Aktar Ali

Research Interests

Therapeutic Development Targeting the Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment

The hypoxic tumor microenvironment (HTME) is a hallmark of many aggressive cancers and profoundly shapes tumor biology and treatment outcomes. Within these low-oxygen, nutrient-deprived regions, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is stabilized, acting as a master regulator that controls the expression of over 1,000 genes. This reprogramming promotes cancer cell metabolic adaptation, drives new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis), enhances tumor invasion and metastasis, and suppresses anti-tumor immune responses. Moreover, hypoxia creates a physical and biochemical barrier that hinders drug penetration and activates survival pathways, contributing to resistance against conventional therapies.

Beyond hypoxia and HIF-1 signaling, purinergic signaling pathways, particularly involving CD73, play crucial roles in supporting tumor progression and immune evasion within the HTME.

Another critical player is the family of 90 kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp90), molecular chaperones essential for the folding, stabilization, and activation of more than 400 oncogenic client proteins. Unlike traditional therapies targeting a single molecule, inhibiting Hsp90 disrupts multiple oncogenic pathways simultaneously, addressing many of the hallmarks of cancer. This is especially important in the HTME, where cancer cells rely heavily on Hsp90 to survive and adapt to harsh conditions. While several pan-Hsp90 inhibitors have entered clinical trials, their broad activity across all four Hsp90 isoforms has led to significant toxicity and limited success. In contrast, Hsp90β-selective inhibitors offer a promising approach by improving tumor specificity and minimizing off-target effects.

The Ali Lab focuses on developing novel therapeutic strategies that simultaneously target multiple key pathways within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, specifically HIF-1, Hsp90β, and CD73. These three molecular hubs cooperate to sustain tumor growth, metabolic reprogramming, angiogenesis, immune suppression, and invasion under hypoxic stress. By combining selective small-molecule inhibitors against these targets, we aim to deliver a coordinated and effective therapeutic assault on cancer, overcoming the adaptability and resilience that make hypoxic tumors so difficult to treat.

Selected Publications

• Zhang, Z. M.; Sanders, H. S.; Ali, A. and Smith, B. D. "Annulated Cationic Tetramethyl Indo(Di)Carbocyanine Dyes Exhibit Potent Dark Cytotoxicity in Cancer Cells" 2026 Dyes and Pigments, 251, 113701. DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2026.113701.
• Najera, J.; Chen, H.; Batista, B.; Ketchum, F.; Ali, A.; Zorlutuna, P.; Howard, S. and Datta, M. "Instant Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy Reveals Mechano-Metabolic Reprogramming of Stromal Cells in Breast Peritumor Microenvironment" 2026 iScience, 29 (6), 115931. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115931.
• Shahwar, D. E.; Usama; Khan, Z.; Ahmad, N.; Ali, A. and Imran, M. "Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Driven Variations in GSTP1 Phosphorylation and Substrate Interaction" 2026 Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics, 44 (9), pp.4654–4665. DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2026.2619869.
• Ersich, I. M.; Blagg, B. and Ali, A. "Multi-Omic Integration Identifies Broad Drug Resistance Mechanisms and Strategies to Therapeutically Reprogram Cancer Cells" 2026 iScience, 29 (1), 114293. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114293.
• Mersich, I.; Malmberg, A.; Anik, E.; Hassan, M. S.; Von Holzen, U.; Blagg, B. and Ali, A. "Synergistic Disruption of Survival and Metastatic Potential in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Cells through Combined Inhibition of HIF1α and CD73" 2025 Cancers, 17 (24), 4016. DOI: 10.3390/cancers17244016.
• Mersich, I.; Anik, E.; Ali, A. and Blagg, B. "Integrative Multi-Omics Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Resistance to Hsp90β-Selective Inhibition" 2025 Cancers, 17 (21), 3488. DOI: 10.3390/cancers17213488.