Vashisht Gopal Yennu Nanda, Ph.D.
Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
My research encompasses two broad areas:
1. Basic discovery science to identify molecular drivers of melanoma oncogenesis and progression. This research is directed towards identifying molecular mediators of melanoma driver mutagenesis induced by environmental exposure or genetic causes. Multiple events occur between UVR-mediated skin damage and oncogenic transformation of melanocytes to cutaneous melanoma. Similarly, non-UVR genetic damage or intrinsic genetic alterations converge into an oncogenic phenotype in acral-lentiginous and other non-cutaneous melanomas. The eventual goal is to identify the molecular underpinnings of these oncogenic events and develop potential melanoma prevention strategies prior to or following these events.
2. Translation science to identify novel melanoma therapeutic strategies against metastatic melanoma including brain metastasis. This research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of response of melanomas to standard of care targeted and immunotherapies, and identifying novel clinically applicable therapeutic strategies to counteract resistance, which is a consistent problem for melanoma patients. My research employs integrated analysis of high-throughput molecular screens, drug screens and functional genetics assessments in clinically relevant patient-derived xenograft and organoid models, and syngeneic mouse models of melanoma.
My research contributions in these areas broadly include elucidating the role of metabolic and inflammatory signal transduction in oncogenesis and disease progression; identification of novel metabolic mediators of resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors; targeting anti-apoptotic BCL2 proteins and DNA damage response pathways to sensitize therapy-resistant melanomas.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2000 | The University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, IN, Biochemistry, Ph.D |
Postgraduate Training
| 2000-2005 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2021
Assistant Professor, Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2021
Instructor, Melanoma Medical Oncology - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - 2011
Instructor, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2005 - 2008
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Co-Director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2022 - Present
Member of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2022 - 2025
Other Professional Positions
Member, Data and Biospecimen Access (DBAC) Committee, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
Member, Mid-Career Faculty Committee, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - 2024
Senator, MDACC faculty senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Faculty Senate, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2021
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Institutional Shared Governance Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020
Member, Senate Research Affairs Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2019
Co-Leader, Melanoma Moonshot Patient-Derived Cell Line Characterization Team, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Priority Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - 2025
Honors & Awards
| 2015 | Young Investigator Award, Melanoma Research Alliance |
| 2001 | CDMRP Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, U.S. Department of Defense |
| 1999 | Young Investigator Award, International Conference on the Frontiers of Pharmacology |
| 1994 | Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship Recipient, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Government of India |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2019. Leveraging Tumor Cell Inhibition with Immune Cell Activation to Improve Melanoma Therapy. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2024. Metabolic & Immune Characteristics of Melanoma Metastasis in the Brain. Invited. Miami, FL, US.
- 2021. Personalized strategies targeting BCL2 family members to overcome acquired resistance in BRAF-mutant Melanoma. Invited. 18th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research, US.
- 2019. Targeting Mitochondrial Activities to Overcome Melanoma Resistance to Standard of Care Treatments. Invited. Melanoma Research Alliance. Washington, DC, US.
- 2019. The glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 potentiates anti-melanoma activity of standard of care targeted and immunotherapies. Invited. Conference on Melanoma: From Biology to Target. Houston, TX, US.
- 2018. Targeting Metabolic Vulnerabilities for Melanoma Therapy. Invited. 7th Annual Metabolism in Cancer Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2015. Targeting Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation in Therapy-resistant Melanomas. Invited. TxSACT Meeting on the Recent Advances in the Development of Combinatorial Therapies for Cancer. Houston, TX, US.
- 2015. Overcoming mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation-mediated resistance to targeted therapies in melanoma. Conference. AACR. Bellevue, WA, US.
- 2014. Combined Inhibition of HMGCoA reductase and Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Induces Tumor Regression of BRAF inhibitor-resistant Melanomas. Conference. Society for Melanoma Research. Salt Lake City, UT, US.
- 2012. The dual mTOR inhibitor AZD8055 synergizes with MEK inhibition in a metabolically unique subset of MEK inhibitor-resistant melanomas. Conference. Society for Melanoma Research. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2011. Parthenolide induces in vivo anticancer activity through its atypical regulation of HDAC1 and MDM2, leading to p53 activation. Invited. Department of Defense. Orlando, FL, US.
