- arkousha@health.ucsd.edu
- (858) 822-5993
-
Israni Biomedical Research Facility 2, Room 4220 Bay I
3147 Biomedical Sciences Way, Mail Code 0760
Mail Code: 0760
La Jolla , California 92093
Armin Kousha, Ph.D.
Associate Researcher
- Interests
- Background and Education
- Honors and Publications
Interests
Research Interests
- Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Infections
- Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Natural Products
At the Bench
Armin Kousha, PhD, is a Norwegian citizen born in Iran. He was a full-time teaching faculty member in Iran from 1997 until 2009, and he has been a research scientist in Norway since then. After earning an honors degree in veterinary science and fish health in Iran, he went on to pursue his PhD at Pune University in India. After immigrating to Norway, he got a graduate degree from The Arctic University of Norway and worked in top labs for fish health, including Prof. E. Ringø, Prof. R.E. Olsen, and Prof. Åshild Krogdahl. His career highlights include animal and fish health, with an emphasis on molecular microbiology and physiology, as well as original studies on antibiotic therapeutic, immune-regulatory, and histopathological effects.
During his post-graduate training at the UC San Diego Prof. Nizet lab (2016-2017), he developed a strong interest in multi-drug resistant bacterial infections and is now using a variety of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo techniques to study the synergistic interaction of antibiotics and the innate immune system. His research at Nizet laboratories is linked to a number of transdisciplinary projects, with a focus on developing breakthrough treatment strategies that can have a significant impact on future clinical management of infectious diseases.
Outside of Lab
Armin enjoys cooking, reading books, and watching TV series and movies.
Background and Education
Academic Appointments
| Year | Position |
| 2021-present | Research Associate, Department of Pediatrics, Prof. Nizet’s Laboratory-San Diego |
| 2018-2020 | Research Scientist in fish health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Norwegian University of Life Sciences-Oslo |
| 2017-2018 | Visiting Researcher, Department of Medical Biology, The Arctic University of Norway-Tromsø |
| 2016-2017 | Visiting Scholar; Department of Pediatrics, Prof. Nizet’s Laboratory-San Diego |
| 2013-2016 | Business Developer and Consultant, Fish Containment Solutions Badinotti Group (Freelance) |
| 1997-2009 | Teaching Faculty Member, Department of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, The Azad University |
Education
| University | Degree | Year | Field |
| University of Pune, India | Ph.D. | 2006 | Environmental Science |
| The Arctic University of Norway | M.S. | 2013 | International Management |
| Azad University | M.S. | 1996 | Natural Resources Engineering-Fish Biology |
| Azad University | B.S. | 1994 | Veterinary Medicine |
Honors and Publications
Honors
| Year | Honor/Award |
| 2009 | Life time Member of The Norwegian Association of Researchers (NAR) |
| 2008 | Bronze Medal for Fish Probiotic Development;19th Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition; (ITEX08), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 2008 | Director and Coordinator of International Training Courses; Zoonoses; Collaboration with The National Institute of Public Health(NIPH), Czech Republic |
| 2007 | Director and Coordinator of International Training Courses; Fish Nutrition and Health; Azad University and The Arctic University of Norway |
| 2006 | Distinct Research Scholar Award; University of Pune; India |
| 2005 | Distinct Research Scholar Award; University of Pune; India |
Publications
Kumaraswamy M, Riestra A, Flores A, Dahesh S, Askarian F, Uchiyama S, Monk J, Park H, Bondsäter G, Nilsson V, Chang M, Bulitta JB, Lang Y, Kousha A, Bjånes E, Chavarria N, Clark T, Seo H, Sakoulas G, Nizet V.. UUnrecognized Potent Activities of Colistin Against Clinically Important mcr+ Enterobacteriaceae Revealed in Synergy with Host Immunity. 2024. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Accepted.
Lekbua A, Thiruppathy D, Coker J, Weng Y, Askarian F, Kousha A, Marotz C, Hauw A, Nizet V, Zengler K. SkinCom, a synthetic skin microbial community, enables reproducible investigations of the human skin. 2024. Cell Reports Methods. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100832.
