Hirak S. Basu, PhD
Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1984 | Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IND, PHD, Biochemistry/Biophysics |
| 1976 | Calcutta University, Calcutta, IND, MS, Biochemistry |
| 1974 | Calcutta University, Calcutta, IND, BS, Chemistry |
Postgraduate Training
| 1987-1987 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Cancer Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Senior Scientist, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, WI, 2014 - 2016
Assistant Scientist, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, WI, 2003 - 2005
Associate Scientist, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, WI, 2003 - 2013
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Department of Human Oncology, Madison, WI, 2002 - 2003
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Department of Human Oncology, Madison, WI, 1994 - 1998
Assistant Research Biophysicist, University of California, Step II, Brain Tumor Research Center of the Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA, 1992 - 1994
Assistant Research Biophysicist, University of California, Step 1, Brain Tumor Research Center of the Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA, 1989 - 1994
Assistant Research Biochemist, Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Brain Tumor Research Center of the Dept of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA, 1987 - 1989
Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Brain Tumor Research Center of the Department of Neurological Surgery, San Francisco, CA, 1985 - 1987
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Scientist Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 2016 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, University of Wisconsin Medical School Admission Committee, 1996 - 1998
Member, University of Wisconsin Human Oncology Graduate Admission Committee, 1994 - 1998
Military or Other Governmental Service
Member and Chair, Scientific Review Committees, CDMRP, Department of Defense, 2009 - Present
Member and Co-Chair, Scientific Review Committees, National Cancer Institute, 2007 - Present
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Basu HS, Wilganowski N, Robertson S, Reuben JM, Cohen EN, Zurita A, Ramachandran S, Xiao LC, Titus M, Wilding G. Prostate cancer cells survive anti-androgen and mitochondrial metabolic inhibitors by modulating glycolysis and mitochondrial metabolic activities. Prostate 81(12):799-811, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34170017.
- Yu J, Piazza A, Sparks S, Hind LE, Niles DJ, Ingram PN, Huang W, Ricke WA, Jarrard DF, Huttenlocher A, Basu H, Beebe DJ. A reconfigurable microscale assay enables insights into cancer-associated fibroblast modulation of immune cell recruitment. Integr Biol (Camb) 13(4):87-97, 2021. PMID: 33822934.
- Mehraein-Ghomi F, Church DR, Schreiber CL, Weichmann AM, Basu HS, Wilding G. Inhibitor of p52 NF-κB subunit and androgen receptor (AR) interaction reduces growth of human prostate cancer cells by abrogating nuclear translocation of p52 and phosphorylated AR(ser81). Genes Cancer 6(9-10):428-44, 2015. PMID: 26622945.
- Huang W, Eickhoff JC, Mehraein-Ghomi F, Church DR, Wilding G, Basu HS. Expression of spermidine/spermine N(1) -acetyl transferase (SSAT) in human prostate tissues is related to prostate cancer progression and metastasis. Prostate 75(11):1150-9, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25893668.
- Huang SX, Yun BS, Ma M, Basu HS, Church DR, Ingenhorst G, Huang Y, Yang D, Lohman JR, Tang GL, Ju J, Liu T, Wilding G, Shen B. Leinamycin E1 acting as an anticancer prodrug activated by reactive oxygen species. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112(27):8278-83, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26056295.
- Bischel LL, Casavant BP, Young PA, Eliceiri KW, Basu HS, Beebe DJ. A microfluidic coculture and multiphoton FAD analysis assay provides insight into the influence of the bone microenvironment on prostate cancer cells. Integr Biol (Camb) 6(6):627-35, 2014. PMID: 24791272.
- Mehraein-Ghomi F, Kegel SJ, Church DR, Schmidt JS, Reuter QR, Saphner EL, Basu HS, Wilding G. Targeting androgen receptor and JunD interaction for prevention of prostate cancer progression. Prostate 74(7):792-803, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24647988.
