Seyed Javad M. Moghaddam, MD, ATSF
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine - Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Professor, Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX
Faculty, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, Houston, TX
Faculty, Center for Inflammation and Cancer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty, CPRIT-CURE Training Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty, Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
My research is focused on airway inflammation and its role in airway epithelial carcinogenesis. Tumor-promoting inflammation is a cancer hallmark, and it is considered an enabling characteristic due to its contributions to the acquisition of core hallmark capabilities. Cigarette smoking is the principal cause of lung carcinogenesis. However, several studies have found that smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory disease of the lung, have an increased risk of lung cancer compared to smokers with comparable cigarette exposure but without COPD. This suggests a strong link between COPD-related airway inflammation and lung cancer. In addition, it is known that mutant epithelial cells begin to edit the microenvironment as soon as they transform but the exact mechanisms involved in this immuno-editing process from escaping the immunosurveillance to tumor progression still not well understood. We have previously shown that the numerous cytokines released during inflammation (oncogene-driven or COPD-related) promote lung tumorigenesis in a genetic mouse model of lung cancer. We are currently dissecting the sex- and cell-type specific mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon with genetic and pharmacologic approaches. This will provide a better understanding of the role of specific inflammatory pathways in lung carcinogenesis, and subsequently allow preclinical testing of the efficacy of anti-inflammatory agents in preventing lung cancer in high-risk population or patient with early metaplastic lesions. This would also have a major impact on the treatment of patients with lung cancer by providing the basis for rationally directed immunotherapeutic modalities to improve the efficacy of currently available treatment regimens.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1996 | Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS), Tehran, IRN, MD, Medical School |
Postgraduate Training
| 2006-2007 | Research Fellowship, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2004-2006 | Research Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX |
| 2000-2003 | Research Fellowship, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (RCGLD), SBUMS, Tehran |
| 1994-1996 | Internship, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS), Tehran |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - 2024
Associate Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine - Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - 2024
Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine - Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2018
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2012
Instructor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2007 - 2009
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Director, Immunology Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2021 - 2024
Institutional Committee Activities
Chair, Research Committee, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2024 - Present
Member, IOTOX Retreat Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Member, Academic Policy Advisory Council, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - Present
Member, Research Grand Round Committee, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Member, 2021 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Faculty Excellence Honoree in Community Outreach, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2024 | Faculty Excellence Award in Education, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2022 | Fellow of American Thoracic Society, American Thoracic Society |
| 2021 | Lung Cancer Discovery Award, American Lung Association |
| 2017 | Early Career Achievement Award in Thoracic Oncology, American Thoracic Society |
| 2017 | Lung Cancer Discovery Award, American Lung Association |
| 2015 | Cyrus Scholar Award in Basic/Translational Research, Cyrus Family Foundation |
| 2011 | Research Scholar Award, American Cancer Society |
| 2009 | Lung Cancer Discovery Award, American Lung Association/LUNGevity Foundation |
| 2008 | Career Development Award, The University of Texas SPORE in Lung Cancer |
| 2007 | Bristol-Meyers Squibb Award in Clinical/Translational Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Moghaddam SJ, Savai R, Salehi-Rad R, Sengupta S, Kammer MN, Massion P, Beane JE, Ostrin EJ, Priolo C, Tennis MA, Stabile LP, Bauer AK, Sears CR, Szabo E, Rivera MP, Powell CA, Kadara H, Jenkins BJ, Dubinett SM, Houghton AM, Kim CF, Keith RL. Premalignant Progression in the Lung: Knowledge Gaps and Novel Opportunities for Interception of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 210(5):548-571, 2024. PMID: 39115548.
- Velasco WV, Khosravi N, Castro-Pando S, Torres-Garza N, Grimaldo MT, Krishna A, Clowers MJ, Umer M, Tariq Amir S, Del Bosque D, Daliri S, De La Garza MM, Ramos-Castaneda M, Evans SE, Moghaddam SJ. Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 modulate promoting effect of COPD-like airway inflammation on K-ras-driven lung cancer through activation of the MyD88/NF-kB pathway in the airway epithelium. Front Immunol 14(1118721), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37283745.
- Yuan B, Clowers MJ, Velasco WV, Peng S, Peng Q, Shi Y, Ramos-Castaneda M, Zarghooni M, Yang S, Babcock RL, Chang SH, Heymach JV, Zhang J, Ostrin EJ, Watowich SS, Kadara H, Moghaddam SJ. Targeting IL-1β as an immune preventive and therapeutic modality for K-ras mutant lung cancer. JCI Insight 1(11):e157788, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35471938.
