With a focus on community-specific risks, this postdoc reveals the molecular roots of pancreatic cancer to guide personalized care.
Q | Write a brief introduction to yourself including the lab you work in and your research background.
I introduce myself as Zahid Rafiq. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow and a cancer pharmacologist serving for the School of Pharmacy here at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP). I am engaged in advanced pancreatic cancer research under a career transition program funded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT-TREC). My current research focuses on investigating mechanisms and risk factors specific to the Hispanic population that lead to tumorigenesis at the molecular and cellular levels, aiming to develop personalized anticancer strategies.
Q | How did you first get interested in science and/or your field of research?
I have worked in world class institutes including MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), where I worked as a postdoctoral fellow. Here, my research focused on developing combined therapeutic strategies using low-dose radiotherapy (LD-XRT) and adoptively transferred CAR-T cells to ensure durable responses that control metastatic disease. In addition to this, I also finished an immunometabolism project in collaboration with Takeda Pharma to find out the time and dose dependent effects of radiation on the metabolism of T cells. This project complemented my career goals and provided me with new knowledge to understand the role of radiation, immune responses, and cell therapy. In summary, I have the expertise, training, leadership, and motivation necessary to execute the proposed research project successfully. In addition to research endeavors, I am an active member of leading scientific organizations, including the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Q | Tell us about your favorite research project you’re working on.
My favorite research project has been developing combined therapeutic strategies using low-dose radiotherapy (LD-XRT) and adoptively transferred CAR-T cells to ensure durable responses that control metastatic disease.
Q | What do you find most exciting about your research project?
The most exciting part of my scientific journey has been doing interesting projects and conferences.
Q | If you could be a laboratory instrument, which one would you be and why?
If I could be a laboratory instrument, I would like to be a digital scanner and reader as it is fast and reliable.
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