- Basu HS, Mahlum A, Mehraein-Ghomi F, Kegel SJ, Guo S, Peters NR, Wilding G. Pretreatment with anti-oxidants sensitizes oxidatively stressed human cancer cells to growth inhibitory effect of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 67(3):705-15, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20512578.
- Mehraein-Ghomi F, Basu HS, Church DR, Hoffmann FM, Wilding G. Androgen receptor requires JunD as a coactivator to switch on an oxidative stress generation pathway in prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res 70(11):4560-8, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20460526.
- Basu HS, Thompson TA, Church DR, Clower CC, Mehraein-Ghomi F, Amlong CA, Martin CT, Woster PM, Lindstrom MJ, Wilding G. A small molecule polyamine oxidase inhibitor blocks androgen-induced oxidative stress and delays prostate cancer progression in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model. Cancer Res 69(19):7689-95, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19773450.
- Mehraein-Ghomi F, Lee E, Church DR, Thompson TA, Basu HS, Wilding G. JunD mediates androgen-induced oxidative stress in androgen dependent LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Prostate 68(9):924-34, 2008. PMID: 18386285.
- Church DR, Lee E, Thompson TA, Basu HS, Ripple MO, Ariazi EA, Wilding G. Induction of AP-1 activity by androgen activation of the androgen receptor in LNCaP human prostate carcinoma cells. Prostate 63(2):155-68, 2005. PMID: 15486991.
- Frydman B, Bhattacharya S, Sarkar A, Drandarov K, Chesnov S, Guggisberg A, Popaj K, Sergeyev S, Yurdakul A, Hesse M, Basu HS, Marton LJ. Macrocyclic polyamines deplete cellular ATP levels and inhibit cell growth in human prostate cancer cells. J Med Chem 47(4):1051-9, 2004. PMID: 14761207.
- Frydman B, Blokhin AV, Brummel S, Wilding G, Maxuitenko Y, Sarkar A, Bhattacharya S, Church D, Reddy VK, Kink JA, Marton LJ, Valasinas A, Basu HS. Cyclopropane-containing polyamine analogues are efficient growth inhibitors of a human prostate tumor xenograft in nude mice. J Med Chem 46(21):4586-600, 2003. PMID: 14521420.
- Valasinas A, Reddy VK, Blokhin AV, Basu HS, Bhattacharya S, Sarkar A, Marton LJ, Frydman B. Long-chain polyamines (oligoamines) exhibit strong cytotoxicities against human prostate cancer cells. Bioorg Med Chem 11(18):4121-31, 2003. PMID: 12927874.
- Frydman B, Porter CW, Maxuitenko Y, Sarkar A, Bhattacharya S, Valasinas A, Reddy VK, Kisiel N, Marton LJ, Basu HS. A novel polyamine analog (SL-11093) inhibits growth of human prostate tumor xenografts in nude mice. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 51(6):488-92, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12695854.
- Valasinas A, Sarkar A, Reddy VK, Marton LJ, Basu HS, Frydman B. Conformationally restricted analogues of 1N,14N-bisethylhomospermine (BE-4-4-4): synthesis and growth inhibitory effects on human prostate cancer cells. J Med Chem 44(3):390-403, 2001. PMID: 11462979.
- Reddy VK, Sarkar A, Valasinas A, Marton LJ, Basu HS, Frydman B. cis-Unsaturated analogues of 3,8,13,18,23-pentaazapentacosane (BE-4-4-4-4): synthesis and growth inhibitory effects on human prostate cancer cell lines. J Med Chem 44(3):404-17, 2001. PMID: 11462980.
- Basu HS, Dreckschmidt N, Tu L, Chanbusarakum L. Polyamine analog bis(ethylamino)-5,10,15-triazanonadecane (BE-4-4-4-4) enhances simian virus 40 late gene expression. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 43(4):336-40, 1999. PMID: 10071986.
- Reddy VK, Valasinas A, Sarkar A, Basu HS, Marton LJ, Frydman B. Conformationally restricted analogues of 1N,12N-bisethylspermine: synthesis and growth inhibitory effects on human tumor cell lines. J Med Chem 41(24):4723-32, 1998. PMID: 9822543.
