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Profiles

Ali Vaziri-Gohar, PHD

Assistant Professor

Cancer Biology

Research Interests:

  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Metabolic vulnerabilities in tumor microenvironment
  • Metabolic dependencies of gene regulation
  • Development of novel targeted therapies
  • Drug resistance

portrait of al vaziri-gohar
Contact
  • CBCC 305
    • Education
    • BS in Biomedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran
    • MS in Biochemistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran
    • PhD in Molecular Biology, New Mexico State University 
    • Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Biology: New Mexico State University
    • Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Metabolism: Thomas Jefferson University, Case Western Reserve University 

    The Vaziri-Gohar lab aims to study the metabolic dependencies that particularly protect tumor cells against oxidative stress caused by the austere tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer or anti-cancer therapies. We are also eager to identify the cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms that support these metabolic alterations in cancer. Understanding these survival-conferring processes may assist in designing promising therapeutic approaches. We use a variety of biochemistry, molecular biology, and mass spectrometry-based methodologies in our mechanistic and translational experimentations. Our ultimate goal is to develop novel targeted therapies and to enhance current therapies to save lives.

    Research Interests

    • Pancreatic cancer
    • Metabolic vulnerabilities in tumor microenvironment
    • Metabolic dependencies of gene regulation
    • Development of novel targeted therapies
    • Drug resistance

    Publications

    • Editorial: Metabolic regulation under oxidative stress in cancer Subramani, E; Dominic, A; Bhattacharya, P; Frigo DE; Bederman, I; Vaziri-Gohar, A. Frontiers in Oncology. 2023 Sept 12. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1286086
    • Increased glucose availability sensitizes pancreatic cancer to chemotherapy Vaziri-Gohar, A; Hue, JJ; Abbas, A; Graor, HJ; Hajihassani, O; Zarei, M; Titomihelakis, G; Feczko, J; Rathore, M; Chelstowska, S; Loftus, AW; Wang, R; Zarei, M; Goudarzi, M; Zhang, R; Willard, B; Zhang, L; Kresak, A; Willis, JE; Wang, G-M; Tatsuoka, C; Salvino, JM; Bederman, I; Brunengraber, H; Lyssiotis, CA; Brody, JR; Winter, JM. Nature Communications 14, 3823 (2023). doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38921-8.
    • Limited nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment renders pancreatic tumors sensitive to allosteric IDH1 inhibitors Vaziri-Gohar, A; Cassel, J; Mohammed, FS; Zarei, M; Hue, JJ; Hajihassani, O; Graor, HJ; Srikanth, YVV; Karim, SA; Abbas, A; Prendergast, E; Chen, V; Katayama, ES; Dukleska, K; Khokhar, I; Andren, A; Zhang, L; Wu, C; Erokwu, B; Flask, CA; Zarei, M; Wang, R; Rothermel, LD; Romani, AMP; Bowers, J; Getts, R; Tatsuoka, C; Morton, JP; Bederman, I; Brunengraber, H; Lyssiotis, CA; Salvino, JM; Brody, JR; Winter, JM. Nature Cancer 2022;3(7):852-865. doi: 10.1038/s43018-022-00393-y. Epub 2022 Jun 9. PMID: 35681100; PMCID: PMC9325670.  
    • IDO1 is a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer-associated depression Hue, JJ; Graor, HJ; Zarei, M; Katayama, ES; Ji, K; Hajihassani, O; Loftus, AW; Vaziri-Gohar, A; Winter, JM. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2022.MCT-22-0055. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-22-0055. PMID: 36190971.
    • Clinical development of IDH1 inhibitors for cancer therapy Zarei, M; Hue, JJ; Hajihassani, O; Graor, HJ; Katayama, ES; Loftus, AW; Bajor, D; Rothermel, LD; Vaziri-Gohar, A; Winter, JM. Cancer Treatment Reviews 2022;103:102334. doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102334. Epub 2021 Dec 28. PMID: 34974243.  
    • Metabolic Dependencies in Pancreatic Cancer Vaziri-Gohar, A; Zarei, M; Brody, JR; Winter, JM. Frontiers in Oncology 2018;8:617. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00617. Erratum in: Front Oncol. 2019 Jan 31;8:672. PMID: 30631752; PMCID: PMC6315177. 
    • Posttranscriptional Upregulation of IDH1 by HuR Establishes a Powerful Survival Phenotype in Pancreatic Cancer Cells Zarei, M; Lal, S; Parker, SJ; Nevler, A; Vaziri-Gohar, A; Dukleska, K; Mambelli-Lisboa, NC; Moffat, C; Blanco, FF; Chand, SN; Jimbo, M; Cozzitorto, JA; Jiang, W; Yeo, CJ; Londin, ER; Seifert, EL; Metallo, CM; Brody, JR; Winter, JM. Cancer Research 2017;77(16):4460-4471. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-0015. Epub 2017 Jun 26. PMID: 28652247.
    • IGF-1 Receptor Modulates FoxO1-Mediated Tamoxifen Response in Breast Cancer Cells Vaziri-Gohar, A; Zheng, Y; Houston, KD. Molecular Cancer Research 2017;15(4):489-497. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-16-0176. Epub 2017 Jan 17. PMID: 28096479; PMCID: PMC5380564. 
    • GPER1-mediated IGFBP-1 induction modulates IGF-1- dependent signaling in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer cells Vaziri-Gohar, A; Houston, KD. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 2016;422:160-171. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.11.033. Epub 2015 Dec 13. PMID: 26690777; PMCID: PMC4742395. 
    • Subcellular localization-dependent changes in EGFP fluorescence lifetime measured by time-resolved flow cytometry Vaziri Gohar, A; Cao, R; Jenkins, P; Li, W; Houston, JP; Houston, KD. Biomedical Optics Express 2013;4(8):1390-400. doi: 10.1364/BOE.4.001390. PMID: 24010001; PMCID: PMC3756581.

    Additional Publications List