Dr Saeedeh Darzi is a postdoctoral researcher in the Endometrial Stem Cell Biology Group at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. Her main research interests include but not limited to, immunology, tissue engineering and mesenchymal stem cell biology.

Dr Darzi received her PhD degree from Monash University in December 2017. Her PhD research project focused on the macrophage response to implanted eMSC-seeded non-degradable biomaterial and their effect on tissue regeneration after mesh implantation. During her PhD, she developed a permanent labelling method to track eMSC survival in-vivo. Three first author publications resulted from her thesis. This project was guided by Professors Caroline E. Gargett and Jerome A. Werkmeister.

In 2018, Dr Darzi joined Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) research team in Gargett group where she has been collaborating with Dr Shayanti Mukherjee in multiple POP related projects including evaluating the Foreign Body Response (FBR) to degradable nanofibers in small and large animal models. Dr Darzi is mainly interested in understanding the underlying mechanisms of FBR which will open a way to design new generation of immune-interactive biomaterials. Dr Darzi is skilled in mouse surgeries, cellular and molecular biology, immunofluorescence, and image analysis. Her collaboration with Dr Mukherjee has resulted in 14 research and 5 review publications in reputable journals.

Selected publications

• Darzi S, Paul K, Leitan S, Werkmeister JA, and Mukherjee S (2021) Immunobiology and Application of Aloe vera-Based Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(4), p.1708.

• Mukherjee S, Darzi S, Paul K, Cousins FL, Werkmeister JA and Gargett CE (2020) Electrospun nanofiber meshes with endometrial MSCs modulate foreign body response by increased angiogenesis, matrix synthesis, and anti-Inflammatory gene expression in mice: Implication in pelvic floor. Frontiers in pharmacology, 11, p.353.

• Mukherjee S, Darzi S, Paul K, Werkmeister JA and Gargett CE (2019) Mesenchymal stem cell-based bioengineered constructs: foreign body response, cross-talk with macrophages and impact of biomaterial design strategies for pelvic floor disorders. Interface Focus, 9(4), p.20180089.

• Darzi S, Deane JA, Nold CA, Edwards SE, Gough DJ, Mukherjee S, Gurung S, Tan KS, Vashi AV, Werkmeister JA and Gargett CE (2018) Endometrial mesenchymal stem/stromal cells modulate the macrophage response to implanted polyamide/gelatin composite mesh in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. Scientific reports, 8(1), pp.1-15.

• Darzi S, Urbankova I, Su K, White J, Lo C, Alexander D, Werkmeister JA, Gargett CE and Deprest J (2016) Tissue response to collagen containing polypropylene meshes in an ovine vaginal repair model. Acta biomaterialia, 39, pp.114-123.

• Darzi S, Werkmeister JA, Deane JA and Gargett CE (2016) Identification and characterization of human endometrial mesenchymal stem/stromal cells and their potential for cellular therapy. Stem cells translational medicine, 5(9), pp.1127-1132.

• Mukherjee S, Darzi S, Rosamilia A, Kadam V, Truong Y, Werkmeister JA and Gargett CE (2018) Blended nanostructured degradable mesh with endometrial mesenchymal stem cells promotes tissue integration and anti-inflammatory response in vivo for pelvic floor application. Biomacromolecules, 20(1), pp.454-468.

• Bozorgmehr M, Gurung S, Darzi S, Nikoo S, Kazemnejad S, Zarnani AH and Gargett CE (2020) Endometrial and menstrual blood mesenchymal stem/stromal cells: biological properties and clinical application. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 8.

• Paul K, Darzi S, McPhee G, Del Borgo MP, Werkmeister JA, Gargett CE and Mukherjee S (2019) 3D bioprinted endometrial stem cells on melt electrospun poly ε-caprolactone mesh for pelvic floor application promote anti-inflammatory responses in mice. Acta biomaterialia, 97, pp.162-176.

• Paul K, Darzi S, Werkmeister JA, Gargett CE and Mukherjee S (2020) Emerging nano/micro-structured degradable polymeric meshes for pelvic floor reconstruction. Nanomaterials, 10(6), p.1120.

• Darzi S, Zarnani AH, Jeddi-Tehrani M, Entezami K, Mirzadegan E, Akhondi MM, Talebi S, Khanmohammadi M and Kazemnejad S (2012) Osteogenic differentiation of stem cells derived from menstrual blood versus bone marrow in the presence of human platelet releasate. Tissue Engineering Part A, 18(15-16), pp.1720-1728.