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Aarif Y. Khakoo, M.D., M.B.A.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

I am a cardiologist and physician scientist interested in biomedical research with a focus on translational, bench-to-bedside applications.


 

Research Interests

The work in my laboratory is focused on understanding mechanisms of cardiotoxicity due to novel anti-cancer therapies.  Our overall research paradigm is that clinical cardiotoxicities due to anti-cancer drugs can reveal novel biologic pathways that are relevant in cardiovascular physiology that were previously unexplored. Experiments designed to understand these pathways in my lab (involving in vivo murine cardiac studies and in vitro work) is focused on gaining mechanistic insight for the dual purpose of developing strategies to prevent cardiotoxicity due to targeted cancer therapies and for identifying novel targets for the treatment of non-cancer related heart disease.

We also work on microRNA regulation of gene expression in the failing heart, and have recently patented a novel microRNA signature that can predict outcomes in patients with heart failure.

Clinical Interests

Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy, Cardiovascular toxicity of molecularly targeted anti-cancer therapy

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1999 Columbia University, New York, NY, MBA, Health Care Finance
1999 Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, MD, Medicine
1992 Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, BSE, Cum Laude, Chemical Engineering

Board Certifications

2005 ABIM Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease
2002 American Board of Internal Medicine

Honors and Awards

2009 Cyrus Scholar Award ($15,000 prize), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
2008 Cyrus Scholar Award ($15,000 prize), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
2007 Physician-Scientist Early Career Award, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
2006 Division of Internal Medicine Outstanding Basic Science Research Award ($5,000 prize), University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2006 University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Translational Research Faculty Development Committee Physician Scientist Award

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Trent JC, Patel SS, Zhang J, Araujo DM, Plana JC, Lenihan DJ, Fan D, Patel SR, Benjamin RS, and Khakoo AY. Rare incidence of congestive heart failure in gastrointestinal stromal tumor and other sarcoma patients receiving imatinib Mesylate (IM). Cancer. In Press.
2. Chintalgattu VC, Patel SS, and Khakoo AY. Cardiovascular effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors used for gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 23(1):97-107, 2009. PMID: 19248973.
3. Khakoo AY, Yeh ET. Therapy insight: Management of cardiovascular disease in patients with cancer and cardiac complications of cancer therapy. Nat Clin Pract Oncol 5(11). e-Pub 9/2008. PMID: 18797437.
4. Khakoo AY, Sidman L, Pasqualini R, Arap W.. Does the renin-angiotensin system participate in regulation of human angiogenesis and vasculogenesis?". Cancer Research 68(22):9112-5, 2008. PMID: 19010879.
5. Khakoo AY, Pati S, Anderson SA, Reid W, Elshal MF, Rovira II, Nguyen AT, Malide D, Combs CA, Hall G, Zhang J, Raffeld M, Rogers TB, Stetler-Stevenson W, Frank JA, Reitz M, Finkel T. Human mesenchymal stem cells exert potent antitumorigenic effects in a model of Kaposi's sarcoma. J Exp Med 203(5):1235-47, 5/2006. e-Pub 4/2006. PMCID: PMC2121206.
6. Arbab AS, Yocum GT, Rad AM, Khakoo AY, Fellowes V, Read EJ, Frank JA. Labeling of cells with ferumoxides-protamine sulfate complexes does not inhibit function or differentiation capacity of hematopoietic or mesenchymal stem cells. NMR Biomed 18(8):553-9, 12/2005. PMID: 16229060.
7. Khakoo AY and Finkel T.. Endothelial Progenitor Cells. Annu Rev Med 56:79-101, 2005. PMID: 15660503.
8. Khakoo AY, Haluschka M, Rame JE, Rodriguez ER, Kasper EK, and Judge DP. Reversible cardiomyopathy caused by administration of interferon-alpha. Nat Clin Pract Cardiovasc Med 2(1)(1):53-57, 2005. PMID: 16265343.
9. Bulte JW, Kraitchman DL, Mackay AM, Pittenger MF, Arbab AS, Yocum GT, Kalish H, Jordan EK, Anderson SA, Khakoo AY, Read EJ, Frank JA.. Chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells is inhibited after magnetic labeling with ferumoxides. Blood 104(10):3410-3, 11/2004.
10. Arbab AS, Yocum GT, Kalish H, Jordan EK, Anderson SA, Khakoo AY, Read EJ, Frank JA.. Efficient Magnetic Cell Labeling with Protamine Sulfate Complexed to Ferumoxides for Cellular MRI. Blood 104(4)(4):1217-23, 2004. e-Pub 4/2004. PMID: 15100158.
11. Khakoo AY and Rastegar DA. Underuse of Coronary Revascularization Procedures. New England Journal of Medicine 345(4):295, 2001. PMID: 11474679.
12. Canfield SM, Khakoo AY. The nonintegrin laminin binding protein (p67 LBP) is expressed on a subset of activated human T lymphocytes and, together with the integrin very late activation antigen-6, mediates avid cellular adherence to laminin. J Immunol 163(6):3430-40, 9/1999. PMID: 10477615.
13. Webster EA, Khakoo AY, Yellin MJ, Karpusas M, Thomas D, Davidson A. Christian CL, and Lederman SM.. An Aggressive Form of Polyarticular Arthritis in a Man With CD40-Ligand Mutation (X-Linked Hyper-IgM Syndrome). Arthritis Rheum 42(6)(6):1291-1296, 6/1999. PMID: 10366125.

Editorials
1. Ewer MS, Lenihan DJ, and Khakoo AY.. Sunitinib-related cardiotoxicity: an interdisciplinary issue. Nat Clin Pract Cardiovasc Med 5(7):364-5, 2008. e-Pub 5/2008. PMID: 18490940.

Last updated: 10/8/2009