Cancer Epidemiology and Biology Laboratory

Principal Investigator: Prof. Nazir A. Dar
Department of Biochemistry, University of Kashmir

Research Focus:

The laboratory is dedicated to investigating molecular, metabolic, and epidemiological determinants of cancer, with a particular emphasis on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). By integrating molecular biology, epigenetics, oncogenic signaling, and population-based research, we aim to elucidate the unexplored mechanisms of carcinogenesis, identify novel therapeutic targets, and improve treatment outcomes and prevention strategies.

Ongoing Research Projects:

1.        Disruption of NF-κB–G6PD Interaction and Metabolic Collapse in Cancer

Focus: Deciphering how NF-κB counteracts p53-mediated repression of G6PD and fuels the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) to support NADPH/R5P-mediated chemoresistance.

Goal: Induce metabolic collapse in p53 wild-type cancers by targeting the NF-κB–G6PD axis.

2.        Epigenetic Regulation of Angiogenesis in ESCC

Objective: Understanding how dysregulated histone acetylation and methylation suppress anti-angiogenic genes like CD36 and ANGPTL1, promoting neovascularization.

Outcome: Identified novel epigenetic modifications driving angiogenesis; therapeutic inhibition under evaluation.

3.        RhoA-HSPA1A Interaction in Cancer Cell Migration

Insight: Identified HSPA1A as a novel interacting partner of RhoA, promoting the migratory phenotype at the expense of proliferation.

Application: Targeting this interaction could offer dual benefits—migration inhibition and proliferative control.

4.        Molecular Epidemiology and Prognostic Modelling of ESCC in Kashmir

Relevance: With Kashmir reporting one of the world’s highest ESCC incidences, we investigate genetic, dietary, and environmental risk factors.

Milestone: A prognostic model is under development, integrating tumor stage, genetic markers, and lifestyle features to predict treatment response and survival.

Key Discoveries:

  • Identified NF-κB–G6PD–p53 metabolic axis as a novel driver of chemoresistance via NADPH/R5P modulation.
  • Discovered epigenetic suppression of anti-angiogenic genes in ESCC.
  • Demonstrated a RhoA–HSPA1A axis regulating cancer cell migration.
  • Established occupational, dietary, and genetic factors contributing to ESCC risk in Kashmir, providing robust targets for public health interventions.

 

