BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

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This proposed Research Career Scientist award is to support the activities of Dr. Nihal Ahmad, an established Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigator, allowing him to expand his scientific, mentoring and service contributions. Dr. Ahmad’s long-term goal is to improve the quality of human life, including that of Veterans, through my research. Dr. Ahmad’s laboratory focuses on two broad and complementary research areas: 1) cancer biology and 2) prevention and experimental therapeutics of cancer. The major goal of his ongoing research is to define the critical molecular and biochemical events that occur during cancer development and progression to help identify novel targets and strategies for cancer management. While Dr. Ahmad’s laboratory is involved in understanding epithelial cancer in general, his major recent focus has been on skin- and prostate- cancers, both of which disproportionally affect the Veteran population. Dr. Ahmad’s current VA sponsored research focuses on identifying the mechanism of melanoma development and progression. Importantly, melanoma is among the five most frequently diagnosed cancers among VA cancer patients. In addition, the US military engages in missions all over the world, including recently in the Middle East (Iraq and Afghanistan). Deployment to these regions is associated with significant UV radiation exposure that increases the risk for malignant melanoma in the Veterans returning from these areas. Thus, Dr. Ahmad’s research findings may lead to identification of novel strategies for the management of this deadly neoplasm; and is relevant and significant to the health care of Veterans and directly in line with the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The results of Dr. Ahmad’s research are published in a wide range of high-impact scientific journals. He has published more than 208 papers, 176 published abstracts and several book chapters (I have published more than 208 papers, 176 published abstracts and several book chapters (Total Citations: 28,413; h-index, 83; i10-index: 172; Source: Google Scholar; 08/2021). Dr. Ahmad is internationally recognized researcher. He serves as an Associate Editor of multiple well- respected journals, namely Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal of Oncology, Journal of Skin Cancer, and Frontiers in Oncology and Photochemistry and Photobiology, and he is a member of the Editorial Board for several other journals. He is regularly invited to participate in the peer-review of grants for national and international funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. He has recently completed his term as a Charter Member of the Radiation Therapeutics and Biology (RTB) Study Section of the NIH. In addition, he has mentored numerous junior scientists at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, and junior faculty). Most of his previous trainees/mentees have been successful in obtaining independent positions in academia and industry. In addition, Dr. Ahmad has developed extensive collaborations with numerous scientists within the VA and at the University of Wisconsin, other universities in the US, and outside the country (internationally). Most of his collaborations have been very successful resulting in numerous papers and extramural funding.