- Paliwal J, Janumpalli G, Basu HS. The mechanism of polyamine analog-induced enhancement of cisplatin cytotoxicity in the U-251 MG human malignant glioma cell line. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 41(5):398-402, 1998. PMID: 9523736.
- Basu HS, Smirnov IV, Peng HF, Tiffany K, Jackson V. Effects of spermine and its cytotoxic analogs on nucleosome formation on topologically stressed DNA in vitro. Eur J Biochem 243(1-2):247-58, 1997. PMID: 9030746.
- Basu HS, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG, Marton LJ. The ability of polyamine analogues to induce Z-DNA structure in synthetic polynucleotides in vitro inversely correlates with their effects on cytotoxicity of cis-diaminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP) in human brain tumor cell lines. Anticancer Res 16(1):39-47, 1996. PMID: 8615642.
- Schwartz B, Hittelman A, Daneshvar L, Basu HS, Marton LJ, Feuerstein BG. A new model for disruption of the ornithine decarboxylase gene, SPE1, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibits growth arrest and genetic instability at the MAT locus. Biochem J 312 ( Pt 1):83-90, 1995. PMID: 7492339.
- Delcros JG, Schwartz B, Clément S, Basu HS, Marton LJ, Feuerstein BG. Spermine induces haemoglobin synthesis in murine erythroleukaemia cells. Biochem J 309 ( Pt 3):781-6, 1995. PMID: 7639693.
- Clément S, Delcros JG, Basu HS, Quash G, Marton LJ, Feuerstein BG. The structure of polyamine analogues determines haemoglobin production and cytotoxicity in murine erythroleukaemia cells. Biochem J 309 ( Pt 3):787-91, 1995. PMID: 7639694.
- Harari PM, Pickart MA, Contreras L, Petereit DG, Basu HS, Marton LJ. Slowing proliferation in head and neck tumors: in vitro growth inhibitory effects of the polyamine analog BE-4-4-4-4 in human squamous cell carcinomas. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 32(3):687-94, 1995. PMID: 7790255.
- Wang J, Basu HS, Hu L, Feuerstein BG, Nederlof PM, Deen DF. Radiation-induced changes in nucleoid halo diameters of aerobic and hypoxic SF-126 human brain tumor cells. Cytometry 19(2):107-11, 1995. PMID: 7743890.
- Bergeron CJ, Basu HS, Marton LJ, Deen DF, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG. Two polyamine analogs (BE-4-4-4 and BE-4-4-4-4) directly affect growth, survival, and cell cycle progression in two human brain tumor cell lines. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 36(5):411-7, 1995. PMID: 7634383.
- Basu HS, Marton LJ, Pellarin M, Deen DF, McManis JS, Liu CZ, Bergeron RJ, Feuerstein BG. Design and testing of novel cytotoxic polyamine analogues. Cancer Res 54(23):6210-4, 1994. PMID: 7954468.
- Smirnov IV, Feuerstein BG, Pellarin M, Marton LJ, Deen DF, Basu HS. Pretreatment with the polyamine analog 1,19-bis-(ethylamino)-5,10,15-triazanonadecane (BE-4-4-4-4) inhibits etoposide cytotoxicity in U-251 MG (NCI) human brain tumor cells. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 40(7):975-80, 1994. PMID: 7849564.
- Dolan ME, Fleig MJ, Feuerstein BG, Basu HS, Luk GD, Casero RA, Marton LJ. Effect of 1,19-bis(ethylamino)-5,10,15-triazanonadecane on human tumor xenografts. Cancer Res 54(17):4698-702, 1994. PMID: 8062267.
- Basu HS, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG, Deen DF, Marton LJ. Effects of the polyamine analogs BE-3-7-3, 3-8-3, and BE-3-8-3 on human brain tumor cell growth and survival. Anticancer Res 13(5A):1525-32, 1993. PMID: 8239531.