Thomas S.P*, Askarian F*, Kousha A, Suzuki E, Tsai C.M, Liu G, Nizet V, Dorrestein P.C, Tsunoda Sh.M. Perinatal ampicillin administration modulates murine bile acid metabolism in vivo- an observational study. BioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.31.578215. 2024. *Equally contributed.
Askarian F, Chih-Ming T, Cordara G, Zurich RH, Bjånes E, Golten O, Sørensen HV, Kousha A, Meier A, Chikwatie E, Bruunf JA, Ludvikseng JA, Choudhury B, Trieua D, Davis, S, Edvardsen PKT, Mollnes T E, Liu GY, Krengel U, Conrad DJ, Vaaje-Kolstad G, Nizet V. Immunization with lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase CbpD induces protective immunity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)2023.120 (30): e2301538120.
Kumaraswamy M, Wiull K, Joshi B, Kousha A, Vaaje-Kolstad G, Johannessen M, Hegstad K, Nizet V, Askarian F. Bacterial membrane-derived vesicles attenuate vancomycin activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. 2021. Microorganisms 9 (10): 2055.
Ulloaa E*, Kousha A*, Tsunemotoe H, Poglianoa J, Licitraf Carmelo, LiPumag J, Sakoulasa G, Nizet V, Kumaraswamy M. Azithromycin exerts bactericidal activity and enhances innate immune mediated killing of MDR Achromobacter xylosoxidans. 2020. Infectious Microbs & Diseases 2(1): 10-17. *Equally contributed.
Askarian F, Lapek Jr, Dongre J. D, M, Tsai C. Kumaraswamy M. Kousha A, Valderrama J. A, Ludviksen J. K, Cavanagh J. P, Uchiyama S, Mollnes T. E, Gonzalez D. J, Wai S. N, Nizet V, Johannessen M. Staphylococcus aureus membrane derived vesicles promote bacteria virulence and confer protective immunity in murine infection models. 2018. Frontiers in Microbiology 9: 262.
Sakoulas G, Kumaraswamy M, Kousha A, Nizet V. Interaction of antibiotics with innate host defense factors against Salmonella enterica serotype Newport. 2017. mSphere 2:e00410-17.
Kousha A, Ringø E. Antibacterial effect of aquatic extract of Heracleum Spp. Hogweed plants from Europe on thirteen different bacteria. 2015. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal 48 (10).
Ringø E, Andersen R, Sperstad S, Zhou Z, REN P, Breines E.M, Hareide E, Yttergård G.J, Opsal K, Johansen H. M, Andreassen A, Kousha A, Godfroid J, Holzapfel W. Bacterial Community of Koumiss from Mongolia Investigated by Culture and Culture-Independent Methods. 2014. Food Biotechnology 28 (4).
Kousha A, Myklebust R, Olsen RPathophysiological effect of chronic and acute stress in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (Actinopterygii: Salmoniformes: Salmonidae). 2013. Acta Ichthyologica Piscatoria. (2013) 43 (4): 299–305.
Askarian F, Kousha A, Salma W, Ringø E. The effect of lactic acid bacteria administration on growth, digestive enzyme activity and gut microbiota in Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) and beluga (Huso huso) fry. 2011. Aquaculture Nutrition 17 (5), 488 – 497.
Salma W, Zhou Zh, Wang W, Askarian F, Kousha A, Tajabadi Ebrahimi M, Myklebust R, Ringø E. Histological and bacteriological changes in intestine of beluga (Huso huso) following ex vivo exposure to bacterial strains. 2011. Aquaculture 314 (1-4), 24-33.
Jawad L.A, Kousha A. A case of vertebral coalescence and lateral line deformity in Hypophthalamichthys nobilis (Richardson, 1844) obtained from aquaculture activity in Iran. 2011. Boll. Mus. reg. Sci. nat. Torino 28 (1): 29-36.
Askarian F, Kousha A, Ringø E. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria from gastrointestinal tracts of beluga (Huso huso) and Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). 2009. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 25 (Suppl. 2): 91–94.
Lekbua A, Thiruppathy D, Coker J, Weng Y, Askarian F, Kousha A, Marotz C, Hauw A, Nizet V, Zengler K. SkinCom, a synthetic skin microbial community, enables reproducible investigations of the human skin. 2024. Cell Reports Methods. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100832.
