Nima Sharifi

Nima Sharifi, M.D., HS ’03, the Kendrick Family Endowed Chair for Prostate Cancer Research at Cleveland Clinic, has published an article in the Aug. 29 issue of Cell on her findings on metastatic prostate cancer. Metastatic prostate cancer becomes resistant to androgen deprivation therapy by the tumors acquiring the capability of making their own supply of androgens. No mutation, however, has been described that is responsible for this process. Sharifi has identified the first such mutation in a steroidogenic enzyme that is responsible for this process. This work serves as the basis for developing new treatments for an individual patient’s genetics, similar to what is currently done with by some forms of lung cancer and melanoma with targeted therapies.