- Basu HS, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG, Shirahata A, Samejima K, Deen DF, Marton LJ. Interaction of a polyamine analogue, 1,19-bis-(ethylamino)-5,10,15- triazanonadecane (BE-4-4-4-4), with DNA and effect on growth, survival, and polyamine levels in seven human brain tumor cell lines. Cancer Res 53(17):3948-55, 1993. PMID: 8358722.
- Delcros JG, Sturkenboom MC, Basu HS, Shafer RH, Szöllösi J, Feuerstein BG, Marton LJ. Differential effects of spermine and its analogues on the structures of polynucleotides complexed with ethidium bromide. Biochem J 291 ( Pt 1):269-74, 1993. PMID: 8471043.
- Basu HS, Wright WD, Deen DF, Roti-Roti J, Marton LJ. Treatment with a polyamine analog alters DNA-matrix association in HeLa cell nuclei: a nucleoid halo assay. Biochemistry 32(15):4073-6, 1993. PMID: 8471614.
- Feuerstein BG, Szöllösi J, Basu HS, Marton LJ. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine alters calcium signaling in platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated A172 brain tumor cells in culture. Cancer Res 52(24):6782-9, 1992. PMID: 1458466.
- Ghoda L, Basu HS, Porter CW, Marton LJ, Coffino P. Role of ornithine decarboxylase suppression and polyamine depletion in the antiproliferative activity of polyamine analogs. Mol Pharmacol 42(2):302-6, 1992. PMID: 1513327.
- Basu HS, Sturkenboom MC, Delcros JG, Csokan PP, Szollosi J, Feuerstein BG, Marton LJ. Effect of polyamine depletion on chromatin structure in U-87 MG human brain tumour cells. Biochem J 282 ( Pt 3):723-7, 1992. PMID: 1554353.
- Basu HS, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG, Deen DF, Marton LJ. Effect on N1,N14-bis-(ethyl)-homospermine (BE-4-4-4) on the growth of U-251 MG and SF-188 human brain tumor cells. Int J Cancer 48(6):873-8, 1991. PMID: 1860734.
- Feuerstein BG, Williams LD, Basu HS, Marton LJ. Implications and concepts of polyamine-nucleic acid interactions. J Cell Biochem 46(1):37-47, 1991. PMID: 1874798.
- Basu HS, Schwietert HC, Feuerstein BG, Marton LJ. Effects of variation in the structure of spermine on the association with DNA and the induction of DNA conformational changes. Biochem J 269(2):329-34, 1990. PMID: 2386479.
- Basu HS, Pellarin M, Feuerstein BG, Deen DF, Bergeron RJ, Marton LJ. Effect of N1,N14-bis(ethyl)homospermine on the growth of U-87 MG and SF-126 human brain tumor cells. Cancer Res 50(11):3137-40, 1990. PMID: 2334909.
- Basu HS, Feuerstein BG, Deen DF, Lubich WP, Bergeron RJ, Samejima K, Marton LJ. Correlation between the effects of polyamine analogues on DNA conformation and cell growth. Cancer Res 49(20):5591-7, 1989. PMID: 2507131.
- Basu HS, Feuerstein BG, Zarling DA, Shafer RH, Marton LJ. Recognition of Z-RNA and Z-DNA determinants by polyamines in solution: experimental and theoretical studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 6(2):299-309, 1988. PMID: 2482766.
- Feuerstein BG, Basu HS, Marton LJ. Theoretical and experimental characterization of polyamine/DNA interactions. Adv Exp Med Biol 250:517-23, 1988. PMID: 2855561.
- Basu HS, Shafer RH, Marton LJ. A stopped-flow H-D exchange kinetic study of spermine-polynucleotide interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 15(14):5873-86, 1987. PMID: 3615205.
- Basu HS, Marton LJ. The interaction of spermine and pentamines with DNA. Biochem J 244(1):243-6, 1987. PMID: 3663115.
