian H, Zarei A (1998) Characteristics of Rhodococcus fascians strains isolated from petunia and geranium in Tehran and Semnan provinces. Iran J. Plant Pathol. (33): 197-212.
Zarei A, Rahimian H (1997) Elimination of citrus tristeza virus from two cultivars of satsuma mandarin through shoot -tip grafting. Iran J. Plant Pathol. (33): 47-57.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Zarei A (2021) Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) in cannabis industry. Distribution, Biological Property and Viroid elimination through meristem culture. Grow up Conference and Expo. Niagara Falls Convention Center. Ontario, Canada.
Zarei A, Trobacher CP, Shelp BJ (2016) Arabidopsis aldehyde dehydrogenase family 10 Members confer salt tolerance through putrescine-derived 4-aminobutyrate (GABA) production. Canadian Society of Plant Biologists, Annual meeting, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (Poster).
Zarei A, Trobacher CP, Shelp BJ (2014) Polyamines are a potential source of 4-aminobutyrate (GABA): Characterization of apple and Arabidopsis aminoaldehyde dehydrogenases belonging to ALDH10 family. Canadian Society of Plant Biologists, Regional meeting, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Oral presentation).
Zarei A, Trobacher CP, Cooke A, Shelp BJ (2013) Biochemical characterization, subcellular localization and gene expression of two apple fruit diamine oxidases with differing substrate specificity. Canadian Society of Plant Biologists, Regional meeting, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (Oral presentation).
Zarei A, Shelp BJ (2013) Biochemical characterization, expression and subcellular localization of diamine oxidases in ‘Empire’ apple fruit. Apple workshop, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph. Guelph. Ontario, Canada (oral presentation).
Zarei A (2013) Functional analysis JA-responsive AP2/ERF transcription factors ORA59 in Arabidopsis. Dept. of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada (Invited speaker).
Zarei A (2009) The AP2/ERF transcription factor ORA47 regulates jasmonate biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis. Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Invited speaker).
Zarei A, Wolyn DJ (2009) A member of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family differentially expressed in homeotic cytoplasmic male sterile flowers. Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists Meeting. Guelph University, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Poster).
Zarei A, Wolyn DJ (2008) Organelle signaling in plants, Annual Retreat. Dept. of Plant Agriculture. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (Oral presentation).
Zarei A, Memelink J (2006) Regulation of Allene Oxide Cyclase gene expression in Arabidopsis. Annual Meeting of American Society of Plant Biologists. Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Poster).
Zarei A, Babaee-zad V, Rahimian H (1998) A leaf spot of Iris caused by Erwinia rhapontici. Thirteenth Iranian Plant Protection Congress. Karaj, Tehran, Iran (Oral presentation).
Rahimian H, Zarei A, Okhovatian C (1997) Bacterial Brown blotch of cultivated mushroom in Mazandaran. Twelfth Iranian Plant Protection Congress. Karaj, Tehran, Iran (Oral presentation).
