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Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, Ph.D.

Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine

About Dr. Suhendan Ekmekcioglu

Dr. Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, PhD, is a Professor of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology. The major focus of her research is to recognize the inflammatory pathways in melanoma progression. Her early studies revealed that inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) and related pathways are major contributors in melanoma growth by modulating tumor inflammation. These studies further identified tumor-derived inflammation by specific cytokine/chemokine characteristics in tumor microenvironment which drives the process of melanoma progression. As a result of these early discoveries, her research expand the area in collaborating factors, which are the basis of her current scientific interest. Immune modulation strategy for the treatment of melanoma brings a strong hope, specifically, in combinational approaches. Thus, the research projects are designed to overcome melanoma cells’ contribution to tumor growth in an inflammatory microenvironment by inhibiting inflammation; and also boosting the immune activators in one cellular cascade, which will give a unique advantage in a clinical setting. The scientific rationale is based on the understanding that all tumor progression is characterized by a complex network of interactions among different cell types that cooperatively exploit a metabolic reprograming and mutually influence their functionality. Arginine metabolism is dependent on the activity within the families of, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and arginase (ARG) enzymes. Collectively, ARG and NOS enzymes are crucial components of immune suppression pathways, and the metabolic products of these enzymes are important moderators of T-cell function in cancer. Overall, the primary focus in her current research is to determine NO-produce effects on human melanoma cells and microenvironmental T- lymphocytes (TIL) to test the role of NOS driven arginine metabolism on the growth and immune function of the T cells, which will develop a novel area of research.

Primary Appointment

Director, Department of Immunology Program, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas

Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Member, Department of Cancer Biology and Immunology Programs, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Affiliated with Cancer Biology and Immunology Programs, Houston, TX

Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

The major focus of my research is recognizing the molecular pathways in melanoma progression and analyzing of their targets. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in melanoma, which is one of the enzymes that synthesize nitric oxide (NO), significantly correlates with poor patient survival. This finding suggests that functional iNOS and its product, NO, may be involved in pathways of melanoma aggressiveness, as well as the resistance of melanoma to the current therapies. A novel tumor suppressor/cytokine gene, IL-24/mda7, is one of the responsible molecules on the regulation of iNOS expression in melanoma, which is also part of my research interest in targeted therapy approach for melanoma. Another approach to inhibit iNOS expression is the use of nutraceuticals as integrative agents in melanoma treatment since most of these compounds are anti-inflammatory agents and potential candidates for cancer treatment. Overall, my current research focuses on the molecular regulation of signaling pathways on iNOS expression in human melanoma by novel therapeutics and integrative use of potential nutraceuticals.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1993	University of Istanbul, Istanbul, TR, Ph.D. in Tumor Biology and Immunology
1988	University of Istanbul, Istanbul, TR, M.S. in Tumor Biology and Immunology
1986	University of Istanbul, Istanbul, TR, BS in Biology

Postgraduate Training

1994-2001

Post-Doctoral Fellow, The University of Texas M. D. Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

Licenses & Certifications

2024	Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy™ - A Focus on Cellular Therapies, T Cell Engagers and TIL Therapies

Experience & Service

Faculty Academic Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2015

Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2010

Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2004 - 2009

Assistant Professor, Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas M. D. Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2003 - 2004

Instructor, Department of Bioimmunotherapy, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2001 - 2003

Instructor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2001 - 2001

Project Investigator, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1996 - 2001

Assistant Professor, Department of Oncologic Biology and Immunology, University of Istanbul Oncology Institute, Istanbul, 1995 - 1996

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Tumor Biology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1994 - 1995

Research Fellow, Department of Oncologic Biology and Immunology, University of Istanbul, Oncology Institute, Istanbul, 1988 - 1993

Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities

GSBS Immunology Program Director, The University of Texas Garduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, 2024 - Present

Senator for the Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - 2024

Senator for the Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2014

Other Professional Positions

Faculty Ambassador, UT MDACC Physicians Relations Faculty Ambassador Program, Houston, TX, 2013 - Present

Institutional Committee Activities

Committee Member, 19th DoCM Faculty Recognition and Award Nomination Review Board, 2024

Committee Member, GSBS Admission Committee, 2022 - 2024

Faculty Representative, Academic Mentoring Counsel (AMC), 2022 - Present

Co-Chair, Graduate Education Committee (GEC), 2022 - Present

Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award Committee Chair, Academic Mentoring Counsel (AMC), 2022 - Present

Student & Trainee Wellness Committee Chair, Graduate Education Committee (GEC), 2022 - Present

Committee Member, GSBS Membership Committee, 2021 - 2024

Member, Faculty Senate - Finance Committee, 2021 - 2024

Chair, GSBS Admission Immunology Program Sub-Committee, 2019 - 2022

Member, CAO's Career Track Task Force, 2019 - 2021

RFA Panel Member, Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, 2017 - Present

Committee Member, FY14 DoCM Employee Recognition and Award Nomination Review Board, 2014

Committee Member, Faculty Achievement Awards Committee, 2013 - 2018

Committee Member, Research Faculty Hiring Committee, 2013 - 2014

Member, Faculty Senate - Salary Review Committee, 2011 - 2024

Member, Faculty Senate - Research Affairs Committee, 2011 - 2024

Member, Faculty Senate - Promotion/Tenure Issues, 2011 - 2024

Committee Member, FY05 DoCM Employee Recognition and Award Nomination Review Board, 2005

Honors & Awards

2005	Career Development Award, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Melanoma SPORE
2004	Research Project Award, Cancer Foundation for Melanoma Research
1998	Brock Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Skin Cancer Research Program
1994	Melanoma Research Award, Turkish Oncology Foundation

Professional Memberships

Gulf Coast Consortia

2020 - Present

European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)

2019 - Present

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer - SITC

2019 - Present

MDACC Research Faculty Hiring Committee

2013 - Present

Women Faculty Program

2012 - Present

Heart of Leadership Core Skills

2011 - 2012

Women in Science - The Nitric Oxide Society

2010 - Present

The University of Trakya, Health Science Center

2007 - Present

The University of Texas , Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

2006 - Present

Society for Melanoma Research -SMR

2004 - Present

Turkish American Medical Professionals Association-TAMPA

2003 - Present

American Association of Immunologists-AAI

2003 - Present

The Nitric Oxide Society

2002 - Present

American Association for the Advancement of Science-AAAS

2002 - Present

Women in Cancer Research-AACR

2001 - Present

Turkish Immunology Associations

1996 - Present

American Association of Cancer Research (AACR)

1995 - Present

Turkish Oncology Foundation

1986 - Present

Selected Presentations & Talks

Local Presentations

2014. Panel Discussion for MS at Duchesne Academy. Conference. Panel Discussion for MS at Duchesne Academy. Houston, TX, US.
2013. The Dark Cancer from a Bright Source. Conference. The Dark Cancer from a Bright Source. Houston, TX, US.
2013. Workshop for Women Associate Professors. Conference. Workshop for Women Associate Professors. Houston, TX, US.
2012. St. Agnes Academy AP Biology Students Panel. Conference. St. Agnes Academy AP Biology Students Panel. Houston, TX, US.
2012. Women in Science and Medicine at MDACC. Conference. Women in Science and Medicine at MDACC. Houston, TX, US.
2011. Trainee Research Day 2011 - Judge. Conference. Trainee Research Day 2011 - Judge. Houston, TX, US.
2011. Heart of Leadership Core Skills. Conference. Heart of Leadership Core Skills. Houston, TX, US.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays. Conference. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays. Houston, TX, US.
2008. Research Interests. Conference. Research Interests. Houston, TX, US.
2008. Ingenuity Systems Training. Conference. Ingenuity Systems Training. Houston, TX, US.
2008. GSBS Special Training - Blackboard's use, features and advantages. Conference. GSBS Special Training - Blackboard's use, features and advantages. Houston, TX, US.
2008. GSBS Special Session with Dean – Mentoring Graduate Students. Conference. GSBS Special Session with Dean – Mentoring Graduate Students. Houston, TX, US.
2007. 2007 Conference for Women in Medicine and Research. Conference. 2007 Conference for Women in Medicine and Research. Houston, TX, US.
2007. The Grant Application Writer's Workbook - Writing Winning Grants Workshop. Conference. The Grant Application Writer's Workbook - Writing Winning Grants Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2004. Fast Track Postdoctoral Orientation - Panelist. Conference. Fast Track Postdoctoral Orientation - Panelist. Houston, TX, US.
2004. Common Exchanges-Panelist. Conference. Common Exchanges-Panelist. Houston, TX, US.
2004. Women's Forum-Panelist. Conference. Women's Forum-Panelist. Houston, TX, US.
2002. Grantsmanship Workshop. Conference. Grantsmanship Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2000. Organizing the Research Paper Workshop :Effective Journal Strategy and Reaching the Best Audience. Conference. Organizing the Research Paper Workshop :Effective Journal Strategy and Reaching the Best Audience. Houston, TX, US.
1999. Grantsmanship Workshop. Conference. Grantsmanship Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
1998. HAM-TMC Library Biomedical Writer's Workshop. Conference. HAM-TMC Library Biomedical Writer's Workshop. Houston, TX, US.

Regional Presentations

2013. You're the Boss, Now What?. Conference. You're the Boss, Now What?. San Antonio, TX, US.
2011. 2011 Mid-Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar. Conference. 2011 Mid-Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar. Austin, TX, US.