- Deng S, Ramos-Castaneda M, Velasco WV, Clowers MJ, Gutierrez BA, Noble O, Dong Y, Zarghooni M, Alvarado L, Caetano MS, Yang S, Ostrin EJ, Behrens C, Wistuba II, Stabile LP, Kadara H, Watowich SS, Moghaddam SJ. Interplay between Estrogen and Stat3/NF-κB Driven Immunomodulation in Lung Cancer. Carcinogenesis 41(11):1529-1542, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32603404.
- Caetano MS, Hassane M, Van HT, Bugarin E, Cumpian AM, McDowell CL, Cavazos CG, Zhang H, Deng S, Diao L, Wang J, Evans SE, Behrens C, Wistuba II, Fuqua SAW, Lin H, Stabile LP, Watowich SS, Kadara H, Moghaddam SJ. Sex specific function of epithelial STAT3 signaling in pathogenesis of K-ras mutant lung cancer. Nat Commun 9(1):4589, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30389925.
- Bauer AK, Umer M, Richardson VL, Cumpian AM, Harder AQ, Khosravi N, Azzegagh Z, Hara NM, Ehre C, Mohebnasab M, Caetano MS, Merrick DT, van Bokhoven A, Wistuba II, Kadara H, Dickey BF, Velmurugan K, Mann PR, Lu X, Barón AE, Evans CM, Moghaddam SJ. Requirement for MUC5AC in KRAS-dependent lung carcinogenesis. JCI Insight 3(15), 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30089720.
- De la Garza MM, Cumpian AM, Daliri S, Castro-Pando S, Umer M, Gong L, Khosravi N, Caetano MS, Ramos-Castañeda M, Flores AG, Beltran EC, Tran HT, Tuvim MJ, Ostrin EJ, Dickey BF, Evans CM, Moghaddam SJ. COPD-Type lung inflammation promotes K-ras mutant lung cancer through epithelial HIF-1α mediated tumor angiogenesis and proliferation. Oncotarget 9(68):32972-32983, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30250643.
- Khosravi N, Caetano MS, Cumpian AM, Unver N, De la Garza Ramos C, Noble O, Daliri S, Hernandez BJ, Gutierrez BA, Evans SE, Hanash S, Alekseev AM, Yang Y, Chang SH, Nurieva R, Kadara H, Chen J, Ostrin EJ, Moghaddam SJ. IL22 Promotes Kras-Mutant Lung Cancer by Induction of a Protumor Immune Response and Protection of Stemness Properties. Cancer Immunol Res 6(7):788-797, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29764837.
- Unver N, Delgado O, Zeleke K, Cumpian A, Tang X, Caetano MS, Wang H, Katayama H, Yu H, Szabo E, Wistuba II, Moghaddam SJ, Hanash SM, Ostrin EJ. Reduced IL-6 levels and tumor-associated phospho-STAT3 are associated with reduced tumor development in a mouse model of lung cancer chemoprevention with myo-inositol. Int J Cancer 142(7):1405-1417, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29134640.
- Caetano MS, Zhang H, Cumpian AM, Gong L, Unver N, Ostrin EJ, Daliri S, Chang SH, Ochoa CE, Hanash S, Behrens C, Wistuba II, Sternberg C, Kadara H, Ferreira CG, Watowich SS, Moghaddam SJ. IL6 Blockade Reprograms the Lung Tumor Microenvironment to Limit the Development and Progression of K-ras-Mutant Lung Cancer. Cancer Res 76(11):3189-99, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27197187.
- Gong L, da Silva Caetano M, Cumpian AM, Daliri S, Garza Flores A, Chang SH, Ochoa CE, Evans CM, Yu Z, Moghaddam SJ. Tumor Necrosis Factor Links Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and K-ras Mutant Lung Cancer Through Induction of an Immunosuppressive Pro-tumor Microenvironment. Oncoimmunology 5(10):e1229724, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27853654.
- Chang SH, Mirabolfathinejad SG, Katta H, Cumpian AM, Gong L, Caetano MS, Moghaddam SJ, Dong C. T Helper 17 Cells Play a Critical Pathogenic Role in Lung Cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111(15):5664-9, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24706787.
