Ajlan Al Zaki, MD, PhD
Department of Lymphoma - Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Instructor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Instructor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Community Clinical Specialist, Department of Lymphoma - Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Clinical Specialist, Department of Critical Care Medicine/Nocturnal Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2018 | George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, US, MD |
| 2014 | University of Pennsylvania, Bioengineering, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Schola, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, Bioengineering, Ph.D |
| 2008 | Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, US, Chemical Engineering, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2020-2023 | Research Fellowship, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2018-2020 | Internal Medicine Residency-Translational Investigator, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California |
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | Lymphoma Research Scientist Mentorship Program, Lymphoma Research Foundation 2023 |
| 2023 - Present | AACR Molecular Biology in Clinical Oncology Workshop |
| 2023 | Waun Ki Hong Award for Achievement in Basic Science Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Cancer Medicine 2023 |
| 2023 | Lymphoma Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Lymphoma Research Foundation 2023 |
| 2022 | AACR-ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research |
| 2022 | Conquer Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology Young Investigator Award |
| 2022 | Society for Translational Oncology Fellow’s Forum Recipient |
| 2021 | American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award |
| 2015 | Aljalila Foundation Research Award, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2015 | Rashid Award for Scientific Outstanding |
| 2015 | Solomon Pollack Award, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2013 | 2013 First place research poster award at the annual radiobiology imaging retreat, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2013 - Present | World Molecular Imaging Conference student travel award, WMIS |
| 2013 | Third place University of Pennsylvania Bioengineering 40th Anniversary Poster Award, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2008 - 2014 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Interfaces Initiative Schola, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2007 | Top research poster award in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, Purdue University |
| 2007 | George T. Tsao Award, Purdue University |
| Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honors Society | |
| Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society | |
| Kane-King-Dodek Obstetrical Honor Society |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2017. Gold and Superparamagnetic Iron-Oxide Loaded Polymeric Micelles for Magnetic Resonance-Guided Radiation Therapy and Radiosensitization Oral Presentation. Conference. World Molecular Imaging Congress. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2014. Multifunctional Nanoplatform for the Enhancement and Prediction of Therapeutic Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy. Poster. San Antonio, TX, US.
- 2013. Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Imaging, Radiation and The Prediction of Therapeutic Response Oral Presentation presented at: Radiobiology and Imaging Retreat. Poster. World Molecular Imaging Congress. Savannah, GA, US.
- 2013. A Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Imaging, Radiotherapy, and The Prediction of Therapeutic Response. Poster. Seattle, WA, US.
- 2013. Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Imaging, Radiation and The Prediction of Therapeutic Response. Poster. Radiobiology and Imaging Retreat. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2012. Gold Polymeric Micelles as Theranostic Agents. Poster. Biomedical Engineering Society. Atlanta, GA, US.
- 2012. Biodegradable Polydisulfide Dendrimer Nanoclusters as MRI Contrast Agents. Poster. Biomedical Engineering Society. Atlanta, GA, US.
International Presentations
- 2013. A Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Enhancement and Prediction of Therapeutic Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy Oral Presentation presented at: World Molecular Imaging Congress. Conference. A Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Enhancement and Prediction of Therapeutic Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy Oral Presentation presented at: World Molecular Imaging Congress, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Investigating the relationship of RONS bursts and ICANS following CAR-T cell therapy |
| Funding Source: | Quantitative Imaging Analysis Core (QIAC) |
| Role: | PI |
| Title: | [18F]4FN PET Imaging of Innate Immunity Activation During Immunotherapy-Induced Adverse Events |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Fellow |
| ID: | R01CA273130 |
| Title: | Imaging Activation of Innate Myeloid Immunity in CAR T-cell Associated Neurotoxicity Using [18F]4FN PET Imaging |
| Funding Source: | American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) |
| Role: | Primary Investigator |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Long JP, Prakash R, Edelkamp P Jr, Knafl M, Lionel AC, Nair R, Ahmed S, Strati P, Castillo LEM, Al-Zaki A, Chien K, Chihara D, Westin J, Khawaja F, Nastoupil LJ, Mulanovich V, Futreal A, Woodman SE, Daver NG, Flowers CR, Neelapu S, Manzano JG, Iyer SP. Cytokine Storms in COVID-19, Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, and CAR-T Therapy. JAMA Netw Open 8(4):e253455, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40193078.
- Sutton MN, Glazer SE, Al Zaki A, Napoli A, Yang P, Bhosale P, Liu J, Gammon ST, Piwnica-Worms D. Statins inhibit onco-dimerization of the 4Ig isoform of B7-H3. bioRxiv, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39763965.
