Highlights

Meet Our Postdoctoral Trainee - Muhammad "Ajmal" Khan, PhD 

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I graduated with a PhD degree in life sciences from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2022. During my PhD, I worked on cancer drug screening (now in the clinical trial phase) and drug resistance. Specifically, I focused on elucidating the target identification of drug and resistance mechanisms of TCM-based small molecule targeting DNA replication initiation proteins in cancer. After completing my PhD, I started working as a postdoc in the same lab to further extend my studies and publish in a high-impact journal. I worked with a variety of teams to complete the research, and that makes me a team player.

Why did you choose UMSOM/Dr. Tran’s lab and why were you interested in this position?

To further enhance my skills and quest for studying cancer plasticity, I applied for this postdoc position in Dr. Tran’s lab at UMSOM, a prestigious school in the field of biological science. Dr. Tran’s lab uses cutting-edge technologies to solve many puzzling questions related to cancer plasticity. I joined his team as a postdoc in early December and will study activation of mutant Kras induced senescence as treatment for pancreatic cancer. I found Dr. Tran’s group very cooperative and that makes my transition very easy to the new environment.

What are you currently learning/have learned thus far?

I started reading the literature and related publications from Dr. Tran’s lab to get more familiar with the field. I have learned a lot about the current research going on in the lab and have received training on many types of equipment.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I am a food lover and I seek new food experiences while cooking. I am fond of playing cricket with friends in my spare time.

Dr. Luigi Marchionni Run for Men’s Health Awareness and Prostate Cancer

The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon was held November 6, 2022, with over 50,000 participants. One of those participants included our very own, Dr. Luigi Marchionni, who helped bring awareness to men’s health and prostate cancer research with a goal to raise $50,000 during a fundraising campaign. All contributions went to men's health awareness and prostate cancer research, funding awareness campaigns, clinical trials, and translational research, in partnership with the WCM Prostate Cancer SPORE community at Weill Cornell Medicine. The members of the U54 ROBIN OligoMET Center donated $500 towards this important cause.

ASTRO 2024

The following ROBIN Oligo(MET) Center members attended the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on September 29 - October 2.  

University of Maryland

• Amit Sawant, PhD (presenter, exhibit booth)
• Lei Ren, PhD (presenter, panel moderator)
• Mark Mishra, MD (presenter)
• Phuoc Tran, MD, PhD (presidential symposium speaker, presenter)
• Muhammad Ajmal Khan, PhD (presenter)
• Jin Hee Chang (presenter)

Dr. Mishra Voted "Top Doctor" in Baltimore Magazine

Congratulations to Dr. Mark Mishra, who was recognized as a “Top Doctor” in the Baltimore Magazine October 2024 issue. The list of “Top Doctors” is a result of the 2024 annual survey, which includes thousands of physicians in the Baltimore region. This includes doctors in 116 specialties and subspecialties and includes over 600 doctors who received the highest recommendations. All physicians recognized in Baltimore Magazine comprise only about 5 percent of about 14,000 licensed physicians in the Baltimore area. President and Chief Executive Officer at the University of Maryland Medical System, Dr. Mohan Suntha stated, “Recognition by peers is one of the strongest validations of a clinician’s work, and we are particularly proud of our 260-plus doctors who are being recognized for providing compassionate, high-quality health care.”   

Meet Our Intern

Please join us in welcoming our high school student intern, Priyanshi Patel, to our ROBIN OligoMET Center. Priyanshi is currently participating in Dr. Tran's lab at the University of Maryland Department of Radiation Oncology.  During her internship, she will learn conduct a project on “radiation modulation of cell plasticity programs determine prostate cancer oligometastatic potential” as well as the relationship of EMP biomarkers, CTCs, and the development of prostate cancer oligometastases.

When asked why she chose to work in Dr. Tran's lab, she shared, "Last year, I did literature review research relating to the relationship between BRCA1 epi-mutations and breast cancer metastasis. Dr. Tran’s lab is currently working on cutting edge projects relating to the mechanisms of oligometastatic prostate cancer development, which aligns with my broad area of interest. Dr. Tran was kind enough to take me on board with this project and give me the opportunity to learn from so many wonderful professionals in the field." 

We wish Priyanshi a very productive and fun learning experience. Welcome again!

Dr. Tran’s Talk on Metastatic Cancer During OSR Summer Seminar Series

Every year, the Office of Student Research (OSR) hosts a summer seminar series with various speakers who share their expertise. Some topics have included: advances in radiation oncology, tumor immunology, and advances in radiological imaging and diagnostics. In 2022, Dr. Phuoc Tran was one of 11 seminar speakers to share his expertise. He spoke on "the metastatic cancer problem – the view of a local therapist" to local high school, undergraduate, medical, and graduate students from University of Maryland College Park and University of Maryland Baltimore. Assistant Dean for Student Research and Education Dr. Gregory B. Carey stated that Dr. Tran's talk was well-received, and that he will be invited back again.

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