- 2011. Computational approaches to analyzing microarray data, microarray analysis workshop. Biopharmaceutical Technology Center (Promega) & University of Wisconsin. Madison, WI, US.
- 2011. Dominant repression of AP-2 regulated genes by KRAB-AP2 recombinant proteins induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells, ERA of Hope meeting. Invited. Department of Defense. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2009. Basal and treatment-induced activation of the p13K-AKT pathway are determinants of the efficacy of the MEK inhibitor AZD6244 in Melanoma. Conference. Meeting on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. Boston, MA, US.
- 2007. Regulation of nuclear histone deacetylase activity by cytokine signaling. Invited. Gordon Research Conference. Ventura, CA, US.
- 2006. An herb extracted small molecule, VG0604a, upregulates p53 and p21/WAF1 expression through proteasomal degradation of MDM2 and HDAC1. Conference. 99th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. Washington, DC, US.
- 2005. Dominant repression of AP-2 regulated genes by KRAB-AP2 recombinant proteins induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Conference. ERA of Hope Breast Cancer Research Program.
- 2004. Chimeric KRAB-fusion proteins of p65/RelA antagonize NF-kB transcriptional activity: potential use of unraveling NF-kB activity and for cancer gene therapy. Conference. The Keystone Symposia, NF-?B: Biology and Pathology,. Snowbird, UT, US.
- 2003. N/A. Cold Spring Harbor Workshop Making and using DNA Microarrays. Cold Spring Harbor, NY, US.
- 2002. Transcriptional regulation of Her2/neu expression by DNA minor groove-binding small molecules & recombinant repressor proteins. Conference. ERA of Hope Breast Cancer Research Program. Orlando, FL, US.
International Presentations
- 2022. Anti-melanoma activity of the PARP inhibitor Talazoparib combined with anti-PD1 in patient-derived xenografts in a humanized mouse model. Invited. Edinburgh, GB.
- 2017. Inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation overcomes de novo and acquired resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors. Conference. World Melanoma Congress. Brisbane, AU.
- 2014. mTOR Kinase Inhibition Promotes Nuclear Exclusion of MITF and Prevents Oxidative Phosphorylation-mediated Resistance to MAPK Pathway Inhibitors. Conference. Society for Melanoma Research. Zurich, CH.
- 2013. The Role of PI3K-AKT Pathway in Melanoma. Invited. 8th World Congress of Melanoma. Hamburg, DE.
- 1999. Antiproliferative activity of organometallic ruthenium compiles: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde mode of action. Conference. International Congress on Frontiers in Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the 21st Century. New Delhi, IN.
- 1999. Topoisomeras II inhibition and Anticancer Activity of Substituted Ferrocene Complexes. Conference. 18th Annual Convention of Indian Association for Cancer Research and National Symposium on Molecular Biology of Cancer. New Delhi, IN.
- 1998. How to get the most out of your Protein sequence. Bioinformatics Workshop. Bangalore, IN.
Formal Peers
- 2018. Targeting metabolic dependencies in melanoma. Invited. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2011. Increased cellular metabolism is a driving force behind drug resistance and agressiveness of melanoma. Invited. College Park, MD, US.
- 2011. Integrated approaches for identifying therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers in melanoma. Invited. Birmingham, AL, US.
- 2008. Histone deacetylase regulation induced by inflammatory signaling: implications for Cancer prevention and therapy. Invited. Albany, NY, US.
- 2008. Understanding Epigenetic Regulation Induced by Inflammatory Signaling in. Invited. Columbia, SC, US.