- Hutchings K, Al Zaki A, Bhadkamkar N, Willis J. Symptomatic pseudoprogression in metastatic colorectal cancer. BMJ Case Rep 17(6), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38871645.
- Khosravi-Hafshejani T, Zhao EJ, Al Zaki A, Mehta A, Diao D. Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma presenting as an indurated subcutaneous plaque. Australas J Dermatol 64(3):447-449, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37078510.
- Strati P, Pasvolsky O, Feng L, Xu G, Tewari SO, Varghese J, Ow K, Santiago M, Al Zaki A, Jallouk A, Neelapu SS, Kebriaei P, Shpall EJ, Ahmed S. ASCT vs CART for patients with relapsed LBCL in PR: role of TMTV. Blood Adv 7(11):2586-2589, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36745104.
- Al Zaki A, Feng L, Watson G, Ahmed SA, Mistry H, Nastoupil LJ, Hawkins M, Nair R, Iyer SP, Lee HJ, Steiner RE, Flowers CR, Shpall EJ, Kebriaei P, Neelapu SS, Westin JR, Strati P. Day 30 SUVmax predicts progression in patients with lymphoma achieving PR/SD after CAR T-cell therapy. Blood Adv 6(9):2867-2871, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35015825.
- Slade J, Baja A, Al Zaki A, Auerbach P, Rodriguez F. Wilderness Cardiology: A Case of Envenomation-Associated Cardiotoxicity Following a Rattlesnake Bite. Cardiol Ther 10(1):271-276, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33620669.
- Karunamuni R, Naha PC, Lau KC, Al-Zaki A, Popov AV, Delikatny EJ, Tsourkas A, Cormode DP, Maidment AD. Development of silica-encapsulated silver nanoparticles as contrast agents intended for dual-energy mammography. Eur Radiol 26(9):3301-9, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26910906.
- Sun L, Joh DY, Al-Zaki A, Stangl M, Murty S, Davis JJ, Baumann BC, Alonso-Basanta M, Kaol GD, Tsourkas A, Dorsey JF. Theranostic Application of Mixed Gold and Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Micelles in Glioblastoma Multiforme. J Biomed Nanotechnol 12(2):347-56, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27305768.
- Al Zaki A, Hui JZ, Higbee E, Tsourkas A. Biodistribution, Clearance, and Toxicology of Polymeric Micelles Loaded with 0.9 or 5 nm Gold Nanoparticles. J Biomed Nanotechnol 11(10):1836-46, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26502646.
- McQuade C, Al Zaki A, Desai Y, Vido M, Sakhuja T, Cheng Z, Hickey RJ, Joh D, Park SJ, Kao G, Dorsey JF, Tsourkas A. A multifunctional nanoplatform for imaging, radiotherapy, and the prediction of therapeutic response. Small 11(7):834-43, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25264301.
- Murty S, Gilliland T, Qiao P, Tabtieng T, Higbee E, Al Zaki A, Puré E, Tsourkas A. Nanoparticles functionalized with collagenase exhibit improved tumor accumulation in a murine xenograft model. Part Part Syst Charact 31(12):1307-1312, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 26380538.
- Chhour P, Gallo N, Cheheltani R, Williams D, Al-Zaki A, Paik T, Nichol JL, Tian Z, Naha PC, Witschey WR, Allcock HR, Murray CB, Tsourkas A, Cormode DP. Nanodisco balls: control over surface versus core loading of diagnostically active nanocrystals into polymer nanoparticles. ACS Nano 8(9):9143-53, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25188401.
- Hui JZ, Al Zaki A, Cheng Z, Popik V, Zhang H, Luning Prak ET, Tsourkas A. Facile method for the site-specific, covalent attachment of full-length IgG onto nanoparticles. Small 10(16):3354-63, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24729432.
- de Barros AL, Chacko AM, Mikitsh JL, Al Zaki A, Salavati A, Saboury B, Tsourkas A, Alavi A. Assessment of global cardiac uptake of radiolabeled iron oxide nanoparticles in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice: implications for imaging cardiovascular inflammation. Mol Imaging Biol 16(3):330-9, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24297372.
- Cheng Z, Al Zaki A, Jones IW, Hall HK Jr, Aspinwall CA, Tsourkas A. Stabilized porous liposomes with encapsulated Gd-labeled dextran as a highly efficient MRI contrast agent. Chem Commun (Camb) 50(19):2502-4, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24457826.
