Congratulations to PhD graduation of CEM-program member Mohammad Amin Khosrozadeh

On January 30, 2025, Mohammad Amin Khosrozadeh, member of the Institute of Anatomy, Research Group of Prof. Dr. Benoît Zuber, University of Bern, and student at the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB) and the PhD program Cutting Edge Microscopy (CEM), has successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled "Morphological Principle of Synaptic Transmission Regulation Using Cryo-Electron Tomography and Data-Driven Models".

Dr. Khosrozadeh reports on his research as follows: During my PhD studies, I investigated the nanoscale organization of synaptic vesicles and their regulation using advanced cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) techniques and computational analysis methods. I developed CryoVesNet, a deep learning-based segmentation tool that enables automated analysis of synaptic vesicles in their native state. By applying graph theoretical modeling to synaptic ultrastructure, I uncovered how vesicle pools transition between supercritical and critical states during varying levels of synaptic activity. This work provides new insights into the structural basis of neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Additionally, I established methodologies for high-resolution structural analysis of membrane proteins, achieving sub-4Å resolution of pore-forming toxins while preserving their native lipid interactions. These approaches open new possibilities for understanding the molecular architecture of synapses and the mechanisms underlying neurological disorders.