- 2008. A Chemical Genetics Approach to Understanding Epigenetic Regulation. Invited. Richmond, VA, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Rational approaches to melanoma therapy |
| Funding Source: | NCI |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | 1U54CA224070-02 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Anti-melanoma activity of next-generation PARP1-isoform selective inhibitor combination with immune checkpoint blockade |
| Funding Source: | SPORE DRP |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | P50CA221703-05 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | Overcoming metastasis and therapeutic resistance in melanoma |
| Funding Source: | Adelson Medical Research Foundation |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | FP17016 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Identification and assessment of unconventional tumor-associated antigens as potential targets for cytotoxic T-cell based immunotherapy of cancer |
| Funding Source: | R01 |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01 CA258526-01A1 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Role of AMPK in Melanoma Brain Metastasis |
| Funding Source: | NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | R01 CA276448 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2020 |
| Title: | Characterization and Optimization of the Glutaminase Inhibitor CB-839 for Melanoma |
| Funding Source: | Calithera Biosciences |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Calithera SRA |
| Date: | 2018 - Present |
| Title: | Micro-Environmental Influences on Melanoma Driver Mutagenesis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2017 - 2022 |
| Title: | Rational approaches to melanoma therapy |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | 1U54CA224070-01 |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | Exploiting Molecular and Metabolic Dependencies to Optimize Personalized Therapeutic Approaches for Melanomas |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | CPRIT R01 |
| Date: | 2015 - 2018 |
| Title: | A Novel Mitochondrial Complex I Inhibitor to Sensitizes MAPK inhibition-resistant melanomas |
| Funding Source: | Melanoma Research Alliance |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2010 - 2011 |
| Title: | Role of melanin in Oncogenesis |
| Funding Source: | DAMD-CDMRP |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2010 - Present |
| Title: | Dynamic Biomarkers of Melanoma Prognosis and Therapeutic Response |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2007 - 2008 |
| Title: | Pre-clinical activity of a small molecule with anti-melanoma activity |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5-P50-CA093459-05 |
| Date: | 2006 - 2007 |
| Title: | Targeting the MDM2-p53-HDAC1 nexus in melanoma with a small molecule drug |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5-P50-CA093459-04 |
| Date: | 2005 - 2006 |
| Title: | Molecular Mechanism of Action of a Novel Anti-melanoma Drug |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5-P50-CA093459-03 |
| Date: | 2004 - 2005 |
| Title: | Abolition of histone deacetylases by activated NF-kappa B in Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | DOD Concept Grant |
| Role: | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| ID: | W81XWH-04-1-0610 |
| Date: | 2001 - 2005 |
| Title: | Regulation of Breast Cancer gene expression by small molecule drugs |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | DAMD17-01-1-0305 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Y N VG, de Groot E, Loftin K, Knighton B, Ledesma D, Hudgens C, Shamsutdinova D, Ali M, Ju Z, Xiao M, Kannan T, Fontenot G, Nakazawa MS, Thomas M, Wani K, Stephan C, Aung PP, Kwong LN, Roszik J, Akbani R, Kossenkov A, Rebecca VW, Sullivan RJ, Herlyn M, Davies MA. Personalized targeting of BCL2 family proteins overcomes acquired resistance to BRAF-MEK inhibitors in preclinical melanoma. Nat Commun, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42362544.
- Rebecca VW, Xiao M, Kossenkov A, Godok T, Brown GS, Fingerman D, Alicea GM, Wei M, Ji H, Portuallo M, Bravo J, Elad V, Chen Y, Toska E, Fane ME, Couts KL, Villanueva J, Nathanson K, Arun KM, Warrier G, Yin X, Ding J, Liu Q, Goyal Y, Gopal YNV, Davies MA, Herlyn M. Dasatinib resensitizes BRAF/MEK inhibitor efficacy in patient-derived xenografts from patients with progression on BRAF/MEK inhibitor treatment. iScience 29(2):114669, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41704766.
- Kumar, S, Pelster, MS, Hasanov, M, Guerrieri, R, Hudgens, CW, Ledesma, D, Wang, F, Fischer, G, Simon, JM, Haydu, LE, Katlowitz, KV, Yennu Nanda, VG, McQuade, JL, Kwong, L, Huse, J, Lazar, A, Tetzlaff, M, Gershenwald, JE, Joon, A, Chen, K, Li, Z, Ram, P, Ferguson, SD, Davies, MA. Integrated analysis of molecular and clinical features associated with overall survival in melanoma patients with brain metastasis. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 13(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40229864.