National Presentations

2025. Immune and metabolic architecture of TIME in metastatic acral melanoma patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors. Conference. AACR IO 2025. Los Angeles, CA, US.
2024. TIME to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Mucosal Melanoma. Invited. Melanoma Research Foundation - Mucosal Melanoma Working Group. Virtual, US.
2022. Integrated pathomics and radiomic-informed mathematical modeling to predict immunotherapy response in rare melanomas. Conference. FNIH IO WG. Virtual, US.
2022. Experimentally Selected And Clinically Validated Innate Immune Markers In The Human Tumor Microenvironment Provide A Predictive Signature Of Immunotherapy Response. Conference. FNIH. Virtual, US.
2022. TIME in Melanoma. Conference. IECC. Virtual, US.
2021. Interleukin-6 blockade abrogates immunotherapy toxicity and promotes tumor immunity. Conference. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2021. Virtual, US.
2021. Tocilizumab, ipilimumab, and nivolumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, or urothelial carcinoma. Conference. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2021. Virtual, US.
2021. Experimentally Selected And Clinically Validated Innate Immune Markers In The Human Tumor Microenvironment Provide A Predictive Signature Of Immunotherapy Response. Conference. FNIH. Virtual, US.
2020. Colors of the Inflammation in Tumor Microenvironment: Immune markers in the human tumor microenvironment provide a predictive signature of immunotherapy response. Conference. Turkish Immunology Foundation. Virtual, US.
2020. Experimentally selected and clinically validated innate immune markers in the human tumor microenvironment provide a predictive signature of immunotherapy response. Conference. Foundation of National Institute for Health (FNIH). Virtual, US.
2020. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) binding to CD74/CD44 Regulates Inflammatory Response of IFN-g. Conference. Melanoma SPORE. Houston, TX, US.
2019. CD74 regulated inflammatory pattern on evaluating the risk of CNS metastasis and survival in Stage IV melanoma. Conference. Society for Melanoma Research 16th International Congress. Salt Lake City, UT, US.
2019. Innate inflammatory pathways are associated with TIL growth and response to adoptive immunotherapy. Conference. SITC. Washington, DC, US.
2019. CD74 regulated inflammatory pattern is associated with TIL growth and favorable response to adoptive immunotherapy. Conference. AACR Special Conferences - Melanoma. Houston, TX, US.
2018. Two Tales of CD74 in Melanoma :Pro-tumor with MIF versus anti-tumor with MHC Class II. Conference. Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology. Houston, TX, US.
2016. Chronic Inflammatory Microenvironment Defines the Pro-Tumorigenic Functions of IFN-ɤ. Conference. Department of Experimental Therapeutics. Houston, TX, US.
2013. An Inflammatory Signature and Clinical Outcome in Stage III Melanoma: A Large-Scale Tissue Micro Array Study. Conference. SMR. Philadelphia, PA, US.
2013. Update on Inflammatory Markers in Melanoma: Search for Clinically useful Biomarkers. Conference. NIH. Houston, TX, US.
2013. Evolving Perceptions and Treatment Strategies for Melanoma. Conference. Institutional Grand Rounds: Advances in Oncology. Houston, TX, US.
2012. Targeting NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma, IL-1s and CXCL-10. Conference. Targeting NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma, IL-1s and CXCL-10. Hollywood, CA, US.
2012. Targeting Nitric Oxide Production via Dimethylarginases for Melanoma Therapy. Conference. Targeting Nitric Oxide Production via Dimethylarginases for Melanoma Therapy. Hollywood, CA, US.
2012. Cell surface CD74 expression is a key mediator of melanoma cell survival in response to the cytotoxic effect of IFN-y, yet the CD74 carbosy-terminal provides a novel target for apoptosis induction. Conference. Cell surface CD74 expression is a key mediator of melanoma cell survival in response to the cytotoxic effect of IFN-y, yet the CD74 carbosy-terminal provides a novel target for apoptosis induction. Hollywood, CA, US.
2012. NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma via IL-1s and CXCL-10. Conference. NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma via IL-1s and CXCL-10. San Diego, CA, US.
2012. The Dark Cancer: Evolving Strategies in Malignant Melanoma. Conference. Physician Relations Grand Rounds. Houston, TX, US.
2012. A large-scale synthetic lethal RNAi screening identifies unique sensitizing targets for anti-inflammatory CDDO-Me in metastatic melanoma. Conference. AACR Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
2011. Developing DDAH Inhibitors as a Strategy to Control Tumor Growth via Nitric Oxide Regulation. Conference. Department of Experimental Therapeutics Research Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
2011. Zylamend in Melanoma. Conference. New Chapter Inc. Brattleboro, VT, US.
2010. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells. Conference. 7th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology. New York, NY, US.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Tumor Molecular Profiling. Conference. Skin SPORE Summer Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Tumor Molecular Profiling - Gene expression analysis in melanoma FFPE tissue samples. Conference. SPORE Summer Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Tumor Molecular Profiling - Gene expression analysis in melanoma FFPE tissue samples. Conference. NIH. Houston, TX, US.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Tumor Molecular Profiling. Conference. MDACC Skin SPORE Summer Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2009. Selective STAT3 Inhibitors Block Migration and Invasion of Human Melanoma Cells. Conference. 6th SMR International Congress. Boston, MA, US.
2009. iNOS expression as a prognostic marker and its inhibition as targeted therapy models in melanoma. Conference. Joint 4th EORTC Pathobiology Group Annual Meeting & 1st International Multidisciplinary Cancer Research Congress. Antalya, TR.
2009. Individualized Targeted Therapy Development Tools for Melanoma Model. Conference. The Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
2009. iNOS and IL-24 Research in Melanoma. Conference. Department of Immunology Seminars. Houston, TX, US.
2008. iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma and Tumor Associated Macrophages. Conference. AACR Special Conferences-Chemical and Biological Aspects of Inflammation and Cancer. Oahu, HI, US.
2007. MDA-7/IL-24 Protein Leads to Melanoma Cell Apoptosis via Differential Signaling of Interferon Regulatory Factors. Conference. Society for Melanoma Research-4th International Melanoma Congress. New York, NY, US.
2006. MDA7/IL-24: Mechanisms of Melanoma Killing. Conference. Experimental Therapeutics Departmental Research Seminars. Houston, TX, US.
2006. Prognostic Significance of iNOS Expression. Conference. AACR Special Conference - Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutics. Chicago, IL, US.
2006. MDA-7 Expression in Human Melanoma. Conference. MDA7/IL-24 Workshop. Houston, TX, US.
2006. Markers of Intracellular Oxidative Stress in Melanoma Tumor Cells Identify the Subset of Melanoma Patients with Shortest Survival. Conference. 14th SPORE Investigators’ Workshop. Baltimore, MD, US.
2006. Molecular Profiling. Conference. 1st Skin SPORE Winter Meeting. Santa Fe, NM, US.
2005. Interferon Regulated Factors (IRF) Mediated Apoptosis. Conference. The Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
2005. Tumor iNOS predicts poor survival in Stage III Melanoma Patients. Conference. 13th SPORE Investigators' Workshop. Washington, DC, US.
2005. iNOS Expression in Melanoma: Prognostic Significance of iNOS Expression. Conference. Experimental Therapeutics Departmental Seminars. Houston, TX, US.
2004. Melanoma Patient Poor Survival is Predicted by the Presence of iNOS in Metastatic Tumors. Conference. Second International Melanoma Research Congress. Phoenix, AZ, US.
2004. iNOS Expression as a Prognostic Marker in Melanoma. Conference. Bioimmunotherapy Lecture Series. Houston, TX, US.
2002. MDA-7 Regulates iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma. Conference. 93th Annual Meeting of AACR. San Fransisco, CA, US.
2000. Tumor iNOS and Nitrotyrosine Correlate with Poor Survival in Melanoma Patients. Conference. Melanoma at the Millennium Meeting. Phoenix, AZ, US.
1999. Fas Ligand Expression on Metastatic versus Primary Melanoma. Conference. Fas Ligand Expression on Metastatic versus Primary Melanoma. Philadelphia, PA, US.
1995. NO in Human Melanoma. Conference. Cancer Biology Lecture Series. Houston, TX, US.

International Presentations

2025. Immune and metabolic characteristics of tumor immune microenvironment in acral melanoma patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors. Conference. 11th World Congress of Melanoma in conjunction with 21st EADO Congress. Athens, GR.
2023. TIME to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Melanoma. Invited. Uskudar University Research Seminars. Virtual, US.
2023. TIME to Predict Immunotherapy Response. Invited. Koc University Medical School. Istanbul, TR.
2023. TIME in Melanoma. Invited. DESAM Research Institute Seminars. Nicosia, CY.
2023. Tumor Immune Microenvironment to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Melanoma. Conference. Hyperion. Brest, FR.
2023. Molecular Biomarkers in TIME to Predict Immunotherapy Response. Invited. KOC University Medical School. Virtual.
2022. Immune Related Oxidative Stress Biomarkers In Tumor Immune Microenvironment To Predict Immunotherapy Response. Conference. 5th International Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress (MIMIC-V). Izmir, TR.
2022. Future Technologies in Medicine :Digital Tissue Imaging. Conference. TUSEB. Istanbul, TR.
2018. Emerging Molecular Biomarkers for Evolving Immunotherapy Approaches. Conference. MOCAD. Izmir, TR.
2017. Game Changing Cancer Treatment : Immunotherapy. Conference. TUSEB. Istanbul, TR.
2016. Chronic Inflammatory Microenvironment Defines the Pro-Tumorigenic Functions of IFN-g. Conference. International Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress. Antalya, TR.
2015. Regulation of Nitric Oxide Pathway by Natural Products in Melanoma. Conference. NPCPT. Istanbul, TR.
2015. Novel Therapeutic Approaches by Targeting CD74 Expression in Melanoma. Conference. EACR-AACR-SIC. Florence, IT.
2014. Association of CD74 Expression with Clinical Outcome in Stage III Melanoma. Conference. SMR. Zurich, CH.
2014. Inflammatory Markers of Melanoma. Conference. MIMIC. Antalya, TR.
2014. Molecular Biomarkers for Prognosis and Targeted Therapies of Melanoma. Conference. EACR. Bodrum, TR.
2013. Targeting NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma via IL-1s and CXCL-10. Conference. 2013 15th International Congress of Immunology. Milan, IT.
2012. Evolving Strategies on Combinational Treatment Approaches with Nutraceuticals in. Conference. 5th International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer. Elazig, TR.
2012. Nitric Oxide Suppresses the Expression of CXCL10 and Leads to the Poor Outcome of Stage III Malignant Melanoma. Conference. 22nd Biennial Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research. Barcelona, ES.
2011. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells. Conference. 4th International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer. Antalya, TR.
2011. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells: iNOS and COX-2 Play a Role as Inflammatory Mediators?. Conference. SFRR-E. Istanbul, TR.
2010. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Melanoma Molecular Profiling. Conference. XIV Perspectives in Melanoma. Amsterdam, NL.
2010. iNOS expression as a prognostic marker and its inhibition by IL-24 as targeted therapy models in melanoma. Conference. University of Istanbul. Istanbul, TR.
2009. IL-24 Expression in Cancer: Autocrine regulation of IL-24 in cancer-specific apoptosis. Conference. University of Istanbul. Istanbul, TR.
2009. iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma and Tumor Associated Macrophages. Conference. Gordon Conferences on Nitric Oxide. Lucca, IT.
2005. Prognostic Significance of iNOS Expression. Conference. European Cancer Conference - ECCO13. Paris, FR.
2003. mda-7/IL-24 regulates iNOS expression in melanoma. Conference. 15th European Immunology Congress-EFIS 2003. Rhodes, GR.
2001. Correlation Between Survival and Tumor iNOS Expression on Melanoma. Conference. Fifth World Conference on Melanoma. Venice, IT.
1992. Natural Killer Cell Activity in Patients with Malignant Lymphoma. Conference. 4th International Conference of Anticancer Research. Crete, GR.

Formal Peers

2023. Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Melanoma. Invited. Istanbul, TR.
2023. Tumor Immune Micro Environment. Invited. Istanbul, TR.
2023. Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Invited. Nicosia, CY.
2021. TIME in Melanoma :The Science and The Tools. Invited. El Paso, TX, US.
2018. Immunology and Cancer Immunology. Invited. Gaziantep, TR.
2016. Chronic Inflammatory Microenvironment Defines the Pro-Tumorigenic Functions of IFN-g. Invited. Houston, TX, US.
2010. Biological Approaches to Melanoma Treatment. Invited. Istanbul, TR.
2009. iNOS expression as a prognostic marker and its inhibition by IL-24 as targeted therapy models in melanoma. Invited. Istanbul, TR.
2009. IL-24 Expression in Cancer: Autocrine regulation of IL-24 in cancer-specific apoptosis. Invited. Istanbul, TR.
1995. Introduction to Immunology and Cancer Immunology. Invited. Istanbul, TR.

Less

Grant & Contract Support

Date:	2025 - 2027
Title:	Subcellular and Metabolic Characterization of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) to Compute Prognosis and Response to Immune Therapies in Acral and Mucosal Melanomas
Funding Source:	Melanoma Research Alliance
Role:	PI
ID:	FP23715

Date:	2025 - 2026
Title:	Decoding Micro- and Nano-Plastics' Impact on Tumor Growth, Genes Expression, Cytotoxicity, and Immunotherapy in Melanoma Using Organoid Models
Funding Source:	DOD
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2025 - 2026
Title:	Optimizing TIL Harvest Site And Patient Selection For Rare Melanoma Patients Using CD8-PET Imaging
Funding Source:	DOD
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2024 - 2029
Title:	Development of Therapeutic Strategies for Decoupling Autoimmunity from Antitumor Immunity in Melanoma Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Funding Source:	NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	FP19621 Rev1

Date:	2024 - 2029
Title:	Phase 1 Dose Escalation and Expansion Study of PRAME T cell receptor (TCR) Engineered NK Cells in Patients with Recurrent and/or Refractory Melanoma (PRAMETIME-Mel)
Funding Source:	NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	FP23116

Date:	2024 - Present
Title:	Gateway for Cancer Research
Funding Source:	Gateway for Cancer Research
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2023 - 2025
Title:	Altering the immune metabolic fitness with low-dose radiotherapy to enhance antitumor responses
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	R21

Date:	2023 - 2025
Title:	Modeling Tumor Immune Micro Environment (TIME) Architecture
Funding Source:	SITC
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	FP19058

Date:	2022 - 2027
Title:	Identifying the mechanism of RT induced immune cell death to optimize radioimmune therapy
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	NIH

Date:	2022 - 2024
Title:	Deciphering how low-dose radiation therapy enhances immunological fitness in the tumor microenvironment
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	FP00015180

Date:	2022 - 2025
Title:	Deciphering how low-dose radiation therapy enhances immunological fitness in the tumor microenvironment
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	R22.1 IIPA

Date:	2022 - 2025
Title:	Innate immune markers contribution in the tumor microenvironment architecture predicts response to immunotherapy in acral melanomas
Funding Source:	DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP)
Role:	PI
ID:	ME210231