Publications

  1. 1.     Bashir Ahmad Malla, Sumaiya Nabi, Rezwan Akther, Najma Nisa, Mansha Muzaffar, Mohammad Amin Hajam, Aadil Manzoor Baba, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    G6PD on interaction with NF-κB releases p53 to promote the pentose phosphate pathway in cancers
    Under Review –     Cancer Letters | IF: 9.5
  2. 2.     Sumaiya Nabi, Bashir Malla, Umar Mushtaq, Firdous Khanday, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    RhoA functionally collaborates with HspA1A to promote the migratory phenotype of cancer cells
    Communicated –     Journal of Cell Science | IF: 5.3
  3. 3.     Aadil Manzoor Baba, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Imren Ayil, Satyabrata Nayak, Ritis Kumar Shyanti, Najma Nissa, Mansha Muzaffar, Mohammad Amin Hajam, Rezwan Akhtar, Bashir Ahmad Malla, Salman Akhtar, Rana P Singh, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Polydatin inhibits histone deacetylase 1 and shows an anti-angiogenic action in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
    Medical Oncology, 2024; 41(11):278 | IF: 4.9
  4. 4.     Bashir Ahmad Malla, Shabir Rafiq, Aijaz Hadi, Aadil Ali, Zahoor Ahmad Kaloo, Nazir Ahmad Wagay, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Downregulation of NF-κB1, RelA, and COX-2 using Aconitum chasmanthum: in vitro and in silico study 
    Industrial Crops and Products, 2024; 197:116564 | IF: 6.4
  5. 5.     Bashir Ahmad Malla, Aadil Ali, Irfan Maqbool, Nazir Ahmad Dar, Shabir Bashir Ahmad, Rawan M Alsaffar, Muhammad Usman Rehman
    Insights into molecular docking and dynamics to reveal therapeutic potential of natural compounds against P53 protein
    Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 2022 | IF: 5.3
  6. 6.     Jan Kausar, Irfan Ahmed, Nazir Ahmad Dar, Farah Manzoor Ahmed, Fayaz Rasool Khan, Bashir Ahmad Shah, Fabrizio Fazio
    LC–MS/MS based characterisation and differential expression of proteins in Himalayan snow trout (Schizothorax labiatus)
    Scientific Reports, 2023; 13(1):10134 | IF: 4.6
  7. 7.     Irfan Ahmad, Irfan Ahmed, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Effects of dietary isoleucine on growth performance, enzymatic activities, antioxidant properties and expression of TOR-related genes in rainbow trout
    Aquaculture Research, 2022; 53(6):2366–2382 | IF: 1.9
  8. 8.     Jan Kausar, Irfan Ahmed, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    The role of sex, season, and reproduction status on blood parameters in snow trout (Schizothorax labiatus)
    Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2022; 194(10):674 | IF: 3.0
  9. 9.     Najma Un Nissa, Mir Jan, Javid A Tantray, Nazir Ahmad Dar, Jan Aabid, Fayaz Ahmad, Bilal Ahmad Paray et al.
    Parasitic anomalies observed in snow trout due to anthropogenic stress in water bodies
    Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2022; 29(4):2921–2925 | IF: 4.2
  10. 10.  Irfan Ahmad, Irfan Ahmed, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Effects of dietary leucine levels on growth, hematobiochemical parameters, liver profile, intestinal enzyme activities, and TOR pathway
    Aquaculture Nutrition, 2021; 27(6):1837–1852 | IF: 3.5
  11. 11.  Bilal Iqbal, Irfan Ahmad Shah, Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, Mansha Muzaffar, Najma Nissa, Sumaiya Nabi, Shafiq T Iqbal, Mohammad Maqbool Lone, Farhad Islami, Paolo Boffetta, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Prevalence of alcohol dehydrogenase 1B and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 genotypes in a high-risk region of ESCC
    Human Gene, 2020; Article ID: 201042 | IF: 3.1
  12. 12.  Mohammad Tayyab Rasool, Altaf Hafiz, Sheikh Zubair Banday, Irfan Ahmad Dar, Shazia Akhter, Mohammad Zahid Qureshi, Saba Geelani, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    ABO Blood Group and the Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Kashmir
    Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer, 2020 | IF: 4.4
  13. 13.  Warnakulasuriya S, Cronin-Fenton D, Jinot J, Kamangar F, Malekzadeh R, Dar NA, et al.
    Carcinogenicity of opium consumption
    Lancet Oncology, 2020; 21(10):e553–e562 | IF: 40.0
  14. 14.  Shah R, Sharma V, Bhat A, Singh H, Sharma I, Verma S, Bhat GR, Dar NA
    MassARRAY analysis of twelve cancer-related SNPs in ESCC in J&K, India
    BMC Cancer, 2020; 20(1):1–61 | IF: 4.4
  15. 15.  Sumaiya Nabi, Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, Bilal Iqbal, Mohammad Maqbool Lone, Ghulam Nabi Lone, Mohammad Aslam Khan, Nazir Ahmad Dar
