Dr Mohammad Zafar Imam
Research Officer
School of Biomedical Sciences
+61 7 344 34893
Zafar is part of the Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development (CIPDD).
Academic background
Zafar received his Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) and MS in Pharmaceutical Science degree from Jahangirnagar University. Before commencing his PhD, he spent five years in teaching and research. Zafar is a recipient of International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and a UQ Centennial Scholarship (IPRS/UQCent).
Research interests
Zafar has worked on analgesic efficacy of natural products for five years and completed his PhD degree in CIPDD. His PhD project involved analgesic efficacy and side effects profiling of novel opioids.
Researcher biography
Dr Mohammad Zafar Imam is a Research Officer at the Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development (CIPDD) which is a University of Queensland (UQ) Tier 2 Research Infrastructure Centre located in the School of Biomedical Sciences. His specialisation includes development of rodent disease models using different surgical techniques, behavioural pharmacological readouts, and toxicity study to facilitate new drug development process. He has published 31 articles in high impact journals and 1 book chapter.
Book Chapters
Imam, M. Z., Kuo, A. and Smith, M. T. (2024). Side Effects of Central Analgesic Drugs. Drug Discovery and Evaluation: Safety and Pharmacokinetic Assays. (pp. 735-758) Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-35529-5_70
Imam, M. Z., Kuo, A. and Smith, M. T. (2022). Side effects of central analgesic drugs. Drug discovery and evaluation: safety and pharmacokinetic assays. (pp. 1-24) Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-73317-9_70-1
Journal Articles
Kuo, A., Imam, M. Z., Li, R., Lin, L., Raboczyj, A., Bohmer, A. E., Nicholson, J. R., Corradini, L. and Smith, M. T. (2024). J-2156, a small molecule somatostatin type 4 receptor agonist, alleviated hindpaw hypersensitivity in the streptozotocin-induced rat model of painful diabetic neuropathy but with a 2-fold decrease in potency at an advanced stage in the model, mimicking morphine. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15 1346801. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1346801
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Ghassabian, Sussan, Kuo, Andy, Cai, Yunxin, Qin, Yajuan, Li, Tingyou and Smith, Maree T. (2023). In Vitro Assessment of the Metabolic Stability of Two Novel Endomorphin-2 Analogs, CYX-5 and CYX-6, in Rat Liver Microsomes. European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, 48 (4), 463-466. doi: 10.1007/s13318-023-00828-6
Smith, Maree T., Kong, Dehui, Kuo, Andy, Imam, Mohammad Z. and Williams, Craig M. (2023). Multitargeted opioid ligand discovery as a strategy to retain analgesia and reduce opioid-related adverse effects. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66 (6), 3746-3784. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01695
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy, Ghassabian, Sussan, Cai, Yunxin, Qin, Yajuan, Li, Tingyou and Smith, Maree T. (2023). CYX-5, a G-protein biassed MOP receptor agonist, DOP receptor antagonist and KOP receptor agonist, evokes constipation but not respiratory depression relative to morphine in rats. Pharmacological Reports, 75 (3), 634-646. doi: 10.1007/s43440-023-00446-8
Smith, Maree T., Kong, Dehui, Kuo, Andy, Imam, Mohammad Z. and Williams, Craig M. (2022). Analgesic opioid ligand discovery based on nonmorphinan scaffolds derived from natural sources. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 65 (3) acs.jmedchem.0c01915, 1612-1661. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01915
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy, Nicholson, Janet R., Corradini, Laura and Smith, Maree T. (2020). Assessment of the anti-allodynic efficacy of a glycine transporter 2 inhibitor relative to pregabalin and duloxetine in a rat model of prostate cancer-induced bone pain. Pharmacological Reports, 72 (5), 1418-1425. doi: 10.1007/s43440-020-00145-8
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy, Ghassabian, Sussan, Cai, Yunxin, Qin, Yajuan, Li, Tingyou and Smith, Maree T. (2020). Intracerebroventricular administration of CYX-6, a potent μ-opioid receptor agonist, a δ- and κ-opioid receptor antagonist and a biased ligand at μ, δ & κ-opioid receptors, evokes antinociception with minimal constipation and respiratory depression in rats in contrast to morphine. European Journal of Pharmacology, 871 172918, 172918. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.172918
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy and Smith, Maree T. (2020). Countering opioid-induced respiratory depression by non-opioids that are respiratory stimulants. F1000Research, 9 91, 91. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.21738.1
