Biography
Hassan Lemjabbar-Alaoui, Ph.D. is a biomedical scientist and Principal Investigator in the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory. Dr. Alaoui received his Ph.D. from the University of Paris XII. Since receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Paris XII, he has focused his research work on deciphering the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, and discovering novel targeted therapies and diagnostic biomarkers with clinical utility for the treatment of these diseases. Dr. Alaoui began these studies in 1997 as a postdoctoral fellow/Assistant Research Anatomist in Dr. Carol Basbaum's lab at UCSF, and continued them as an Assistant Professor of Anatomy at UCSF.
Dr. Alaoui has also been the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious National Institutes of Health/(NIH-NCI)/ U01 grant, the Doctors Cancer Foundation award, the Pfizer-CTI Research Program award, and the American Cancer Society.
Education
University of Paris VII, B.S., Biology, 1988-1989
University of Paris VII, M.S., Molecular Biology and Immunology, 1989-1991
University of Paris VI, M.S., Biochemistry, 1991-1992
University of Paris VI, Post-Master University Diploma (DU), Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Therapeutics, 1992-1993
University of Paris XIII, Post-Master DE.A of Science, Medical and Biological Engineering, 1993-1994
University of Paris XII, Ph.D., Molecular and Cell Biology, 1994-1997
1997-1998, Scientist, Naturalia Biologia. Paris, France
1998-2001, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Anatomy, UCSF
Program Affiliations
- Thoracic Oncology Program
- Thoracic Oncology Laboratory
- Member, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
- UCSF Department of Surgery
In the News
Research Narrative
Dr. Alaoui’s research is focused on elucidating diagnostic biomarkers and developing novel targeted therapies for treatment of lung cancer, mesothelioma and esophageal cancer. My lab seeks to gain a keen understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases. Our projects include:
- Investigating the role of extracellular heparan sulfate degrading sulfatases (SULFs) in tumorigenesis, and finding novel ways to target them.
- Discovering novel blood biomarkers for early detection and stratification of thoracic malignancies.
- Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of multi-drug resistance in thoracic malignancies.
- Developing DNA repair inhibitors for thoracic malignancies, particularly small-molecule inhibitors, which hold great promise for damaging tumor cells.
- Adapting cAbl inhibitors, FDA-approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), for treatment of malignant mesothelioma, a devastating and currently incurable disease.
Research Interests
Role of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
Embryonic signaling pathways such as Wnt signaling
Sulf-1 and Sulf-2
Biomarkers for early cancer detection
DNA repair mechanisms
Drug resistance mechanisms
Novel targeted therapies