Vahid Afshar-Kharghan, M.D.
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Committee Chair, Transfusion and Patient Blood Management, Section of Benign Hematology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Professor, Department of Pulmonary, Section of Benign Hematology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Section of Benign Hematology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1991 | Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, TR, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 1997-2000 | Fellowship, Hematology Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
| 1993-1997 | Clinical Residency, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
| 1991-1993 | Graduate Training in the Department of Biotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara |
| 1984-1991 | Medical School, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2024 | Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2024 | Georgia Composite Medical Board |
| 2023 | Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2022 | Drug Enforcement Administration |
| 2022 | Basic Life Support |
| 2021 | Florida Board of Medicine |
| 2006 | American Board of Internal Medicine-Internal Medicine |
| 2001 | American Board of Internal Medicine-Hematology |
| 2000 | American Board of Internal Medicine - Medical Oncology |
| 1999 | Texas - Medical Board |
| 1996 | American Board of Internal Medicine - Internal Medicine |
| 1992 | Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2008 - 2015
Assistant Professor, Thrombosis Research Section, Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 2000 - 2008
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Chair, Transfusion & Patient Blood Management Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2024 - Present
Co-Chair, Transfusion & Patient Blood Management Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2021 - 2024
Staff Physician, Department of Medicine, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas, 2005 - 2008
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 2000 - 2008
Other Professional Positions
Professor, Endowed Positions, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2021 - Present
Regular Member, UT Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, 2015 - Present
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Voting Member, Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2024 - Present
Member, Medical Staff & Credentialing Services, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2024 - Present
Chair, Transfusion &Patient Blood Management Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - Present
Member, Study Section Review Committee for Clinical Translational and Population-Based Research Projects under the Institutional Research Grants Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2013 - Present
Editorial Activities
Member, Editorial Board, Blood Vessels, Thrombosis, and Hemostasis, 2026 - Present
Member, Editorial Board, Scientific reports, 2026 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2021 | McCollough Professorship in Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2016 | Membership, The American Society for Clinical Investigation |
| 2010 | Excellence in Teaching Award, Division of Cancer Medicine Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program |
| 1999 | Young Investigator Award, The International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis |
| 1997 | Outstanding Presentation-Basic Research Award in the Research Symposium, Baylor College of Medicine |
| 1996 | Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in Ambulatory Care Medicine, Houston VA Medicine Service |
| 1995 | Clinical Investigator Pathway Award, Baylor College of Medicine |
| 1992 | FMGEMS 1 & 2 with scores of 93 & 92 respectively |
| 1991 | Best Medical Graduate Award, Hacettepe Medical School |
| 1991 | Graduation With Highest Honors (Summa Cum Laude), Hacettepe Medical School |
| 1989 | Best Medical Student Award, Hacettepe Medical School |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2019. Scientific Briefing: Beyond lymphocytes in graft-versus-host disease. 17th Annual Parsley Charity Golf Classic. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2015. Thrombotic Microangiopathies and Kidney. Nephrology Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2010. Thrombotic Microangiopathies. Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2007. Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2007. Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 1997. Research Seminar. Houston, Texas, US.
- 1997. Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2010. 1st annual meeting of CPRIT. Austin, Texas, US.
- 1998. 71st Annual Scientific Sessions. Dallas, Texas, US.
National Presentations
- 2024. Long-term Outcomes in Complement-Mediated Thrombotic Microangiopathy/aHUS. Invited. The American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Orlando, Florida, US.
- 2023. Circulating mitochondria and VTE in glioma. Invited. The American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. San Diego, California, US.
- 2022. Platelet G proteins and Tumor Growth. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2018. Platelets and the Progression of Ovarian Cancer, Oklahoma, US.
- 2018. Role of platelets in the progression of the Ovarian Cancer. Miami, Florida, US.
- 2016. Atypical hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. San Diego, California, US.
- 2015. Thrombotic Microangiopathies. Seattle, Washington, US.
- 2015. Interactions Between Platelets and Cancer Cells. Keystone, Colorado, US.
- 2015. Platelet and Cancer. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.
- 2014. Von Willebrand Factor is a Cofactor in Complement Regulation. San Francisco, California, US.
- 2014. 56th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. San Francisco, California, US.
- 2014. Genetic Variants of ADAMTS13 in aHUS. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US.
- 2013. Special Symposium on the Basic Science of Hemostasis and Thrombosis. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2013. 55th Annual Meeting of The American Society of Hematology. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2013. Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Washington, DC, US.
