Maliheh Mehrshad

We work on different aspects of parasitic interactions. Our specific aim is to develop frameworks and methods allowing us to disentangle multipartite interactions that fit under the umbrella of "parasitic" interactions. We combine high throughput multi-omics studies of aquatic systems with intricately designed experimental strategies on cultured multi-parasitic model systems to understand these interactions. We also do experimental manipulations of natural systems. 

Learn more about our publications at the SLUPub webpage

Post-Doc main mentor 
1- Dr. Vesna Grujcic (SLU: 2024-present) working on phage co-infection by developing cultured model systems from freshwater lakes

2- Dr. Vinicius Kavagutti (SLU: 2024-present) working on virus-bacteria interactions in freshwater ecosystems by developing cultured model systems

PhD student main supervisor 
1- Zahra Goodarzi M. Sc., Thesis project: “Impact of viruses on freshwater phytoplankton” (SLU: 2023-present)

2- Lauren Davies M.Sc., Thesis project: “Phage-Bacteria interactions in freshwater lakes” (SLU:2025-present)

Post-Doc co-mentor 

1- Dr. Nicolo Ivanovich (Linnaeus University, 2025-ongoing) working on microbial interactions in deep groundwater, Main mentor: Prof. Mark Dopson

2- Dr. Maryam Rezaei (Linnaeus University, 2022-ongoing) working on metabolic interactions in deep groundwater, Main mentor: Prof. Mark Dopson

3- Dr. Carolina González (Linnaeus University, 2022-ongoing) working on global diversity of deep oligotrophic groundwater community, Main mentor: Prof. Mark Dopson

PhD student co-supervision 
1- Mathilde Macedo de Amorim M.Sc., Thesis project "growth strategies of deep groundwater microbes" - (Linnaeus University, 2025-ongoing): Main Supervisor: Prof. Mark Dopson

2- Tsung-Ta Yu, Thesis project: “The role of plasmids in adapting bacteria of the genus Sphingomonas to life on plants” (SLU: 2024-present), Main Supervisor: Dr. Derek Lundberg

3- Petter Madsen, Thesis project: “Funky fungi – Diversity and evolutionary adaptations of oil-degrading fungi” (Stockholm University: 2022-present): Main Supervisor: Prof. Hanna Johannesson

4- Krzysztof Jurdzinski M. Sc., Thesis project: Understanding adaptation strategies of aquatic Bacterial communities (KTH: 2022-present), Main Supervisor: Prof. Anders Andersson

5- Maedeh Yousefzadeh M. Sc., Thesis project: Diversity and adaptation of phages in brackish ecosystems (UT, Iran: 2021-present), Main Supervisor: Prof. M. A. Amoozegar

6- Dr. Roohollah Kheiri, Thesis project: "Hypersaline Lake Urmia: a potential hotspot for microbial genomic variation" (UT, Iran: defended 9/18/2023), Main Supervisor: Prof. M. A. Amoozegar

7- Dr. Carlotta Meriggi, Thesis project: “Early detection of invasive aquatic microorganisms” (SLU: defended 6/14/2023), Main Supervisor: Dr. Stina Drakare

8- Dr. Maryam Rezaei, Thesis project: “Comparative metagenomics of microbial communities in response to oil spills in the Persian Gulf” (UT, Iran: defended 8/14/2021), Main Supervisor: Prof. M. A. Amoozegar

M. Sc. student co-supervision
1- Erfan Khamespanah, University of Tehran, “Identification of potential methioninase enzymes through large-scale screening of Caspian Sea metagenomic data”

2- Ezhilarasan Mani Ezhilan, Uppsala University, “Investigating the transcription profile of Limnohabitans bacteria in response to phage infection” -ongoing

3- Lovisa Lundberg, Uppsala University, “The evolutionary history of phosphorus transporters in arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi”

4- Ziling Deng, KTH, “Phylogenetic Analysis of Aquatic Microbiome, Evolution of the brackish microbiome”

5- Maedeh Yousefzadeh, University of Tehran “Comparative Genomics analyses of viruses infecting microeukaryotes along the depth profile metagenomes of the brackish Caspian Sea” 

6- Fatemeh Qasemnejad, University of Tehran “Comparative genomics of oil hydrocarbon degradation potential in representatives of order Oceanospirillales” 

7- Zahra Goudarzi, University of Tehran “Exploring the diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in the Caspian Sea metagenome” 

8- Amir Dargahzadeh, University of Tehran “Cloning and characterization of novel computationally annotated arginine deiminase through large-scale screening of metagenomics data” 

9- Motahareh Sobat, University of Tehran “Metagenomic in-silico screening and functional validation of L-asparaginases with anti-leukemic effect from the Caspian Sea” 

10- Karrar Mahmood shaker, University of Tehran “Morphological diversity of viruses in Sawa Lake, Iraq” 

11- Homa Kangarani Farahani, University of Tehran “Biodiversity of aerobic, heterotrophic microorganisms of the Caspian Sea” 

Internship student supervision 
1- Armand Stoe, Internship student from Högskolan i Skövde , SLU, “Phytoplankton-parasite interactions”

2- Remco Hoogervorst, Erasmus+ internship, SLU, ”Isolating viruses for phytoplankton host”

3- Maria Elisa Pierfederici, Erasmus+ internship, Uppsala University, ”Analysis of phage-host interaction” 

4- Hengameh Habibi Sufi, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, ”Cultivation and enrichment of Thaumarchaeota in the deep strata of the Caspian Sea”

5- Sepideh Fakhr Taha, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, ”Media design and testing for isolating Thaumarchaeota from the Caspian Sea deep strata” 

6- Anahid Amani Moghadam, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, ”Dilution to extinction cultivation of halophilic archaea”

7- Elham Ahmadi, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, “Genomics analysis of the type species of 5 halophilic archaeal genera sequenced in collaboration with JGI” 

8- Shahrzad Motamedi, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, ”Polyphasic characterization of an archaeon isolate” cur

9- Siavash Riazi, Bachelor project, University of Tehran, ”Polyphasic characterization of an archaeon isolate” 

Hosting visiting PhD students
1- Francisco Nadal Molero, Visiting PhD student from University of Alicante, 3 months 2024 

2- Katarina Kajan, visiting PhD student from Ruđer Bošković Institute, 2.5 months 2022 and 2024

3- Jonna Kangas, visiting PhD student from University of Turku, 1 month 2024