Date:	2019 - 2025
Title:	Tumor and Microenvironment Oxidant Pathways as Targets for Improvement of Melanoma Patient Outcomes
Funding Source:	Adelson Medical Research Foundation
Role:	Co-I
ID:	WD00004537

Date:	2019 - 2023
Title:	Experimentally selected and clinically validated innate immune markers in the human tumor microenvironment provided a predictive signature of immunotherapy response
Funding Source:	Foundation for the National Institute of Health
Role:	PI
ID:	FP00007368

Date:	2019 - 2020
Title:	Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Binding to CD74/CD44 Regulates Inflammatory Response of IFN-gamma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	PI
ID:	SPORE - DRP

Date:	2018 - 2023
Title:	Dynamics of IFN-gamma induced CD74 signaling in melanoma cells define host responses to immune therapies: panoramas from pro-inflammatory to anti-tumor
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	PI

Date:	2018 - 2021
Title:	Reprogramming of Arginine Metabolism in Melanoma to Improve the Anti-Tumor Activity of Immune Effector Cells
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	IIRA

Date:	2017 - 2019
Title:	Identification of Convergent Inflammatory Mechanisms in Primary and Metastatic CNS Malignancies
Funding Source:	Adelson Medical Research Foundation
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2017 - 2019
Title:	Aberrant ROS and RNS pathways: Likely Prognostic and Predictive Markers, and Targets for overcoming Resistance to Therapy
Funding Source:	Adelson Medical Research Foundation
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2017 - 2019
Title:	Tumor Arginine Metabolism Drives Immune Effector Cells' Inactivity in Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2017 - 2020
Title:	Ad-IL24 Tumor Suppressor Immunotherapy
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2016 - 2017
Title:	MIF Binding to CD74/CD44 Regulates Inflammatory Response of IFN-g
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	PI

Date:	2014 - 2017
Title:	Targeting aberrant oxidation pathways and products driven by inflammation in melanoma
Funding Source:	Adelson Medical Research Foundation
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2012 - 2012
Title:	Targeting nitric oxide production for melanoma therapy
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	RP130120

Date:	2012 - 2017
Title:	Exploiting the Cell’s Stress Response for Cancer Therapy
Funding Source:	Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Role:	Co-I
ID:	RP120690

Date:	2012 - 2013
Title:	Anti-inflammatory Pathways in Human Melanoma
Funding Source:	Reata Pharmaceuticals
Role:	PI
ID:	REATA

Date:	2012 - 2014
Title:	Development of Neutraceutical Therapies in Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	PI
ID:	P50 CA093459 MDACC SPORE in Melanoma DRP

Date:	2011 - 2017
Title:	Multidisciplinary Subspecialty Pathology Research Fellowship Program
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Research Mentor
ID:	T32

Date:	2011 - 2016
Title:	Molecular Effects of Constitutive Intracellular Nitric Oxide in Human Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2011 - 2013
Title:	Development of Potential Neutraceutical Therapies for Melanoma
Funding Source:	MRA
Role:	PI

Date:	2008 - 2010
Title:	Tissue, Cell and Small-Molecule Libraries for Diagnosing & Treating Melanoma
Funding Source:	CTT/TI-3D Chemistry and Molecularly-Targeted Therapeutic Development Grant Program
Role:	Principal Investigator-MDACC

Date:	2007 - 2008
Title:	Selective Stat3 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	P50 CA093459

Date:	2007 - 2009
Title:	Individualized Targeted Therapy Development Tools for Melanoma Model
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	PI
ID:	P50-CA093459

Date:	2005 - 2006
Title:	Melanoma Differentiation Antigen (mda-7) Expression in Human Melanomas
Funding Source:	The Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2004 - 2016
Title:	UT MDACC SPORE in Melanoma - Project 3
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-PI
ID:	P50 CA093459

Date:	2004 - 2009
Title:	UT MDACC SPORE in Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	P50 CA09345926

Date:	2004 - 2006
Title:	Regulation of iNOS, a Protein Indicator of Poor Prognosis in Human Melanoma
Funding Source:	The Cancer Foundation for Melanoma Research
Role:	PI

Date:	2004 - 2006
Title:	Gene Therapy for Human Malignant Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	R42 CA089778

Date:	2002 - 2007
Title:	Heterogeneity of Human Melanoma, Cytokines, and iNOS
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	RO1 CA090282

Date:	2001 - 2002
Title:	Gene Therapy for Human Malignant Melanoma
Funding Source:	NIH/NCI
Role:	Co-I
ID:	R41 CA109862

Date:	2001 - 2002
Title:	Enzymatic Production of Nitric Oxide in Human Melanoma Cells
Funding Source:	Golfers Against Cancer
Role:	Co-I

Date:	2000 - 2009
Title:	Melanoma Differentiation Antigen (mda-7) Gene as Therapy for Melanoma
Funding Source:	The W.M.Keck Foundation/ Center for Cancer Gene Therapy
Role:	Co-I

Date:	1997 - 1998
Title:	Cytokine Expression on Malignant Melanoma
Funding Source:	Brock Foundation
Role:	PI