- 2013. TTP and Atypical HUS. Houston, United States, US.
- 2012. 54th Annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Atlanta, Georgia, US.
- 2011. 53rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. San Diego, California, US.
- 2008. 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. San Francisco, California, US.
- 2007. Medicine Grand Rounds. Seattle, Washington, US.
- 2006. Hematology Grand Rounds. Salt Lake City, Utah, US.
- 2006. Hematology Grand Rounds. Seattle, Washington, US.
- 2004. 46th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. San Diego, California, US.
- 2003. 45th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. San Diego, California, US.
- 2001. 43rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Orlando, Florida, US.
- 1999. XVII Annual Congress. Washington, US.
- 1998. 40th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Miami Beach, Florida, US.
- 1996. 38th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Orlando, Florida, US.
International Presentations
- 2022. The Complement System and Thrombosis. Antalya, TR.
- 2022. Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Guadalajara, US.
- 2020. Update on the Transplant-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy. Seoul, KR.
- 2017. Role of Platelets in Cancer. Toronto, CA.
- 2016. The Complement System and Hematologic Disorders. Antalya, TR.
- 2014. Role of Complement in Cancer. Monterrey, MX.
- 2014. Thrombosis and Cancer. Melbourne, AU.
Formal Peers
- 2018. Role of platelets in the progression of the Ovarian Cancer. Invited. Miami, FL, US.
- 2017. Special Presentation: Role of platelets in cancer. Invited. Toronto, CA.
- 2015. Thrombotic microangiopathies. Invited. Seattle, WA, US.
- 2015. Interactions between platelets and cancer cells. Invited. Keystone, CO, US.
- 2015. Platelet and cancer. Invited. Pittsburgh, PA, US.
- 2014. Role of complement in cancer. Invited. Monterrey, Nuevo León, MX.
- 2014. Thrombosis and Cancer. Invited. Melbourne, VIC, AU.
- 2013. TTP and atypical HUS. Invited. Houston, TX, US.
- 2007. Medicine Grand Rounds. Invited. Seattle, WA, US.
- 2006. Hematology Grand Rounds. Invited. Salt Lake City, UT, US.
- 2006. Hematology Grand Rounds. Invited. Seattle, WA, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Novel Biomarkers Predicting Blood Clots in Ovarian Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01CA275762-01A1 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2025 |
| Title: | Platelet serine/threonine phosphatases in cancer pathophysiology |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | CO-I |
| ID: | R01 CA247917 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2023 |
| Title: | Genetics of graft versus host disease |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01CA231141 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2019 |
| Title: | ASH Bridge Award |
| Funding Source: | American Society of Hematology (ASH) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2014 - 2019 |
| Title: | Genome-Wide Association Study of Genetic Susceptibility for Graft-vs-Host Disease |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1X01HG007923-01 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2023 |
| Title: | Platelets promote the growth of ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2R01CA177909 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2018 |
| Title: | Platelets promote the growth of ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | CA177909 |
| Date: | 2013 - 2016 |
| Title: | Power of platelets in ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | Ovarian Cancer Research Fund |
| Role: | Investigator |
| Date: | 2012 - 2015 |
| Title: | Role of the complement system in ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Date: | 2012 - 2017 |
| Title: | The role of the complement system in graft-versus-host disease |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Date: | 2012 - 2014 |
| Title: | The role of complement system in alloimmune responses |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIAID |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2011 - 2014 |
| Title: | Role of the complement system in graft-versus-host disease |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2011 - 2013 |
| Title: | Role of Platelets in Ovarian Cancer Pathogenesis |
| Funding Source: | Baylor/UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | Collaborative Multidisciplinary Research Proposal |
| Date: | 2010 - 2015 |
| Title: | Factor H and thrombotic microangiopathies |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2010 - 2011 |
| Title: | The complement system and ovarian cancer |
| Funding Source: | Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program |
| Role: | Investigator |
| Date: | 2010 |
| Title: | Mechanism of posttransplant thrombotic microangiopathy |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2006 - 2009 |
| Title: | The Complement System Links Platelet Activation to Inflammation |
| Funding Source: | Department of Veteran Affairs, Merit Review Grant |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2005 - 2007 |
| Title: | Molecular Basis of Activation of the Complement System by Platelets |
| Funding Source: | Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Medicine |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2002 - 2004 |
| Title: | Functional Effects and Clinical Impact of the Polymorphisms in the a2A-adrenerhic Receptor Gene |
| Funding Source: | American Heart Association |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2002 - 2005 |
| Title: | The role of Platelets in Thrombo-Hemorrhagic Complications of Myeloproliferative Disorders |
| Funding Source: | Leukemia and Lymphoma Society |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2000 - 2001 |
| Title: | The Functional Effects of the PSGL-1 Polymorphism |
| Funding Source: | Baylor College of Medicine Faculty Seed Funding |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Caroline Wiess Law Fund's grant |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Feng S, Kulkarni V, Pantaleón García J, Mani Jacques V, Lee H, Kroll CJ, Feng J, Mastro AM, Wang Y, Evans SE, Kroll, Afshar-Kharghan V. Non-Hemostatic Platelet-Dependent Protection Against Murine Bacterial Pneumonia. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Lee H, Carlos Alcalde W, Gonzalez Delgado R, Ahn JY, Vasquez M, Cho MS, Wong STC, Sood AK, Afshar-Kharghan V. Molecular control of platelet extravasation into tumors and its impact on tumor growth. Blood Vessels Thrombosis and Hemostasis 3(3):100180, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42598555.