- Wee, Y, Wang, J, Wilson, EC, Rich, CP, Rogers, A, Tong, ZZ, DeGroot, E, Yennu Nanda, VG, Davies, MA, Ekiz, HA, Tay, JK, Stubben, C, Boucher, K, Oviedo, JM, Fairfax, KC, Williams, MA, Holmen, SL, Wolff, RK, Grossmann, AH. Tumour-intrinsic endomembrane trafficking by ARF6 shapes an immunosuppressive microenvironment that drives melanomagenesis and response to checkpoint blockade therapy. Nature communications 15(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39098861.
- Yuan, P, Teng, D, de Groot, E, Li, M, Trousil, S, Shen, CH, Roszik, J, Davies, MA, Yennu Nanda, VG, Zheng, B. Loss of AMPKα2 promotes melanoma tumor growth and brain metastasis. iScience 26(6), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37213225.
- Hahn AW, Menk AV, Rivadeneira DB, Augustin RC, Xu M, Li J, Wu X, Mishra AK, Gide TN, Quek C, Zang Y, Spencer CN, Menzies AM, Daniel CR, Hudgens CW, Nowicki T, Haydu LE, Khan MAW, Gopalakrishnan V, Burton EM, Malke J, Simon JM, Bernatchez C, Putluri N, Woodman SE, Vashisht Gopal YN, Guerrieri R, Fischer GM, Wang J, Wani KM, Thompson JF, Lee JE, Hwu P, Ajami N, Gershenwald JE, Long GV, Scolyer RA, Tetzlaff MT, Lazar AJ, Schadendorf D, Wargo JA, Kirkwood JM, DeBerardinis RJ, Liang H, Futreal A, Zhang J, Wilmott JS, Peng W, Davies MA, Delgoffe GM, Najjar YG, McQuade JL. Obesity Is Associated with Altered Tumor Metabolism in Metastatic Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 29(1):154-164, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36166093.
- De Groot E, Varghese S, Tan L, Knighton B, Sobieski M, Nguyen N, Park YS, Powell R, Lorenzi PL, Zheng B, Stephan C, Vashisht Gopal YN. Combined inhibition of HMGCoA reductase and mitochondrial complex I induces tumor regression of BRAF inhibitor-resistant melanomas. Cancer Metab, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35193687.
- Sun, H, Cao, S, Mashl, RJ, Mo, CK, Zaccaria, S, Wendl, MC, Davies, S, Bailey, MH, Primeau, T, Hoog, J, Mudd, JL, Dean, DA, Patidar, R, Chen, L, Wyczalkowski, MA, Jayasinghe, R, Rodrigues, FM, Terekhanova, NV, Li, Y, Lim, KH, Wang-Gillam, A, Van Tine, BA, Ma, C, Aft, R, Fuh, KC, Schwarz, JK, Roth, JA, Akcakanat, A, Chen, H, Dai, B, Gibbons, DL, Ha, MJ, Jensen, VB, Kim, M, Kopetz, S, Menter, DG, Meraz, I, Sorokin, A, Tapia, C, Wang, J, Westin, SN, Xi, Y, Yang, F, Yap, TA, Yennu Nanda, VG, Zhang, X, Zheng, X, Davies, MA, Fang, B, Meric-Bernstam, F. Comprehensive characterization of 536 patient-derived xenograft models prioritizes candidatesfor targeted treatment. Nature communications 12(1), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34429404.
- Varghese S, Pramanik S, Williams LJ, Hodges HR, Hudgens CW, Fischer GM, Luo CK, Knighton B, Tan L, Lorenzi PL, Mackinnon AL, McQuade JL, Hailemichael Y, Roszik J, Peng W, Vashisht Gopal YN. The Glutaminase Inhibitor CB-839 (Telaglenastat) Enhances the Antimelanoma Activity of T-Cell-Mediated Immunotherapies. Mol Cancer Ther 20(3):500-511, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33361272.
