Bisrat G Debeb, DVM, PhD
Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2008 | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US, Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D |
| 2005 | Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, US, Epidemiology, M.Sc |
| 1999 | Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, ET, Veterinary Medicine, DVM |
Postgraduate Training
| 2008-2011 | Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017 - 2023
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2017
Lecturer, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, 2001 - 2002
Assistant Lecturer, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, 1999 - 2001
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Interim Head, Department of Microbiology, Veterinary Public Health and Infectious Disease, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, 2002 - 2002
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Department Chair Search Committee, Sarcoma Medical Oncology, 2024 - 2024
Member, Senator, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, 2024 - 2027
Member, Therapeutics and Pharmacology (TAP) Steering Committee, 2024 - 2026
Co-organizer, Translational Breast Cancer Research Seminar Series, 2023 - Present
Co-organizer, Inflammatory Breast Cancer Seminar Series, 2023 - Present
Member, Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Strategic Committee, 2022 - Present
Member, Faculty Member of Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), 2019 - Present
Member, Faculty Academic Review Committee (Faculty ARC), 2019 - Present
Member, Faculty Representative of Postdoctoral Advisory Committee, 2014 - 2016
Member, Faculty Member, Global Health Committee, 2011 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2024 - Present | DoD Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award, DoD |
| 2024 - Present | Cathy Rain Smith Acceleration Award, Cathy Rain Smith Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Fund |
| 2023 | EIAP (Early Investigator Advancement Program) Scholar, NIH/NCI |
| 2021 - 2023 | IBC Team Science Award, Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program and Clinic, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2021 | 'Scientists to Watch’ 2021, The Scientist Magazine |
| 2020 | American Cancer Society Research Scholar, American Cancer Society |
| 2017 | 5th Annual Zeta Tau Alpha Houston Alumnae Association Fellowship in IBC Research |
| 2017 | IBC Fellowship, 5th Annual Zeta Tau Alpha Houston Aluminae Association in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research, Zeta Tau Alpha Houston Aluminae Association in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research |
| 2017 | Jon Shevell Young Scientist Travel Scholarship, Susan G. Komen Foundation |
| 2016 | Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity Travel Award |
| 2016 | Pillar of Support Award, Forum of First Ladies Against Breast and Cervical Cancer, Ethiopia |
| 2015 | 1st Place Poster Prize Award, NCI CRCHD |
| 2015 | AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award, 2015 AACR Annual Meeting |
| 2015 | AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award, AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis |
| 2014 | Junior Investigator Grant Award, IBC Network Foundation |
| 2014 | Young Investigator Award, 4th Annual Brain Metastasis Conference, Marseille, France |
| 2013 | Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship |
| 2011 | AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award, AACR |
| 2010 - 2014 | Susan G. Komen Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Susan G. Komen Foundation |
| 2007 | 1st Place Oral Presentation Award, GSA Research Symposium, Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 2007 | Travel Award, 47th Annual American Society of Cell Biology Meeting, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate Student Association |
| 2003 | Graduate Fellowship Award, USAID/Tuskegee University |
| 1999 | Award of Recognition for Academic Excellence, University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine |
| 1999 | Gold Medalist, DVM Class of 1999, Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine |
| 1994 - 1999 | Dean's List and Academic Excellence Award, Addis Ababa University |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Mughees M, Tacam MJ, Tan AW, Pitner MK, Iles LR, Hu X, S Villodre E, Debeb BG, Kogawa T, Lim B, Layman RM, Woodward WA, Ueno NT, Tripathy D, Krishnamurthy S, Qi Y, Pusztai L, Wang J, Gandhi V, Bartholomeusz G, Bartholomeusz C. Inhibition of MCL-1 and MEK overcomes MEK inhibitor resistance in triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancers. Mol Cancer Ther, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40358476.
- Villodre ES, Nguyen AP, Debeb BG. NDRGs in Breast Cancer: A Review and In Silico Analysis. Cancers 16(7):1342, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38611020.
- Yin, L, Hu, X, Pei, G, Tang, M, Zhou, Y, Zhang, H, Huang, M, Li, S, Zhang, J, Citu, C, Zhao, Z, Debeb, BG, Feng, X, Chen, J. Genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals the synthetic lethality between BCL2L1 inhibition and radiotherapy. Life science alliance 7(4), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38316463.
- Balema W, Morton J, Larson RA, Li L, Velasquez FC, Fowlkes NW, Krishnamurthy S, Debeb BG, Sevick-Muraca E, Woodward WA. High-fat diet, but not duration of lactation, increases mammary gland lymphatic vessel function and subsequent growth of inflammatory breast cancer cells. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 28(1):21, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37801190.
- Gadde M, Mehrabi-Dehdezi M, Debeb BG, Woodward WA, Rylander MN. Influence of Macrophages on Vascular Invasion of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Emboli Measured Using an In Vitro Microfluidic Multi-Cellular Platform. Cancers (Basel) 15(19), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37835577.
- Villodre ES, Hu X, Huo L, Debeb BG. Response to de Nonneville, Finetti, Mamessier and Bertucci. J Natl Cancer Inst 114(7):1048-1049, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35148408.
- Villodre ES, Hu X, Eckhardt BL, Larson R, Huo L, Yoon EC, Gong Y, Song J, Liu S, Ueno NT, Krishnamurthy S, Pusch S, Tripathy D, Woodward WA, Debeb BG. NDRG1 in Aggressive Breast Cancer Progression and Brain Metastasis. J Natl Cancer Inst 114(4):579-591, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34893874.
