Education

PhD - 1994
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Publications

For full list of publications, see this link.

Recent Publications:

1) Guo, Z., Dong, R.W., Wu, Y., Dong. S., and Alahari, S.K*. Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 and 6 Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Treatment (2025) Oncogene 44:1135-1152.

2) Singh, P.S., Pathak, R., Pandit, A., Kumar, A., Chintalaramulu, N., Yousefian, G., Dharmakumar, R., Alahari, S.K., and Francis, J. Aberrant regulation of Caveolin-1 in breast cancer metastasis (2025) Molecular Cancer 24:109.

3) Hawes, M., Moody, M.A., McCauley, C.R., Huddleston, A.G., Solanky, M., Khosravi, D.H., Lynch, R.M., Alahari, S.K., Bunnell, B.A., Belogodere, J.A., Hoang, V.T., Burow, M. E and Martin, E.C. Oncogenic effects of ECM remodeling in obesity and breast cancer (2025) Oncogene 44:3409-3421.

4) Cullen, N.M., Rosston, P., Tufail, B., D’Armond, A.E., patel, A., Khosravi, D.H., Collins-Burow, B.M., Hoang, V.T., Martin, E.C., Drewery, D.H., Burow, M.E. and Alahari, S.K*. NUAK kinases: Signaling mechanisms and therapeutic applications (2025) Journal of Biological Chemistry 301:110565.

5) Mhmedi, E.C and Hube F., Alahari, S.K., Enguita, F.J., Padini, B., Feinberg, M.W., Poliseno, L and others. Editorial, The Non-Coding RNA Club:Highlights on recent papers -14 (2025) Non-Coding RNA 11(6):75.

6) Solanki, M., Khosla, M., and Alahari, S.K. Assessing the tumor suppressive impact and regulatory mechanisms of SPDEF expression in breast cancer (2025). Cancers 17(21):3556.

7) Peddireddi, R., Kuchana, S., Kode, R., Khammammettu, S., Koppanathan, A., Mattigiri, S., Gobburu, H and Alahari, S.K*. Role of gut microbiome in Oncogenesis and Oncotherapies (2025) Cancers 18(1):99.

Research

Dr. Alahari’s lab conducts research on various aspects of cancer including understanding the role of Nischarin, a novel protein discovered by him, and microRNAs in breast cancer. Recently his lab discovered four different novel small molecules that are effective in breast cancer therapies, and they are currently being tested in animal models.

Some of the major discoveries of his lab are as follows:

1. Research conducted by Dr. Alahari, has found that metformin, a commonly prescribed drug for Type 2 Diabetes, may be effective in treating cancers that lack a protein called Nischarin. The discovery that the effectiveness of certain drugs, such as metformin, are influenced by the level of Nischarin expression could help identify specific patients in whom it is most likely to prove beneficial. In this way, Nischarin expression could serve as a biomarker to help inform decisions in management by identifying a subset of patients most likely to benefit from AMPK activator therapies.  Also, his lab research suggests Nischarin may be a promising therapeutic target to treat or prevent metabolic disorders. The study also reported for the first-time metabolic distinctions between male and female mice. These results were published in Cancer Research, International Journal of Obesity, International Journal of Cancer and Journal of Biological Chemistry.

2. In addition, Dr. Alahari’s lab has shown for the first time that a tiny piece of RNA  (miR-27b)deregulates energy metabolism, an emerging hallmark of cancer. The finding identifies a new target for therapeutic intervention in breast cancer and the findings were published in Molecular Cancer.

3. Furthermore, Dr. Alahari’s lab has shown that a combination of drugs already approved by the FDA for other cancers may be effective in treating chemo-resistant triple-negative breast cancer. These findings were published in Molecular Cancer and Oncogene Journals.

Interests include:

• Biochemistry of cell adhesion
• The mechanism of action of Nischarin in tumor cell migration and invasion
• Understanding the role of microRNAs in breast cancer
• Understanding the role of PDEF in breast cancer

Patents / Inventions

Two novel genes were discovered.
Fission Yeast prp4 in 1993 (Genbank #L10739)
Mouse Nischarin in 2000 (Genbank #AF315344)
miR-27b oncogenic function was discovered (Geo-GSE#17350)
Combination therapy was discovered (Geo-GSE# 207036)
Estradiol regulates the release of exosomes via miR-149P (Geo-GSE#127787)
Discovered two novel drugs that inhibit breast cancer growth.
Composition and methods of use thereof cancer therapy (patent pending)
A Novel small molecule inhibits tumor growth by enhancing Nischarin expression (patent pending)
Reported six new disclosures (inventions) with our innovation and partnerships office at LSUHSC.

In the News

LSU research finds link between diabetes medicine, 2019, lower cancer rates

Research to Advance Cancer Therapy, 2019

Novel Protein Plays Role in Preventing Breast Cancer Growth and Spread, 2019

Researchers discover new protein to fight breast cancer, 2019

Researchers discover new protein to fight breast cancer, 2019

LSU Researchers make discovery with potential to cure obesity diabetes, 2017

https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/258964584/now-a-novel-research-to-advance-cancer-therapy

LSU Health New Orleans research could impact cancer therapy, 2019

Breast cancer breakthrough, 2019

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/now-a-novel-research-to-advance-cancer-therapy-119011200375_1.html

New breast cancer therapeutic target 2018

Lab News

Abigail Rink (Medical Student) - Received the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center Travel Award for Cancer Research (Freshman/Sophomore Category)

 

Awards

2026, Dr. Alahari is being presented the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Society of American Asian Scientists in Cancer Research (SAASCR) for his seminal contributions in the field of cancer research.  He will be recognized at the AACR Annual Meeting scheduled for April 2026 in San Diego, California.  

2025, Dr. Alahari was recognized by Elsevier and Stanford University as a top 2% scientist in Clinical Medicine, specializing in oncology and carcinogenesis. 

2024, Inducted into Sigma Xi Honors Society

2021, American Association of Cell Biology Fellow

2020, President’s Gold Volunteer Award from the White House, Washington D.C.

2020, American Association of Advancement of Science Fellow, Washington D.C.

2016, Invited to assess quality of a Banff International Research Station (BIRS) 2016 International Canadian conference entitled “Qualitative Analysis of Immune Cell Migration and Spatial Processes in Health Disease”

2016, Outstanding Faculty award for community service for the year, LSUHSC New Orleans, LA

2012, New Orleans Top People: Selected as top 30 people of New Orleans by New Orleans Magazine

2012, Winner of 2012 Telugu Tejam award: Each year this award is given to an outstanding person in any field by the local Indian organization.

2010, Board Member of Italian Foundation, Fondazione Cariplo, Milano, Italy. 

2005, Save Science AACR travel award, American Society of Cell Biology meeting, San Francisco, CA

1993, Drexel University President's Award, Best research and presentation for the year