- Podder SK, Basu HS. Specificity of protein-nucleic acid interaction and the biochemical evolution. Orig Life 14(1-4):477-84, 1984. PMID: 6462683.
- Basu HS, Podder SK. Specificity in protein-nucleic acid interaction: Part VI--Role of anticodon-amino acid relation on the evolution of present-day protein synthesizing system. Indian J Biochem Biophys 19(5):305-8, 1982. PMID: 7184845.
- Basu HS, Podder SK. Specificity in protein-nucleic acid interaction: involvement of nucleic acids in non-enzymatic peptide condensation. Indian J Biochem Biophys 18(4):251-3, 1981. PMID: 7327604.
Abstracts
- Subudhi S.K., Siddiqui B.A., Chapin B.F., Jindal S., Duan F., Basu S., Yadav S.S., Gu A.D., Pettaway C., Ward J.F., Tidwell R.S., Corn P.G., Logothetis C.J., Knoblauch R.E., Hutnick N.A., Gottardis M.M., Drake C.G., Allison J.P., Sharma P.. Daratumumab (Anti-CD38) But Not Edicotinib (CSF-1R Inhibitor) Demonstrates Target Engagement Within the Primary Prostate Cancer, Bone Marrow and Systemic Circulation of Patients with Localized Disease. 2022 International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference (CICON), 2022.
- Siddiqui B.A., Palaskas N., Sheth R., Basu S., Tummala S., Lu H.L., Hosing C., Rawther-Karedath A., Yadav S.S., Sharma P., Subudhi S.K.. Identifying molecular targets for rational immunosuppressive strategies in severe immune checkpoint therapy (ICT)-induced myocarditis, myositis, and myasthenia gravis (MG). 2022 International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference (CICON), 2022.
- Basu HS, Wilganowski N, Robertson S, Reuben JM, Cohen EM, Zurita A, Ramachandran S, Xiao L-C, Titus M and Wilding G. Metabolic switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation (ox-phos) provides survival advantage to anti-androgen-treated prostate cancer cells and make them vulnerable to mitochondrial metabolism inhibitors IACS-010759 and CB-839, 2020.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Autophagosomal Sequestration of Mitochondria as an Indicator of Anti-Androgen Therapy Resistance of Prostate Cancer (PCa) |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Reactive Oxygen Species Produced by Prostate Cancer Cells Cause Castrate-Resistant Cell Growth by Inducing B-cell Lymphotoxin Release |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Androgen Receptor-JunD Complex Inhibitors to Prevent Prostate Cancer Progression |
| Funding Source: | Colby Pharmaceutical Company |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Mitochondria Targeted Anti-Oxidant for Treatment of Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | SAHA and Oxidative Stress in Cancer Cells |
| Funding Source: | Merck, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Novel small-molecule therapeutics targeting a specific metabolic pathway for precision therapy of advanced metastatic prostate cancer |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Flagship: Development of Mechanism-based Combination Therapies for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson Cancer Center Moon Shot Program |
| Role: | Investigator |
| Title: | Flagship 3: DNA Damage Response (DDR) Targeted Therapies for Aggressive Variant Prostate Cancer (AVPC) |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson Cancer Center Moon Shot Program |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | [PQC-3] A Metabolic Pathway Activation Marker for Prostate Cancer Prognosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Flagship 1: Targeting Non-Immune Tumor-Associated Microenvironment in Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson Cancer Center Moon Shot Program |
| Role: | Investigator |
| Title: | Anti-Androgens Treatment Enhances Cytotoxicity of Oxidative-Phosphorylation Inhibitors Against Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | DOD PCRP |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Androgen Receptor N-Terminal Domain (AR-NTD) for Treatment of Advanced Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Cellular Metabolism Alters Immune Checkpoint Protein Expression in Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Glutaminase inhibition disrupts mitochondrial metabolism and induces immune checkpoint protein expression in prostate cancer |
| Funding Source: | DOD PCRP |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |