UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Maher Y. Abdalla, PhD

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Maher Abdalla, PhD

Maher Abdalla, PhD, is an associate professor in the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. He studies the role of free radicals and reactive oxygen species with special emphasis on the role of Heme Oxygenase-1 in the pathogenesis process.

Dr. Abdalla is conducting research on cancer response to chemotherapy, and immune cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer. Studies focus on the role of Heme Oxygenase-1 in development and metastasis of both diseases, with emphasis on identifying strategies to boost the efficacy of disease treatment.

Education & Training
  • BS in Medical Laboratory Technology, 1989, Kuwait University, Kuwait
  • MS in Medical Laboratory Technology /Immunology, 1999, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan
  • PhD in Free Radicals and Cancer Biology, 2003, University of Iowa, Iowa City
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tumor Immunology, 2011, NCI/NIH, Bethesda, MD
Research

The focus of our lab is to elucidate the role of HO-1 inhibitors as chemosensitizers, and molecular mechanisms of HO-1 in PDAC, and PC metastasis.

Publications

Expertise/Area of Focus
Pancreatic and prostate cancer
Honors & Awards
  • Scholar-In-Training Award, American Association for Cancer Research, 2010
  • King Hussein Institute for Biotechnology and Cancer Fellowship Award, King Hussein Institute for Biotechnology and Cancer, 2009
  • Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award, 2009
Professional Memberships
  • American Pancreatic Association
  • American Association for Cancer Research
  • Society for Redox Biology and Medicine