- Villodre ES, Hu X, Larson R, Finetti P, Gomez K, Balema W, Stecklein SR, Santiago-Sanchez G, Krishnamurthy S, Song J, Su X, Ueno NT, Tripathy D, Van Laere S, Bertucci F, Vivas-Mejía P, Woodward WA, Debeb BG. Lipocalin 2 promotes inflammatory breast cancer tumorigenesis and skin invasion. Mol Oncol 15(10):2752-2765, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34342930.
- Balema W, Liu D, Shen Y, El-Zein R, Debeb BG, Kai M, Overmoyer B, Miller KD, Le-Petross HT, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. Inflammatory breast cancer appearance at presentation is associated with overall survival. Cancer Med 10(18):6261-6272, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34327874.
- Santiago-Sánchez GS, Noriega-Rivera R, Hernández-O'Farrill E, Valiyeva F, Quiñones-Diaz B, Villodre ES, Debeb BG, Rosado-Albacarys A, Vivas-Mejía PE. Targeting Lipocalin-2 in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells with Small Interference RNA and Small Molecule Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 22(16), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34445288.
- Fukumura K, Malgulwar PB, Fischer GM, Hu X, Mao X, Song X, Hernandez SD, Zhang XH, Zhang J, Parra ER, Yu D, Debeb BG, Davies MA, Huse JT. Multi-omic molecular profiling reveals potentially targetable abnormalities shared across multiple histologies of brain metastasis. Acta Neuropathol 141(2):303-321, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33394124.
- Hu X, Villodre ES, Woodward WA, Debeb BG. Modeling brain metastasis via tail-vein injection of inflammatory breast cancer cells. J Vis Exp 2021(168):1-12, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33616115.
- Hu X, Villodre ES, Larson R, Rahal OM, Wang X, Gong Y, Song J, Krishnamurthy S, Ueno NT, Tripathy D, Woodward WA, Debeb BG. Decorin-mediated suppression of tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Commun Biol 4(72):72, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33452400.
- Smith DL, Debeb BG, Diagaradjane P, Larson R, Kumar S, Ning J, Lacerda L, Li L, Woodward WA. Prophylactic cranial irradiation reduces the incidence of brain metastasis in a mouse model of metastatic, HER2-positive breast cancer. Genes Cancer 12:28-38, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33884104.
- Villodre ES, Gong Y, Hu X, Huo L, Yoon EC, Ueno NT, Woodward WA, Tripathy D, Song J, Debeb BG. NDRG1 Expression Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 12(12), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33321961.
- Gagliardi M, Pitner MK, Park J, Xie X, Saso H, Larson RA, Sammons RM, Chen H, Wei C, Masuda H, Chauhan G, Kondo K, Tripathy D, Ueno NT, Dalby KN, Debeb BG, Bartholomeusz C. Differential functions of ERK1 and ERK2 in lung metastasis processes in triple-negative breast cancer. Sci Rep 10(1):8537, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32444778.
- Bertucci F, Rypens C, Finetti P, Guille A, Adélaïde J, Monneur A, Carbuccia N, Garnier S, Dirix P, Gonçalves A, Vermeulen P, Debeb BG, Wang X, Dirix L, Ueno NT, Viens P, Cristofanilli M, Chaffanet M, Birnbaum D, Van Laere S. NOTCH and DNA repair pathways are more frequently targeted by genomic alterations in inflammatory than in non-inflammatory breast cancers. Mol Oncol 14(3):504-519, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31854063.
- Reddy JP, Atkinson RL, Larson R, Burks JK, Smith D, Debeb BG, Ruffell B, Creighton CJ, Bambhroliya A, Reuben JM, Van Laere SJ, Krishnamurthy S, Symmans WF, Brewster AM, Woodward WA. Mammary stem cell and macrophage markers are enriched in normal tissue adjacent to inflammatory breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 171(2):283-293, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29858753.
- Ding Q, Wang Y, Zuo Z, Gong Y, Krishnamurthy S, Li CW, Lai YJ, Wei W, Wang J, Manyam GC, Diao L, Zhang X, Lin F, Symmans WF, Sun L, Liu CG, Liu X, Debeb BG, Ueno NT, Harano K, Alvarez RH, Wu Y, Cristofanilli M, Huo L. Decreased expression of microRNA-26b in locally advanced and inflammatory breast cancer. Hum Pathol 77:121-129, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29689244.
- Uemura MI, French JT, Hess KR, Liu D, Raghav K, Hortobagyi GN, Arun BK, Valero V, Ueno NT, Alvarez RH, Woodward WA, Debeb BG, Moulder SL, Lim B, Tripathy D, Ibrahim NK. Development of CNS metastases and survival in patients with inflammatory breast cancer. Cancer 124(11):2299-2305, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29579338.
- Bambhroliya A, Van Wyhe RD, Kumar S, Debeb BG, Reddy JP, Van Laere S, El-Zein R, Rao A, Woodward WA. Gene set analysis of post-lactational mammary gland involution gene signatures in inflammatory and triple-negative breast cancer. PLoS One 13(4):e0192689, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29617367.
- Caceres S, Peña L, Lacerda L, Illera MJ, de Andres PJ, Larson RA, Gao H, Debeb BG, Woodward WA, Reuben JM, Illera JC. Canine cell line, IPC-366, as a good model for the study of inflammatory breast cancer. Vet Comp Oncol 15(3):980-995, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 27146723.
- Woodward WA, Cristofanilli M, Merajver SD, Laere SV, Pusztai L, Bertucci F, Berditchevski F, Polyak K, Overmoyer B, Devi GR, Sterneck E, Schneider R, Debeb BG, Wang X, van Golen KL, El-Zein R, Rahal OM, Alexander A, Reuben JM, Krishnamurthy S, Lucci A, and Ueno NT. Scientific Summary from the Morgan Welch MD Anderson Cancer Center Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Program 10th Anniversary Conference. J Cancer 8(17):3607–3614, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Jolly MK, Boareto M, Debeb BG, Aceto N, Farach-Carson MC, Woodward WA, Levine H. Inflammatory breast cancer: a model for investigating cluster-based dissemination. NPJ Breast Cancer 3:21, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28649661.