- Woo, XY, Giordano, J, Srivastava, A, Zhao, ZM, Lloyd, M, de Bruijn, R, Suh, YS, Patidar, R, Chen, L, Scherer, S, Bailey, M, Yang, CH, Cortes-Sanchez, E, Xi, Y, Wang, J, Wickramasinghe, JM, Kossenkov, AV, Rebecca, VW, Sun, H, Mashl, RJ, Davies, S, Jeon, R, Frech, C, Randjelovic, J, Rosains, J, Galimi, F, Bertotti, A, Lafferty, A, O’Farrell, AC, Modave, E, Lambrechts, D, Fang, B, Roth, JA, Meric-Bernstam, F, Davies, MA, Zheng, X, Zhang, X, Akcakanat, A, Yap, TA, Ha, MJ, Chen, H, Kopetz, S, Menter, DG, Westin, SN, Kim, M, Dai, B, Gibbons, DL, Jensen, VB, Yennu Nanda, VG, Mælandsmo, GM. Conservation of copy number profiles during engraftment and passaging of patient-derived cancer xenografts. Nature Genetics 53(1):86-99, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33414553.
- Fischer GM, Guerrieri RA, Hu Q, Joon AY, Kumar S, Haydu LE, McQuade JL, Vashisht Gopal YN, Knighton B, Deng W, Hudgens CW, Lazar AJ, Tetzlaff MT, Davies MA. Clinical, molecular, metabolic, and immune features associated with oxidative phosphorylation in melanoma brain metastases. Neurooncol Adv 3(1):vdaa177, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33575655.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Gammon S, Prasad R, Knighton B, Pisaneschi F, Roszik J, Feng N, Johnson S, Pramanik S, Sudderth J, Sui D, Hudgens C, Fischer GM, Deng W, Reuben A, Peng W, Wang J, McQuade JL, Tetzlaff MT, Di Francesco ME, Marszalek J, Piwnica-Worms D, DeBerardinis RJ, Davies MA. A Novel Mitochondrial Inhibitor Blocks MAPK Pathway and Overcomes MAPK Inhibitor Resistance in Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 25(21):6429-6442, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31439581.
- Gammon ST, Pisaneschi F, Bandi ML, Smith MG, Sun Y, Rao Y, Muller F, Wong F, De Groot J, Ackroyd J, Mawlawi O, Davies MA, Vashisht Gopal YN, Di Francesco ME, Marszalek JR, Dewhirst M, Piwnica-Worms D. Mechanism-Specific Pharmacodynamics of a Novel Complex-I Inhibitor Quantified by Imaging Reversal of Consumptive Hypoxia with [18F]FAZA PET In Vivo. Cells 8(12), 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31766580.
- Fischer GM, Jalali A, Kircher DA, Lee WC, McQuade JL, Haydu LE, Joon AY, Reuben A, de Macedo MP, Carapeto FCL, Yang C, Srivastava A, Ambati CR, Sreekumar A, Hudgens CW, Knighton B, Deng W, Ferguson SD, Tawbi HA, Glitza IC, Gershenwald JE, Vashisht Gopal YN, Hwu P, Huse JT, Wargo JA, Futreal PA, Putluri N, Lazar AJ, DeBerardinis RJ, Marszalek JR, Zhang J, Holmen SL, Tetzlaff MT, Davies MA. Molecular Profiling Reveals Unique Immune and Metabolic Features of Melanoma Brain Metastases. Cancer Discov 9(5):628-645, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30787016.
- Shrestha AK, Bettini ML, Menon RT, Vashisht Gopal YN, Huang S, Edwards DP, Pammi M, Barrios R, Shivanna B. Consequences of early postnatal lipopolysaccharide exposure on developing lungs in mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 316(1):L229-L244, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30307313.
- Shrestha AK, Vashisht Gopal YN, Menon RT, Hagan JL, Huang S, Shivanna B. Lung omics signatures in a bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension-like murine model. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 315(5):L734-L741, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30047283.