- Pal, K, Kuban, JD, Patel, MN, Shah, KY, Habibollahi, P, Gurusamy, V, Mandal, SK, Tam, AL, Gupta, S, Rojas Hernandez, CM, Kroll, M, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sheth, RA. Venous mechanical thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis in patients with cancer. Blood Vessels, Thrombosis and Hemostasis 3(3), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42473469.
- Kotla, S, Lee, J, Ko, KA, Chen, W, Samanthapudi, VS, Hoang, ON, Mejia, G, Li, S, Lee, H, Zhang, A, Cho, MS, Schadler, KL, Rivera, LA, Imanishi, M, Tavares Samperio, KC, Kim, JH, Ostos-Mendoza, KC, Mariscal-Reyes, KN, Deswal, A, Cooke, J, Fujiwara, K, Palaskas, NL, Koutroumpakis, E, Gi, YJ, Pathania, R, Morrell, C, Lorenzi, PL, Tan, L, Mahmud, I, Hanssen, NM, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Hamilton, DJ, Yvan-Charvet, L, Chini, EN, Herrmann, J, Vasquez, HG, Shen, YH, Martin, JF, Xu, H, Seeley, E, Burks, JK, Brookes, PS, Wang, G, Le, NT, Abe, J. LATS1/2-CD38 Metabolic Rewiring Links Senescence to Intraplaque Thrombosis. Circulation research 139(2), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42200276.
- Oncul, S, Lee, H, Singh, S, Yee, C, Afshar-Kharghan, V. B cell depletion promotes melanoma tumor growth in a CD4+ T cell-dependent manner. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) 215(3), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41847850.
- Lee, H, Sager, B, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Cho, MS. Platelets induce VISTA expression and modulate the ovarian tumor microenvironment. Platelets 37(1), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41841642.
- Gollamudi, J, Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Cho, MS, Wharton, B, Lee, H, Vadaparti, A, Dasgupta, SK, Crúz, MA, Thiagarajan, P, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Podoplanin and microthrombi in lung injury. Blood Vessels, Thrombosis and Hemostasis 2(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40766876.
- Shafiee Kermany D, Young Ahn J, Vasquez M, Zhang W, Wang L, Liu K, Xu Z, Cho MS, Carlos-Alcalde W, Lee H, Raghunathan R, Sheng J, Hao H, Zhao H, Afshar-Kharghan V, Hong-Fei Zhang X, Wong STC. Multiscale 3D spatial analysis of the tumor microenvironment using whole-tissue digital histopathology. Cancer Communications 45(3):386-390, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39749685.
- Li D, Cho MS, Gonzalez-Delgado R, Liang X, Dong JF, Cruz MA, Ma Q, Afshar-Kharghan V. The effect of ADAMTS13 on graft-versus-host disease. J Cell Mol Med 28(13):e18457, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38963011.
- Patel RM, Pal K, Ahmed SA, Kuban JD, Patel M, Shah K, Habibollahi P, Metwalli Z, Gurusamy V, Gupta S, Rojas-Hernandez CM, Afshar-Kharghan V, Michael H Kroll, Sheth RA. Mechanical Venous Thrombectomy for Deep Venous Thrombosis in Cancer Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 47(5):556-566, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38548981.
- Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Munoz, NM, Carlos-Alcalde, W, Cho, MS, Lee, H, Jin, J, Serpas Higbie, V, Gorlova, OY, Sheth, RA, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Role of circulating mitochondria in venous thrombosis in glioblastoma. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 21(8):2202-2212, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37178770.
- Zhang, Z, Hong, W, Wu, Q, Tsavachidis, S, Li, Jr, Amos, CI, Cheng, C, Sartain, SE, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Dong, JF, Bhatraju, P, Martin, PJ, Makar, RS, Bendapudi, PK, Li, A. Pathway-driven rare germline variants associated with transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA). Thrombosis Research 225:39-46, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36948020.
- Kumar, B, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Mendt Vilchez, MC, Sackstein, R, Tanner, MR, Popat, UR, Ramdial, JL, Daher, M, Jimenez, J, Basar, R, Melo Garcia, L, Shanley, M, Kaplan, M, Wan, X, Nandivada, V, Reyes Silva, F, Woods, V, Gilbert, AL, Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Acharya, S, Lin, P, Rafei, H, Banerjee, PP, Shpall, E. Engineered cord blood megakaryocytes evade killing by allogeneic T-cells for refractory thrombocytopenia. Frontiers in immunology 13, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36203567.
- Cho, MS, Lee, H, Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Li, D, Sasano, T, Carlos-Alcalde, W, Ma, Q, Liu, J, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Platelets Increase the Expression of PD-L1 in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers 14(10), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35626102.
- Yang, M, Houck, KL, Dong, X, Hernandez, M, Wang, Y, Nathan, S, Wu, X, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Fu, X, Crúz, MA, Zhang, J, Nascimbene, A, Dong, JF. Hyperadhesive von Willebrand Factor Promotes Extracellular Vesicle-Induced Angiogenesis: Implication for LVAD-Induced Bleeding. JACC: Basic to Translational Science 7(3P1):247-261, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35411318.
- Glassman, D, Bateman, NW, Lee, S, Zhao, L, Yao, J, Tan, Y, Ivan, C, Rangel, KM, Zhang, J, Conrads, KA, Hood, BL, Abulez, T, Futreal, A, Fleming, N, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Maxwell, GL, Conrads, TP, Chen, K, Sood, AK. Molecular Correlates of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers 14(6), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35326647.
- Sasano, T, Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Munoz, NM, Carlos-Alcade, W, Cho, MS, Sheth, RA, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Podoplanin promotes tumor growth, platelet aggregation, and venous thrombosis in murine models of ovarian cancer. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 20(1):104-114, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34608736.
- Kanikarla Marie, P, Fowlkes, NW, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Martch, SL, Sorokin, A, Shen, JY, Morris, VK, Dasari, NV, You, YN, Sood, AK, Overman, MJ, Kopetz, S, Menter, DG. The Provocative Roles of Platelets in Liver Disease and Cancer. Frontiers in Oncology 11, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34367949.
- Saha, B, Mathur, T, Tronolone, JJ, Chokshi, M, Lokhande, GK, Selahi, A, Gaharwar, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK, Bao, G, Jain, A. Human tumor microenvironment chip evaluates the consequences of platelet extravasation and combinatorial antitumor-antiplatelet therapy in ovarian cancer. Science Advances 7(30), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34290095.
- Cho, MS, Li, J, Gonzalez-Delgado, R, Lee, H, Vasquez, M, He, T, He, Y, Liu, K, Sasano, T, Nürnberg, B, Sood, AK, Wong, ST, Afshar-Kharghan, V. The effect of platelet G proteins on platelet extravasation and tumor growth in the murine model of ovarian cancer. Blood Advances 5(7):1947-1951, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33821990.
- Sasano, T, Cho, MS, Rodriguez-Aguayo, C, Bayraktar, E, Taki, M, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. Role of tissue-factor bearing extracellular vesicles released from ovarian cancer cells in platelet aggregation in vitro and venous thrombosis in mice. Thrombosis Update 2, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Lee H, Carlos Alcalde W, Gonzalez Delgado R, Ahn JY, Vasquez M, Cho MS, Wong STC, Sood AK, Afshar-Kharghan V. Molecular control of platelet extravasation into tumors and its impact on tumor growth. Blood Vessels, Thrombosis & Hemostasis 3(3):100180, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Saha, B, Mathur, T, Handley, KF, Hu, W, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK, Jain, A. OvCa-chip microsystem recreates vascular endothelium-mediated platelet extravasation in ovarian cancer. Blood Advances 4(14):3329-3342, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32717032.