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Bentebibel SE, McGrail DJ, Kochat V, Arslan E, Abdel-Wahab R, Pazdrak B, Murthy R, Duose DY, Wani K, Liu J, Haymaker C, Gomes J, Sonnemann H, Katailiha AS, Nassif-Rausseo B, Rahim M, Li I, Yang X, Johnson DH, Amaria RN, Glitza IC, Elsayes K, Tawbi HA, Burks JK, Bernatchez C, Davies MA, Rai K, Lizée G, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A. Clinical and biomarker analyses of intratumoral CD40 agonist sotigalimab with pembrolizumab in metastatic melanoma. Cancer Cell. e-Pub 2025.
Clowers MJ, Rahal Z, Cho SN, Krishna A, Yuan B, Hamana Zorrilla LG, Eckols TK, Kasembeli MM, Liu S, Peng S, Ramos-Castaneda M, Thompson AL, Rodriguez Reyna CI, Larsen KE, Grimaldo MT, Deng S, Karimi N, Chou C, Velasco WV, Zarghooni M, Alekseev S, Solis Soto LM, Ostrin EJ, Kadara H, Ekmekcioglu S, Tweardy DJ, Moghaddam SJ. Selective inhibition of canonical STAT3 signaling suppresses K-ras mutant lung tumorigenesis and reinvigorates anti-tumor immunity. Front Immunol 16:1575181, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40356899.
Eliason J, Krishnan S, Fukuda Y, Bustos MA, Winkowski D, Cho S, Basi A, Baird R, Grimm EA, Davies MA, Hoon DSB, Rao A, Burks JK, Ekmekcioglu S. Characterizing spatial immune architecture in metastatic melanoma using high-dimensional multiplex imaging. Front Immunol 16:1560778, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40364843.
Wang, B, Reville, PK, Yassouf, MY, Jelloul, FZ, Ly, C, Desai, PN, Wang, Z, Borges, P, Veletic, I, Dasdemir, E, Burks, JK, Tang, G, Guo, S, Garza, AI, Nasnas, C, Vaughn, NR, Baran, N, Deng, Q, Matthews, JA, Gunaratne, PH, Antunes, DA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Sasaki, K, Garcia, MB, Cuglievan, B, Hao, D, Daver, N, Green, M, Konopleva, M, Futreal, A, Post, SM, Abbas, HA. Comprehensive characterization of IFNγ signaling in acute myeloid leukemia reveals prognostic and therapeutic strategies. Nature communications 15(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38418901.
Fukuda Y, Kim SH, Bustos MA, Cho SN, Roszik J, Burks JK, Hoon, DSB, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase has a potential to improve immunotherapy by reducing collagen deposition and T cell exhaustion in melanoma. Cancer Res Commun 3(7):1397–1408, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37529399.
Hailemichael, Y, Johnson, DH, Hassan, NA, Foo, WC, Bentebibel, SE, Daher, M, Haymaker, CL, Wani, K, Saberian, C, Ogata, D, Kim, ST, Nurieva, R, Lazar, A, Abu-Sbeih, H, Fa'Ak, F, Mathew, A, Wang, Y, Falohun, A, Trinh, VA, Zobniw, C, Spillson, C, Burks, JK, Awiwi, M, Elsayes, KM, Solis Soto, LM, Melendez, B, Davies, MA, Wargo, J, Curry, JL, Yee, C, Lizee, GA, Singh, S, Sharma, P, Allison, JP, Hwu, P, Ekmekcioglu, S, Diab, A. Interleukin-6 blockade abrogates immunotherapy toxicity and promotes tumor immunity. Cancer cell 40(5):509-523.e6, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35537412.
Fukuda, Y, Bustos, M, Cho, SN, Roszik, J, Ryu, S, Lopez, VM, Burks, JK, Lee, JE, Grimm, EA, Hoon, DS, Ekmekcioglu, S. Interplay between soluble CD74 and macrophage-migration inhibitory factor drives tumor growth and influences patient survival in melanoma. Cell Death and Disease 13(2), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35121729.
Ogata, D, Haydu, LE, Glitza, IC, Patel, SP, Tawbi, H, McQuade, JL, Diab, A, Ekmekcioglu, S, Wong, MK, Davies, MA, Amaria, RN. The efficacy of anti-programmed cell death protein 1 therapy among patients with metastatic acral and metastatic mucosal melanoma. Cancer medicine 10(7):2293-2299, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33686688.
Ding, Z, Ogata, D, Roszik, J, Qin, Y, Kim, S, Tetzlaff, M, Lazar, A, Davies, MA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. iNOS Associates With Poor Survival in Melanoma. Frontiers in Oncology 11, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33643925.
Ahmed, R, Muralidharan, R, Srivastava, A, Johnston, SE, Zhao, YD, Ekmekcioglu, S, Munshi, A, Ramesh, R. Molecular targeting of hur oncoprotein suppresses MITF and induces apoptosis in melanoma cells. Cancers 13(2):1-19, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33418925.
Ogata, D, Roszik, J, Oba, J, Kim, S, Bassett Jr, R, Haydu, LE, Tanese, K, Grimm, EA, Ekmekcioglu, S. The expression of CD74-regulated inflammatory markers in stage IV melanoma. Cancers 12(12):1-13, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33327409.
Kim, S, Roszik, J, Cho, SN, Ogata, D, Milton, D, Peng, W, Menter, DG, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. The COX2 effector microsomal PGE2 synthase 1 is a regulator of immunosuppression in cutaneous melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 25(5):1650-1663, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30538110.
Dal, F, Kim, S, Ding, Z, Grimm, EA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Akcakaya, H. Mitochondrial dynamic alterations regulate melanoma cell progression. Journal of cellular biochemistry 120(2):2098-2108, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30256441.
Kim SH, Roszik J, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Impact of L-Arginine Metabolism on Immune Response and Anti-Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 8(67), 2018. e-Pub 2018.
Gianni, M, Qin, Y, Wenes, G, Bandstra, B, Conley, AP, Subbiah, V, Leibowitz-Amit, R, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Roszik, J. High-throughput architecture for discovering combination cancer therapeutics. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics 2018(2):1-12, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30652536.
Baba, Y, Funakoshi, T, Mori, M, Emoto, K, Masugi, Y, Ekmekcioglu, S, Amagai, M, Tanese, K. Expression of monoacylglycerol lipase as a marker of tumour invasion and progression in malignant melanoma. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 31(12):2038-2045, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28681540.
Qin, Y, Ekmekcioglu, S, Forget, MA, Székvölgyi, L, Hwu, P, Grimm, EA, Jazaeri, AA, Roszik, J. Cervical cancer neoantigen landscape and immune activity is associated with human papillomavirus master regulators. Frontiers in immunology 8(JUN), 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28670312.
Maturu, P, Jones, D, Ruteshouser, E, Hu, Q, Reynolds, JM, Hicks, MJ, Putluri, N, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Dong, C, Overwijk, W. Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 Pathway in Creating an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment and in Initiation and Progression of Wilms' Tumor. Neoplasia (United States) 19(3):237-249, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28254151.
Bailey, PJ, Chang, DK, Forget, MA, Lucas, FA, Alvarez, HA, Haymaker, CL, Chattopadhyay, C, Kim, S, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Biankin, AV, Hwu, P, Maitra, A, Roszik, J. Exploiting the neoantigen landscape for immunotherapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Scientific reports 6, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27762323.
Qin, Y, Roszik, J, Chattopadhyay, C, Hashimoto, Y, Liu, CW, Cooper, Z, Wargo, J, Hwu, P, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. Hypoxia-driven mechanism of vemurafenib resistance in melanoma. Molecular cancer therapeutics 15(10):2442-2454, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27458138.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Davies, MA, Tanese, K, Roszik, J, Shin-Sim, M, Bassett Jr, R, Milton, D, Woodman, SE, Prieto, V, Gershenwald, JE, Morton, DL, Hoon, DS, Grimm, EA. Inflammatory marker testing identifies CD74 expression in melanoma tumor cells, and its expression associates with favorable survival for stage III melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 22(12):3016-3024, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26783288.
Kim, S, Hashimoto, Y, Cho, SN, Roszik, J, Milton, D, Dal, F, Kim, SF, Menter, DG, Yang, P, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. Microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 regulates melanoma cell survival and associates with melanoma disease progression. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research 29(3):297-308, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26801201.
Rai, K, Akdemir, KC, Kwong, L, Fiziev, P, Wu, C, Keung, EZ, Sharma, S, Samant, NS, Williams, M, Axelrad, JB, Shah, A, Yang, D, Grimm, EA, Barton, M, Milton, D, Heffernan, TP, Horner, J, Ekmekcioglu, S, Lazar, A, Ernst, J, Chin, L. Dual roles of RNF2 in melanoma progression. Cancer discovery 5(12):1314-1327, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26450788.
Tanese, K, Hashimoto, Y, Berkova, Z, Wang, Y, Samaniego, F, Lee, JE, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. Cell Surface CD74-MIF Interactions Drive Melanoma Survival in Response to Interferon-γ. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 135(11):2775-2784, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26039541.
Maturu, P, Overwijk, W, Hicks, MJ, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Huff, VD. Characterization of the inflammatory microenvironment and identification of potential therapeutic targets in Wilms tumors. Translational Oncology 7(4):484-492, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24969538.
Hong, DS, Garrido-Laguna, I, Ekmekcioglu, S, Falchook, GS, Naing, A, Wheler, JJ, Fu, S, Moulder, S, Piha-Paul, SA, Tsimberidou, AM, Wen, Y, Culotta, KS, Anderes, K, Davis, DW, Liu, W, George, GC, Camacho, LH, Percy Ivy, S, Kurzrock, R. Dual inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway. Cancer 120(14):2164-2173, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24752867.
Wang, Y, Hu, S, Gabisi, A, Er, JA, Pope, A, Burstein, G, Schardon, CL, Cardounel, AJ, Ekmekcioglu, S, Fast, W. Developing an irreversible inhibitor of human DDAH-1, an enzyme upregulated in melanoma. ChemMedChem 9(4):792-797, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24574257.
Lopez-Rivera, E, Jayaraman, P, Parikh, F, Davies, MA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Izadmehr, S, Milton, D, Chipuk, JE, Grimm, EA, Estrada, Y, Aguirre-Ghiso, JA, Sikora, AG. Inducible nitric oxide synthase drives mTOR pathway activation and proliferation of human melanoma by reversible nitrosylation of TSC2. Cancer Research 74(4):1067-1078, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24398473.
Grimm, EA, Sikora, AG, Ekmekcioglu, S. Molecular pathways: Inflammation-associated nitric-oxide production as a cancer-supporting redox mechanism and a potential therapeutic target. Clinical Cancer Research 19(20):5557-5563, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23868870.
Zhou, H, Ekmekcioglu, S, Marks, JW, Mohamedali, KA, Asrani, K, Phillips, KK, Brown, SA, Cheng, E, Weiss, MB, Hittelman, WN, Tran, NL, Yagita, H, Winkles, JA, Rosenblum, MG. The TWEAK receptor Fn14 is a therapeutic target in melanoma. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 133(4):1052-1062, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23190886.
Qin, Y, Deng, W, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. Identification of unique sensitizing targets for anti-inflammatory CDDO-Me in metastatic melanoma by a large-scale synthetic lethal RNAi screening. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research 26(1):97-112, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23020131.
Khalili, J, Liu, S, Rodriguez-Cruz, T, Whittington, M, Wardell, S, Liu, CW, Zhang, M, Cooper, Z, Frederick, DT, Li, Y, Zhang, M, Joseph, RW, Bernatchez, C, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Radvanyi, L, Davis, RE, Davies, MA, Wargo, J, Hwu, P, Lizee, GA. Oncogenic BRAF(V600E) promotes stromal cell-mediated immunosuppression via induction of interleukin-1 in melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 18(19):5329-5340, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22850568.
Tanese, K, Grimm, EA, Ekmekcioglu, S. The role of melanoma tumor-derived nitric oxide in the tumor inflammatory microenvironment. International journal of cancer 131(4):891-901, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 21953496.
Chattopadhyay, C, Ellerhorst, JA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Greene, VR, Davies, MA, Grimm, EA. Association of activated c-Met with NRAS-mutated human melanomas. International journal of cancer 131(2):E56-E65, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22020736.
Klionsky, DJ, Abdalla, FC, Abeliovich, H, Abraham, R, Acevedo-Arozena, A, Ekmekcioglu, S, El-Deiry, WS, Zoladek, T, Zong, WX, Zorzano, A, Zschocke, J, Zuckerbraun, B. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy. Autophagy 8(4):445-544, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22966490.
Qin, Y, Ekmekcioglu, S, Liu, P, Duncan, LM, Lizee, GA, Poindexter, N, Grimm, EA. Constitutive aberrant endogenous interleukin-1 facilitates inflammation and growth in human melanoma. Molecular Cancer Research 9(11):1537-1550, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21954434.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Chattopadhyay, C, Akar, U, Gabisi, A, Newman, RA, Grimm, EA. Zyflamend mediates therapeutic induction of autophagy to apoptosis in melanoma cells. Nutrition and cancer 63(6):940-949, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21745040.
Deng, W, Kwon, J, Ekmekcioglu, S, Poìndexter, N, Grimm, EA. IL-24 gene transfer sensitizes melanoma cells to erlotinib through modulation of the Apaf-1 and Akt signaling pathways. Melanoma research 21(1):44-56, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 20216471.
Ellerhorst, JA, Greene, VR, Ekmekcioglu, S, Warneke, C, Johnson, MM, Cooke, CP, Wang, LE, Prieto, V, Gershenwald, JE, Wei, Q, Grimm, EA. Clinical correlates of NRAS and BRAF mutations in primary human melanoma. Clinical Cancer Research 17(2):229-235, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 20975100.
Huerta-Yepez, S, Ekmekcioglu, S, Rivera-Pazos, CM, Antonio-Andres, G, Vega, MI, Baay-Guzman, G, Grimm, EA. Braf mutations are associated with high levels of phosphorylated RKIP in melanoma cell lines. Forum on Immunopathological Diseases and Therapeutics 2(2):189-194, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Sikora, AG, Gelbard, A, Davies, MA, Sano, D, Ekmekcioglu, S, Kwon, J, Hailemichael, Y, Jayaraman, P, Myers, JN, Grimm, EA, Overwijk, W. Targeted inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibits growth of human melanoma in vivo and synergizes with chemotherapy. Clinical Cancer Research 16(6):1834-1844, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20215556.
Zheng, M, Bocangel, D, Ramesh, R, Ekmekcioglu, S, Poìndexter, N, Grimm, EA, Chada, S. Interleukin-24 overcomes temozolomide resistance and enhances cell death by down-regulation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in human melanoma cells. Molecular cancer therapeutics 7(12):3842-3851, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 19056673.
Grimm, EA, Ellerhorst, JA, Tang, CH, Ekmekcioglu, S. Constitutive intracellular production of iNOS and NO in human melanoma. Nitric Oxide - Biology and Chemistry 19(2):133-137, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18472017.
Hwang, CS, Prieto, V, Diwan, AH, Lizee, GA, Ellerhorst, JA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Liu, P, Eton, O, Kinney, SA, Grimm, EA, Hwu, P, Kim, KB. Changes in pERK1/2 and pAKT expression in melanoma lesions after imatinib treatment. Melanoma research 18(4):241-245, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18626307.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Mumm, JB, Udtha, M, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. Killing of human melanoma cells induced by activation of class I interferon-regulated signaling pathways via MDA-7/IL-24. Cytokine 43(1):34-44, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18511292.
Zheng, M, Bocangel, D, Doneske, B, Mhashilkar, AM, Ramesh, R, Hunt, KK, Ekmekcioglu, S, Sutton, RB, Poìndexter, N, Grimm, EA, Chada, S. Human interleukin 24 (MDA-7/IL-24) protein kills breast cancer cells via the IL-20 receptor and is antagonized by IL-10. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 56(2):205-215, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 16710719.
Mumm, JB, Ekmekcioglu, S, Poìndexter, N, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. Soluble human MDA-7/IL-24. Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research 26(12):877-886, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 17238830.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Ellerhorst, JA, Prieto, V, Johnson, MM, Broemeling, LD, Grimm, EA. Tumor iNOS predicts poor survival for stage III melanoma patients. International journal of cancer 119(4):861-866, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16557582.
Ellerhorst, JA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Johnson, MK, Cooke, CP, Johnson, MM, Grimm, EA. Regulation of iNOS by the p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in human melanoma. Oncogene 25(28):3956-3962, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16474847.
Fok, JY, Ekmekcioglu, S, Mehta, K. Implications of tissue transglutaminase expression in malignant melanoma. Molecular cancer therapeutics 5(6):1493-1503, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16818508.
Tong, AW, Nemunaitis, J, Su, D, Zhang, Y, Cunningham, C, Senzer, N, Netto, G, Rich, D, Mhashilkar, AM, Parker, K, Coffee, K, Ramesh, R, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA, Van Wart Hood, J, Merritt, J, Chada, S. Intratumoral injection of INGN 241, a nonreplicating adenovector expressing the melanoma-differentiation associated gene-7 (mda-7/IL24). Molecular Therapy 11(1):160-172, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15585417.
Chada, S, Mhashilkar, AM, Ramesh, R, Mumm, JB, Sutton, RB, Bocangel, D, Zheng, M, Grimm, EA, Ekmekcioglu, S. Bystander activity of Ad-mda7. Molecular Therapy 10(6):1085-1095, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15564140.
Zheng, M, Ekmekcioglu, S, Walch, ET, Tang, CH, Grimm, EA. Inhibition of nuclear factor-κB and nitric oxide by curcumin induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human melanoma cells. Melanoma research 14(3):165-171, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15179184.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Ellerhorst, JA, Mumm, JB, Zheng, M, Broemeling, LD, Prieto, V, Stewart, AL, Mhashilkar, AM, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. Negative association of melanoma differentiation-associated gene (mda-7) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human melanoma. Molecular cancer therapeutics 2(1):9-17, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12533668.
Simeone, AM, Ekmekcioglu, S, Broemeling, LD, Grimm, EA, Tari, AM. A novel mechanism by which N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide inhibits breast cancer cell growth. Molecular cancer therapeutics 1(12):1009-1017, 2002. e-Pub 2002. PMID: 12481423.
Stewart, AL, Mhashilkar, AM, Yang, XH, Ekmekcioglu, S, Saito, Y, Sieger, KA, Schrock, R, Onishi, E, Swanson, X, Mumm, JB, Zumstein, L, Watson, GJ, Snary, D, Roth, JA, Grimm, EA, Ramesh, R, Chada, S. PI3K blockade by Ad-PTEN inhibits invasion and induces apoptosis in radial growth phase and metastatic melanoma cells. Molecular Medicine 8(8):451-461, 2002. e-Pub 2002. PMID: 12435856.
Caudell, EG, Mumm, JB, Poìndexter, N, Ekmekcioglu, S, Mhashilkar, AM, Yang, XH, Retter, MW, Hill, P, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. The protein product of the tumor suppressor gene, melanoma differentiation-associated gene 7, exhibits immunostimulatory activity and is designated IL-24. Journal of Immunology 168(12):6041-6046, 2002. e-Pub 2002. PMID: 12055212.
Ellerhorst, JA, Prieto, V, Ekmekcioglu, S, Broemeling, LD, Yekell, S, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. Loss of MDA-7 expression with progression of melanoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 20(4):1069-1074, 2002. e-Pub 2002. PMID: 11844832.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Ellerhorst, JA, Mhashilkar, AM, Sahin, AA, Read, CM, Prieto, V, Chada, S, Grimm, EA. Down-regulated melanoma differentiation associated gene (MDA-7) expression in human melanomas. International journal of cancer 94(1):54-59, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11668478.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Ellerhorst, JA, Smid, CM, Prieto, V, Munsell, M, Buzaid, AC, Grimm, EA. Inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosine in human metastatic melanoma tumors correlate with poor survival. Clinical Cancer Research 6(12):4768-4775, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 11156233.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Okcu, MF, Colome-Grimmer, MI, Owen-Schaub, L, Buzaid, AC, Grimm, EA. Differential increase of Fas ligand expression on metastatic and thin or thick primary melanoma cells compared with interleukin-10. Melanoma research 9(3):261-272, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10465582.
Ayan, I, Luca, JW, Jaffe, N, Yazici, H, Ekmekcioglu, S, Hansen, MF. Germline mutations of the p53 gene in children with malignant solid tumors. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research 17(4):497-502, 1998. e-Pub 1998. PMID: 10089074.
Bouvet, M, Fang, B, Ekmekcioglu, S, Ji, L, Bucana, CD, Hamada, K, Grimm, EA, Roth, JA. Suppression of the immune response to an adenovirus vector and enhancement of intratumoral transgene expression by low-dose etoposide. Gene Therapy 5(2):189-195, 1998. e-Pub 1998. PMID: 9578838.
Ekmekcioglu S, Onat H. Analysis of Tumor Infiltrating Macrophages and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Cytotoxic Characteristics. Turkish J Oncol 13(1):6-8, 1998. e-Pub 1998.
Kebudi R, Ayan I, Ekmekcioglu S, Karamanli L, Yilmaz G, Gorgun O, Yagci T, Piskin S. Immunological Status at Diagnosis in Pediatric Patients with Solid Tumor. Turk J Oncol 11(4):11-18, 1996. e-Pub 1996.
Kebudi, R, Ayan, I, Darendeliler, E, Agaoglu, L, Ekmekcioglu, S, Yagci, T, Pişkin, S, Bilge, N. Immunologic status in children with brain tumors and the effect of therapy. Journal of neuro-oncology 24(3):219-227, 1995. e-Pub 1995. PMID: 7595752.
Ekmekcioglu S, Yagci T, Kurul S, Demiralp E, Erturk N, Agir H. Cytotoxic Effects of IFN-a in TIL Cultures of Malignant Melanoma. Journal of Turkish Plastic, Reconstructive and Esthetical Surgery 2(3):3-10, 1994. e-Pub 1994.
Ekmekcioglu S, Inanc SE, Yagci T. Kinetics in Patients Treated with Cisplatinum. Turkish J Oncol 8(2):1365-1368, 1993. e-Pub 1993.
Kebudi R, Ayan I, Darendeliler E, Agaoglu L, Piskin S, Yagci T, Ekmekcioglu S, Yilmaz G. Immunologic Changes in Children with Brain Tumors and the Effect of Therapy. Turkish J Oncol 8(3-4):1413-1420, 1993. e-Pub 1993.
Sonmez YE, Dilege S, Savci N, Ekmekcioglu S, Ozturk O. Effects of Cyclosporin A on Exocrine Functions of Differentially Resected Rat Pancreases. Natl Surg J 8(2):87-92, 1992. e-Pub 1992.
Erdem, Kayserilioglu A, Ekmekcioglu S, Kuter S. In-vivo effects of lectin stimulated serum in lethal dose irradiated mice. Turkish J Oncol 6:1205-1210, 1991. e-Pub 1991.
Sonmez YE, Ercan E, Savci N, Ekmekcioglu S, Alatli C. Long-term survival of skin allograft in rats by topical use of cyclosporine A. Turk J Med Biol Res 2:143-148, 1991. e-Pub 1991.
Erdem S, Ekmekcioglu S, Kayserilioglu A. The Effect of pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced rat's serum on the survival of high-dose 5'-Fluorouracil administered mice. Review of Istanbul Medical Faculty 54:241, 1991. e-Pub 1991.
Erdem, S, Ekmekcioglu, S, Kayserilioglu, A, Buyukdevrim, S. Radioprotective effect of rat serum induced by lectins in mice. International Journal of Experimental and Clinical Chemotherapy 3(2):115-119, 1990. e-Pub 1990.
Erdem, S, Ekmekcioglu, S, Kayserilioglu, A. Radioprotective effect of rat serum stimulated by some stimulants in mice in which irradiation of the total body with lethal doses was administered. Istanbul Tip Fakultesi Mecmuasi 53(4):29-36, 1990. e-Pub 1990.
Erdem S, Kayserilioglu A, Ekmekcioglu S, Bilge H. The radioprotective effect of endotoxin injected rat's serum. Turkish J Oncol 4(4):923-929, 1989. e-Pub 1989.
Ekmekcioglu S, Altun M, Sonmez G, Hamamizade NM, Carin M. Distribution of HLA antigens in patients with breast cancer. Turkish J Oncol 4(1-3):774, 1989. e-Pub 1989.
Ogata D, Creasy CA, Oba J, Karpinets TV, Kim SH, Roszik J, Woodman SA, Grimm EA, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S. Innate inflammatory pathways are associated with TIL growth and response to adoptive immunotherapy.

