Ashkan Emadi, MD, PhD, is a hematologist/medical oncologist, organic chemist, and professor of medicine and pharmacology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC).
He has been working on changing the outcomes for acute leukemias in adults by designing, conducting, and analyzing rationally-based innovative strategies that will positively affect cures and translate into prolongation of meaningful survival. His in-depth knowledge and experience in organic chemistry and drug design, pre-clinical and clinical development, and drug approval covers the entire spectrum of drug development.
Dr. Emadi developed novel methodologies for the regiospecific synthesis of multiple naphthoquinone derivatives related to the natural product conocurvone, which exhibit HIV integrase inhibitory activity as well as anti-neoplastic activity. His clinical translational research is focused on exploiting and targeting glutamine and glucose metabolic pathways in neoplastic cells. He is the principal investigator of fully funded investigator-initiated clinical trials for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) involving tryptophan and glutamine metabolisms.
Dr. Emadi is a recipient of the Martin and Mary Kilpatrick Award for exceptional ability and promise in chemistry and outstanding achievement in chemical research.