Principal Investigator
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- Dr. Manoj B Mahimkar
Dr. Manoj B Mahimkar
Principal Investigator
Honors and Recognitions
- International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology(INHANCE), IARC, Lyon, France, 2007
- International Collaborative Study on Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Carcinogens (GSEC), University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center, USA, 2007
- Editorial Board: Oral Oncology, 2011
Research Interests
Focus of our lab is to understand the molecular and genetic basis of oral precancerous lesions and head and neck cancers, to develop clinically relevant biomarkers for early detection and improved prognosis. We also aim to develop strategies of chemoprevention using phytochemicals.
- Bio-monitoring of human subjects exposed to tobacco using genotoxicity endpoints.
- Understanding molecular genetic basis of head & neck cancers and precancerous lesions
- Role of genetic susceptibility factors in development of oral cancers and pre-cancerous lesions mainly leukoplakia.
- Genome-wide profiling of leukoplakia & oral cancers by high resolution genomic, transcriptomic and methylation profiling to develop prognostic biomarkers.
- To evaluate predictive value of molecular markers on the treatment outcome in HNSCC patients receiving targeted therapy.
- To develop predictive genetic biomarkers for identifying high risk oral precancerous lesions.
- Molecular analysis of carcinogen induced experimental oral & lung carcinogenesis and chemoprevention studies using black tea polyphenols.
RESEARCH
- Our lab activities are focused on understanding the genetic basis of oral cancer. One of the key features in the pathogenesis of OSCC is chromosomal instability, resulting in gene gain or loss. We have carried out array CGH and gene expression profiling to identify genetic signature across the transition from oral premalignant lesions to advance stages of OSCC. We have identified potential biomarkers in predicting the disease prognosis and providing better treatment opportunities to OSCC. Currently we have initiated global DNA methylation analysis so that we can have comprehensive understanding about molecular genetic changes in oral cancer and precancerous lesions. We will also plan more comprehensive validation studies on the basis of our analysis.
- Several biomarkers have been analyzed in the past independently to evaluate their prognostic/predictive implications in HNSCC, however, comprehensive evaluation of these biomarkers and their correlation with the clinical outcome of patients singly or in combination is lacking. Hence, in another study we have initiated comprehensive analysis of predictive/prognostic biomarkers in locally advanced staged HPV negative HNSCC patients treated with either CT-RT or CT-RT along with EGFR targeting mAb-Nimotuzumab.
- Additionally, our aim is to understand the cross talk between molecular pathways during sequential development of experimental lung and oral tumors as well as plan to examine the molecular mechanism(s) of tea - polyphenols mediated chemoprevention in vivo.
