Jawed A. Siddiqui, PhD

Jawed A. Siddiqui, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department:
SOM-Cell and Molecular Biology

Email:
jsiddiqui@umc.edu

Work Phone:
(601) 984-4309

Biography

One of the major objectives of our laboratory is to elucidate biological mechanisms underlying bone metastasis of different malignancies. Bone metastases or dissemination of cancer cells within the bone are considered an advanced, debilitating, and incurable disease. Despite its high morbidity and mortality, the biology of bone metastasis signifies one of the most multifaceted and fascinating processes in several malignancies. Prostate, breast, lung, and kidney cancers have characteristics of selective bone tropism.
The convolution of bone metastases derives from the intricately organized bone microenvironment where numerous vital processes, including hematopoiesis, osteogenesis, and osteolysis, are conjointly regulated with spatial limitations. Dissemination and homing of tumor cells in the bone microenvironment are uniquely primed to destabilize the homeostasis of the bone microenvironment and fuel the pathological osteolytic and osteoblastic lesions. The bone metastasis process can be separated into three key steps (seeding, dormancy, and outgrowth), and targeting dormancy and outgrowth in bone microenvironments offers the most therapeutic promise.
Our lab has developed unique techniques and experimental models that allow us to decipher bone metastasis. Metastatic tumors attain the skill to blunt or overturn the functions of the immune system. We are interested in dissecting how metastatic cancers evolve to persuade the immune system's dysfunctionality in primary and metastatic sites among tumors of diverse genetic backgrounds. Unraveling the mechanisms of the immune system and bone cell cross-talk offers therapeutic possibilities for bone metastasis. We study how cancer cells influence bone resident macrophages (Osteomacs) for their colonization and growth within the bone microenvironment and design therapeutic strategies accordingly.
Current projects in the lab include:
1. Molecular mechanism of bone metastasis (Prostate, Breast, and Lung cancer)
2. Bone Microenvironment
3. Osteoimmunology and Tumor Dormancy.
4. Development of the Bone metastasis Therapeutics
Research Opportunities:
If you are excited about contributing to bone metastasis research, join our collaborative team. We always look for a highly enthusiastic researcher to join as graduate students, summer fellows, clinical fellows, and postdoctoral fellows. We are continuously open to collaboration.

Education

Central Drug Research Institute/JNU, India, PhD, Endocrinology and Bone Biology
Calicut University, MS, Biotechnology

Specialty Certification Licensure

Certification

Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments

Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, School of Medicine

Sponsored Program Funding

Intramural, Targeting Mitochondrial metabolism to overcome enzalutamide resistance in Prostate cancer bone metastasis, 05. American Cancer Society (ACS)02/2024 - 02/2025
Extramural, Therapeutic Targeting of GFRAL/RET Axis to Overcome Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer, METAvivor09/2022 - 07/2025
Intramural, Targeting Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, a Novel Immunotherapeutic Approach for Lung Cancer-Bone Metastasis, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer (FPBCC)02/2022 - 02/2024
Extramural, Targeting Novel GDF15/GFRAL/RET Axis in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis, DoD07/2021 - 07/2025
Extramural, Targeting MUC5AC Mucin in breast cancer brain metastasis, NCI02/2021 - 01/2026

Publications

Journal Article

Kaushal JB, Raut P, Halder S, Alsafwani ZW, Parte S, Sharma G, Abdullah KM, Seshacharyulu P, Lele SM, Batra SK, Siddiqui JA Oncogenic potential of truncated-Gli3 via the Gsk3β/Gli3/AR-V7 axis in castration-resistant prostate cancer Oncogene. 2025 Jan 16. doi: 10.1038/s41388-024-03266-z. Epub ahead of print.

Review Article

Chaudhary S, Siddiqui JA, Pothuraju R, Bhatia R Ribosome biogenesis, altered metabolism and ribotoxic stress response in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumor microenvironment2025

Presentations

National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Growth Factors and Chemokines in Niche Formation Bone Metastasis, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Invited Symposia, The bone anabolic effect of parathyroid hormone via Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein, British Bone Research meeting, Edinburg, Scotland
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Multifaceted role of Chemokines and Growth Factors in Niche Formation and Bone Metastasis., Center for Research in Anabolic Skeletal Targets in Health and Illness
National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Growth Factors in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis, MSK research discovery meeting at Orthopaedic Surgery Department, UNMC

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Young Investigator Award, Society for Basic Urologic Research (SBUR)2024
New Investigator Award, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
Young Investigator Award, American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR), USA
Outstanding performance award, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Alice L. Jee Young Investigator Award, Orthopedic Research Society, USA
Young Investigator Grant, British Bone Research and ASBMR
Eight Fellows Forum on Metabolic Bone Diseases, Endocrine Fellows Foundation , USA

Professional Membership and Service

NYU Center for Skeletal and Craniofacial Biology, Member
Society for Basic Urologic Research, Member
Cancer Center Research Institute (CCRI), Member
American Society of Bone and Mineral research, Member
The New York Academy of Science, Member
The Endocrine Society, Fellow
International Bone and Mineral Society, Member
Endocrine Fellows Foundation, Member
Indian Society of Bone and Mineral Research, Member

Committee Service

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES-CURRICULUM, Member2024 - Present
Postdoc Mentoring Committee, Member

Other Service

Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS
GU Cancer Focus Group, University of Mississippi Medical center
01. Prostate Cancer Research, UK 02. NJDOH Cancer Program review 03. Qatar Foundation Study section 04. UNMC-Fellowship-Drug Development Study Section 05. UNMC-Fellowship- Community & Population Health/Nursing/Clinical & Translational Research 06. Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (FPBCC) pilot project Study Section 07. Tumor Microenvironment Study Section (TME), National Institute of Health, NIH
• Molecular cancer • Cancer Research • Advanced Science • Molecular Medicine • Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, Nutrition Research • Stem Cell Reviews and Reports • Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry • Menopause (The Journal of North American Menopause Society) • Journal of Nutritional Biology • Journal of Biology and Life Science • International Journal of Medical Education (IJME) • Plos One • Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research • Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics • Frontier in Endocrinology • Journal of Cellular Biochemistry • Medicine
Nature-Springer Cellular Oncology on research Topic “Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis
Frontiers in Oncology ‘Deciphering the Role of Signature Genes in Cancer Prognosis and Therapy Resistance’ 2025
Frontier in immunology, Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy: research topic ‘Manipulation of immune‒vascular crosstalk in solid tumors
Frontier in immunology: research topic ‘Bone metastasis in the milieu of Osteoimmunology 2022
Molecular and Cellular Oncology: Editing the research topic ‘Rising Stars in Molecular and Cellular Oncology 2021.’
Cancers: Editing the research topic ‘Breast Cancer and Brain Metastasis
Seminars in cancer biology editing the special issue ‘Chemokines’
International Journal of Medical Science (IJMS): Editing the research topic ‘Chemokines and Cytokines Regulation of Bone Metastasis.’
Frontiers in Oncology and Frontier in Cell and Developmental Biology: Edited the research topic ‘Roles of Non-Coding RNAs in Tumor Growth and Development.’

Directed Student Learning

Supervised Research

Fellows supervised

Cancer Research, Post-Doc Advisor, 3 fellows supervised