Sajid A Khan, MD, FACS, FSSO

The goal of the Khan lab is to improve our understanding of the biology and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. We use a combination basic science investigation, translational research, and clinical outcomes research to achieve this goal. The basic science and translational focus of our lab is in obtaining a deep understanding of the transcriptional and metabolic biology of colorectal cancer and liver metastases. We have identified genes correlating with clinical outcome in patients with colorectal liver metastases. Our lab work has also led to the identification of metabolic pathways in colorectal cancer which are specific to sex, ethnicity and race. The lab translates our clinical findings to the bench, through development of animal models of metastasis to enable the study of tumor clonality and the interaction of cancer with the immune system. Leveraging data via large national databases, we also perform clinical outcomes research for cancers which arise from the stomach, liver, pancreas, bile duct, small intestine, colon, and, appendix. Recent clinical projects have helped define the rise of early onset colorectal cancer in the United States, explain trends of palliative care utilization in surgical oncology, and understand current surgical management of appendiceal carcinoid tumors. The Khan lab is federally funded.