- Ma, Q, Li, D, Vasquez, HG, You, MJ, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Kidney Injury in Murine Models of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation 25(10):1920-1924, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31271886.
- Haemmerle, M, Stone, RL, Menter, DG, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. The Platelet Lifeline to Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancer cell 33(6):965-983, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29657130.
- Haemmerle, M, Taylor, M, Gutschner, T, Pradeep, S, Cho, MS, Sheng, J, Lyons, YA, Nagaraja, AS, Dood, RL, Wen, Y, Mangala, LS, Hansen, JM, Rupaimoole, R, Gharpure, K, Rodriguez-Aguayo, C, Yim, SY, Lee, J, Ivan, C, Hu, W, Lopez Berestein, G, Wong, ST, Karlan, B, Levine, DA, Liu, J, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. Platelets reduce anoikis and promote metastasis by activating YAP1 signaling. Nature communications 8(1), 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28827520.
- Hu, Q, Hisamatsu, T, Haemmerle, M, Cho, MS, Pradeep, S, Rupaimoole, R, Rodriguez-Aguayo, C, Lopez Berestein, G, Wong, ST, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Role of platelet-derived Tgfβ1 in the progression of ovarian cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 23(18):5611-5621, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28611202.
- Cho, MS, Noh, K, Haemmerle, M, Li, D, Park, H, Hu, Q, Hisamatsu, T, Mitamura, T, Mak, SL, Kunapuli, S, Ma, Q, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Role of ADP receptors on platelets in the growth of ovarian cancer. Blood 130(10):1235-1242, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28679740.
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. The role of the complement system in cancer. Journal of Clinical Investigation 127(3):780-789, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28248200.
- Hu, Q, Cho, MS, Thiagarajan, P, Aung, FM, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. A small amount of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) is constitutively expressed in platelets. Platelets 28(1):99-102, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 27534811.
- Hu, Q, Wang, M, Cho, MS, Wang, C, Nick, AM, Thiagarajan, P, Aung, FM, Han, X, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Lipid profile of platelets and platelet-derived microparticles in ovarian cancer. BBA Clinical 6:76-81, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27453821.
- Feng, S, Kroll, M, Nick, AM, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Platelets are not hyperreactive in patients with ovarian cancer. Platelets 27(7):716-718, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27185008.
- Haemmerle, M, Bottsford-Miller, J, Pradeep, S, Taylor, M, Choi, HJ, Hansen, JM, Dalton, HJ, Stone, RL, Cho, MS, Nick, AM, Nagaraja, AS, Gutschner, T, Gharpure, K, Mangala, LS, Rupaimoole, R, Han, HD, Zand, B, Armaiz Pena, GN, Wu, S, Pecot, CV, Burns, AR, Lopez Berestein, G, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. FAK regulates platelet extravasation and tumor growth after antiangiogenic therapy withdrawal. Journal of Clinical Investigation 126(5):1885-1896, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27064283.
- Cho, MS, Rupaimoole, R, Choi, HJ, Noh, K, Chen, J, Hu, Q, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Complement component 3 is regulated by TWIST1 and mediates epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Journal of Immunology 196(3):1412-1418, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26718342.
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Hematology 2016(1):217-225, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27913483.
- Cho MS, Rupaimoole R, Choi HJ, Noh K, Chen J, Hu Q, Sood AK, Afshar-Kharghan V. Complement Component 3 Is Regulated by TWIST1 and Mediates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. J Immunol, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26718342.
- Wang, R, Stone, RL, Kaelber, JT, Rochat, RH, Nick, AM, Vijayan, KV, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Schmida, MF, Sood, AK, Chiu, W. Electron cryotomography reveals ultrastructure alterations in platelets from patients with ovarian cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112(46):14266-14271, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26578771.
- Ciurea, SO, Thall, PF, Milton, D, Barnes, TH, Kongtim, P, Carmazzi, Y, López, AA, Yap, DY, Popat, UR, Rondon, G, Lichtiger, B, Aung, FM, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Ma, Q, Fernandez-Vina, M, Champlin, RE, Cao, K. Complement-Binding Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies and Risk of Primary Graft Failure in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation 21(8):1392-1398, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25985919.