- Stecklein SR, Reddy JP, Wolfe AR, Lopez MS, Fouad TM, Debeb BG, Ueno NT, Brewster AM, Woodward WA. Lack of Breastfeeding History in Parous Women with Inflammatory Breast Cancer Predicts Poor Disease-Free Survival. J Cancer 8(10):1726-1732, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28819368.
- Wolfe AR, Trenton NJ, Debeb BG, Larson R, Ruffell B, Chu K, Hittelman W, Diehl M, Reuben JM, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. Mesenchymal stem cells and macrophages interact through IL-6 to promote inflammatory breast cancer in pre-clinical models. Oncotarget 7(50):82482-82492, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27756885.
- Smith DL, Debeb BG, Thames HD, Woodward WA. Computational modeling of micrometastatic breast cancer radiation dose-response. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 96(1):179-87, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27511855.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Anfossi S, Diagaradjane P, Chu K, Bambhroliya A, Huo L, Wei C, Larson RA, Wolfe AR, Xu W, Smith DL, Li L, Ivan C, Allen PK, Wu W, Calin GA, Krishnamurthy S, Zhang XH, Buchholz TA, Ueno NT, Reuben JM, Woodward WA. miR-141-mediated regulation of brain metastasis from breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 108(8), 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27075851.
- Wolfe AR, Bambhroliya A, Reddy JP, Debeb BG, Huo L, Larson R, Li L, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. MiR-33a Decreases High-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Radiation Sensitivity in Breast Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 95(2):791-9, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27055396.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Larson R, Wolfe AR, Krishnamurthy S, Reuben JM, Ueno NT, Gilcrease M, Woodward WA. Histone deacetylase inhibitor-induced cancer stem cells exhibit high pentose phosphate pathway metabolism. Oncotarget 7(19):28329-39, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27078845.
- Huo L, Wang Y, Gong Y, Krishnamurthy S, Wang J, Diao L, Liu CG, Liu X, Lin F, Symmans WF, Wei W, Zhang X, Sun L, Alvarez RH, Ueno NT, Fouad TM, Harano K, Debeb BG, Wu Y, Reuben J, Cristofanilli M, Zuo Z. MicroRNA expression profiling identifies decreased expression of miR-205 in inflammatory breast cancer. Mod Pathol 29(4):330-46, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26916073.
- Wolfe AR, Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Larson R, Bambhroliya A, Huang X, Bertucci F, Finetti P, Birnbaum D, Van Laere S, Diagaradjan P, Ruffell B, Trenton NJ, Chu K, Hittelman W, Diehl M, Levental I, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. Simvastatin prevents triple-negative breast cancer metastasis in pre-clinical models through regulation of FOXO3a. Breast Cancer Res Treat 154(3):495-508, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26590814.
- Reddy JP, Dawood S, Mitchell M, Debeb BG, Bloom E, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Sulman EP, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Antiepileptic drug use improves overall survival in breast cancer patients with brain metastases in the setting of whole brain radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol 117(2):308-14, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26482599.
- Wolfe AR, Atkinson RL, Reddy JP, Debeb BG, Larson R, Li L, Masuda H, Brewer T, Atkinson BJ, Brewster A, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. High-density and very-low-density lipoprotein have opposing roles in regulating tumor-initiating cells and sensitivity to radiation in inflammatory breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 91(5):1072-80, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25832697.
- Lacerda L, Debeb BG, Smith D, Larson R, Solley T, Xu W, Krishnamurthy S, Gong Y, Levy LB, Buchholz T, Ueno NT, Klopp A, Woodward WA. Mesenchymal stem cells mediate the clinical phenotype of inflammatory breast cancer in a preclinical model. Breast Cancer Res 17:42, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25887413.
- Cohen EN, Gao H, Anfossi S, Mego M, Reddy NG, Debeb BG, Giordano A, Tin S, Wu Q, Garza RJ, Cristofanilli M, Mani SA, Croix DA, Ueno NT, Woodward WA, Luthra R, Krishnamurthy S, Reuben JM. Inflammation Mediated Metastasis: Immune Induced Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells. PLoS One 10(7):e0132710, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26207636.
- Debeb BG, Smith DL, Li L, Larson R, Xu W, Woodward WA. Differential effect of phosphorylation-defective survivin on radiation response in estrogen receptor-positive and -negative breast cancer. PLoS One 10(3):e0120719, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25763854.
- Zhang P, Wei Y, Wang L, Debeb BG, Yuan Y, Zhang J, Yuan J, Wang M, Chen D, Sun Y, Woodward WA, Liu Y, Dean DC, Liang H, Hu Y, Ang KK, Hung MC, Chen J, Ma L. ATM-mediated stabilization of ZEB1 promotes DNA damage response and radioresistance through CHK1. Nat Cell Biol 16(9):864-75, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25086746.
- Lacerda L, Reddy JP, Liu D, Larson R, Li L, Masuda H, Brewer T, Debeb BG, Xu W, Hortobágyi GN, Buchholz TA, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. Simvastatin radiosensitizes differentiated and stem-like breast cancer cell lines and is associated with improved local control in inflammatory breast cancer patients treated with postmastectomy radiation. Stem Cells Transl Med 3(7):849-56, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24833589.
- Debeb BG, Gong Y, Atkinson RL, Sneige N, Huo L, Gonzalez-Angulo A, Hung MC, Valero V, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. EZH2 expression correlates with locoregional recurrence after radiation in inflammatory breast cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 33(1):58, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25051981.
