Mohammed Assiri, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology
College of Pharmacy, King Saud University
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Office: 1A-10, Lab: 1B-68 (Building 23)
Phone: +966-11-4698190
Professional summary
Dr. Mohammed Assiri is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the College of Pharmacy, King Saud University. His research focuses on applying advanced omics technologies—particularly metabolomics and proteomics—to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying drug action, toxicity, and disease progression.
Through integrative approaches using LC-MS, NMR, and proteomic profiling, Dr. Assiri investigates pharmacological mechanisms and identifies early biomarkers of toxicity in both in vitro and in vivo models. His work spans multiple areas, including diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, and the molecular safety and toxicity of electronic cigarettes, traditional cigarettes, and dental products.
Dr. Assiri has successfully trained and supervised several graduate students, fostering the development of the next generation of scientists in pharmacology and toxicology. He has also initiated and led multiple successful research collaborations at both national and international levels, contributing to multidisciplinary projects that bridge basic science with clinical and regulatory relevance.
Dr. Assiri is committed to advancing translational research that improves drug safety and therapeutic outcomes, while maintaining a strong focus on academic mentorship and global scientific collaboration.
Research Interests:
Metabolomics and Proteomics in Toxicology
Applying omics-based approaches to identify molecular signatures and pathways involved in chemical and drug-induced toxicity.
Biomarker Discovery
Identifying early diagnostic and predictive biomarkers for toxicity and disease using advanced LC-MS and NMR-based metabolomics.
Diabetes and Diabetic Nephropathy
Exploring metabolic and proteomic alterations associated with diabetes and its complications, particularly kidney damage.
Molecular Toxicity of Xenobiotics
Comparing the biological impact of xenobiotics in vitro and in vivo models to assess potential health risks.
Research goals:
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of drug-induced toxicity using integrated metabolomics and proteomics.
This goal aims to identify early biomarkers and disrupted pathways that contribute to adverse drug reactions, enabling improved drug safety assessments.
To investigate metabolic and proteomic alterations associated with diabetes and its complications, particularly diabetic nephropathy.
This research will enhance our understanding of disease progression and support the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.
To assess the molecular toxicity of emerging consumer products, including electronic cigarettes and dental materials.
This objective focuses on evaluating the long-term safety and health implications of widely used but under-regulated products.
To foster translational research through national and international collaborations that bridge experimental findings with clinical applications.
By integrating basic science with real-world health challenges, this goal promotes the development of practical solutions and public health advancements.
Current projects
Metabolomics and proteomics-Based Biomarker Discovery in Human Plasma
Metabolomic and Proteomic Profiling of Hyperglycemia-Induced Changes in HK-2 Cells.
Investigation of NAD+ Supplementation in Diabetic Nephropathy and Longevity murine models
Comparative Molecular Toxicity of Electronic vs. Traditional Cigarettes.
Safety and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Dental Materials and Products
Current and previous graduate and PharmD students
Current students:
1. Enas Alsawaq, MSc. (PhD student)
2. Nour Alenazi (Master student)
3. Majed Alrubaie (PharmD student)
4. Satam Binhomran (PharmD student)
Graduated students
1. Sahar AlJumayi, MSc.
2. Mohammed AlHamdan, PharmD
3. Abdullah Alsulays, PharmD
Key publication / select publication
Please see for a complete list of publication at:
Almohammed, Omar A; Alsanea, Sary; Albishi, Nouf; AlMuhareb, Lamia; AlMotawa, Rana; Alrasheed, Sara; Alasmari, Fawaz; Almutairi, Faris; Assiri, Mohammed A; Alghamdi, Ali; Evaluating the use of paracetamol to prevent fasting headache during the first week of Ramadan: A randomized, open‐label, clinical trial,Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain,2024
Alshamrani, Ali A; Salman, Sami B Bin; Alsaleh, Nasser B; Assiri, Mohammed A; Almutairi, Mohammed M; Almudimeegh, Sultan; Alwhaibi, Abdulrahman M; Sobeai, Homood M As;miRNAs-Driven sensitization of breast cancer cells to Doxorubicin treatment following exposure to low dose of Zinc oxide nanoparticles,Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal,102169,2024,Elsevier
Schwab, Stefanie K; Harris, Peter S; Michel, Cole; McGinnis, Courtney D; Nahomi, Rooban B; Assiri, Mohammed A; Reisdorph, Richard; Henriksen, Kammi; Orlicky, David J; Levi, Moshe; Quantifying Protein Acetylation in Diabetic Nephropathy from Formalin‐Fixed Paraffin‐Embedded Tissue,proteomics–Clinical Applications,e2024,00018,2024