- Feng, S, Liang, X, Kroll, M, Chung, DW, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Von willebrand factor is a cofactor in complement regulation. Blood 125(6):1034-1037, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25395424.
- Bottsford-Miller, J, Choi, HJ, Dalton, HJ, Stone, RL, Cho, MS, Haemmerle, M, Nick, AM, Pradeep, S, Zand, B, Previs, RA, Pecot, CV, Crane, EK, Hu, W, Lutgendorf, SK, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. Differential platelet levels affect response to taxane-based therapy in ovarian cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 21(3):602-610, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25473001.
- Pemmaraju, N, Sasaki, K, Johnson, D, Daver, N, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Chen, M, Ahmed, S, Colen, R, Kwon, M, Huh, YO, Borthakur, G. Successful treatment of intracranial hemorrhage with recombinant activated factor VII in a patient with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia. Frontiers in Oncology 5(FEB), 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25717439.
- Lin, RJ, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Schafer, AI. Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis. Blood 124(2):184-187, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24868077.
- Ma, Q, Li, D, Carreño, R, Patenia, R, Tsai, KY, Xydes-Smith, M, Alousi, AM, Champlin, RE, Sale, GE, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Complement component C3 mediates Th1/Th17 polarization in human T-cell activation and cutaneous GVHD. Bone marrow transplantation 49(7):972-976, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24777193.
- Davis, AN, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. Platelet effects on ovarian cancer. Seminars in oncology 41(3):378-384, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25023353.
- Cho, MS, Vasquez, HG, Rupaimoole, R, Pradeep, S, Wu, S, Zand, B, Han, HD, Rodriguez-Aguayo, C, Bottsford-Miller, J, Huang, J, Miyake, TM, Choi, HJ, Dalton, HJ, Ivan, C, Baggerly, KA, Lopez Berestein, G, Sood, AK, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Autocrine Effects of Tumor-Derived Complement. Cell Reports 6(6):1085-1095, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24613353.
- Nolasco, L, Nolasco, J, Feng, S, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Moake, JL. Human complement factor H is a reductase for large soluble Von Willebrand factor multimers-brief report. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 33(11):2524-2528, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24008159.
- Feng, S, Liang, X, Crúz, MA, Vu, H, Zhou, Z, Pemmaraju, N, Dong, JF, Kroll, M, Afshar-Kharghan, V. The Interaction between Factor H and Von Willebrand Factor. PloS one 8(8), 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23991205.
- Feng S, Eyler SJ, Zhang Y, Maga T, Nester CM, Kroll MH, Smith RJ, Afshar-Kharghan V. Partial ADAMTS13 deficiency in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Blood, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Feng S, Kroll MH, Nolasco L, Moake J, Afshar-Kharghan V. Complement activation in thrombotic microangiopathies. Br J Haematol 160(3):404-406, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23116127.
- Feng, S, Eyler, SJ, Zhang, Y, Maga, T, Nester, CM, Kroll, M, Smith, RJ, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Partial ADAMTS13 deficiency in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Blood 122(8):1487-1493, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23847193.
- Cho MS, Bottsford-Miller J, Vasquez HG, Stone R, Zand B, Kroll MH, Sood AK, Afshar-Kharghan V. Platelets increase the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. Blood 120(24):4869-72, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22966171.
- Ma Q, Li D, Nurieva R, Patenia R, Bassett R, Cao W, Alekseev AM, He H, Molldrem JJ, Kroll MH, Champlin RE, Sale GE, Afshar-Kharghan V. Reduced graft-versus-host disease in C3-deficient mice is associated with decreased donor Th1/Th17 differentiation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 18(8):1174-81, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22664751.
- Stone, RL, Nick, AM, McNeish, IA, Balkwill, F, Han, HD, Bottsford-Miller, J, Rupaimoole, R, Armaiz Pena, GN, Pecot, CV, Coward, J, Deavers, MT, Vasquez, HG, Urbauer, D, Landen, CN, Hu, W, Gershenson, H, Matsuo, K, Shahzad, MM, King, ER, Tekedereli, I, Ozpolat, B, Ahn, EH, Bond, VK, Wang, R, Drew, AF, Gushiken, F, Lamkin, D, Collins, K, DeGeest, K, Lutgendorf, SK, Chiu, W, Lopez Berestein, G, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Sood, AK. Paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in ovarian cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 366(7):610-618, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22335738.
