Maher Abdalla

Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Microbiology University of Nebraska Medical Center University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Address: 985900 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5900, Office Location DRCII 8066, Laboratory Location DRCII 8016,
Phone: 402-559-7892
Email: maher.abdalla@unmc.edu
Website

Research
I am conducting research in the fields of ROS, HO-1, immune cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and prostate cancer. My studies focus on the role of HO-1 in PDAC, and prostate cancer development and metastasis, with emphasis on identifying strategies to boost the efficacy of disease treatment. My laboratory is developing different mouse models of PDAC that will help us better understand the important role of HO-1 in PDAC. Our long-term goal of targeting this enzyme is to provide novel therapeutic targets against PDAC, in combination with standard of care, will improve our ability to treat advanced PDAC.

Education

Interests
Oxidative stress and free radical biology, Microbial infections, Tumor immunology, and Cancer biology.

Education and Training
BSc, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait, 1989
MSc, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 1999
PhD, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, 2003
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, 2004
Visiting Scientist, Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institute of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 2009-2011

National Activities
Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine
American Association for Cancer Research

Notable Publications
Mohammad J, Singh RR, Riggle C, Haugrud B, Abdalla MY, Reindl KM. JNK inhibition blocks piperlongumine-induced cell death and transcriptional activation of heme oxygenase-1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Apoptosis. 2019 Oct;24(9-10):730-744. doi: 10.1007/s10495-019-01553-9. PMID: 31243599

Abdalla MY, Ahmad IM, Rachagani S, Banerjee K, Thompson CM, Maurer HC, Olive KP, Bailey KL, Britigan BE, Kumar S. Enhancing responsiveness of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine treatment under hypoxia by heme oxygenase-1 inhibition. Transl Res. 2019 May;207:56-69. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2018.12.008. Epub 2019 Jan 4. PMID: 30653942

Ahmad IM, Abdalla MY, Moore TA, Bartenhagen L, Case AJ, Zimmerman MC. Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation Exhibit Altered Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines and Redox Parameters. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Jan 1;8(1):12. doi: 10.3390/antiox8010012. PMID: 30609664 Free PMC article.

Bajbouj K, Shafarin J, Abdalla MY, Ahmad IM, Hamad M. Estrogen-induced disruption of intracellular iron metabolism leads to oxidative stress, membrane damage, and cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells. Tumour Biol. 2017 Oct;39(10):1010428317726184. doi: 10.1177/1010428317726184. PMID: 29022497

Kalen AL, Ahmad IM, Abdalla MY, O'Malley YQ, Goswami PC, Sarsour EH. MnSOD and Cyclin B1 Coordinate a Mito-Checkpoint during Cell Cycle Response to Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel). 2017 Nov 17;6(4):92. doi: 10.3390/antiox6040092. PMID: 29149089 Free PMC article.

Abu-Eid R, Samara RN, Ozbun L, Abdalla MY, Berzofsky JA, Friedman KM, Mkrtichyan M, Khleif SN. Selective inhibition of regulatory T cells by targeting the PI3K-Akt pathway. Cancer Immunol Res. 2014 Nov;2(11):1080-9. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-14-0095. Epub 2014 Jul 30. PMID: 25080445

For a detailed list of publications, click here

Maher Abdalla

Contact

Education