Review Articles

Ekmekcioglu, S. Oxidative biomarkers of immuno-oncology. Turkish Journal of Immunology 7(3):132-136, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
Kim SH, Roszik J, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Impact of l-Arginine Metabolism on Immune Response and Anticancer Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 8:67, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29616189.
Yoon, JK, Frankel, AE, Feun, L, Ekmekcioglu, S, Kim, KB. Arginine deprivation therapy for malignant melanoma. Clinical Pharmacology: Advances and Applications 5(1):11-19, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23293541.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Tang, CH, Grimm, EA. NO news is not necessarily good news in cancer. Current cancer drug targets 5(2):103-115, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15810875.
Chada, S, Sutton, RB, Ekmekcioglu, S, Ellerhorst, JA, Mumm, JB, Leitner, WW, Yang, HY, Sahin, AA, Hunt, KK, Fuson, KL, Poìndexter, N, Roth, JA, Ramesh, R, Grimm, EA, Mhashilkar, AM. MDA-7/IL-24 is a unique cytokine-tumor suppressor in the IL-10 Family. International Immunopharmacology 4(5):649-667, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15120650.

Editorials

Roszik, J, Tanese, K, Ekmekcioglu, S. Editorial: Targeting Metabolism in Cancer Immunotherapy. Frontiers in immunology 9(SEP), 2018. PMID: 30254633.

