Sadia Monzur

A central theme of my research is understanding the mechanisms of cellular plasticity in cancer, with a particular focus on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell dynamics. EMT plays a pivotal role in tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy, characterized by loss of cell polarity, disruption of cell-cell junctions, and enhanced cell motility. My work explores how these transitions are regulated within the tumor microenvironment, including the roles of growth factors, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators.

Using a combination of in vitro disease modeling, organoid technology, and iPS-based cancer stem cell systems, I aim to unravel the intricate molecular pathways underlying cellular plasticity. My research also extends to biomarker discovery, with a focus on EMT-based biomarkers for early detection of breast cancer metastasis and proteomic approaches for identifying novel therapeutic targets.

In addition to cancer research, I investigate how inflammatory pathogens can induce epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) in pancreatic cancer, potentially driving tumor invasion and metastasis. Through collaborative efforts, my work seeks to bridge fundamental research and translational applications, contributing to improved diagnostics and therapeutic strategies in cancer and regenerative medicine.