- Zhang P, Wang L, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Yuan Y, Debeb BG, Chen D, Sun Y, You MJ, Liu Y, Dean DC, Woodward WA, Liang H, Yang X, Lopez-Berestein G, Sood AK, Hu Y, Ang KK, Chen J, Ma L. miR-205 acts as a tumour radiosensitizer by targeting ZEB1 and Ubc13. Nat Commun 5:5671, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25476932.
- Anfossi S, Giordano A, Gao H, Cohen EN, Tin S, Wu Q, Garza RJ, Debeb BG, Alvarez RH, Valero V, Hortobagyi GN, Calin GA, Ueno NT, Woodward WA, Reuben JM. High Serum miR-19a Levels Are Associated with Inflammatory Breast Cancer and Are Predictive of Favorable Clinical Outcome in Patients with Metastatic HER2(+) Inflammatory Breast Cancer. PLoS One 9(1):e83113, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24416156.
- Duong MT, Akli S, Macalou S, Biernacka A, Debeb BG, Yi M, Hunt KK, Keyomarsi K. Hbo1 Is a Cyclin E/CDK2 Substrate That Enriches Breast Cancer Stem-like Cells. Cancer Res 73(17):5556-68, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23955388.
- Xu W, Lacerda L, Debeb BG, Atkinson RL, Solley TN, Li L, Orton D, McMurray JS, Hang BI, Lee E, Klopp AH, Ueno NT, Reuben JM, Krishnamurthy S, Woodward WA. The antihelmintic drug pyrvinium pamoate targets aggressive breast cancer. PLoS One 27(8):e71508, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24013655.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Xu W, Larson R, Solley T, Atkinson R, Sulman EP, Ueno NT, Krishnamurthy S, Reuben JM, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Stimulate Dedifferentiation of Human Breast Cancer Cells through WNT/β-catenin Signaling. Stem Cells 30(11):2366-77, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22961641.
- Debeb BG, Cohen EN, Boley K, Freiter EM, Li L, Robertson FM, Reuben JM, Cristofanilli M, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Pre-clinical studies of notch signaling inhibitor RO4929097 in inflammatory breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Treat 134(2):495-510, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22547109.
- Klopp AH, Zhang Y, Solley T, Amaya-Manzanares F, Marini F, Andreeff M, Debeb BG, Woodward W, Schmandt R, Broaddus R, Lu K, Kolonin MG. Omental adipose tissue-derived stromal cells promote vascularization and growth of endometrial tumors. Clin Cancer Res 18(3):771-82, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22167410.
- Woodward WA, Gao H, Cohen EN, Li L, Xu W, Debeb BG, Jimenez CA, Krishnamurthy S, Tucker SL, Hortobagyi G, Cristofanilli M, Buchholz T, Reuben J. Percentage of CD45-CD326_CD44_CD24-/lo cells in pleural effusion fluid of patients with metastatic breast cancer predicts for overall survival. Interventional Oncology 1(1):4-10, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
- Xu W, Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Li J, Woodward WA. Tetrandrine, a compound common in Chinese traditional medicine, preferentially kills breast cancer tumor initiating cells (TICs) in vitro. Cancers (Basel) 3(2):2274-2285, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 24212809.
- Robertson FM, Ogasawara MA, Ye Z, Chu K, Pickei R, Debeb BG, Woodward WA, Hittelman WN, Cristofanilli M, Barsky SH. Imaging and analysis of 3D tumor spheroids enriched for a cancer stem cell phenotype. J Biomol Screen 15(7):820-9, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20639504.
- Woodward WA, Debeb BG, Xu W, Buchholz TA. Overcoming radiation resistance in inflammatory breast cancer. Cancer 116(11 Suppl):2840-5, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20503417.
- Debeb BG, Xu W, Mok H, Li L, Robertson F, Ueno NT, Reuben J, Lucci A, Cristofanilli M, Woodward WA. Differential radiosensitizing effect of valproic acid in differentiation versus self-renewal promoting culture conditions. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3):889-95, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20159363.
- Klopp AH, Lacerda L, Gupta A, Debeb BG, Solley T, Li L, Spaeth E, Xu W, Zhang X, Lewis MT, Reuben JM, Krishnamurthy S, Ferrari M, Gaspar R, Buchholz TA, Cristofanilli M, Marini F, Andreeff M, Woodward WA. Mesenchymal stem cells promote mammosphere formation and decrease E-cadherin in normal and malignant breast cells. PLoS One 5(8):e12180, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20808935.
- Debeb BG, Zhang X, Krishnamurthy S, Gao H, Cohen E, Li L, Rodriguez AA, Landis MD, Lucci A, Ueno NT, Robertson F, Xu W, Lacerda L, Buchholz TA, Cristofanilli M, Reuben JM, Lewis MT, Woodward WA. Characterizing cancer cells with cancer stem cell-like features in 293T human embryonic kidney cells. Mol Cancer 9:180, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20615238.
- Galat V, Binas B, Iannaccone S, Postovit LM, Debeb BG, Iannaccone P. Developmental potential of rat extraembryonic stem cells. Stem Cells Dev 18(9):1309-18, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19480599.
- Debeb BG, Binas B. A new enhancer in the flanking region of the gene Pou5f1. Journal of Natural Science and Technology 13:1-6, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Debeb BG, Galat V, Epple-Farmer J, Iannaccone S, Woodward WA, Bader M, Iannaccone P, Binas B. Isolation of Oct4-expressing extraembryonic endoderm precursor cell lines. PLoS One 4(9):e7216, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19784378.
- Epple-Farmer J, Debeb BG, Smithies O, Binas B. Gender-dependent survival of allogeneic trophoblast stem cells in liver. Cell Transplant 18(7):769-76, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19523327.