Abstracts

Kokoglu A, Abdi A, Cetin E, Ekmekcioglu S, Deniz G. Effect of IFN-gamma on MIF-CD74-Related Immune Pathways in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines. ECI2024 (European Congress of Immunology) 54(1):1602, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
Salah-Eddine Bentebibel, Daniel McGrail, Reham Abdel Wahab, Veena Kochat, Emre Arslan, Barbara Pazdrak, Nourel Hoda Tahon, Rodabe N. Amaria, Isabella C. Glitza, Sapna Patel, Michael Ka Keu Wong, Hussein A. Tawbi, Jennifer McQuade, Michael Davies, Chantale Bernatchez, Jared Burks, Kunal Rai, Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, Greg Lizée, Adi Diab. Clinical and biomarker analyses of intratumoral CD40 agonist sotigalimab in combination with pembrolizumab in metastatic melanoma: A phase I/II trial. ESMO Congress 35(S2):242, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
Ekmekcioglu S, Cho S, Gomez JA, Abdel-Wahab R, Bentebibel SE, Abdel-Wahab N, Simon JM, Gershenwald JE, Lazar AJ, Burks JK, Davies MA, Diab A. Quantitative and Spatial Characteristics of TIL in Inflammatory Neighborhoods of Advanced Melanoma Tumors. J Immunother Cancer 11(S1), 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Wang B, Reville PK, Jelloul FZ, Desai PN, Borges P, Ly C, Veletic I, Dasdemir E, Burks JK, Guilin Tang G, Guo S, Vaugh N, Baran N, Deng Q, Matthews J, Gunaratne P, Antunes DA, Ekmekcioglu S, Sasaki K, Garcia MB, Cuglievan B, Hao D, Daver N, Green MR, Konopleva MY, Futreal A, Post SM, Abbas HA. IFNγ Signaling in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Mediates Immunomodulation and Reveals Therapeutic Strategies. The 65th ASH Annual Meeting 142:2796, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Abdel-Wahab N, Anouti B, Abdel-Wahab R, Gonzales Z, Spillson CA, Baum GP, Bentebibel SE, Manzano JGM, McQuade J, Glitza I, Amaria R, Patel S, Wong MK, Tawbi H, Davies MA, Ekmekcioglu S, Tweardy D, Sharma P, Shete S, Peterson S, Yee C, Suarez-Almazor ME. Unveiling Immune-Related Adverse Events (IRAES) and Symptom Burden in Melanoma Patients on Adjuvant Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIS). J Immunother Cancer 11(S1), 2023. e-Pub 2023.
Bentebibel SE, Johnson D, Pazdrak B, McGrail D, Lecagoonporn S, Haymaker C, Duose DY, Wani K, Sonnemann H, Safa H, Burks JK, Hwu P, Cho S, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S, Lizée G, Diab A. Intratumoral Sotigalimab With Pembrolizumab Activates Antigen-Presenting Cells And Induces Local And Distant Anti-Tumor Responses In First-Line Metastatic Melanoma: Results Of A Phase I/Ii Study. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) 10 (2):782, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Abdel-Wahab N, Montazari E, Spillson C, Bentebibel SE, Awiwi M, Elsayes KM, Gao J, Altan M, Wong MKK, Glitza IC, Amaria RN, McQuade JL, Patel SP, Tawbi HA, Davies MA, Yee C, Sharma P, Allison JP, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A. Tocilizumab in combination with ipilimumab and nivolumab in solid tumors. Journal of Clinical Oncology 40(16):TPS9600-TPS9600, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Bentebibel SE, Johnson D, Amariae R, McGrail D, Lecagoonporn S, Haymaker C, Duose D, Wani K, Safa H, Glitza IC, Patel SP, Wong MK, Tawbi H, Burks J, Yang X, Hwu P, Yee C, Davies MA, Murthy R, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A, Lizée G. Intratumoral CD40 agonist sotigalimab with pembrolizumab induces broad innate and adaptive immune activation in local and distant tumors in metastatic melanoma. AACR ANNUAL MEETING 2022, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Johnson DH, Hailemichael Y, Bentebibel SE, Abdel-Wahab N, Cho S, Foo WC, Wani K, Watowich SS, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A. Th17 inhibition with interleukin 6 blockade decouples immunotoxicity from tumor immunity ƒã. AACR ANNUAL MEETING 2022, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Johnson DH, Hailemichael Y, Bentebibel SE, Abdel-Wahab N, Cho S, Foo WC, Khalida Wani K, Watowich SS, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A. Th17 inhibition with interleukin 6 blockade decouples immunotoxicity from tumor immunity. Cancer Research 82(12):4177, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Bentebibel SE, Johnson D, Amariae R, McGrail D, Lecagoonporn S, Haymaker C, Duose D, Wani K, Safa H, Glitza IC, Patel SP, Wong MK, Tawbi H, Burks J, Yang X, Hwu P, Yee C, Davies MA, Murthy R, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S, Diab A, Lizee G. Intratumoral CD40 agonist sotigalimab with pembrolizumab induces broad innate and adaptive immune activation in local and distant tumors in metastatic melanoma. Cancer Reseach 82(12), 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Abdel-Wahab N, Montazari EJ, Spillson CA, Bentebibel SE, Tayar JH, Suarez-Almazor M, Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson DH, Diab A. Phase II Clinical Trial to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Combination with Ipilimumab and Nivolumab for Treatment-naive Metastatic Melanoma. ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
Diab A, Abdel-Wahab N, Bentebibel SE, Montazari EJ, Spillson CA, Ekmekcioglu S, Gao J, Altan M. Tocilizumab, ipilimumab, and nivolumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, or urothelial carcinoma. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Conference 32(7):S1456, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
Bentebibel SE, Johnson DH, McGrail DJ, Lecagoonporn S, Haymaker C, Duose DY, Wani K, Safa H, Amaria R, Glitza IC, Patel SP, Wong MK, Tawbi H, Lazar AJ, Burks JK, Wistuba II, Trifan O, Hwu P, Yee C, Davies MA, Murthy R, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S, Lizée G, Diab A. Intratumoral CD40 agonist APX005M in combination with pembrolizumab induces broad innate and adaptive immune activation in local and distant tumors in metastatic melanoma: Results of a phase 1/2 study. SITC 36th Annual Meeting -2021, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
Majewski K, Fukuda Y, Cho SN, Ekmekcioglu S. Identification of CD74 isoforms that complex with CD44 to initiate the oncogenic signaling pathway in melanoma. MDACC - 2021 Summer Experience Program, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
Ogata D, Creasy C, S-H K, Roszik J, Hwu P, Grimm EA, Bernatzhez C, Ekmekcioglu S. CD74 regulated inflammatory pattern is associated with TIL growth and favorable response to adoptive immunotherapy. Cancer Research 80(19):30, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
S-H K, Roszik J, Cho S, Ogata D, Ekmekcioglu S, and Grimm EA. Intrinsic Microsomal PGE2 Synthase-1 Associates with Poor Patient Survival and T-cell Infiltration, and Regulates Immunosuppression in Human and Mouse Melanoma Model. Cancer Research 80(19):51, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Hambright HG, Kornepaty AVR, Ogata D, BassettJR RL, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Curiel TJ. High-Dimentional (30-plex) Imaging Mass Cytometry on Tissue Microarray Identifies Novel PD-L1-Inclusive Immmunophenotypes Associated with Overall Survival in Stage III Melanoma. Cancer Research 80(19):49, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Ogata D, S-H K, Roszik J, Bassett Jr RL, Grimm EA, and Ekmekcioglu S. Expression of CD74-Regulated Inflammatory Markers in Stage IV Melanoma: Risk of CNS Metastasis and Patient Survival. Cancer Resaerch 80(19):18, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Ding Z, Ogata D, Roszik J, Qin Y, S-H K, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Nitric Oxide Stimulates PI3K-AKT Pathway Activation by S-nitrosylation of PTEN in Human Melanoma Cells. Cancer Research 80(19):48-49, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Sun-Hee Kim, Ekmekcioglu S, Dave Hoon, Elizabeth A Grimm. Intrinsic microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 regulates immune suppression via COX-2- independent pathway in human and mouse melanoma models 33:194, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Dai Ogata, Sun-Hee Kim, Junna Oba, Roland L Bassett Jr, Elizabeth A. Grimm, Ekmekcioglu S. CD74 regulated inflammatory pattern on evaluating the risk of CNS metastasis and survival in Stage IV melanoma. Society for Melanoma Research 16th International Congress 33:171, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Dai Ogata, Lauren Haydu, Isabella C. Glitza, Sapna P. Patel, Hussein Tawbi, Jennifer McQuade, Adi Diab, Ekmekcioglu S, Michael Wong, Roda Amaria, Michael A. Davies. The efficacy of anti-PD- 1 in metastatic acral and mucosal melanoma patients (pts) 33:214, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Ekmekcioglu S, Dai Ogata, Caitlin Creasy, Marie Forget, Sun-Hee Kim, Jason Roszik, Mike Spencer, Patrick Hwu, Elizabeth Grimm, Chantale Bernatchez, Suhendan Ekmekcioglu. Innate inflammatory pathways are associated with TIL growth and response to adoptive immunotherapy,. SITC 2019 7(S1):37, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
Ogata D, Creasy CA, Kim SH, Roszik J, Hwu P, Grimm EA, Bernatchez C, Ekmekcioglu S. Favorable response of melanoma to TIL therapy associated with IFN-g regulated inflammatory pathway. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 139(5):142, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
Ekmekcioglu S. Emerging Molecular Biomarkers for Evolving Immunotherapy Approaches. EACR Sponsered 7th Multidisciplinary Cancer Research & 1st Basic Oncology Congress, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
Kim SH, JRoszik J, Peng W, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. High microsomal PGE2synthase-1 levels associate with low CD8 T cells and poorer melanoma patient survival. Cancer Research 77(13):3967, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
Roszik J, Qin Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Forget MA, Hwu P, Grimm EA, JAZAeri AA. The Neoantigen Landscape and Immune Regulators in Cervical Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 35(15):5528, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
Dal-Yontem F, Kim SH, Ding Z, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Akcakaya H. Dynamin Related Protein 1 Alterations Regulates Migration in Melanoma Cells. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL WITH BIOPHYSICS LETTERS 46:399, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
Ekmekcioglu S. Chronic Inflammatory Microenvironment Defines the Pro-Tumorigenic Functions of IFN-g. 3rd International Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress Antalya – TURKEY, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
Ekmekcioglu S, Roszik J, Woodman SE, Grimm EA. Novel Therapeutic Approaches by Targeting CD74 Expression in Melanoma. EACR-AACR-SIC 2015:Anticancer Drug Action and Drug Resistance, Florence, Italy, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
Chen J, Creasy C, Torres-Cabala CA, Ekmekcioglu S, Maiti SN, Kale C, Haymaker C, Roszik J, Bassett RL, Hu J, Wang Z, Ma W, Davis RE, Bernatchez C, Hwu P, Radvanyi L. Predictive immune biomarker signatures in the tumor microenvironment of melanoma metastases associated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. Journal of Immunotherapy of Cancer 2(3):1, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Kim SH, Hashimoto Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Interaction between mPGES-1 and iNOS promotes human melanoma progression. Cancer Research 74(19):4200, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Tanese K, Funakoshi T, Yasuda F, Ohi Y, Fukuyama M, Arakawa H, Ekmekcioglu S, Saito M. Squamous cell carcinoma showing marked attenuation of local lymphocytic infiltration along with the tumor invasion. Journal of Dermatology 41:57, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Ekmekcioglu S, Myung SS, Tanese K, Bassett R, Milton DR, Prieto VG, Davies MA, Gershenwald J, Hoon D, Grimm EA. Association of CD74 Expression with Clinical Outcome in Stage III Melanoma. Society for Melanoma Research 2014 Meeting, Zurich, Switzerland, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Qin Y, Chattopadhyay C, Hashimoto Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Greene VR, Grimm EA. Hypoxia-Driven Bypass Mechanism of Innate Resistance to Vemurafenib in Melanoma. TBD, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Ekmekcioglu S, Shin-Sim M, Tanese K, Prieto VG, Hoon DS, Grimm EA. Molecular biomarkers of inflammatory signature in melanoma. European Journal of Cancer 50:150, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Dal F, Kim SH, Qin Y, Hashimoto Y, Ekmekcioglu S. Alterations in Mitochondrial Dynamics Regulate Melanoma Tumor Progression. Free Radical Biology & Medicine 76:124, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
Ekmekcioglu S, Myung Shin-Sim M, Tanese T, Bassett R, Prieto VG, Dave S Hoon DS, Morton ML, Grimm EA. An Inflammatory Signature and Clinical Outcome in Stage III Melanoma: A Large-Scale Tissue Micro Array Study. Society for Melanoma Research - 2013 Congress, Philadelphia, PA, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Zhou H, Migliorini M, Hittelman W, Ekmekcioglu S, Tran N, LoBello J, Winkles JA, Rosenblum MG. Novel, fully-human GrB-containing constructs targeting the Fn14 receptor for TWEAK on solid tumor cells 12(11):231, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Ekmekcioglu S, Tanese K, Qin Y, Grimm E A. Targeting NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma via IL-1s and CXCL-10. 2013 15th International Congress of Immunology, Milan-Italy, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Tanese K, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Cell surface CD74 expression is a key mediator of melanoma cell survival in response to the cytotoxic effect of IFN-gamma. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 133:62, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Chen JQ, Creasy C, Torres Cabala CA, Ekmekcioglu S, Maiti SN, Roszik J, Haymaker C, Bernatchez C, Hwu P, Radvanyi L. Identification of predictive biomarker signatures in melanoma tumors associated with response to tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 1(S1):P48, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Qin Y, Chattopadhyay C, Hashimoto Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Greene VR, Grimm EA. Hypoxia-Driven Bypass Mechanism of Innate Resistance to Vemurafenib in Melanoma. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 65:24, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Qin Y, Greene VR, Chattopadhyay C, Ekmekcioglu S, Liu C, Grimm EA. Induction of hypoxia in 3D human melanoma spheroids leads to c-Met activation and resistance to Vemurafenib. Cancer Research 15(73):2936, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Ekmekcioglu S, Tanese K, Qin Y, Grimm EA. Targeting NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma: IL-1s and CXCL-10. Society for Melanoma Research 2012 Congress, Hollywood, CA, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Ekmekcioglu S, Tanese K, Qin Y, Grimm EA. NO-driven Inflammation in Human Melanoma via IL-1s and CXCL-10. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 53:181, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Ekmekcioglu S, Gabisi Jr AM, Wang Y, Fast W. Targeting Nitric Oxide Production via Dimethylarginases for Melanoma Therapy. Society for Melanoma Research 2012 Congress, Hollywood, CA, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Tanese K, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Nitric Oxide Suppresses the Expression of CXCL10 and Leads to the Poor Outcome of Stage III Malignant Melanoma. European Journal of Cancer 48:201, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Tanese K, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. CD74 expression on human melanoma serves as a marker of progression and a target for apoptotsis induction. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 132:130, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Ekmekcioglu S, Qin Y, Deng W, Grimm EA. A large-scale synthetic lethal RNAi screening identifies unique sensitizing targets for anti-inflammatory CDDO-Me in metastatic melanoma. Cancer Research 72(8):1833, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Zhou H, Ekmekcioglu S, Marks JW, Asrani K, Phillips KK, Brown S, Cheng E, Weiss MB, Hittelman WN, Tran NL, Yagita H, Winkles JA, Rosenblum MG. (Fn14) Is a novel target in melanoma: Characterization of unique targeted therapeutics. Cancer Research 72(8):3866, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Ekmekcioglu S, Chattophadyay C, Akar U, Newman RA, Grimm EA. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells. 4th International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer, 4th International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer, Antalya, Turkey, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Ekmekcioglu S, Chattophadyay C, Akar U, Newman RA, Grimm EA. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells: iNOS and COX-2 Play a Role as Inflammatory Mediators. SFRR-E, Society for Free Radical Research-Europe, Istanbul, Turkey, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Garrido-Laguna I, Kurzrock R, Wheler J, Falchook GS, Piha-Paul S, Fu S, Naing A, Hinojosa C, Mistry R, Scamardo A, Culotta KS, Ekmekcioglu S, Wen S, Camacho L, Ivy P, Hong DS. Dual Inhibition of VEGF Pathway: Phase I Trial of Bevacizumab and Cediranib in Advanced Solid Tumors. Journal of Clinical Oncology 29(15):3065, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Tanese K, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Tumor derived nitric oxide suppresses the expression of CXCL10 and leads to the poor outcome of Stage ΙΙΙ melanoma. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 131:16, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Tanese K, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Inducible nitric oxide synthase suppresses the expression of CXCL10 and hence leads to the poor outcome of Stage III malignant melanoma. Cancer Research 71(8):401, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Zhou H, Marks JW, Ekmekcioglu S, Hittelman WN, Tran N, Yagita H, Winkles JA, Rosenblum MG. Development of single chain immunotoxins targeting the fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) receptor on solid tumor cells. Cancer Research 71(8):1766, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Qin Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Liu P, Poindexter N, Grimm EA. Aberrant endogenous expression of IL-1 promote inflammation and growth in human melanoma. Cancer Research 71(8):5051, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Ekmekcioglu S, Chattophadyay C, Akar U, Newman RA, Grimm EA. Zyflamend Mediates Therapeutic Induction of Autophagy to Apoptosis in Melanoma Cells. 7th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology,New York Academy of Medicine, NY, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Ekmekcioglu S, Tanese K, Grimm EA. Inflammatory Pathway Arrays for Melanoma Molecular Profiling. Perspectives in Melanoma XIV, The Novotel Amsterdam City, The Netherlands, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Qin Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter NJ, Ellerhorst JA, Grimm EA. Elevated Expression of IL-1 drives iNOS/NO Production and Inhibits IL-1Ra Synthesis Leading to Progression of Metastatic Melanoma. Cancer Research 70(8):4506, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Huerta-Yepez S, Ekmekcioglu S, Rivera-Pazos CM, Antonio-Andres G, Vega MI, Baay-Guzman G, Malaponte G, Baritaki S, Yeung K, Grimm EA, Bonavida B. BRAF and NRAS mutations in melanoma regulate the phosphorylation and inactivation of RKIP, the metastasis suppressor and immune surveillance cancer gene product . Cancer Research 70(8):3374, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Huerta-Yepez S, Ekmekcioglu S, Antonio-Andres G, Rivera-Pazos CM, Baay-Guzman G, Malaponte G, Jazirehi AR, Baritaki S, Grimm EA, Bonavida B. Correlation between the overexpression of the metastasis-inducer transcription factors, Snail and Yin Yang 1 and BRAF mutations in a large panel of melanoma cell lines. Cancer Research 70(8):2242, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Mandal PK, Liao WS, Gao F, Robertson FM, Thudi NK, Ekmekcioglu S, Chattopadhyay C, Ren Z, Chen X, Lu Z, Bast RC, Ramesh R, McMurray JS. Potent, highly selective peptidomimetic prodrugs targeting the SH2 domain of Stat3 decrease. Cancer Research 70(8):2527, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