- Al Zaki A, Joh D, Cheng Z, De Barros AL, Kao G, Dorsey J, Tsourkas A. Gold-loaded polymeric micelles for computed tomography-guided radiation therapy treatment and radiosensitization. ACS Nano 8(1):104-12, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24377302.
- Joh DY, Kao GD, Murty S, Stangl M, Sun L, Al Zaki A, Xu X, Hahn SM, Tsourkas A, Dorsey JF. Theranostic gold nanoparticles modified for durable systemic circulation effectively and safely enhance the radiation therapy of human sarcoma cells and tumors. Transl Oncol 6(6):722-31, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24466375.
- Dorsey JF, Sun L, Joh DY, Witztum A, Kao GD, Alonso-Basanta M, Avery S, Hahn SM, Al Zaki A, Tsourkas A. Gold nanoparticles in radiation research: potential applications for imaging and radiosensitization. Transl Cancer Res 2(4):280-291, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 25429358.
- Sun L, Joh D, Stangl M, Al-Zaki A, Murty S, Alonso-Basanta M, Kao G, Dorsey J, Tsourkas A. Selective Targeting of Brain Tumors With Nanoparticle-induced Radiosensitization and Contrast Enhancement. Pract Radiat Oncol 3(2 Suppl 1):S19-20, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24674504.
- Joh DY, Sun L, Stangl M, Al Zaki A, Murty S, Santoiemma PP, Davis JJ, Baumann BC, Alonso-Basanta M, Bhang D, Kao GD, Tsourkas A, Dorsey JF. Selective targeting of brain tumors with gold nanoparticle-induced radiosensitization. PLoS One 8(4):e62425, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23638079.
- Huang CH, Nwe K, Al Zaki A, Brechbiel MW, Tsourkas A. Biodegradable polydisulfide dendrimer nanoclusters as MRI contrast agents. ACS Nano 6(11):9416-24, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23098069.
- Cheng Z, Al Zaki A, Hui JZ, Tsourkas A. Simultaneous quantification of tumor uptake for targeted and nontargeted liposomes and their encapsulated contents by ICPMS. Anal Chem 84(17):7578-82, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22882145.
- Hui JZ, Al Zaki A, Tsourkas A. Targeted and drug-loaded micelles. Nanomedicine (Lond) 7(7):951-2, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23019673.
- Hui JZ, Al Zaki A, Tsourkas A. Synergizing radiation therapy with drug-loaded nanovectors. Nanomedicine (Lond) 7(7):950-1, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23019671.
- Hui JZ, Al Zaki A, Tsourkas A. Enhancing the cell uptake of nanoparticles within tumors. Nanomedicine (Lond) 7(7):951, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23019672.
- Hui JZ, Al Zaki A, Tsourkas A. Improving nanoparticle delivery with anti-angiogenesis therapy. Nanomedicine (Lond) 7(7):949-50, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22846089.
- Crayton SH, Elias DR, Al Zaki A, Cheng Z, Tsourkas A. ICP-MS analysis of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles as a non-radiative, multiplex approach to quantify biodistribution and blood clearance. Biomaterials 33(5):1509-19, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22100983.
Review Articles
- Al Zaki A, McCurry D, Strati P. CAR T-cells and macrophages in large B-cell lymphoma: impact on toxicity and efficacy. Leuk Lymphoma 64(4):808-815, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36891619.
- Cheng Z, Al Zaki A, Hui JZ, Muzykantov VR, Tsourkas A. Multifunctional nanoparticles: cost versus benefit of adding targeting and imaging capabilities. Science 338(6109):903-10, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23161990.
Book Chapters
- Al Zaki, A., Cormode, D.P., Tsourkas, A., Dorsey, J.F.. Increasing the Therapeutic Efficacy of Radiotherapy Using Nanoparticles. In: Increasing the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy. 1st ed. 2017. Springer-Verlag New York, LLC, 241-265, 2016.
Patents
- David Peter Cormode, Pratap Chandra Naha, Andrew Tsourkas, Al Zaki A. Radiographic Contrast Agents for Temporal Subtraction and Dual-Energy X-Ray Imaging, publication. Patent Number: US-2016-0038111-A1.
- Al Zaki A. Bismuth-iron oxide contrast agents. Patent Number: US20160271275 A1.
- Al Zaki A. Paximmune: Long Circulating Immune Modulator MDA24-095.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 31, 2025