Thomas S.P*, Askarian F*, Kousha A, Suzuki E, Tsai C.M, Liu G, Nizet V, Dorrestein P.C, Tsunoda Sh.M. Perinatal ampicillin administration modulates murine bile acid metabolism in vivo- an observational study. BioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.31.578215. 2024. *Equally contributed.
Askarian F, Chih-Ming T, Cordara G, Zurich RH, Bjånes E, Golten O, Sørensen HV, Kousha A, Meier A, Chikwatie E, Bruunf JA, Ludvikseng JA, Choudhury B, Trieua D, Davis, S, Edvardsen PKT, Mollnes T E, Liu GY, Krengel U, Conrad DJ, Vaaje-Kolstad G, Nizet V. Immunization with lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase CbpD induces protective immunity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)2023.120 (30): e2301538120.
Kumaraswamy M, Wiull K, Joshi B, Kousha A, Vaaje-Kolstad G, Johannessen M, Hegstad K, Nizet V, Askarian F. Bacterial membrane-derived vesicles attenuate vancomycin activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. 2021. Microorganisms 9 (10): 2055.
Ulloaa E*, Kousha A*, Tsunemotoe H, Poglianoa J, Licitraf Carmelo, LiPumag J, Sakoulasa G, Nizet V, Kumaraswamy M. Azithromycin exerts bactericidal activity and enhances innate immune mediated killing of MDR Achromobacter xylosoxidans. 2020. Infectious Microbs & Diseases 2(1): 10-17. *Equally contributed.
Askarian F, Lapek Jr, Dongre J. D, M, Tsai C. Kumaraswamy M. Kousha A, Valderrama J. A, Ludviksen J. K, Cavanagh J. P, Uchiyama S, Mollnes T. E, Gonzalez D. J, Wai S. N, Nizet V, Johannessen M. Staphylococcus aureus membrane derived vesicles promote bacteria virulence and confer protective immunity in murine infection models. 2018. Frontiers in Microbiology 9: 262.
Sakoulas G, Kumaraswamy M, Kousha A, Nizet V. Interaction of antibiotics with innate host defense factors against Salmonella enterica serotype Newport. 2017. mSphere 2:e00410-17.
Kousha A, Ringø E. Antibacterial effect of aquatic extract of Heracleum Spp. Hogweed plants from Europe on thirteen different bacteria. 2015. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal 48 (10).
Ringø E, Andersen R, Sperstad S, Zhou Z, REN P, Breines E.M, Hareide E, Yttergård G.J, Opsal K, Johansen H. M, Andreassen A, Kousha A, Godfroid J, Holzapfel W. Bacterial Community of Koumiss from Mongolia Investigated by Culture and Culture-Independent Methods. 2014. Food Biotechnology 28 (4).
Kousha A, Myklebust R, Olsen RPathophysiological effect of chronic and acute stress in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (Actinopterygii: Salmoniformes: Salmonidae). 2013. Acta Ichthyologica Piscatoria. (2013) 43 (4): 299–305.
Askarian F, Kousha A, Salma W, Ringø E. The effect of lactic acid bacteria administration on growth, digestive enzyme activity and gut microbiota in Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) and beluga (Huso huso) fry. 2011. Aquaculture Nutrition 17 (5), 488 – 497.
Salma W, Zhou Zh, Wang W, Askarian F, Kousha A, Tajabadi Ebrahimi M, Myklebust R, Ringø E. Histological and bacteriological changes in intestine of beluga (Huso huso) following ex vivo exposure to bacterial strains. 2011. Aquaculture 314 (1-4), 24-33.
Jawad L.A, Kousha A. A case of vertebral coalescence and lateral line deformity in Hypophthalamichthys nobilis (Richardson, 1844) obtained from aquaculture activity in Iran. 2011. Boll. Mus. reg. Sci. nat. Torino 28 (1): 29-36.
Askarian F, Kousha A, Ringø E. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria from gastrointestinal tracts of beluga (Huso huso) and Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). 2009. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 25 (Suppl. 2): 91–94.