Alsaleh, Nasser B; Aljarbou, Anas M; Assal, Mohamed E; Assiri, Mohammed A; Almutairi, Mohammed M; As Sobeai, Homood M; Alshamrani, Ali A; Almudimeegh, Sultan; Hatshan, Mohammad R; Adil, Syed F; Synthesis, Characterization, and Toxicity Assessment of Zinc Oxide-Doped Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles in a Macrophage Model, Pharmaceuticals, 17, 2, 168, 2024,MDPI
Assiri, Mohammed A; Al Jumayi, Sahar R; Alsuhaymi, Shuruq; Emwas, Abdul-Hamid; Jaremko, Mariusz; Alsaleh, Nasser B; Al Mutairi, Mohammed M; Alshamrani, Ali A; Sobeai, Homood As; Alghibiwi, Hanan;Electronic cigarette vapor disrupts key metabolic pathways in human lung epithelial cells,Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal,32,1,101897,2024 Elsevier
Assiri, Mohammed A; Albekairi, Thamer H; Ansari, Mushtaq A; Nadeem, Ahmed; Attia, Sabry M; Bakheet, Saleh A; Shahid, Mudassar; Aldossari, Abdullah A; Almutairi, Mohammed M; Almanaa, Taghreed N;The Exposure to Lead (Pb) Exacerbates Immunological Abnormalities in BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J Mice through the Regulation of Signaling Pathways Relevant to T Cells,International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24,22,16218,2023,MDPI
Alsuhaymi, Shuruq; Singh, Upendra; Al-Younis, Inas; Kharbatia, Najeh M; Haneef, Ali; Chandra, Kousik; Dhahri, Manel; Assiri, Mohammed A; Emwas, Abdul-Hamid; Jaremko, Mariusz; Untargeted metabolomics analysis of four date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars using MS and NMR, Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 13,1,44,2023, Springer Nature Singapore Singapore
Alsaleh, Nasser B; Assiri, Mohammed A; Aljarbou, Anas M; Almutairi, Mohammed M; As Sobeai, Homood M; Alshamrani, Ali A; Almudimeegh, Sultan; Adverse Responses following Exposure to Subtoxic Concentrations of Zinc Oxide and Nickle Oxide Nanoparticles in the Raw 264.7 Cells, Toxics,11,8,674,2023,MDPI
Alasmari, Fawaz; Alasmari, Mohammed S; Assiri, Mohammed A; Alswayyed, Mohammed; Rizwan Ahamad, Syed; Alhumaydhi, Abdulrahman I; Arif, Bandar I; Aljumayi, Sahar R; AlAsmari, Abdullah F; Ali, Nemat;Liver metabolomics and inflammatory profiles in mouse model of fentanyl overdose treated with beta-lactams,Metabolites,13,8,965,2023,MDPI
Alotaibi, Areej M; Alsaleh, Nasser B; Aljasham, Alanoud T; Tawfik, Essam A; Almutairi, Mohammed M; Assiri, Mohammed A; Alkholief, Musaed; Almutairi, Mashal M; Silver nanoparticle-based combinations with antimicrobial agents against antimicrobial-resistant clinical isolates,Antibiotics,11,9,1219,2022, MDPI
Alasmari, Fawaz; Assiri, Mohammed A; Ahamad, Syed Rizwan; Aljumayi, Sahar R; Alotaibi, Wedad H; Alhamdan, Majd M; Alhazzani, Khalid; Alharbi, Metab; Alqahtani, Faleh; Alasmari, Abdullah F; Serum metabolomic analysis of male patients with cannabis or amphetamine use disorder,Metabolites,12,2,179,2022,MDPI
Harris, Peter S; Michel, Cole R; Yun, Youngho; McGinnis, Courtney D; Assiri, Mohammed A; Ahmadi, Ali Reza; Sun, Zhaoli; Roede, James R; Burchill, Matthew A; Orlicky, David J; Proteomic analysis of alcohol-associated hepatitis reveals glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB) as a novel hepatic and serum biomarker,Alcohol,99,35-48,2022,Elsevier
Shearn, Colin T; Fennimore, Blair; Orlicky, David J; Gao, Yue R; Saba, Laura M; Battista, Kayla D; Aivazidis, Stefanos; Assiri, Mohammed; Harris, Peter S; Michel, Cole; Cholestatic liver disease results increased production of reactive aldehydes and an atypical periportal hepatic antioxidant response,Free Radical Biology and Medicine,143,101-114,2019,Elsevier
Assiri, Mohammed A; Roy, Samantha R; Harris, Peter S; Ali, Hadi; Liang, Yongliang; Shearn, Colin T; Orlicky, David J; Roede, James R; Hirschey, Matthew D; Backos, Donald S;Chronic ethanol metabolism inhibits hepatic mitochondrial superoxide dismutase via lysine acetylation, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research,41,10,1705-1714, 2017,Wiley Online Library
Ali, Hadi; Assiri, Mohammed A; Shearn, Colin T; Fritz, Kristofer S; Lipid peroxidation derived reactive aldehydes in alcoholic liver disease,Current opinion in toxicology,13,110-117,2019,Elsevier
Ali, Hadi R; Assiri, Mohammed A; Harris, Peter S; Michel, Cole R; Yun, Youngho; Marentette, John O; Huynh, Frank K; Orlicky, David J; Shearn, Colin T; Saba, Laura M; Quantifying competition among mitochondrial protein acylation events induced by ethanol metabolism,Journal of proteome research,18,4,1513-1531،2019, American Chemical Society
Assiri, Mohammed A; Ali, Hadi R; Marentette, John O; Yun, Youngho; Liu, Juan; Hirschey, Matthew D; Saba, Laura M; Harris, Peter S; Fritz, Kristofer S; Investigating RNA expression profiles altered by nicotinamide mononucleotide therapy in a chronic model of alcoholic liver disease,Human Genomics,13,1-13,2019,BioMed Central
Assiri, Mohammed; Harris, Peter S; Ali, Hadi; Liang, Yongliang; Shearn, Colin T; Roede, James R; Backos, Donald S; Fritz, Kristofer S; Chronic Ethanol Consumption Alters SOD2 Dynamics through Lysine Acetylation, Free Radical Biology and Medicine,100, S98-S99,2016,Elsevier