- Divakaran, V, Mehta, S, Yao, D, Hassan, SA, Simpson, S, Wiegerinck, E, Swinkels, DW, Mann, D, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Hepcidin in anemia of chronic heart failure. American journal of hematology 86(1):107-109, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21080339.
- Zalpour, A, Kroll, M, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Yusuf, SW, Escalante, CP. Role of factor Xa inhibitors in cancer-associated thrombosis. Advances in Hematology 2011, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22013445.
- Hanzelka KM, Zalpour A, Afshar-Kharghan V, Fitousis K, Anderlini P, Yeung SC. Severe thrombosis and acute thrombocytopenia in a cancer patient. Am J Hematol 85(11):887-90, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20721891.
- Seo, N, Russell, BH, Rivera, JJ, Liang, X, Xu, X, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Höök, M. An engineered α1 integrin-binding collagenous sequence. Journal of Biological Chemistry 285(40):31046-31054, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20675378.
- Gushiken, F, Han, H, Li, J, Rumbaut, RE, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Abnormal platelet function in C3-deficient mice. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 7(5):865-870, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19291167.
- Kulkarni PA, Afshar-Kharghan V. Anticomplement therapy. Biologics 2(4):671-685, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 19707448.
- Mnjoyan Z, Li J, Afshar-Kharghan V. Factor H binds to platelet integrin alphaIIbbeta3. Platelets 19(7):512-9, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18979363.
- Jelinek J, Li J, Mnjoyan Z, Issa JP, Prchal JT, Afshar-Kharghan V. Epigenetic control of PRV-1 expression on neutrophils. Exp Hematol 35(11):1677-83, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17976520.
- Diz-Kucukkaya R, Inanc M, Afshar-Kharghan V, Zhang QE, López JA, Pekcelen Y. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 VNTR polymorphisms and risk of thrombosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome. Ann Rheum Dis 66(10):1378-80, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17545190.
- Luo SZ, Mo X, Afshar-Kharghan V, Srinivasan S, López JA, Li R. Glycoprotein Ibalpha forms disulfide bonds with 2 glycoprotein Ibbeta subunits in the resting platelet. Blood 109(2):603-9, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17008541.
- Mnjoyan Z, Yoon D, Li J, Delhommeau F, Afshar-Kharghan V. The effect of the JAK2 V617F mutation on PRV-1 expression. Haematologica 91(3):411-2, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16503546.
- Del Conde I, Crúz MA, Zhang H, López JA, Afshar-Kharghan V. Platelet activation leads to activation and propagation of the complement system. J Exp Med 201(6):871-9, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15781579.
- Mnjoyan Z, Li J, Afshar-Kharghan V. Expression of polycythemia rubra vera-1 decreases the dependency of cells on growth factors for proliferation. Haematologica 90(3):405-6, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15749675.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Matijevic-Aleksic N, Ahn C, Boerwinkle E, Wu KK, López JA. The variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha and risk of coronary heart disease. Blood 103(3):963-5, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 14592833.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, López JA, Gray LA, Padilla A, Borthakur G, Roberts SC, Pruthi RK, Tefferi A. Hemostatic gene polymorphisms and the prevalence of thrombotic complications in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 15(1):21-4, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15166939.
- Meisel C, Afshar-Kharghan V, Cascorbi I, Laule M, Stangl V, Felix SB, Baumann G, López JA, Roots I, Stangl K. Role of Kozak sequence polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha as a risk factor for coronary artery disease and catheter interventions. J Am Coll Cardiol 38(4):1023-7, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11583876.
- Baker RI, Eikelboom J, Lofthouse E, Staples N, Afshar-Kharghan V, López JA, Shen Y, Berndt MC, Hankey G. Platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha Kozak polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Blood 98(1):36-40, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11418460.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Diz-Küçükkaya R, Ludwig EH, Marian AJ, López JA. Human polymorphism of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 attributable to variable numbers of tandem decameric repeats in the mucinlike region. Blood 97(10):3306-7, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11342464.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Craig FE, López JA. Bernard-Soulier syndrome in a patient doubly heterozygous for two frameshift mutations in the glycoprotein ib alpha gene. Br J Haematol 110(4):919-24, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 11054083.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Gineys G, Schade AJ, Sun L, Li CQ, McIntire LV, Dong JF, López JA. Necessity of conserved asparagine residues in the leucine-rich repeats of platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha for the proper conformation and function of the ligand-binding region. Biochemistry 39(12):3384-91, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10727232.
