Zein Eddin Ghassan Zein Eddin Bader | Institute of Natural Medicine

Zein Eddin Ghassan Zein Eddin Bader Assistant Professor

Zein Eddin Ghassan Zein Eddin Bader

AffiliationSection of Medicinal Resource Science, Division of Medicinal Resources, Department of Research and Development

Research fieldsPlant Molecular Biology · Epigenetics · Non‑coding RNA

Campus careerPh.D. (Biomedical Science & Engineering)

Biography
Research theme
Thoughts on research
Papers

Biography University of Toyama Faculty Research Profiles

Education

2015/07 B.Pharm, Cairo University
2018/07 M.Pharm (Pharmacology), Panjab University
2023/08 Ph.D. (Biomedical Science & Engineering), Konkuk University

Job career

2023/09 Researcher, Chonnam National University (South Korea)
2023/12 Postdoctoral Researcher, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
2024/10 Postdoctoral Researcher, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
2026/04 Assistant Professor, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama

Research theme

Department

Division

Section

Project

Outline of the research

My research aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to adapt to environmental stress, with a particular focus on non‑coding RNA pathways, epigenetic regulation, and hormone‑responsive signaling networks. My work has examined:
• Regulation of miRNA biogenesis under abiotic stress
• Epigenetic modulation of stress‑responsive genes through the HOS15–HDA9 complex
• ABA‑dependent transcriptional and post‑transcriptional regulation
• Maintenance of alternative splicing homeostasis during cold stress
• Crosstalk between stress signaling and flowering‑time regulation
At the University of Toyama, I aim to integrate these regulatory layers with specialized metabolism, building on the strengths of the Shoji Laboratory. My research focuses on:
• RNA‑based regulation of secondary metabolic pathways
• Stress‑induced metabolic reprogramming
• Evolutionary dynamics of non‑coding RNA networks in medicinal plants
• Discovery of novel regulatory factors controlling alkaloid and terpenoid biosynthesis
This work contributes to a deeper understanding of medicinal plant biology and supports the development of sustainable natural‑product resources.

Thoughts on research

Plants have evolved sophisticated gene‑regulatory networks to adapt to diverse environmental conditions. I believe that the intersection of RNA regulation and specialized metabolism holds the key to understanding plant resilience and unlocking the potential of medicinal plants. Through fundamental research, I aim to reveal new regulatory principles that support the sustainable development of natural medicinal resources.

Paper

Bader ZE, Albakri N, Yun DJ, Song YH, Park J. Practical NicE-seq workflow for chromatin accessibility analysis in plants. Mol Cells. 2026 Mar;49(3):100312. doi: 10.1016/j.mocell.2026.100312. Epub 2026 Jan 6. PMID: 41506613; PMCID: PMC12906017.

Albakri, N., Bader, Z.E., Park, K.S. et al. HOS15 Modulates Alternative Splicing Homeostasis Under Cold Stress in Arabidopsis Thaliana. J. Plant Biol. 68, 203–212 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-025-09465-9

Ali A, Zareen S, Park J, Khan HA, Lim CJ, Bader ZE, Hussain S, Chung WS, Gechev T, Pardo JM, Yun DJ. ABA INSENSITIVE 2 promotes flowering by inhibiting OST1/ABI5-dependent FLOWERING LOCUS C transcription in Arabidopsis. J Exp Bot. 2024 Apr 15;75(8):2481-2493. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erae029. PMID: 38280208; PMCID: PMC11016836.

Bader ZE, Bae MJ, Ali A, Park J, Baek D, Yun DJ. GIGANTEA-ENHANCED EM LEVEL complex initiates drought escape response via dual function of ABA synthesis and flowering promotion. Plant Signal Behav. 2023 Dec 31;18(1):2180056. doi: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2180056. PMID: 36814117; PMCID: PMC9980605.

Park J, Giudicatti AJ, Bader ZE, Han MK, Møller C, Arce AL, Xu ZY, Yang SW, Manavella PA, Yun DJ. The HIGH EXPRESSION OF OSMOTICALLY RESPONSIVE GENE15-HISTONE DEACETYLASE9 complex associates with HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 to modulate microRNA expression in response to abscisic acid signaling. Plant Cell. 2023 Aug 2;35(8):2910-2928. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad132. PMID: 37195876; PMCID: PMC10396366.