- Cascone T, McKenzie JA, Mbofung RM, Punt S, Wang Z, Xu C, Williams LJ, Wang Z, Bristow CA, Carugo A, Peoples MD, Li L, Karpinets T, Huang L, Malu S, Creasy C, Leahey SE, Chen J, Chen Y, Pelicano H, Bernatchez C, Vashisht Gopal YN, Heffernan TP, Hu J, Wang J, Amaria RN, Garraway LA, Huang P, Yang P, Wistuba II, Woodman SE, Roszik J, Davis RE, Davies MA, Heymach JV, Hwu P, Peng W. Increased Tumor Glycolysis Characterizes Immune Resistance to Adoptive T Cell Therapy. Cell Metab 27(5):977-987.e4, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29628419.
- Ndoye A, Budina-Kolomets A, Kugel CH, Webster MR, Kaur A, Behera R, Rebecca VW, Li L, Brafford PA, Liu Q, Vashisht Gopal YN, Davies MA, Mills GB, Xu X, Wu H, Herlyn M, Nicastri MC, Winkler JD, Soengas MS, Amaravadi RK, Murphy ME, Weeraratna AT. ATG5 Mediates a Positive Feedback Loop between Wnt Signaling and Autophagy in Melanoma. Cancer Res 77(21):5873-5885, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28887323.
- Li J, Zhao W, Akbani R, Liu W, Ju Z, Ling S, Vellano CP, Roebuck P, Yu Q, Eterovic AK, Byers LA, Davies MA, Deng W, Vashisht Gopal YN, Chen G, von Euw EM, Slamon D, Conklin D, Heymach JV, Gazdar AF, Minna JD, Myers JN, Lu Y, Mills GB, Liang H. Characterization of Human Cancer Cell Lines by Reverse-phase Protein Arrays. Cancer Cell 31(2):225-239, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28196595.
- Goedert L, Pereira CG, Roszik J, Plaça JR, Cardoso C, Chen G, Deng W, Vashisht Gopal YN, Silva WA, Davies MA, Espreafico EM. RMEL3, a novel BRAFV600E-associated long noncoding RNA, is required for MAPK and PI3K signaling in melanoma. Oncotarget 7(24):36711-36718, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27167340.
- McQuade JL, Vashisht Gopal YN. Counteracting oxidative phosphorylation-mediated resistance of melanomas to MAPK pathway inhibition. Mol Cell Oncol 2(3):e991610, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 27308473.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Rizos H, Chen G, Deng W, Frederick DT, Cooper ZA, Scolyer RA, Pupo G, Komurov K, Sehgal V, Zhang J, Patel L, Pereira CG, Broom BM, Mills GB, Ram P, Smith PD, Wargo JA, Long GV, Davies MA. Inhibition of mTORC1/2 Overcomes Resistance to MAPK Pathway Inhibitors Mediated by PGC1α and Oxidative Phosphorylation in Melanoma. Cancer Res 74(23):7037-47, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25297634.
- Chen G, Chakravarti N, Aardalen K, Lazar AJ, Tetzlaff MT, Wubbenhorst B, Kim SB, Kopetz S, Ledoux AA, Vashisht Gopal YN, Pereira CG, Deng W, Lee JS, Nathanson KL, Aldape KD, Prieto VG, Stuart D, Davies MA. Molecular Profiling of Patient-Matched Brain and Extracranial Melanoma Metastases Implicates the PI3K Pathway as a Therapeutic Target. Clin Cancer Res 20(21):5537-46, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24803579.
- Mao M, Tian F, Mariadason JM, Tsao CC, Lemos R, Dayyani F, Vashisht Gopal YN, Jiang ZQ, Wistuba II, Tang XM, Bornman WG, Bollag G, Mills GB, Powis G, Desai J, Gallick GE, Davies MA, Kopetz S. Resistance to BRAF inhibition in BRAF-mutant colon cancer can be overcome with PI3K inhibition or demethylating agents. Clin Cancer Res 19(3):657-67, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23251002.
- Deng W, Vashisht Gopal YN, Scott A, Chen G, Woodman SE, Davies MA. Role and therapeutic potential of PI3K-mTOR signaling in de novo resistance to BRAF inhibition. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 25(2):248-58, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22171948.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Deng W, Woodman SE, Komurov K, Ram P, Smith PD, Davies MA. Basal and treatment-induced activation of AKT mediates resistance to cell death by AZD6244 (ARRY-142886) in Braf-mutant human cutaneous melanoma cells. Cancer Res 70(21):8736-47, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20959481.
