# BLR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application

> **NIH VA IK6** · WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP · 2020 · —

## Abstract

My long-term career goal is to improve the quality of human life, including that of Veterans, through my
research. My laboratory focuses on two broad and complimentary research areas: 1) cancer biology and 2)
prevention and experimental therapeutics of cancer. My overall goal is to define the critical molecular and
biochemical events that occur during cancer development that in turn will assist in identifying targets and new
approaches and strategies for cancer management. While interested in cancer in general, my recent focus has
been on skin and prostate cancers, both of which disproportionally affect the Veteran population. Examples of
ongoing research in my laboratory are as follows. We are studying the role and functional significance of
mitotic regulators, including the polo-like kinase (Plk) family of serine/threonine kinases, and how these factors
interact with other important cell signaling pathways to influence cancer development and progression. In
addition, we are trying to understand the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ -dependent
deacetylases, namely the Sirtuin family proteins, in the development and/or progression of cancer. The second
major focus of my research is to define the cancer chemopreventive/therapeutic potential of a variety of
agents, such as resveratrol (a phytoalexin antioxidant found in grapes, nuts, berries and red wine), melatonin
(the chief secretory product of the pineal gland and a known antioxidant), vitamin E (the major antioxidant in
biomembranes) and selenium (an essential micronutrient for humans). My current VA-sponsored research
focuses on identifying the mechanism of melanoma development and progression. This research area is
extremely relevant to VA healthcare as the U.S. military engages in missions all over the world, including in the
Middle East (Iraq and Afghanistan). Deployment to these regions results in significant UV irradiation exposure
that increases the risk for malignant melanoma in the Veterans returning from these areas. Based on several
studies, an increased incidence of melanoma was reported for World War II Veterans stationed in the Pacific
and those exposed to dioxin-contaminated herbicides during Operation Ranch Hand in Vietnam. My ongoing
research aims at defining the molecular mechanism of melanoma development. I believe that my research
findings are moving towards the identification of novel strategies for the management of this deadly neoplasm.
Thus, my work is relevant and significant to Veteran's healthcare and is in line with the mission of the
Department of Veterans Affairs. The results of my research are published in a wide range of high-impact
scientific journals. I have published more than 170 papers, 150 abstracts and several book chapters (Total
Citations: 17,705; h-index, 65; i10-index: 1256 Source: Google Scholar; 8/2016).
 I serve as an Associate Editor of two well-respected journals, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology and
Photochemistry and Photobiol...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9898255
- **Project number:** 5IK6BX003780-04
- **Recipient organization:** WM S. MIDDLETON MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSP
- **Principal Investigator:** Nihal Ahmad
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-04-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9898255

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9898255, BLR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application (5IK6BX003780-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9898255. Licensed CC0.

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