Charaterisation and pre-clinical development of a novel dual activity anti-androgen for castration resistant prostate cancer

Biography

Dr Mohammad Asim is a group leader who runs a Molecular Oncotherapeutics Lab, which focuses on developing cutting-edge cancer therapies by targeting molecular mechanisms underlying tumour development and progression. 

Dr Asim completed his PhD at Justus Liebig University in Germany, where he investigated the regulation of androgen receptor signalling by transcriptional co-repressors and signal transduction pathways in prostate cancer. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral research in cancer therapeutics at the University of Wisconsin, where he contributed to the discovery of novel anti-androgens.

As a senior scientist at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge, Dr Asim made pioneering discoveries, including identifying the first mammalian kinase that functions as a chaperone for the androgen receptor, establishing it as a potential therapeutic target. His recent research uncovered a synthetic lethal interaction between the androgen receptor and the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) pathway, leading to a novel treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This discovery has guided several successful clinical trials resulting in FDA approval for PARP and AR co-inhibition therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. 

His contributions to translational cancer research have earned him prestigious accolades, including the Young Investigator Award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation and an accelerator award from the Medical Research Council. Dr Asim has secured significant research funding and has led multiple projects in drug discovery. He holds editorial positions at Neoplasia and Translational Oncology, served as a university senator, and is actively involved in scientific advisory roles.

Alongside his role at Surrey, Dr Asim is an affiliated research scientist at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. His work continues to bridge fundamental cancer biology with clinical applications, striving to improve treatment strategies for drug-resistant cancers.

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