Nagaraj Nagathihalli, Ph.D.

Roles

• Biography

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  Dr. Nagaraj Nagathihalli, Ph.D., is a cancer biologist at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, an Associate Professor (with Tenure) in the Department of Surgery, graduate faculty in the Cancer Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Programs, and a faculty member in the Surgical Oncology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He is also the Assistant Director of Basic Science Research at the Sylvester Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Nagathihalli obtained his postgraduate training in biochemistry from the University Of Mysore, India, and his Ph.D. from the Defence Research Laboratory and the University of Mysore, India, with a DRDO National Research Fellowship. Until 2015, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow, Instructor, and Research Assistant Professor at the Vanderbilt Cancer Center at Vanderbilt University, USA. He has been the recipient of the Sylvester Translational Science Award, James and Esther King Biomedical Research Award, Ed Nelson Research Award, Young Investigator Award from ISGO, American Pancreatic Association, ECOG, Scholarships from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), CAPER, and American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Research Grants from NIH-NCI R03, NIH-NCI R21, NIH-NCI R01, DDRC (Digestive Disease) Discovery Grant, Stanley Glaser Research Award, American Cancer Society (ACS)-IRG Award, Sylvester Translational Science Award, James and Esther King Biomedical Research Award and Florida Cancer Innovation Fund Award. Dr. Nagathihalli served as NIH T32 Mentor, an Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer for NIH (NCI and NIDDK), DOD, and many international organizations from UK, France, Netherlands, India, Qatar, and Hong Kong. Dr. Nagathihalli's laboratory investigates NCI R01 and Florida Department of Health funded program on the dynamics of pancreatic cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, therapy response, and KRAS inhibitor and chemotherapy resistance emergence/overcoming.

• Education & Training

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  Education

  2002: Defense Food Research Laboratory (DRDO) & University of Mysore

  PhD, Enzymology and Protein Biochemistry

  1996: University of Mysore

  MS, Biochemistry

  1994: Yuvaraja’s College, University of Mysore

  BS, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology

  Post Graduate Training

  2011: Vanderbilt University

  Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Pancreatic Cancer Models, Cancer Signaling and Drug Resistance

  2007: University of Louisville

  Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Cancer Biology

• Honors & Awards

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• Teaching Interests

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  Pancreatic Cancer Biology, Cell-Intrinsic Mechanisms, Tumor Immune Microenvironment, Targeted Therapy, Targeting RAS-Driven Cancers.

• Research Interests

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  Dr. Nagathihalli's research laboratory has a long-standing interest in the signaling pathways controlling tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance with a special focus on the interface with risk factors in pancreatic cancer. Specifically, he is interested to understand how specific risk factors (tobacco smoking, alcohol) and mutations (Kras, p53, Smad4) influence the initiation, progression, and maintenance of pancreatic cancer by regulating signaling and therapy resistance using a multi-faceted approach that includes the application of gene array analyses, kinome profiling, chemical and genetic screenings, and state-of-the-art model systems [genetically engineered mouse models, organoids, patient-derived cell lines and xenografts]. His laboratory has regularly made impactful contributions to the role of CREB, STAT3, ERK, EGFR, PI3K/mTOR and Src in cell signaling. Using a multifaceted approach of CRISPR CAS9-based genome editing and pancreas-specific knock-out mouse models, their laboratory works to understand the biology of tumor cell-intrinsic CREB in shaping the tumor immune landscape of this malignancy. His laboratory also investigates therapeutic vulnerabilities associated with standard chemotherapy and KRAS inhibitors, focusing on strategies to overcome gastrointestinal toxicities caused by these treatments. This research aims to improve treatment tolerability and enhance patient survival outcomes.

• Publications

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• Professional Activities

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