    Association of Activity-Altering Genotypes in Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase and ESCC Risk
    Nutrition and Cancer, 2019; 71(5):806–817 | IF: 3.0
  16. 16.  Shah IA, Mehta P, Lone MM, Rasool MT, Lone GN, Gulzar GM, Ganie FA, Bhat MA, Dar NA
    CYP1A2*1F Gene Variant, Alkaline Salt Tea Intake and Risk of Oesophagal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
    Nutrition and Cancer, 2018; 70(1):146–152 | IF: 3.0
  17. 17.  Murphy G, McCormack V, Abedi-Ardekani B, Arnold M, Camargo MC, Dar NA, et al.
    International cancer seminars: a focus on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
    Annals of Oncology, 2017; 28(9):2086–2093 | IF: 20.0
  18. 18.  Bhat GA, Bhat AB, Lone MM, Dar NA
    Association of Genetic Variants of CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 with ESCC Risk in Northern India, Kashmir
    Nutrition and Cancer, 2017; 69(4):585–592 | IF: 3.0
  19. 19.  Iqbal B, Masood A, Lone MM, Lone AR, Dar NA
    Polymorphism of Metastasis Suppressor Genes MKK4 and NME1 in Kashmiri Patients with Breast Cancer
    The Breast Journal, 2016; 22(6):673–677 | IF: 3.0
  20. 20.  Shah IA, Bhat GA, Mehta P, Lone MM, Dar NA
    Genotypes of CYP1A1, SULT1A1 and SULT1A2 and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus
    Diseases of the Esophagus, 2016; 29(8):937–943 | IF: 3.0
  21. 21.  Dar NA
    Narghile Smoking is Associated With the Development of Oral Cancer at Early Age
    Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice, 2015; 15(3):126–127 | IF: 3.0
  22. 22.  Shah IA, Mehta P, Lone MM, Dar NA
    Leu432Val Polymorphism of CYP1B1 is Not Associated with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Esophagus
    Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2015; 16(13):5337–5341 | IF: 2.0
  23. 23.  Rafiq R, Dar NA
    Second-hand smoke, a cocktail of toxic chemicals, cannot be ignored
    Cancer Cell & Microenvironment, 2016; 3(1) | IF: 3.0
  24. 24.  Rafiq R, Bhat GA, Lone MM, Masood A, Dar NA
    Potential risk of ESCC due to nucleotide excision repair XPA and XPC gene variants and their interaction with environmental factors
    Tumor Biology, 2016; 37(8):10193–10207 | IF: 4.0
  25. 25.  Rafiq R, Shah IA, Bhat GA, Lone MM, Islami F, Boffetta P, Dar NA
    Secondhand smoking and the risk of ESCC in a high-incidence region, Kashmir, India: a case-control study
    Medicine, 2016; 95(1) | IF: 5.1
  26. 26.  Bhat GA, Shah IA, Rafiq R, Nabi S, Iqbal B, Lone MM, Islami F, Boffetta P, Dar NA
    Family history of cancer and the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of oesophagus: a case-control study in Kashmir, India
    British Journal of Cancer, 2015; 113(7):1037–1043 | IF: 7.6
  27. 27.  Makhdoomi MA, Shah IA, Bhat GA, Amin S, Lone MM, Islami F, Dar NA
    Association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms and ESCC: results from a case-control study in Kashmir, India
    Tumor Biology, 2015; 36(4):2613–2619 | IF: 3.6
  28. 28.  Dar NA, Bhat GA, Shah IA, Iqbal B, Rafiq R, Nabi S, Lone MM, Islami F, Boffetta P
    Salt tea consumption and esophageal cancer: a possible role of alkaline beverages in esophageal carcinogenesis
    International Journal of Cancer, 2015; 136(6):E704–E710 | IF: 7.4
  29. 29.  Bhat GA, Shah IA, Makhdoomi MA, Iqbal B, Rafiq R, Nabi S, Masood A, Lone MM, Dar NA
    CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 genotypes and risk of ESCC in a high-incidence region, Kashmir
    Tumor Biology, 2014; 35(6):5323–5330 | IF: 3.5
  30. 30.  Dar NA, Islami F, Bhat GA, Shah IA, Makhdoomi MA, Iqbal B, Rafiq R, Lone MM, Abnet CC, Boffetta P
    Contact with animals and risk of ESCC: a case-control study from Kashmir
    Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2014; 71(3):208–214 | IF: 4.0
  31. 31.  Dar NA, Islami F, Bhat GA, Shah IA, Makhdoomi MA, Iqbal B, Rafiq R, Lone MM, Abnet CC, Boffetta P
    Poor oral hygiene and risk of ESCC in Kashmir
    British Journal of Cancer, 2013; 109(5):1367–1372 | IF: 7.6
  32. 32.  Dar NA, Shah IA, Bhat GA, Makhdoomi MA, Iqbal B, Rafiq R, Nisar I, Bhat AB, Nabi S, Masood A, Shah SA, Lone MM, Zargar SA, Islami F, Boffetta P
    Socioeconomic status and ESCC risk in Kashmir
    Cancer Science, 2013; 104(9):1231–1236 | IF: 6.7
  33. 33.  Dar NA, Bhat GA, Shah IA, Iqbal B, Makhdoomi MA, Nisar I, Rafiq R, Iqbal ST, Bhat AB, Nabi S, Shah SA, Shafi R, Masood A, Lone MM, Zargar SA, Najar MS, Islami F, Boffetta P
    Hookah smoking, nass chewing, and ESCC in Kashmir
    British Journal of Cancer, 2012; 107(9):1618–1623 | IF: 7.6

(Full publication list available on Google Scholar)