- Altman MK, Vashisht Gopal YN, Jia W, Yu S, Hall H, Mills GB, McGinnis AC, Bartlett MG, Jiang G, Madan D, Prestwich GD, Xu Y, Davies MA, Murph MM. Targeting melanoma growth and viability reveals dualistic functionality of the phosphonothionate analogue of carba cyclic phosphatidic acid. Mol Cancer 9:140, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20529378.
- Davies MA, Stemke-Hale K, Lin E, Tellez C, Deng W, Vashisht Gopal YN, Woodman SE, Calderone TC, Ju Z, Lazar AJ, Prieto VG, Aldape K, Mills GB, Gershenwald JE. Integrated Molecular and Clinical Analysis of AKT Activation in Metastatic Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 15(24):7538-7546, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19996208.
- Woodman SE, Trent JC, Stemke-Hale K, Lazar AJ, Pricl S, Pavan GM, Fermeglia M, Vashisht Gopal YN, Yang D, Podoloff DA, Ivan D, Kim KB, Papadopoulos N, Hwu P, Mills GB, Davies MA. Activity of dasatinib against L576P KIT mutant melanoma: molecular, cellular, and clinical correlates. Mol Cancer Ther 8(8):2079-85, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19671763.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Chanchorn E, Van Dyke MW. Parthenolide promotes the ubiquitination of MDM2 and activates p53 cellular functions. Mol Cancer Ther 8(3):552-62, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19276167.
- Baby J, Pickering BF, Vashisht Gopal YN, Van Dyke MW. Constitutive and inducible nuclear factor-kappaB in immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial and non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Cancer Lett 255(1):85-94, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17493745.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Arora TS, Van Dyke MW. Parthenolide Specifically Depletes Histone Deacetylase 1 Protein and Induces Cell Death through Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated. Chem Biol 14(7):813-23, 2007. e-Pub 2007.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Van Dyke MW. Depletion of histone deacetylase protein: a common consequence of inflammatory cytokine signaling?. Cell Cycle 5(23):2738-43, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 17172847.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Arora TS, Van Dyke MW. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha depletes histone deacetylase 1 protein through IKK2. EMBO Rep 7(3):291-6, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16374504.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Van Dyke MW. Combinatorial determination of sequence specificity for nanomolar DNA-binding hairpin polyamides. Biochemistry 42(22):6891-903, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12779344.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Konuru N, Kondapi AK. Topoisomerase II antagonism and anticancer activity of coordinated derivatives of [RuCl(2)(C(6)H(6))(dmso)]. Arch Biochem Biophys 401(1):53-62, 2002. e-Pub 2002. PMID: 12054487.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Kondapi AK. Topoisomerase II poisoning by indazole and imidazole complexes of ruthenium. J Biosci 26(2):271-6, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11426063.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Jayaraju D, Kondapi AK. Topoisomerase II poisoning and antineoplastic action by DNA-nonbinding diacetyl and dicarboxaldoxime derivatives of ferrocene. Arch Biochem Biophys 376(1):229-35, 2000. e-Pub 2000. PMID: 10729210.
- Jayaraju D, Vashisht Gopal YN, Kondapi AK. Topoisomerase II is a cellular target for antiproliferative cobalt salicylaldoxime complex. Arch Biochem Biophys 369(1):68-77, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10462441.
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Jayaraju D, Kondapi AK. Inhibition of topoisomerase II catalytic activity by two ruthenium compounds: a ligand-dependent mode of action. Biochemistry 38(14):4382-8, 1999. e-Pub 1999. PMID: 10194357.
Review Articles
- Fischer GM, Vashisht Gopal YN, McQuade JL, Peng W, DeBerardinis RJ, Davies MA. Metabolic strategies of melanoma cells: Mechanisms, interactions with the tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic implications. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 31(1):11-30, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29049843.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026