M-W D, Poindexter NJ, Ekmekcioglu S, Kinney SA, Grimm EA. High-throughput siRNA library screen for discovery and identification of new melanoma therapeutic targets in combination with antioxidant pretreatment. Cancer Research 70(8):2564, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
M-W D, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA Poindexter NJ Kinney SA Grimm EA. PCR array-based gene expression profiling to identify CD70 and CD74 as new molecular markers and therapeutic targets for human melanoma treatment. Cancer Research 70(8):1175, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Chattopadhyay C, Ellerhorst JA, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Preferential targeting of N-Ras mutant and other wild type B-Raf human melanoma cells with c-Met inhibitor: a preclinical promise. Cancer Research 70(8):5456, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Mandal PK, Liao WSL, Gao F, Thudi N, Robertson FM, Chattopadhyay C, Ekmekcioglu S, Ren Z, Chen X, McMurray JS. Cell-permeable, phosphatase-stable phosphopeptide mimetic prodrugs targeted to the SH2 domain of Stat3 inhibit invasion, growth and vasculogenic mimicry of tumor cells. Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society 239, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Huerta-Yepez S, Ekmekcioglu S, Rivera-Pazos CM, Antonio-Andres G, Vega MI, Baay-Guzman G, Malaponte G, Grimm EA, Bonavida B. Braf Mutations Induce Reduction Of The Phosphorylation And Expression Of Rkip Protein In Melanoma Cell Lines: Novel Mechanism Of Escape From Immune Surveillance Cancer Cells. First International Workshop on Prognostic and Therapeutic Applications of RKIP in Cancer, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 2010. e-Pub 2010.
Ekmekcioglu S, Chattopadhyay C, Mandal PK, Liao WS, McMurray JS, Grimm EA. Selective STAT3 Inhibitors Block Migration and Invasion of Human Melanoma Cells. VIth SMR International Congress, Boston, MA 22(6):869, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Ekmekcioglu S. iNOS expression as a prognostic marker and its inhibition as targeted therapy models in melanoma. Joint 4th EORTC Pathobiology Group Annual Meeting & 1st International Multidisciplinary Cancer Research Congress, Antalya-Turkey, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Chattopadhyay C, Ekmekcioglu S, Davies M, Grimm EA. N-ras mutated human melanoma cells demonstrate increased sensitivity to c-Met inhibition. AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009, Colorado Convention Center Denver, CO, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
W-G D, Kwon J, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter NP, and Grimm EA. Combination therapy with IL-24 and Protein Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Promising New Approach to the Treatment of Melanoma. Cancer Research 69(9):3397, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson MM, Prieto VG, Grimm EA. iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma and Tumor Associated Macrophages. Gordon Conferences on Nitric Oxide. Lucca-Tuscany, Italy, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Hwu W, Ivan D, Prieto VG, Simon J, Jones D, Ekmekcioglu S, Davies M, Ayala AE, Garcia M, Ross MI. Randomized phase II neoadjuvant study of temozolomide (TMZ) alone or with pegylated interferon-alfa 2b (PGI) in patients with resectable AJCC stage IIIC or stage IV (M1a) metastatic melanoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 26(15):20024, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
Ramesh R, Shanker M, Zheng M, Bocangel D, Branch CD, Scott AW, Jin J, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Fuson K, Sutton RB, Grimm EA, Chada S. Moving MDA-7/IL-24, a Novel Tumor Suppressor/Cytokine Protein from Cells, Animals to Humans: Translation for Cancer Treatment. BIT Life Sciences of 1st Annual Peptide and Protein Conference (PepCon 2008), Shenzhen, China, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson MM, Gershenwald JE, Prieto VG, Grimm EA. iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma and Tumor Associated Macrophages. AACR Special Conferences-Chemical and Biological Aspects of Inflammation and Cancer, Oahu, Hawaii, 2008. e-Pub 2008.
Hong D, Kurzrock R, Supko JG, Lawrence D, Wheeler J, Eder JP, NgC, Mier J, Konopleva M, Konoplev S, Ekmekcioglu S, Andreeff M, Grimm EA, Kufe D, Meyer CJ, Shapiro GI, Dezube BJ. Phase I trial with a novel orally administered synthetic triterpenoid RTA 402 (CDDO-Me) in patients with solid tumors and lymphoid malignancies. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 6(11):82, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Grimm EA, Tang CH, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG. Constitutive intracellular production of NO in human melanoma regulate resistance to apoptosis. Nitric Oxide 17:13, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Sikora A, Hailemichael Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Overwijk WW. A highly selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (inos) impairs the growth of inos-expressing human melanoma in vivo and prolongs the survival of tumor-bearing scid/nod mice. Annual Meeting of the Head and Neck Society, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG. Melanoma Expression of iNOS (Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase) is an Independent Prognostic Marker, and the NO Produced Regulates Resistance to Apoptosis. The 12th World Congress on Advances in Oncology and 10th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine. Hersonissos, Crete, Greece, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Ekmekcioglu S, Mumm JB, Udtha M, Zheng M, Chada S, Grimm EA. MDA-7/IL-24 Protein Leads to Melanoma Cell Apoptosis via Differential Signaling of Interferon Regulatory Factors. Society for Melanoma Research-4th International Melanoma Congress, New York NY, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Greene VR, Ekmekcioglu S, Prieto VG, Ellerhorst JA, Grimm EA. NRAS and BRAF Mutations in Association with Expression of iNOS in Melanoma. AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research-Approaches to Complex Pathways in Molecular Epidemiology. Santa Ana, NM, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Ramesh R, Shanker M, Zheng M, Bocangel D, Branch CD, Scott AW, Jin J, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Fuson K, Sutton BR, Grimm EA, Chada S. Moving the "Magic Bullet for Cancer" from the Laboratory to the Clinic. 1st International Symposium on Cancer Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Ramesh R, Branch CD, Zheng M, Bocangel D, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Fuson K, Sutton BR, Grimm EA, Chada S. To kill or not to kill cancer cells: A perspective of MDA-7/IL-24. Leiden, Netherlands, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
Zheng M, Bocangel D, Mhashilkar A, Ramesh R, Hunt KK, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Grimm EA, Chada S. Human mda-7/Interleukin 24 (IL-24) Protein Kills Breast Cancer Cells Via the IL-20 Receptor and Is Antagonized by IL-10. Molecular Therapy 13:298, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Johnson MM, Broemeling L, Prieto VG. Markers of Intracellular Oxidative Stress in Melanoma Tumor Cells Identify the Subset of Melanoma Patients with Shortest Survival. 14th SPORE Investigators’ Workshop. Baltimore, Maryland, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Ekmekcioglu S, Udtha M, Chada S, Grimm EA. IL24/MDA7 regulates iNOS expression in human melanoma. Keystone Symposia: Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Melanoma. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Grimm EA, C-H T, Ekmekcioglu S. Role of endogenous nitric oxide in melanoma. Keystone Symposia: Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Melanoma. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Ellerhorst JA, Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson MK, Johnson MM, Grimm EA. The p44/p42 MAPK pathway regulates iNOS in melanoma. Keystone Symposia: Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Melanoma. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Tang CH, Prieto VG. Endogenous nitric oxide in human melanoma supports tumor cell growth and resistance to therapeutic agents. Nitric Oxide 4(14):15-16, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Nazarian RM, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Duncan LM. MITF, bcl-2 and iNOS expression in melanocytic tumor progression using a tissue microarray approach. Keystone Symposia: Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Melanoma. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006. e-Pub 2006.
Ellerhorst JA, Ekmekcioglu S, Johnson MK, Johnson MM, Grimm EA. Regulation of iNOS expression by the MAPK pathway in human melanoma. FEBS Journal 272:122, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Grimm EA, Chada S, Ekmekcioglu S, Mumm JB, Poindexter N, Ellerhorst JA, and Kim K. MDA7/IL-24: Novel melanocyte derived cytokine, with tumor suppressor properties. The 6th World Congress on Melanoma, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, Johnson MM, Broemeling LD, Grimm EA. Tumor iNOS predicts poor survival in Stage III Melanoma Patients. 13th SPORE Investigators’ Workshop. Washington DC, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Sikora A, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Overwijk WW. The effect of small-molecule inos inhibitors on melanoma growth and survival in vivo. UT MD Anderson Melanoma Medical Oncology Annual Poster Session, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, Johnson MM, Broemeling LD. The presence of iNOS in tumors from Stage III melanoma patients predicts poor survival. AACR 96th Annual Meeting Anaheim, CA, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Fok J, Ekmekcioglu S, Mehta K. Tissue Transglutaminase (TG2) as a potential target for treating malignant melanomas. 96th Annual Meeting of AACR, Anaheim-CA, 2005. e-Pub 2005.
Grimm EA, Tang CH, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA. Is NO production, via constitutive iNOS, driving cancer growth and resistance to therapy?. Nitric Oxide Biology and Chemistry 11(1):63, 2004. e-Pub 2004.
Tong AW, Nemunaitis J, Su D, Zhang Y, Cunningham C, Senzer N, Netto G, Rich D, Mhashilkar A, Parker K, Coffee K, Ramesh R, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, van Wart Hood J, Merritt J, Chada S. Intratumoral Injection of INGN 241, a Non-Replicating Adenovector Expressing the Melanoma-Differentiation Associated Gene-7 (MDA-7/IL-24): Biologic Outcome in Advanced Cancer Patients. Molecular Therapy 9:386, 2004. e-Pub 2004.
Chada S, Mhashilkar A, Ramesh R, Mumm JB, Bocangel D, Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S. Bystander Activity of Ad-mda7: MDA-7 Protein Kills Melanoma Cells Via a Receptor-Dependent but STAT3-Independent Mechanism. Molecular Therapy 9:365, 2004. e-Pub 2004.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, Johnson MM, Broemeling LD. Melanoma Patient Poor Survival is Predicted by the Presence of iNOS in Metastatic Tumors. Second International Melanoma Research Congress, Phoenix, AZ, 2004. e-Pub 2004.
Mhashilkar M, Ekmekcioglu S, Stewart A, Mumm JB, Sieger K, Sutton B, Roth JA, Rajagopal R, Grimm EA, Chada S. The mda-7 Gene Encodes Both Tumor Suppressor and T H 1 Cytokine (IL-24) Activities –Prospects for Systemic Therapy. Molecular Therapy 7(5), 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Chada S, Cunningham C, Zhang T, Su D, Mhashilkar A, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Wilson D, Merritt J, Coffee K, Nemunaitis J, Tong AW. INGN 241 (Ad-mda7) induces widespread apoptosis and activates the immune system in patients with advanced cancer. Molecular Therapy 7(5):446, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Chada S, Mhashilkar AM, Mumm J, Caudall E, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Sieger K, Stewart A, EA G. The multifunctional mda-7 gene encodes both tumor suppressor and T (H) 1 cytokine (IL-24) activities. Cancer Gene Therapy 10:3, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Mumm JB, H-Y Y, Mhashilkar A, Stewart A, Sieger K, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter NJ, Chada S, Grimm EA. Initial purification and characterization of IL-24/MDA-7. University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 56th Annual Symposium on Fundamental Cancer Research, Houston, TX, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Zheng MZ, Ekmekcioglu S, Walch ET, C-H T, Grimm EA. Curcumin inhibition of endogenous NO in human melanoma involves multiple mechanisms. 94th Annual Meeting of AACR, Washington, DC, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst, JA, Mumm JB, Zheng M, Broemeling L, Prieto VG, Mhashilkar AM, Chada S, Grimm EA. mda-7/IL-24 regulates iNOS expression in melanoma. 15th European Immunology Congress-EFIS 2003, Rhodes-Greece, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Mumm JB, H-Y Y, Mhashilkar A, Stewart A, Sieger K, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter NJ, Chada S, Grimm EA. Purification and characterization of IL-24/MDA-7. 94th Annual Meeting of AACR, Washington, DC, 2003. e-Pub 2003.
Chada S, Mhashilkar AM, Mumm J, Caudell E, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Sieger K, Stewart A, Grimm EA. The multifunctional mda-7 gene encodes both tumor suppressor and T(H)1 cytokine (IL-24) activities. 11th International Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer, San Diego, CA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Broemling L, Mhashilkar AM, Sahin AA, Prieto VG, Chada S, Grimm EA. MDA-7 Regulates iNOS Expression in Human Melanoma. 93th Annual Meeting of AACR, San Francisco, CA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
C-H T, Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the survival of melanoma cells expressing wild type p53. 93th Annual Meeting of AACR, San Francisco, CA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Grimm EA, Caudell EG, Mumm JB, Poindexter N, Ekmekcioglu S, Mhashilkar A, Yang XH, Sieger K, Stewart A, Retter MW, Hill P, Chada S. Dual functions encoded by one protein: tumor suppressive and interleukin activities expressed by MDA-7 (melanoma associated differentiation gene-7). 93th Annual Meeting of AACR, San Francisco, CA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Yang XH, Mhashilkar AM, Stewart A, Sieger K, Ekmekcioglu S, Saito Y, Schrock R, Onishi E, Swanson X, Zumstein L, Snary D, Roth J, Grimm E, Ramesh R, Chada S. Ad-PTEN: A novel anti-melanoma agent in-vitro. 93th Annual Meeting of AACR, San Francisco, CA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Chada S, Mhashilkar A, Mumm JB, Caudel E, Ekmekcioglu S, Sieger K, Stewart A, Sutton B, Roth JA, Ramesh R, Grimm EA. The mda-7 Tumor Suppressor Is a Novel Cytokine (IL-24) in the IL-10 Family. 5th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy, Boston-MA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Yang H, Mhashilkar A, Stewart A, Ekmekcioglu S, Saito Y, Seiger K, Schrock R, Onishi E, Swanson X, Zumstein L, Snary D, Roth JA, Ramesh R, Grimm EA, Chada S. Ad-PTEN: A Novel Anti-Melanoma Agent in Vitro. 5th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy, Boston, MA, 2002. e-Pub 2002.
Mhashilkar AM, Zou-Yang XH, Caudell E, Sutton RB, Ekmekcioglu S, Sieger K, Ramesh R, Roth JA, Grimm EA, Chada S. MDA-7 is a Novel Apokine in the IL-10 Family. Cancer Gene Therapy 8:5-6, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Yang XHH, Mhashilkar A, Stewart A, Ekmekcioglu S, Saito Y, Sieger K, Schrock R, Onishi E, Swanson X, Zumstein L, Snary D, Roth J, Ramesh R, Grimm EA, Chada S. Ad-PTEN: A novel anti-melanoma agent in vitro. Cancer Gene Therapy 8:8-9, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Grimm EA, Ekmekcioglu S, Mhashilkar AM, Liao J, Snary D, Stewart L, Chada S. Tumor Suppressor Activity Observed with Melanoma Differentiation Associated Gene-7 (Mda-7) Transfer into Human Melanoma Cell Lines. Fifth World Conference on Melanoma, Venice-ITALY, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Chada S, Mhashilkar AM, Mumm J, Caudell E, Sutton RB, Ekmekcioglu S, Sieger K, Zou-Yang H, Roth JA, Ramesh R, Grimm EA. The mda-7 tumor suppressor is a novel cytokine in the IL-10 family. Tenth International Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer San Diego-CA, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Mhashilkar AM, Zou-Yang XH, Caudell E, Sutton RB, Ekmekcioglu S, Sieger K, Ramesh R, Roth JA, Grimm EA, Chada S. MDA-7 is a Novel Apokine in the IL-10 Family. 3rd International Workshop on IL-10 and Related Molecules, Berlin- GERMANY, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst JA, Prieto VG, EA G. Correlation Between Survival and Tumor iNOS Expression on Melanoma. Fifth World Conference on Melanoma, Venice-ITALY, 2001. e-Pub 2001.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Tumor iNOS and Nitrotyrosine Correlate with Poor Survival in Melanoma Patients. Melanoma at the Millennium Meeting, Phoenix-AZ, 2000. e-Pub 2000.
Grimm EA, Smid C, Ekmekcioglu S. Increased IL-10 levels during successful chemoimmunotherapy of melanoma correlate with clinical response in two different trials. 2nd International IL-10 Workshop. Milan-ITALY, 1999. e-Pub 1999.
Ekmekcioglu S, Okcu MF, Colome-Grimmer MI, Owen-Schaub L, Buzaid AC, Grimm EA. Fas Ligand Expression on Metastatic versus Primary Melanoma. AACR Annual Meeting, Philadelphia-PA, 1999. e-Pub 1999.
Ekmekcioglu S, Okcu MF, Colome MI, Grimm EA. Fas Ligand (FasL) Expression on Malignant Melanoma. U.T. M.D.Anderson Trainee Recognition Day & Research Exposition. Houston-TX, 1998. e-Pub 1998.
Ekmekcioglu S. Melatonin Induced Cytotoxicity on Human Effector Cells. U.T. M.D.Anderson Trainee Recognition Day & Research Exposition. Houston-TX, 1997. e-Pub 1997.
Ekmekcioglu S, Tucker S, Buzaid AC, Grimm EA. Human Monocyte Activation by IFN-g or IL-2: Production of NO is Independent of Melanoma Killing Activity. Advances in the Biology and Clinical Management of Melanoma. Houston-TX, 1995. e-Pub 1995.
Onat H, Inanc SE, Piskin S, Ekmekcioglu S, Araci A, Topuz E. Myeloprotective Effect of GM-CSF Administered Prior to Chemotherapy. 30th Annual ASCO Meeting, May, 1994, 1994. e-Pub 1994.
Yagci T, Ekmekcioglu S. Natural Killer Cell Activity in Patients with Malignant Lymphoma. 4th International Conference of Anticancer Research, Crete-GREECE, 1992. e-Pub 1992.
Nagarajan P, Cho S, McQuade JL, Basi AV, Seeley EH, Futreal A, Hernandez S, Davies MA, Burks JK, Ekmekcioglu S. Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) Predicts Mucosal Melanoma Response to Immunotherapy. Society of Melanoma Research.
Diab A, Abdel-Wahab N, Johnson DH, Hailemichael Y, Foo WC, Bentebibel S, Lizee GA, Ekmekcioglu S. Interleukin-6 blockade abrogates immunotherapy toxicity and promotes tumor immunity. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Conference.
Dimitriou F, Melendez B, Fong LW, Nagarajan P, Singh BB, Ingram DR, Wani KM, Morad G, Chelvanambi M, Johnson SB, Losh JS, Nelson KC, Lazcano R, Diab A, McQuade JL, Lazar AJ, Ekmekcioglu S, Ajami NJ, Wargo JA. Single-cell spatial transcriptomics delineates the presence and function of intratumoral bacterial signals in acral melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy. Society of Melanoma Research.

