I am currently an Assistant Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Solid Tumors, and a secondary appointment in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Thomas Jefferson University. At my prior laboratory research I defined the pathophysiology of silencing of tumor suppressors in colorectal neoplasms originating from the serrated and microsatellite instability pathways. Currently, I continue to engage in translational research with bench to bedside translation of novel therapies and early drug development. I am the PI of a Phase 2A cancer vaccine (Ad5.F35-hGCC-PADRE) study to prevent tumor recurrence in gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. This novel GUCY2C-targerted vaccine is being developed for the secondary prevention of metastases in patients with cancers of the colon, rectum, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas with minimal residual disease. I am also spearheading the clinical development of a novel first-in-human GUCY2C-directed CAR-T therapy in advanced colorectal cancers. I also serve as the scientific co-director of Early Drug Development Office at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and run various industry-sponsored clinical trials. At the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, I participated in various national efforts to study the interaction between COVID-19 and cancer (the COVID-19 cancer consortium (CCC-19), NCI COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study (NCCAPS)).

Medical School

MD, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, PAKISTAN, 2006

Residency

Chief Medical Resident, Abington Hospital – Jefferson Health, Abington, PA, completed 2015
Internal Medicine, Abington Hospital – Jefferson Health, Abington, PA, 2014

Fellowship

NIH T32 Research Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 2018

Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 2019

Additional Education

MS – Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 2018