Humayara Khan, PhD, MSc

Area of Study / Keywords

Breast cancer metastasis Head and neck cancer biomarkers Chemo-resistance ATX LPAR inflammatory pathway TLR signaling

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About

I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Oncology at the University of Alberta, supervised by Dr. Frank Wuest and Dr. David Brindley. My academic background is in cancer biology and tumour microenvironment research. I completed my PhD in 2023 in immuno-oncology, supervised by Dr. Ratika Srivastava at the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India. With a strong background in cancer biology and molecular research, my academic journey has focused on understanding the cellular and microenvironmental mechanisms driving cancer progression. I am passionate about interdisciplinary and translational research, and I am committed to advancing knowledge that supports better therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

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Research

In my postdoctoral research at the University of Alberta, I am investigating how cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and cytokine signaling influence ATX–LPAR signaling in breast cancer metastasis. This project focuses on the tumour microenvironment, particularly the role of virus-infected fibroblasts and inflammatory mediators in promoting cancer progression. My research demonstrated how viral infection and cytokines alter fibroblast behavior, leading to dysregulated ATX expression, LPA receptor signaling, increased cytokine release, and fibroblast activation—contributing to a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. I have had the opportunity to present my work at national and international conferences, and have been recognized with the CRINA Travel Award and the PDFA Travel Award. My postdoctoral work is currently supported by Mitacs Postdoctoral Fellowship.

My PhD focused on understanding chemotherapy resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Using a TPF-resistant cell line model, I identified that IRAK-1 and IRAK-4–mediated Toll-like receptor signaling contributes to enhanced proliferation, survival, and metastatic potential in resistant cells. Pharmacological inhibition of these kinases re-sensitized cells to treatment, highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy for overcoming resistance in HNSCC. This work was supported by the state government's fellowship, received several awards, including best poster and travel awards, and was presented at multiple national conferences.

With over eight years of research experience in cancer biology, I have developed strong expertise in a range of techniques, including mammalian cell culture, primary cell culture, CMV infection models, qPCR, western blotting, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy and cytokine profiling. This technical foundation supports my ongoing work in understanding tumour–stroma interactions and exploring targeted therapeutic strategies.

Xiaoyun Tang, Humayara Khan, Karolina Niewola-Staszkowska, Frank Wuest, David N. Brindley

International Journal of Cancer. 2025 May; 157 (6):1205-1217 10.1002/ijc.35471

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Humayara Khan and Ratika Srivastava

IJBPAS. 2023 June; 12 (6):2869-2881 10.31032/IJBPAS/2023/12.6.7221

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Humayara Khan, Sachchida Nand Pandey, Abhishek Mishra, Ratika Srivastava

3 Biotech. 2022 December; 13 (1):1-16 10.1007/s13205-022-03420-y