Asfar Azmi
Position Title
Professor
Basic Science
Office Location
Karmanos Cancer Institute
Hudson-Webber Cancer Research Center - 740.1
4100 John R.
Detroit, MI 48201
Mailing Address
Karmanos Cancer Institute
4100 John R., HW07AO
Detroit, MI 48201
Office Phone
313-576-8328
Education Training
Education
(2006) Ph.D. Biochemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
(2002) M.S. Biochemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
(2000) B.S. with honors Biochemisty, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
Postgraduate Training
(2011-2014) Research Scientist, Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
(2009-2011) Research Associate, Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
(2007-2009) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Professional Experience
Faculty Appointments:
(2024 - Present) Professor, Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine.
(2020 - 2024) Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine.
(2016 - 2020) Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine
(2016 - Present) Cancer Biology Graduate Faculty, Wayne State University School of Medicine
(2015 - Present) Scientific Member, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute
(2014 - 2016) Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Hospital or Other Professional Appointments:
(2021-Present) Program Leader, Molecular Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute
(2019-Present) Director, Pancreas Cancer Research, Karmanos Cancer Institute
(2019-2021) Co-Leader, Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute
Major Professional Societies
American Association for Cancer Research
American Pancreatic Association
Honors and Awards
(2021) Anthony and Joyce Danielski Kales Endowed Faculty Award for Innovative Cancer Research
(2021) Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentorship Award from Postdoctoral Office, Wayne State University
(2019) Heroes of Cancer, James D. Brennan Scientific Distinction Award Karmanos Cancer Institute
(2019) College Teaching Award, Wayne State University School of Medicine
(2018) NIH R37 MERIT AWARD
(2018) Wayne State University School of Medicine Research Excellence Award
(2018) Wayne State Academy of Scholars, Young Investigator Award
(2015) American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Young Investigator Award
(2014) American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Young Investigator Award
(2012) American Pancreatic Association (APA) Young Investigator Award 2012
(2012) American Society of Hematology (ASH) Abstract Achievement Award 2012
(2011) President Postdoctoral Association, Wayne State University
(2010) Vice President Postdoctoral Association, Wayne State University
(2007) Elsevier Highest Cited Author Award from Seminars in Cancer Biology
(2005-2006) Senior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
Courses taught
CB7300: Special Topics - Fundamentals of Cancer Drug Discovery
CB7460: Mechanism of Neoplasia: Alterations to Cellular Signaling
CB7700: Recent Developments in Cancer Biology
CB7300: Special Topics-Cancer Biomarkers
Research
Dr. Asfar Azmi is a Associate Professor of Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is the Leader of Molecular Therapeutics Program as well as the Director of Pancreas Cancer Research at the NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit Michigan. He has a record of accomplishment in the area of drug discovery research. Dr. Azmi made fundamental discoveries on the role of aberrant nuclear protein transport in pancreatic cancer development and drug resistance. He has made significant contributions on pre-clinical and early phase development of new drugs for pancreatic cancer and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors particularly, nuclear export inhibitor selinexor and KRAS pathway targeted therapies. Work done by his team led to the FDA approval of selinexor in several tumor indications. His lab uses high throughput technologies such as RNA-seq, sn-RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics in patient derived tumors and genetically engineered mouse models to identify epigenetic and regulatory mechanisms of XPO1 and design novel drug combinations. Dr. Azmi's group is also developing novel drugs against mutant KRAS pathway proteins. His team has discovered the role of Rho GTPase effector protein p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis pathway rate limiting enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) in promoting tumor growth, desmoplasia and drug resistance in cellular and patient derived tumor models. His ongoing projects are focused on developing ways to favorably alter the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, making them more accessible to chemotherapeutic drugs. His lab is also exploring how targeting KRAS pathway proteins and NAD signaling can enhance immunotherapy strategies in therapy resistant cancers. Dr. Azmi has published more than 150 peer reviewed articles in prestigious journals such as Gastroenterology, Oncogene, Clinical Cancer Research, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology and Seminars in Cancer Biology. He is the editor of several books on drug discovery topics. Dr. Azmi is the recipient of NIH MERIT award, and young investigator awards from American Pancreatic Association, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and American Society of Hematology (ASH). He is the recipient of Academy of Scholars Award from Wayne State University, Kales Endowed Faculty Award for Innovative Cancer Research and Heroes of Cancer Award from Karmanos Cancer Institute. His lab is continuously funded by NIH and pharma industry.
Research Interests
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Nuclear protein transport biology in cancer
- Novel therapeutic avenues in mutant KRAS pathway
- NAD Signaling
- Animal models in translational drug discovery