Research Interests
Cancer genetics; early detection; biology of pancreatic cancer; microscopic and cystic precursor lesions of pancreatic cancer; pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and cystic neoplasms of the pancreas; early detection of pancreatic cancer in at-risk populations, including patients with pancreatic cystic neoplasms and adults with new-onset diabetes.
Current Affiliations
Professor of pathology and translational molecular pathology; scientific director, Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research; and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan distinguished university chair, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; attending physician, gastrointestinal mucosal biopsy service pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Previous Positions
Deputy division head, academic science pathology/lab medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (2013-2019), Houston, Texas; professor (2010-2013); associate professor (2006-2010); assistant professor (2003-2005); and instructor (2002-2003), pathology; attending physician, gastrointestinal mucosal biopsy service pathology (2002-2013), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Education
MBBS, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India (1996); residency, anatomic pathology (1996-1998, 2000-2001); fellowship, molecular pathology (1998-1999); and fellowship, pediatric pathology (1999-2000), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; fellowship, gastrointestinal pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (2001-2002).
Selected AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, Pathology in Cancer Research Working Group (2024-present); member, Asian/AANHPI Task Force (2023-present); cochair, AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Pancreatic Cancer (2023); organizing committee cochair, JCA-AACR Special Joint Conference on the Latest Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research: From Basic Science to Therapeutics (2022); member, Annual Meeting Clinical Trials Committee (2023-2025, 2016-2018); member, AACR-Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Lectureship Award Committee (2022-2024); member, Editorial Board, AACR Journal, Cancer Prevention Research (2021-present); member, Lustgarten Foundation-AACR Pancreatic Cancer Research Grant Review Committee (2021-2022); member, Pathology Task Force (2018-2024); member, Editorial Board (2014-2017) and senior editor (2017-present), AACR Journal, Cancer Research; chair, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Research Acceleration Network Scientific Review Committee (2013-2015); recipient, Team Science Award (2013); member, AACR Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship Award Committee (2012-2013).
Selected Non-AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Recipient, R. Lee Clark Prize for Excellence in Translational Cancer Research, MD Anderson Cancer Center (2022); recipient, Ruth Leff Siegel National Awardee for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Columbia Pancreas Center (2021); recipient, Outstanding Scientist in Cancer Research Award, American Association of Indian Scientists In Cancer Research (2017); recipient, American Society for Investigative Pathology Outstanding Investigator Award (2016); member, Scientific Advisory Board, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, PanCAN (2011-present); councilor, American Pancreatic Association (2010-present); recipient, Ramzi Cotran Young Investigator Award (2008) and Benjamin Castleman Award (2004), United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology; recipient, Eugene Di Magno Presidential Award for Junior Faculty, American Pancreatic Association (2007); member, Editorial Board, Pancreatology (2007-present); member, Scientific Advisory Board, Michael Rolfe Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (2007-present); recipient, Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award, Maryland Academy of Sciences (2006); editor-in-chief, Current Molecular Medicine (2006-2010); recipient, Best Small Group Teaching Award, UT Southwestern Medical Center Department of Pathology (2001); recipient, Harry B. Neustein Award, Society for Pediatric Pathology (2001).