Khandaker, Mahia, Akter, Saleha and Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2018). Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.: a vegetable with diverse pharmacological properties. Food Science and Human Wellness, 7 (1), 34-48. doi: 10.1016/j.fshw.2017.12.005
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Kuo, Andy, Ghassabian, Sussan and Smith, Maree T. (2017). Progress in understanding mechanisms of opioid-induced gastrointestinal adverse effects and respiratory depression. Neuropharmacology, 131, 238-255. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.12.032
Nasrin, Tania, Khandaker, Mahia, Akter, Saleha and Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2017). Antinociceptive activity of methanol extract of leaves of Solanum sisymbriifolium in heat and chemical-induced pain. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 7 (11), 142-146. doi: 10.7324/JAPS.2017.71121
Shajib, Md. Shafiullah, Akter, Saleha, Ahmed, Tajnin and Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2015). Antinociceptive and neuropharmacological activities of methanol extract of Phoenix sylvestris fruit pulp. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 6 (OCT) 212, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00212
Khatun, Ambia, Imam, Mohammad Zafar and Rana, Md Sohel (2015). Antinociceptive effect of methanol extract of leaves of Persicaria hydropiper in mice. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 15 (1) 63, 63. doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0558-y
Moniruzzaman, Md., Khatun, Ambia and Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2015). Evaluation of antinociceptive activity of ethanol extract of leaves of Adenanthera pavonina. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015 412497, 1-8. doi: 10.1155/2015/412497
Moniruzzaman, Md and Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2014). Evaluation of antinociceptive effect of methanolic extract of leaves of Crataeva nurvala Buch.-Ham.. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14 (1) 354, 1-7. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-354
Imam, Mohammad Zafar and Moniruzzaman, Md (2014). Antinociceptive effect of ethanol extract of leaves of Lannea coromandelica. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 154 (1), 109-115. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.032
Imam, Mohammad Zafar and Sumi, Chandra Datta (2014). Evaluation of antinociceptive activity of hydromethanol extract of Cyperus rotundus in mice. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14 83. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-83
Uddin, Riaz, Huda, Naz Hasan, Jhanker, Yeakuty Marzan, Jesmeen, Tasbira, Imam, Mohammad Zafar and Akter, Saleha (2013). Awareness regarding the importance of calcium and vitamin D among the undergraduate pharmacy students in Bangladesh. BMC Research Notes, 6 (1) 134. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-134
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Sultana, Shamima and Akter, Saleha (2012). Antinociceptive, antidiarrheal, and neuropharmacological activities of Barringtonia acutangula. Pharmaceutical Biology, 50 (9), 1078-1084. doi: 10.3109/13880209.2012.656850
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Nahar, Nazmun, Akter, Saleha and Rana, Md. Sohel (2012). Antinociceptive activity of methanol extract of flowers of Impatiens balsamina. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 142 (3), 804-810. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.06.004
Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Akter, Saleha, Mazumder, Md. Ehsanul Hoque and Rana, Md. Sohel (2011). Antioxidant activities of different parts of Musa sapientum L. ssp. sylvestris fruit. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 1 (10), 68-72.
Hoque, Nazia, Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Akter, Saleha, Ahmed, Jamiuddin, Mazumder, Ehsanul Hoque, Hasan, S.M. Raquibul and Rana, Sohel (2011). Antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius leaves. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 1 (7), 50-53.
Hoque, Nazia, Habib, Razibul Md, Imam, Mohammad Zafar, Ahmed, Jamiuddin and Rana, Sohel Md (2011). Analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of methanolic extract of glinus oppositifolius L. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5 (8), 729-733.
Imam, Mohammad Zafar and Akter, Saleha (2011). Musa paradisiaca L. and Musa sapientum L. : A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 1 (5), 14-20.
Thesis
Imam, Mohammad Zafar (2019). Analgesic efficacy of novel opioid compounds relative to adverse effects in rats. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.625