Book Chapters

Qin Y, Ekmekcioglu S, Forget MA, Szekvolgyi L, Hwu P, Grimm EA, Jazaeri AA. Cervical Cancer Neoantigen Landscape and Immune Activity is Associated with Human Papillomavirus Master Regulators. In: Neoantigens Generated by Individual Mutations and Their Role in Immunity and Immunotherapy. Frontiers Media SA, 4-11, 2021.
Kim SH, Ogata D, Roszik J, Grimm EA. Arginine metabolism regulates nitric oxide production in melanoma tumor microenvironment to provide survival advantage to tumor cells. In: Therapeutic Application of Nitric Oxide in Cancer and Inflammatory Disorders. 1. Elsevier, 113-122, 2019.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Cytokines, Interferons and Hematopoietic Growth Factors. In: Cancer Medicine. 9. Wiley & Sons Inc, 743-756, 2017.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Kurzrock, R, Grimm, EA. Hematopoietic Growth Factors and Cytokines. In: The Molecular Basis of Cancer. 4. Elseiver Inc, 789-808.e4, 2014.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Prognostic Significance of iNOS in Melanoma. In: Nitric Oxide and Cancer: Prognosis, Prevention and Therapy. Springer, 293-308, 2010.
Poindexter N, Ramesh R, Ekmekcioglu S, Ellerhorst J, Kim K, Grimm EA. Interleukin-24 Gene Therapy for Melanoma. In: Gene Based Therapies for Cancer. Gene Based Therapies for Cancer, 181-202, 2010.
Ekmekcioglu S, Kurzrock R, Grimm EA. Cytokines and Growth Factors. In: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 8, 2010.
Ramesh R, Shanker M, Yokoyama T, Branch CD, Scott AW, Jin J, Zheng M, Bocangel D, Ekmekcioglu S, Poindexter N, Fuson K, Sutton BR, Grimm EA, Chada S. To kill not to kill cancer cells: A perspective of MDA-7/IL-24. In: Recent Research Developments in Cancer. Transworld Research Network, 2009.
Ekmekcioglu, S, Kurzrock, R, Grimm, EA. Hematopoietic growth factors and cytokines. In: The Molecular Basis of Cancer. 3. Elsevier, 605-619, 2008.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA, Kurzrock R. Cytokines and Growth Factors. In: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 7. B.C. Decker Inc, 744-769, 2006.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Cytokines: Biology and Application. In: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 6. B.C. Decker Inc, 843-853, 2003.
Ekmekcioglu S, Grimm EA. Nitric Oxide (NO) in Cancer: Potential Prognostic Factor?. In: Recent Research Developments in Cancer. Transworld Research Network, 177-187, 2002.

Letters to the Editor

Tanese, K, Funakoshi, T, Yasuda, F, Ohi, Y, Fukuyama, M, Arakawa, H, Ekmekcioglu, S, Saito, M. Case of squamous cell carcinoma showing delayed metastasis and histologically exhibiting alterations of the surrounding immune cell populations along with the tumor invasion. Journal of Dermatology 44: 346-348, 2017.
Qin, Y, Milton, D, Oba, J, Ding, Z, Lizee, GA, Ekmekcioglu, S, Grimm, EA. Inflammatory IL-1β-driven JNK activation in stage III melanoma. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research 28: 236-239, 2015.

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CV information above last modified August 21, 2025

Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, Ph.D.

About Dr. Suhendan Ekmekcioglu

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Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, Ph.D.

About Dr. Suhendan Ekmekcioglu

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Research Interests

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

Postgraduate Training

Licenses & Certifications

Experience & Service

Faculty Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities

Other Professional Positions

Institutional Committee Activities

Honors & Awards

Professional Memberships

Selected Presentations & Talks

Local Presentations

Regional Presentations

National Presentations

International Presentations

Formal Peers

Grant & Contract Support

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Review Articles

Other Articles

Editorials

Abstracts

Book Chapters

Letters to the Editor

Patient Reviews

Request an Appointment

Related Links

Care Centers and Clinics

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