1996 Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS), Tehran, IRN, MD, Medical School Postgraduate Training 2006-2007 Research Fellowship, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 2004-2006 Research Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 2000-2003 Research Fellowship, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (RCGLD), SBUMS, Tehran 1994-1996 Internship, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS), Tehran Honors & Awards 2017 Early Career Achievement Award in Thoracic Oncology, American Thoracic Society 2017 Lung Cancer Discovery Award, American Lung Association 2015 Cyrus Scholar Award in Basic/Translational Research, Cyrus Family Foundation 2011 Research Scholar Award, American Cancer Society 2009 Lung Cancer Discovery Award, American Lung Association/LUNGevity Foundation 2008 Career Development Award, The University of Texas SPORE in Lung Cancer 2007 Bristol-Meyers Squibb Award in Clinical/Translational Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

My research is focused on airway inflammation and its role in airway epithelial carcinogenesis. Cigarette smoking is the principal cause of lung carcinogenesis. However, more than ten separate studies have found that smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory disease of the airways and alveoli, have an increased risk of lung cancer compared to smokers with comparable cigarette exposure but without COPD. This suggests a strong link between COPD-related airway inflammation and lung cancer. We have previously shown that COPD-like airway inflammation, but not asthma-like airway inflammation, promotes lung cancer in a K-ras mutant mouse model. We are currently dissecting the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon. This will provide a better understanding of the role of specific inflammatory pathways in lung carcinogenesis, and subsequently allow preclinical testing of the efficacy of anti-inflammatory agents in preventing lung cancer. This would have a major impact on preventing the leading cause of cancer death by providing the basis for rationally directed therapy in patients at high risk for lung cancer development, and patients with early stage tumors.