Mentor:  Munir Tanas, MD  

My Research

I was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and moved to New York for my undergraduate degree. Given the interdisciplinary nature of today’s research, I explored a variety of fields, including biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, bioinformatics, and even electrical engineering at SUNY Oswego during my undergraduate education. Given my strong interest in cancer signaling, I joined Dr. Tanas’ lab to understand the role of PI3 kinase signaling and Hippo pathway in sarcomagenesis. My long-term goal is to therapeutically target these pathways to improve patient care!

Comprehensive Exam: 

Dual Targeting of mTOR and YAP/TAZ in PI3K activated sarcomas

Award:

July 2021- June 2023 Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing Predoctoral Fellowship

Internship: 

Summer 2023 Clinica Biomarker Intern at Moderna

Conferences:

• September 28, 2024  University of Iowa Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing Annual Conference; Oral presentation "PI3K regulates TAZ/YAP and mTORC1 and can be synergistically targeted in sarcomas"
• June 18, 2024  HCCC Scientific Retreat; Oral Presentation on “Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase regulates TAZ and YAP activity in sarcomas: therapeutic implications.” 
• May 2024  Center of Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing Spring Symposium; Oral Presentation on “Combination therapy targeting PI3K signaling in sarcomas.” 
• April 2024  Moffitt Innovators of Tomorrow Symposium at the Moffit Cancer Center; Oral Presentation on “Therapeutic Targeting of the Phosphatidylinositol 3- Kinase Pathway in Sarcomas.” 
• January 2024 HCCC Career Development Seminar Series;  “How to Pursue a Clinical Internship in Industry During Your PhD.” 
• February 2023 HCCC Northeastern Illinois University; Oral Presentation on “Studying the therapeutic role of YAP/TAZ in sarcomas.”
• August 2022 University of Iowa Sarcoma Research Symposium; Oral Presentation on “Therapeutic approaches to targeting Hippo pathway signaling in sarcomas.