Mohammad Al-Bataineh

Biography

The Al-bataineh Lab is dedicated to understanding the multifaceted roles of the transmembrane glycoprotein Mucin 1 (MUC1) in health and disease. Dr. Al-bataineh’s current research focuses on how MUC1 contributes to urinary tract host defense and cellular signaling during urinary tract infections, a project supported by his R01 grant.

An additional focus of the lab is the urinary microbiome (urobiome), once overlooked due to the misconception that urine is sterile. Evidence now links urobiome composition to conditions such as infections, overactive bladder, and cancer. Dr. Al-bataineh’s research explores how MUC1 expression and glycosylation in urinary epithelia influence the urobiome and susceptibility to urinary disorders.

Building on these insights, Dr. Al-bataineh is expanding his research to investigate the critical role of MUC1 in the cardiovascular system, aiming to uncover how MUC1 is linked to systemic inflammation, atherosclerosis, lipid metabolism, and the progression of vascular diseases. 

Dr. Al-bataineh earned his DVM and Master’s degree in Physiology and Pharmacology from Jordan University of Science and Technology. He worked for the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (Jordan-FDA) for three years before moving to the United States. He completed his PhD in Clinical Pharmacology at Kansas State University, where he studied carrier-mediated transport of xenobiotic molecules across mammary epithelial cells. During his PhD, he interned at Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company, focusing on antimicrobial resistance. His postdoctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh examined the regulation of V-ATPase and AQP2 by kinases in the kidney, supported by fellowships from SANOFI (Genzyme) and the NIH (F32). He later received an NIH K01 award to investigate the protective role of MUC1 during ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) through transactivation of the β-catenin pathway, and expanded his research to study the role of the MUC1/HIF-1α complex in kidney protection during IRI, supported by an NIH R03 grant.

Ongoing and completed grants

1. R01 DK135862: 06/01/2024 - 05/30/2029.

Role: Principal Investigator.

Title: Role of MUC1 in the host defense against urinary tract infection.

2. R01DK139177: 01/2025 – 12/2029

Role: co-Investigator.

Title: MUC1 in distal nephron adaptation to demineralizing stressors.

3. DOD : 04/2025 – 03/2028

Role: co-Investigator.

Title: The Role of Urothelial Glycans in Urinary Tract Infections.

4. R03 DK131093: 12/15/2021 - 11/30/2024.

Role: Principal Investigator.

Title: Role of the MUC1/HIF-1a Complex in the kidney proximal tubule during ischemia-reperfusion injury.

5. R01 DK038470: 9/17/2020-6/30/2023.

Role: co-Investigator.

Title: Regulation of K and H secretion by intercalated cells.

6. K01 DK109038: 09/15/2016 - 06/30/2023.

Role: Principal Investigator.

Title: Role of MUC1 in the b-catenin Response to Acute Kidney Injury

7. NIH/NIDDK F32DK097889: 03/01/2013 - 02/29/2016.

Role: Principal Investigator.

Title: Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) Regulation by AMPK in the Kidney Collecting Duct.