- Roy MG, Livraghi-Butrico A, Fletcher AA, McElwee MM, Evans SE, Boerner RM, Alexander SN, Bellinghausen LK, Song AS, Petrova YM, Tuvim MJ, Adachi R, Romo I, Bordt AS, Bowden MG, Sisson JH, Woodruff PG, Thornton DJ, Rousseau K, De la Garza MM, Moghaddam SJ, Karmouty-Quintana H, Blackburn MR, Drouin SM, Davis CW, Terrell KA, Grubb BR, O'Neal WK, Flores SC, Cota-Gomez A, Lozupone CA, Donnelly JM, Watson AM, Hennessy CE, Keith RC, Yang IV, Barthel L, Henson PM, Janssen WJ, Schwartz DA, Boucher RC, Dickey BF, Evans CM. Muc5b Is Required for Airway Defence. Nature 505(7483):412-6, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24317696.
- Gong L, Cumpian AM, Caetano MS, Ochoa CE, De la Garza MM, Lapid DJ, Mirabolfathinejad SG, Dickey BF, Zhou Q, Moghaddam SJ. Promoting Effect of Neutrophils on Lung Tumorigenesis Is Mediated by CXCR2 and Neutrophil Elastase. Mol Cancer 12(1):154, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24321240.
- Barta P, Van Pelt C, Men T, Dickey BF, Lotan R, Moghaddam SJ. Enhancement of Lung Tumorigenesis in a Gprc5a Knockout Mouse by Chronic Extrinsic Airway Inflammation. Mol Cancer 11(1):4, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22239913.
- Ochoa CE, Mirabolfathinejad SG, Ruiz VA, Evans SE, Gagea M, Evans CM, Dickey BF, Moghaddam SJ. Interleukin 6 But Not T helper 2 Cytokines Promotes Lung Carcinogenesis. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 4(1):51-64, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21098042.
- Moghaddam SJ, Barta P, Mirabolfathinejad SG, Ammar-Aouchiche Z, Garza NT, Vo TT, Newman RA, Aggarwal BB, Evans CM, Tuvim MJ, Lotan R, Dickey BF. Curcumin Inhibits COPD-Like Airway Inflammation and Lung Cancer Progression in Mice. Carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 30(11):1949-56, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19793800.
- Moghaddam SJ, Li H, Cho SN, Dishop MK, Wistuba II, Ji L, Kurie JM, Dickey BF, Demayo FJ. Promotion of Lung Carcinogenesis by COPD-Like Airway Inflammation in a K ras Induced Mouse Model. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 40(4):443-53 (Cover Art), 2009. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18927348.
- Moghaddam SJ, Clement CG, De la Garza MM, Zou X, Travis EL, Young HW, Evans CM, Tuvim MJ, Dickey BF. Haemophilus influenzae Lysate Induces Aspects of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Phenotype. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 38(6):629-38 (Cover), 2008. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 18096867.
Invited Articles
- Karimi N, Moghaddam SJ. KRAS-Mutant Lung Cancer: Targeting Molecular and Immunologic Pathways, Therapeutic Advantages and Restrictions. Cells 12(5), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36899885.
- Clowers MJ, Moghaddam SJ. Cell Type-Specific Roles of STAT3 Signaling in the Pathogenesis and Progression of K-ras Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 14(7), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35406557.
- Deng S, Clowers MJ, Velasco WV, Ramos-Castaneda M, Moghaddam SJ. Understanding the Complexity of the Tumor Microenvironment in K-ras Mutant Lung Cancer: Finding an Alternative Path to Prevention and Treatment. Front Oncol 9(1556), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32039025.
- Aghapour M, Raee P, Moghaddam SJ, Hiemstra PS, Heijink IH. Airway Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction in COPD: Role of Cigarette Smoke Exposure. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 58(2):157-169, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28933915.
- Moghaddam SJ, Ochoa CE, Sethi S, Dickey BF. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Cancer. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 6:113-23, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21407824.
Book Chapters
- Ramos-Castaneda M, Moghaddam SJ. Lung Cancer Murine Models and Methodology for Immunopreventive Study. In: Methods Mol Biol. Springer Science, 203-214, 2022.
- Velasco WV, Ramos-Castaneda M, Clowers MJ, Deng S, Moghaddam SJ. KRAS: The Art of Understanding a Complex Gene. Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences. In: Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine. 2. Elsevier, 876–888, 2020.
- Sharafkhaneh A, Velamuri S, Moghaddam SJ, Badmaev V, Dickey B, Kurie J. Natural Agents for Chemoprevention of Lung Cancer. In: Lung Cancer. Blackwell: Abingdon, UK, 2008.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Interplay between host microbiome and immunomodulatory responses in pathogenesis of Kras mutant lung cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Elucidating the evolution of Krt8+ alveolar cells to Kras-mutant lung preneoplasia and cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Targeting STAT3 to Prevent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Targeting non-small cell lung cancer cells and the adverse tumor microenvironment with a small-molecule STAT3 inhibitor |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 03, 2024