- Debeb BG, Molla B. Bacteriological quality of cow's raw milk from four dairy farms and a milk collection center in and around Addis Ababa. Berl Munch Tierartz Wschr 113:276-278, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
Other Articles
- Debeb BG, Woodward WA Commentary on ALDH1 expression is enriched in breast cancers arising in young women but does not predict outcome. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 25(1):47-48, 2014.
Abstracts
- Xu W, Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Li J, Larson R, Reuben J, Krishnamurthy S, Ueno N, Woodward WA. Screening of flavanoid library for breast cancer stem cell selective killing compounds. Drug Discovery and Therapy World Congress, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Larson R, Xu W, Atkinson R, Wolfe A, Ueno NT, Reuben JM, Gilcrease M, Krishnamurthy S, Buchholz T, Woodward W. Histone deacetylase (HDAC)-inhibitor mediated reprogramming drives cancer cells to the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway. Mammary Gland Biology Gordon Research Conference, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Larson R, Xu W, Atkinson R, Wolfe A, Ueno NT, Reuben JM, Gilcrease M, Krishnamurthy S, Buchholz T, Woodward W. Histone deacetylase (HDAC)-inhibitor mediated reprogramming drives cancer cells to the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway. 1st Annual Radiobiology Retreat, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Lacerda L, Smith D, Debeb B, Solley T, Larson R, Xu W, Krishnamurthy S, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. Mesenchymal stem cells promote tumor-skin involvement in inflammatory breast cancer models. Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Larson R, Li L, Xu W, Huo L, Wei C, Krishnamurthy S, Reuben JM, Ueno NT, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. The miR-200 family as a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory breast cancer. 3rd Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference Proceedings, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Debeb BG, Larson R, Lacerda L, Xu W, Smith DL, Ueno NT, Reuben JM, Gilcrease M, Krishnamurthy S, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Histoen deacetylase (HDAC)-inhibitor mediated reprogramming drives cancer cells to the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Proceedings, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Debeb BG, Li L, Larson R, Lacerda L, Xu W, Wei C, Ueno N, Reuben J, Buchholz T, Woodward W. Radiation modulates expression microRNAs in breast cancer cell lines grown under adherent and stem cell promoting culture conditions. Cancer Res 72:5044, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Debeb BG, Larson R, Xu W, Lacerda L, Buchholz T, Ueno N, Reuben J, Woodward W. The effect of survivin downregulation on radiosensitization of breast cancer cell lines grown under adherent and stem cell promoting culture conditions. Cancer Res 71:P1-04-03, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Debeb BG, Larson R, Xu W, Lacerda L, Reuben JM, Buchholz TA, Ueno NT, Woodward WA. The effect of survivin downregulation on radiosensitization of breast cancer cell lines grown under adherent and stem cell promoting culture conditions. Cancer Research 71(24):170S, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
- Xu W, Debeb B, de Lacerda A, Li L, Larson R Reuben J, Ueno N, Woodward WA. The mechanism of anti- breast cancer TICs effect of pyrvinium pamoate is through WNT/ beta-catenin signaling. Cancer Research 71(24):170s, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
- Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Xu W, Hortobagyi GN, Reuben JM, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Expansion of human breast cancer stem cells through HDAC inhibitors. Proceedings of the 102th Annual American Association for Cancer Research, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
- Debeb BG, Xu W, Lacerda L, Hortobagyi GN, Robertson F, Ueno NT, Lucci A, Reuben JM, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Histone Deacetylase inhibitors increase markers of the dedifferentiated cancer stem cell phenotype in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 70(S24), 2010. e-Pub 2010.
- Klopp AH, Lacerda L, Gupta A, Debeb BG, Marini F, Andreeff M, Woodward WA. Mesenchymal stem cells promote mammosphere formation in normal and malignant breast cells. Cancer Res 70(8), 2010. e-Pub 2010.
- Xu W, Debeb BG, Lacerda L, Woodward WA. Potential targets for improving radiosensitivity of breast tumor-initiating cells. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 10(2):152-6, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20184537.
- Debeb BG, Hall CS, Xu W, Ueno N, Reuben JM, robertson F, Lucci A, Buchholz TA, Hortobagyi GN, Cristofanilli M, Woodward WA. Cancer initiating cells downregulate microRNAs implicated in the regulation of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research 7333, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Debeb BG, Xu W, Woodward WA. Radiation resistance of breast cancer stem cells: understanding the clinical framework. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 14(1):11-7, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19252973.
- Hall C, Debeb B, Xu W, Robertson F, Reuben JM, Ueno N, Cristofanilli M, Lucci A, Woodward W. Novel inflammatory breast cancer cell ine, MDA-IBC-1 expresses and secretes Wisp3 a putative tumor suppressor in inflammatory breast cancer. Cancer Res 69(2):121S, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Debeb BG, Hall CS, Xu W, Ueno N, Reuben JM, Robertson F, Lucci A, Buchholz TA, Hortobagyi G, Cristofanilli M, Woodward W. Populations of cells exhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem cell characteristics can be propagated from an inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) cell line. Cancer Res 69(2):85S, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Hall C, Debeb B, Xu W, robertson F, Reuben JM, Ueno N, Cristofanilli M, Lucci A, Woodward W. Novel inflammatory breast cancer cell ine, MDA-IBC-1 expresses and secretes Wisp3 a putative tumor suppressor in inflammatory breast cancer. Proceedings of The First International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Debeb BG, Hall CS, Xu W, Ueno N, Reuben JM, Robertson F, Lucci A, Buchholz TA, Hortobagyi G, Cristofanilli M, Woodward W. Populations of cells exhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem cell characteristics can be propagated from an inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) cell line. Proceedings of The First International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Xu W, Debeb BG, Hall C, Li J, Reuben J, Krishnamurthy S, Cristofanilli M, Woodward W. HIF1a is up-regulated by radiation in breast cancer stem/tumor-initiating cells. Proceedings from the 50th Annual ASTRO Meeting, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
- Debeb BG, Galat V, Epple-Farmer J, Adhikari S, Iannaccone P, Binas B. Molecular Characterization of Self-Renewing, Oct4-Expressing Yolk Sac Endoderm Precursor Cells. Mol Biol of the Cell Suppl A, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2024. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: novel therapeutic targets. Invited. ABC Lab Tour Program. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Brain Metastasis in IBC: An Update. Invited. IBC Seminar Series. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Targeting soluble E-cadherin in inflammatory breast cancer. Invited. IBC Seminar Series. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Soluble E-cadherin: a novel prognostic biomarker and driver of brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Invited. 2024 Brain Metastasis Research Retreat. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Novel therapeutic approaches to block IBC tumor stemness and progression. Invited. IBC Research Retreat. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Brain Metastasis in Inflammatory Breast Cancer: New Models and Therapeutic Targets. Invited. Andrew M. McDougall Brain Metastasis Clinic and Research Program. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2020. Novel insights on inflammatory breast cancer aggressiveness and brain metastasis. Conference. Dept of Genetics Research Exchange Virtual Series, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
- 2020. An Overview of Ongoing Research Projects in Debeb Lab. Conference. BMO Departmental Meeting. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. Novel preclinical models and regulators of brain metastasis. Conference. Experimental Therapeutics Seminar series-MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. MicroRNA 141: a novel regulator of brain metastasis. Conference. Institutional Grand Rounds-MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. The microRNA miR-141 is a key regulator of brain metastasis from Breast Cancer. Conference. SPDR Seminar Series- MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. The microRNA miR-141 is a key regulator of brain metastasis from Breast Cancer. Conference. 2nd Annual Radiobiology Retreat MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2013. Molecular drivers of brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Conference. IBC Clinical and Laboratory Research meeting-MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2011. Histone deacetylase inhibitors stimulate the expansion of human breast cancer stem cells through b-catenin signaling. Conference. SPDR Series- MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
- 2009. Poster: Cancer initiating cells downregulate microRNAs implicated in the regulation of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Conference. 4th Annual Symposium of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, TX, US.
- 2008. Poster: HIF-1α is Upregulated by Radiation in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Stem/tumor-initiating Cells. Conference. First International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2008. Radiation resistance of inflammatory breast cancer cells. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2022. NDRG1 in aggressive breast cancer progression and metastasis. Conference. The Academy at GSBS, UTHealth - MD Anderson, US.
- 2022. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: novel models and therapeutic targets. Conference. MD Anderson Cancer Center, US.
- 2022. Targets in Inflammatory breast cancer and brain metastasis. Conference. MD Anderson Cancer Center, US.
- 2014. MiR-141 as a key regulator of brain metastasis from Breast Cancer. Conference. 4th Annual Brain Metastases Research and Emerging Therapy Conference. Marseille, FR.
- 2010. Poster: Three structural-similar natural flavonoid compounds have the properties of anti-breast cancer tumor initiating cells (TICs) in metaplastic and inflammatory breast cancer cell lines. Conference. 2nd International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference. Marseille, FR.
- 2010. Poster: Human inflammatory breast cancer: new cell lines for research. Conference. 2nd International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference. Marseille, FR.
- 2010. Poster: Radiation modulates expression of microRNAs in inflammatory breast cancer cell lines grown under adherent and stem cell promoting culture conditions. Conference. 2nd International Inflammatory Breast Cancer Conference. Marseille, FR.
National Presentations
- 2025. Brain Metastasis in aggressive breast cancers: Mechanisms and Therapeutics. Invited. Integrative Biology and Pharmacology Seminar Series, US.
- 2023. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Invited. 10th Metastatic Breast Cancer Research Conference. Park City, UT, US.
- 2023. Novel Brain metastasis models and therapeutic targets. Invited. Cancer Biology Graduate School Seminar. Denver, Colorado, US.
- 2022. Soluble E-cadherin: a novel prognostic biomarker and driver of brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Invited. San Antonio Breast Cancer Research Symposium. San Antonio, TX, US.
- 2022. Breast Cancer: An Overview. Invited. Tigray Women Association - Waela Forum, US.
- 2022. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: novel models and therapeutic targets. Invited. Breast Disease Research (BDR) Seminar. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. miR-141-mediated regulation of brain metastasis from breast cancer. Conference. UTHealth - MD Anderson. Houston, TX, US.
- 2020. Preclinical Models of brain metastasis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Invited. Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis - Marina Kapalan Project, US.
- 2020. Patient advocacy in cancer research: role of advocates in the funding review process. Invited. IBC Learning Academy Workshop, US.
- 2020. NDRG1 is a poor prognosis marker and a driver of tumorigenesis and brain metastasis in aggressive breast cancer. Invited. 7th Annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Research Conference, US.
- 2020. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: New models and therapeutic targets. Invited. 3rd Brain Metastasis Research Symposium (postponed). Houston, US.
- 2019. Molecular insights into inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) aggressiveness and metastasis. Invited, US.
- 2017. Novel Insights into Breast Cancer Metastasis to the Brain. Invited. Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program. Houston, TX, US.
- 2016. miR-141-mediated regulation of brain metastasis from breast cancer. Invited. Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, TX, US.
- 2011. Human breast cancer stem cells. Invited. GAP Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2009. Quantitative risk assessment of Rift Valley fever virus introduction through importation of live sheep and goats. Invited. Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD, US.
- 2007. Isolation and characterization of extraembryonic endoderm precursor cell lines. Invited. Graduate student Association at the College Of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. College Station, TX, US.
- 2004. Rift valley fever virus as a potential bioterrorism agent. Invited. Tuskegee University. Tuskegee, AL, US.
- 2003. Implication of Rift valley fever virus on international trade: the case of Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Invited. Tuskegee University. Tuskegee, AL, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Novel models and drivers of brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer. Metastasis Research Society Meeting. London, GB.
- 2022. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: New models and therapeutic targets. Invited. IBC -International Conference. Houston, US.
- 2020. Novel molecular insights and therapeutic targets for brain metastasis in IBC. Invited. 7th international IBC Symposium, US.
- 2016. Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for cancer Detection and prognosis. Invited. MoH and Office of First Lady. Addis Ababa, ET.
Formal Peers
- 2023. Novel Brain metastasis models and therapeutic targets. Invited. Denver, US.
- 2022. Breast Cancer: An Overview. Visiting, US.
- 2022. Brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer: novel models and therapeutic targets. Invited, US.
- 2020. Preclinical Models of brain metastasis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Invited, US.
- 2020. Breast Cancer: An Overview. Visiting, US.
- 2019. Molecular insights into inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) aggressiveness and metastasis. Invited, US.
- 2007. Molecular characterization of extraembryonic endoderm precursor cell lines. Invited. Tuskegee, AL, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | Targeting Mechanisms of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Fellowship Award |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | NDRG1 regulates the tumor initiating cell state in aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2025 - 2029 |
| Title: | Translating mechanistic insights into therapeutics against aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | UT-MDACC Collaborative Accelerator Grant |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2025 - Present |
| Title: | Translating mechanistic insights into therapeutics against aggressive breast cancers (TRIUMPH-IBC) |
| Funding Source: | MDACC/UT Austin Strategic Collaboration – Accelerator Grant for Transformative Research Endeavors |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets of Brain Metastasis in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | Andrew M. McDougall Brain Metastasis Clinic and Research Program |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | The promise of Capivasertib and statin combinations for ER-Negative IBC tumors |
| Funding Source: | Cathy Rain Smith IBC Fund |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Mechanisms of Cholesterol mediated metastasis and Radiation resistance |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Date: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Title: | Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Andrew Sabin Fellowship Award |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Deciphering the Mechanism of Lymphovascular Space Invasion Using a Lympho-vascularized Bioengineering Breast Stromal Platform |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | 1 R01 CA284102-01A1 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2025 |
| Title: | NDRG1 as a Master Regulator of Tumor Stemness in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | Targeting Novel Mediators of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | BC230452 - DoD-BCRP Breakthrough Level 2 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | Enhanced Viro-Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Harnessing oncolytic Viro-immunotherapy |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | NDRG1 as a Master Regulator of Tumor Stemness in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Elucidating mechanisms that drive breast cancer brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 R01 CA281965-A1 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | NDRG1 as a Master Regulator of Tumor Stemness in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 R01 CA288737-01 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Dual HER2/VEGFR2 Kinase Inhibitors Targeting Resistant Breast Cancer and Its Aggressive Brain Metastasis: From Design to Formulation |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Multi-Modal Approaches for Targeting Breast Cancer Brain Metastases and HER2 Mutants |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | Multi-Tissue In Vitro Platforms for Modeling the Metastatic Cascade in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Local delivery of extracellular vesicles loaded with anti-miRNAs secreted by engineered T cells to target triple-negative breast cancer: a novel strategy |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | BC230396P1 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Multi-Targeting of Resistant Breast Cancer Brain Metastases (RBCWM) with Innovative Dual Anti-HER2/VEGFR2 then anti-EMT Therapy |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Preclinical/Translational research breakthroughs in IBC |
| Funding Source: | MDACC - Morgan Welch IBC Program |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Dual HER2/VEGFR2 Kinase Inhibitors Targeting Resistant Breast Cancer and Its Aggressive Brain Metastasis: From Design to Formulation |
| Funding Source: | US-Egypt Collaborative Research Grant |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | Sequential Targeting of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases by Innovative Anti-HER2/VEGFR2 and -Secretase Modulator |
| Funding Source: | TAMUHSC |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Targeting sEcad - PDI axis for the treatment of breast cancer brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | METAvivor Translational Research Award |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | The role of NDRG1 driven stemness in aggressive breast tumors, American Cancer Society |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | The role of NDRG1 driven stemness in aggressive breast tumors |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Serum Biomarker Profiles in IBC Patients |
| Funding Source: | MDACC - Morgan Welch IBC Program |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Role of sEcad in NK-mediated cytotoxicity |
| Funding Source: | MDACC - Morgan Welch IBC Program |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Development and optimization of 12-marker multiplex flow cytometry |
| Funding Source: | MDACC - Morgan Welch IBC Program |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Screening for breast cancer brain-metastasis small molecule inhibitors |
| Funding Source: | MDACC - Morgan Welch IBC Program |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Characterizing sEcad in brain metastatic breast cancer”, Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Cholesterol mediated radiation resistance in brain metastases |
| Funding Source: | MDACC-ROSI Shark Tank Seed Award |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2023 |
| Title: | Targeting Protein Disulfide Isomerase in Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | MDACC-Bridge Funding |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | Targeting Protein Disulfide Isomerase in Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Dual Anti-HER2/VEGFR Targeted Therapy for Resistant Metastatic Breast Cancer (RMBC) |
| Funding Source: | TAMUHSC |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Dual HER2/VEGFR2 Kinase Inhibitors Targeting Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2023 - 2025 |
| Title: | The role of cytokine-mediated networks in aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | Multidisciplinary Research Program |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Identifying targetable tumor-brain microenvironment interactions that promote breast cancer brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2024 |
| Title: | Emerging strategies of Targeted Dual Anti-HER2/VEGF for Breast Cancer Brain Metastases |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Multi-Tissue In Vitro Platforms for Modeling the Metastatic Cascade in Aggressive Breast Cancers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Biomimetic Microfluidic Platform for Mechanistic Study of Breast Tumor Metastasis to Brain |
| Funding Source: | UT-Austin-MDACC Collaborative Pilot |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Identifying therapeutic targets for brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R01CA269689-01 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Novel mediators of inflammatory breast cancer aggressiveness |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Blood Brain Barrier Modulating miRNA-based Therapeutics for the Treatment of Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Characterizing sEcad in brain metastatic breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Targeting soluble E-cadherin in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MWIBC-BootWalk Fund |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2026 |
| Title: | Biomimetic Blood Brain Barrier Assay for Drug Discovery in Treating Brain Metastasis in Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NCI/IMAT |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Emerin dysfunction drives breast cancer metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Novel Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
| Title: | NDRG1/ PKC promote IBC brain metastases |
| Funding Source: | Morgan Welch IBC |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | NDRG1/PKC in Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | MWIBC-Team Science Grant |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2024 |
| Title: | Development of Multi-Epitope Targeting Bi-Specific MAbOligo Therapeutics for Brain Metastatic Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Identifying targetable tumor-microenvironment interactions that promote breast cancer brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Elucidating Targetable Tumor cell - Microenvironment Interactions in Brain Metastases |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2021 |
| Title: | Development of Multi-Epitope Targeting Bi-Specific MAbOligo Therapeutics for Brain Metastatic Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH-SBIR |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Deciphering the role of NDRG1 in inflammatory breast cancer tumor initiation and progression |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson-IRG |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2020 - 2021 |
| Title: | Therapeutic efficacy of decorin recombinant protein for inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Boot Walk Fund |
| Role: | Mentor |
| Date: | 2020 - 2021 |
| Title: | Targeting PI3K/mTOR to prevent NDRG1-mediated tumor progression and metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Boot Walk Fund |
| Role: | Mentor |
| Date: | 2020 - 2023 |
| Title: | Therapeutic exploitation of NDRG1- mediated tumorigenesis in aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2020 - 2022 |
| Title: | Mechanisms of tumor initiation and maintenance in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | CA253554-01 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2024 |
| Title: | Novel mechanisms of brain metastasis in aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 134078-RSG-19-126-01-CSM |
| Date: | 2019 - 2024 |
| Title: | Molecular determinants of brain metastasis in aggressive breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01 |
| Date: | 2019 - 2021 |
| Title: | Influence of normal breast biology on health disparity in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) |
| Funding Source: | Susan G. Komen-Genentech Health Disparities Grant |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2018 - 2020 |
| Title: | Improving therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson-IRG |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2017 - 2021 |
| Title: | Molecular and Immunohistochemical features of Breast Cancer in Ethiopia |
| Funding Source: | MDACC-SINF |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2017-00054706-Y1 |
| Date: | 2017 - 2024 |
| Title: | Identification and targeting functional drivers of brain metastasis from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MDACC-Startup |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2017 - 2021 |
| Title: | Early stage brain metastasis initiation and colonization from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | CCR16377813 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | Targeting Lipocalin2 to prevent brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MDACC U54 Pilot Grant |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2016 - 2020 |
| Title: | Development of a Multifunctional Hybrid Nanoparticle (MHN) to treat inflammatory breast cancer metastasis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | U01 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | U54 Pilot Project D - Targeting Lipocalin2 to prevent brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 3U54CA096300-14 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2016 |
| Title: | LCN2 in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MDACC U54 Supplement |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2015 - 2018 |
| Title: | E-cadherin as a viable target in brain metastasis from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2015 - 2016 |
| Title: | Randomized Phase II Double Blind Study of VPA vs Placebo to Shorten Time of Indwelling Pleural Catheter (Clinical Trial NCT01900730) |
| Funding Source: | IBC Network Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2014 - 2017 |
| Title: | E-cadherin as a viable target in brain metastasis from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | BC140077 |
| Date: | 2014 - 2015 |
| Title: | Seed money to generate additional brain metastasis models and to understand brain metastasis in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Morgan Welch IBC Research Program and Clinic |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2014 - 2016 |
| Title: | (PQD4) Signs of Inflammatory Breast Cancer are Caused by Stromal Field Effects |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | 3R01CA180061-02W1 |
| Date: | 2014 - 2017 |
| Title: | Elucidate the role of miR-141 in Brain Metastasis from Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R21CA188672-01 |
| Date: | 2014 - 2017 |
| Title: | Elucidate in the role of miR-141 in brain metastasis from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2014 - 2015 |
| Title: | Defining the role of EMT/MET in brain metastasis |
| Funding Source: | MDACC |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| ID: | Institutional Research Grant Program |
| Date: | 2014 - 2016 |
| Title: | Therapeutic efficacy of oligonucleotides to prevent brain metastasis from breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | IBC Network Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2013 - 2015 |
| Title: | miR-141 in Brain Metastasis from Breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Sidney Kimmel Scholar Award |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2013 - 2015 |
| Title: | Targeting EZH2 to modulate the response of inflammatory breast cancer stem cells to radiation |
| Funding Source: | ASTRO 2013 Junior Faculty Career Research Training Award |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2013 - 2016 |
| Title: | Malignant Reprogramming Triggers a Switch in Glucose Metabolism |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1K22CA178122-01 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2013 |
| Title: | The miR-200 microRNAs as a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | MDACC-Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2010 - 2014 |
| Title: | Targeting microRNA to alter radiation resistance of breast cancer stem cells |
| Funding Source: | Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | KG101478 |
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CV information above last modified June 27, 2025