Farhad Vesuna, Ph.D.

Headshot of Farhad Vesuna
  • Instructor of Radiology and Radiological Science

Research Interests

Breast cancer; metastasis; lung cancer; prostate cancer; medulloblastoma; colorectal cancer; transcription factors; TWIST1; DDX3X; patient-derived xenografts (PDX); bioinformatics ...read more

Background

Dr.  Farhad Vesuna is an Instructor of Radiology and Radiological Science in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Cancer Image Research Division.  His areas of research expertise is in the field of breast cancer development with a focus metastatic progression. He has worked on deciphering the role of the TWIST1 gene and its targets in breast cancer, such as the estrogen receptor and E-cadherin.

Dr. Vesuna earned his Ph.D. from University of Mumbai. 

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Titles

  • Instructor of Radiology and Radiological Science

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • Ph.D.; University of Mumbai (India) (2001)

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Dr. Vesuna’s primary research interest is in the field of breast cancer development with a focus metastatic progression. He has worked on deciphering the role of the TWIST1 gene and it’s targets in breast cancer, such as the estrogen receptor and E-cadherin.

Dr. Vesuna is also involved in studying the role of the DDX3X gene in breast, lung, prostate, and brain cancer development as well as developing chemotherapeutic molecules for targeting this gene in various cancers.

Technology Expertise Keywords

Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology

Selected Publications

View all on PubMed

Genomic pathways modulated by Twist in breast cancer. Vesuna F, Bergman Y, Raman V. BMC Cancer. 2017 Jan 13;17(1):52.

RK-33 Radiosensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells by Blocking the RNA Helicase DDX3. Xie M, Vesuna F, Tantravedi S, Bol GM, Heerma van Voss MR, Nugent K, Malek R, Gabrielson K, van Diest PJ, Tran PT, Raman V. Cancer Res. 2016 Nov 1;76(21):6340-6350.

Twist contributes to hormone resistance in breast cancer by downregulating estrogen receptor alpha. Vesuna F, Lisok A, Kimble B, Domek J, Kato Y, van der Groep P, Artemov D, Kowalski J, Carraway H, van Diest P, Raman V. Oncogene. 2012 Jul 5;31(27):3223-34

Twist modulates breast cancer stem cells by transcriptional regulation of CD24 expression. Vesuna F, Lisok A, Kimble B, Raman V. Neoplasia. 2009 Dec;11(12):1318-28

Twist is a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin gene expression in breast cancer. Vesuna F, van Diest P, Chen JH, Raman V. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Mar 7;367(2):235-41

Patents

Compositions and Methods for Characterizing Breast Cancer
Patent # US Pat. 20,130,059,903 | 01/01/2013

Compositions and Methods for Characterizing Breast Cancer
Patent # WO Pat. 2,011,113,047 | 01/01/2011

Contact for Research Inquiries

Venu Raman Research Lab
720 Rutland Ave
Traylor 217C
Baltimore, MD 21205 map
Phone: 410-955-7426

Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Daxina Post-Graduate Scholarship, University of Mumbai (Bombay), India, 1992 - 1994
  • Lady Tata Memorial Senior Research Scholarship, 1998 - 2000
  • Junior Research Fellowship, University of Bombay, India, 2000 - 2002
  • Young Investigator Award, American Assoc. of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research, 2007
  • Young Investigator Award, American Assoc. of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research, 2009

Memberships

  • American Association for Cancer Research, 2006

    The mission of the AACR is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, and collaboration. 

Videos & Media

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

TWIST protein plays a major role in controlling estrogen resistance in breast cancer, Summit Professional Education, November 2011.

Potential new 'twist' in breast cancer detection, Science Daily, December 2009.

Experimental drug delivers one-two punch to prostate cancer cells, EurekAlert!, November 2016.

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