Bal Lokeshwar

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

• A Novel Splice Variant of HYAL-4 Drives Malignant Transformation and Predicts Outcome in Patients with Bladder Cancer, 2020
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• Atypical chemokine receptors in tumor cell growth and metastasis., 2020
  Journal Article, Academic Journal
• Withania somnifera root extract inhibits fatty acid synthesis in prostate cancer cells., 2020
  Other
• β-Arrestins Regulate Stem cell-like Phenotype and Response to Chemotherapy in Bladder Cancer., 2019
  Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

I am a cancer biologist. As an NIH-funded investigator for the last thirty years, my principal area of research has been prostate, bladder, and breast cancers and, specifically, in developing novel therapeutics for prevention and control of cancer progression and metastasis. My research group was the first to identify the imbalance between the endogenous levels of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in prostate cancer. My investigation helped to develop a new class of antitumor agents, chemically modified non-antimicrobial tetracycline compounds (e.g., CMT-3/COL-3) against several cancers and for ocular rosacea. T. My research finding on the role of pro-inflammatory proteins (COX-2, IL-8, and osteopontin) that are elevated in tumors led me to define several histochemical markers that independently predict biochemical progression of prostate cancer recurrence and metastasis. My work on the role of CXC-Chemokines that have pleiotropic functions in cancer progression and response to therapy have elucidated the potential role of scaffold proteins (e.g., beta-arrestins) in cancer progression and response to treatment. My research focus for the last ten years has been to develop dietary chemopreventive and therapeutic use of plant-derived–anticancer compounds that serve the dual role of dietary enhancement and as cancer preventive agents. These include an Amazonian dietary supplement BIRM and Allspice (Pimenta dioica). I have identified novel antitumor compounds such as Ericifolin and plant-derived glycosaminoglycans from medicinal plants. My expertise in breast cancer includes tumor prevention by dietary compounds and the mechanism of CX-chemokine receptor interaction with tyrosine kinase receptors. I have extensive experience in working with animal models of breast, prostate, and bladder cancers. I have worked with collaborators at Augusta University for the last four years on developing and testing novel anticancer compounds on breast, bladder, and prostate cancer. I am a team player and had many fruitful collaborations both within my academic institute and outside. Currently, I have a 5/8^th appointment in the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center as a Health Research Scientist.