Mohammad-Nabi Sarbolouki was a distinguished Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

ian biophysicist and polymer

Polymer

A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...

 chemist and one of the most influential individuals behind modern scientific movement in Iran. He was known as the inventor of a DNA

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...

 vehicle called "dendrosome

Dendrosome

Dendrosomes are novel vesicular, spherical, supramolecular entities wherein the dendrimer–nucleic acid complex is encapsulated within a lipophilic shell. They possess negligible hemolytic toxicity and higher transfection efficiency, and they are better tolerated in vivo than are dendrimers...

". Sarbolouki was one of the main founders and pioneers of nano science, biomaterials, biotechnology and biophysics in Iran.

Sarbolouki studied chemistry at Tehran University and did his PhD in Macromolecular Physical Chemistry at Polytechnic University of New York. He then spent two years at Michigan State University

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...

 as a postdoctoral fellow. Sarbolouki then joined NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 where he worked as a group leader till 1981.

Sarbolouki had numerous publications and patents on various subjects ranging from engineering to basic sciences. He initiated biomaterial research in Iran and was among the first to do structural biology in the country. He made significant contribution to the field of lipid bilayer membranes and liposome

Liposome

Liposomes are artificially prepared vesicles made of lipid bilayer. Liposomes can be filled with drugs, and used to deliver drugs for cancer and other diseases. Liposomes are composite structures made of phospholipids and may contain small amounts of other molecules...

s, biodegradable polymer

Biodegradable polymer

Biodegradable polymers are polymers that break down and lose their initial integrity. Biodegradable polymers are used in medical devices to avoid a second operation to remove them, or to gradually release a drug TYPES OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS1...

s, tissue engineering

Tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors to improve or replace biological functions...

, nanospheres (magnetic/fluorescent) and drug delivery

Drug delivery

Drug delivery is the method or process of administering a pharmaceutical compound to achieve a therapeutic effect in humans or animals. Drug delivery technologies modify drug release profile, absorption, distribution and elimination for the benefit of improving product efficacy and safety, as well...

.

Sarbolouki was of the founding members of Iranian Society of Nanotechnology, Iranian Society of Proteomics and Iranian Chemical Society. He founded the first Biomaterial

Biomaterial

A biomaterial is any matter, surface, or construct that interacts with biological systems. The development of biomaterials, as a science, is about fifty years old. The study of biomaterials is called biomaterials science. It has experienced steady and strong growth over its history, with many...

 Research Center in Iran as well as National Research Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB

International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - was promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization as a centre of excellence for research and training in genetic engineering and biotechnology for the benefit of developing countries. The Centre, currently...

 headquarter in Iran.

Sarbolouki was involved in science policy making at the national level and was instrumental in the advancement of interdisciplinary and applied research in Iran.

Professor Sarbolouki was the editor of Molecules

Molecules (journal)

Molecules is a journal of synthetic chemistry and natural product chemistry. It started publication in 1996 and is an open access publication....

, an international journal devoted to synthetic organic chemistry and natural product chemistry. He was also chief editor of Iranian Journal of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering.

Professor Sarbolouki died on September 1, 2009 and his body was buried in Tehran Cemeteries, at the block for national legends on September 2, 2009. The Vice President and Minister of Science delivered messages of condolence and his burial was attended by numerous Iranian academics, scholars and students.

Awards and distinctions

• National Biotechnology Award, (2000)
• Iranian Academy of Science, Associate member (1992–2008)
• Iranian Academy of Literature, Associate member (2003–2008)
• President, Institute of Biophysics and Biochemistry.
• President, Biomaterial Research Center
• Chairman, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tehran

Selected publications

• Dendrosome:
  • Dendrosomes: a novel family of vehicles for transfection and therapy. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. Volume 75 Issue 10, Pages 919 - 922 (2000)
  • Dendrosomes as novel gene porters-III. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology Volume 83 Issue 6, Pages 912 - 920 (2008)
• Structural biology:
  • Functional and structural characterization of a novel member of the natriuretic family of peptides from the venom of Pseudocerastes persicus. FEBS Letters Volume 557 Issue 1-3, Pages 104-108 (2004)
  • Solution structure of long neurotoxin NTX-1 from the venom of Naja naja oxiana by 2D-NMR spectroscopy.European Journal of Biochemistry Volume 271 Issue 23-24 Pages 4950-4957 (2004)
• Biomaterials:
  • Synthesis and thermal behavior of triblock copolymers from L-lactide and ethylene glycol
    Ethylene glycol
    Ethylene glycol is an organic compound widely used as an automotive antifreeze and a precursor to polymers. In its pure form, it is an odorless, colorless, syrupy, sweet-tasting liquid...
    
     with long center PEG block. Journal of Applied Polymer Science Volume 68 Issue 12 Pages 1949-1954 (1998)
  • Synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable triblock copolymers from L-lactide, glycolide, and PPG. Journal of Applied Polymer Science Volume 73 Issue 5 Pages 633-637 (1999)
  • Synthesis and characterization of ABA triblock and novel multiblock copolymers from ethylene glycol, L-lactide, and epsilon-caprolactone. Journal of Applied Polymer Science Volume 83 Issue 10 Pages 2072-2081 (2002)
  • Mass preparation and characterization of alginate microspheres. Process Biochemistry Volume 35 Issue 9 Pages 885-888 (2000)
• Membranes:
  • A simple method for preparation of immuno-magnetic liposomes. International Journal of Pharmeceutics Volume 215 Issue 1-2 Pages 45–50 (2001)
• Chromatography:
  • Separation and Indirect Detection of Amino-acids by Reversed Phase ion-pair Chromatography. Journal of Chromatographic Science Volume 31 Issue 11 Pages 480-485 (1993)
  • Determination of pore/protein size via electrophoresis and slit sieve model. Electrophoresis Volume 25 Issue 17 Pages 2907-2911 (2004)

See also

• Science in Iran
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
  
  
• Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics
  Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics
  Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics is a research institute in Iran founded in 1976 to conduct research in biological sciences and related fields. It is affiliated with the University of Tehran and is located in its main campus....