- Sachs UJ, Kiefel V, Böhringer M, Afshar-Kharghan V, Kroll H, Santoso S. Single amino acid substitution in human platelet glycoprotein Ibbeta is responsible for the formation of the platelet-specific alloantigen Iy(a). Blood 95(5):1849-55, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10688847.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Li CQ, Khoshnevis-Asl M, López JA. Kozak sequence polymorphism of the glycoprotein (GP) Ibalpha gene is a major determinant of the plasma membrane levels of the platelet GP Ib-IX-V complex. Blood 94(1):186-91, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10381512.
- López JA, Andrews RK, Afshar-Kharghan V, Berndt MC. Bernard-Soulier syndrome. Blood 91(12):4397-418, 1998. e-Pub 1998. PMID: 9616133.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, López JA. Bernard-Soulier syndrome caused by a dinucleotide deletion and reading frameshift in the region encoding the glycoprotein Ib alpha transmembrane domain. Blood 90(7):2634-43, 1997. e-Pub 1997. PMID: 9326230.
- Dong JF, Li CQ, Sae-Tung G, Hyun W, Afshar-Kharghan V, López JA. The cytoplasmic domain of glycoprotein (GP) Ibalpha constrains the lateral diffusion of the GP Ib-IX complex and modulates von Willebrand factor binding. Biochemistry 36(41):12421-7, 1997. e-Pub 1997. PMID: 9376345.
Invited Articles
- Oncul, S, Afshar-Kharghan, V. The interaction between the complement system and hemostatic factors. Current opinion in hematology 27(5):341-352, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32701617.
- Thiagarajan, P, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Platelet transfusion therapy. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America 27(3):629-643, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23714315.
- Kroll, M, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Platelets in pulmonary vascular physiology and pathology. Pulmonary Circulation 2(3):291-308, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23130099.
- Afshar-Kharghan V, Thiagarajan P. Leukocyte adhesion and thrombosis. Curr Opin Hematol 13(1):34-9, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16319685.
Review Articles
- Courson, JA, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Burns, AR, Rumbaut, RE. Platelet extravasation in the microvasculature. Frontiers in immunology 17, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42233008.
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. Long-term outcome and management of complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy/aHUS. Hematology 2025(1):147-153, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41347985.
- Corvigno, S, Johnson, AM, Wong, KK, Cho, MS, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Menter, DG, Sood, AK. Novel Markers for Liquid Biopsies in Cancer Management: Circulating Platelets and Extracellular Vesicles. Molecular cancer therapeutics 21(7):1067-1075, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35545008.
- Menter, DG, Afshar-Kharghan, V, Shen, JY, Martch, SL, Maitra, A, Kopetz, S, Honn, KV, Sood, AK. Of vascular defense, hemostasis, cancer, and platelet biology: an evolutionary perspective. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 41(1):147-172, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35022962.
Editorials
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. Losing control to bad relatives. Blood 137(25):3462-3463, 2021. PMID: 34165547.
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. APC ameliorates pulmonary complications in cGVHD. Blood 134(9):724-725, 2019. PMID: 31467078.
- Afshar-Kharghan, V. Complement and clot. Blood 129(16):2214-2215, 2017. PMID: 28428238.
- Afshar-Kharghan V. Complementing the diagnosis of aHUS. Blood 124(11):1699-700, 2014.
- Afshar-Kharghan V. Unleashed platelets in aHUS. Blood 111(11):5266, 2008. PMID: 18502839.
Book Chapters
- Afshar-Kharghan, V, Vijayan, KV, Bray, P. Platelet polymorphisms. In: The Platelets. Academic Press, 281-307, 2006.
- Al S, Afshar-Kharghan V, Loscalzo J. Less Common Thrombotic Disorders. In: Thrombosis and Hemorrhage. 3. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
- Zalpour A, Afshar-Kharghan V. Anticoagulation in Cancer Patients with Thrombocytopenia. In: Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: A Concise Clinical Atlas.
Letters to the Editor
- Qiao, W, Young, E, Feng, C, Liu, S, Jin, J, Noor, L, Rojas Hernandez, CM, Borthakur, G, Gorlova, OY, Afshar-Kharghan, V. Association between abnormal lipid profile and inflammation and progression of myelodysplastic syndrome to acute leukemia. Experimental Hematology and Oncology 11, 2022.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 19, 2026