New Endowed Professorship in Experimental Cancer Therapeutics

   The Department of Pathology is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Selvarangan Ponnazhagan as the inaugural Endowed Professor of Experimental Cancer Therapeutics.

   Dr. Ponnazhagan’s research is focused on identifying novel anti-cancer targets and developing gene- and cell-based therapeutics to treat a variety of cancers including metastatic breast and prostate cancer.  Dr. Ponnazhagan has an international reputation as an outstanding scientist with his research focusing on developing adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy for cancer and metabolic bone disease, including development of targeted AAV for human gene therapy.  Dr. Ponnazhagan has an outstanding record of continuous and substantial extramural support for his research and serves on the editorial boards of multiple scientific journals including Genes, Gene Therapy, Journal of Hematotherapy and Stem Cell Research, and Technology in Cancer Research and Treatment. 

   Dr. Ponnazhagan is a Professor of Pathology in the UAB Department of Pathology, Senior Scientist at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Metabolic Bone Disease,  Center for Structural Biology, Nephrology Research and Training Center, and the BioMatrix Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Center.  He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society of Gene Therapy, and the American Society of Microbiology.  He was recently recognized as an outstanding mentor for his contribution to teaching and mentoring by the Dean of the UAB Graduate School.  Dr. Ponnazhagan’s expertise in cancer immunology, metabolic bone disease, and cancer metastasis and osteoimmunology research provides him unique insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies for a variety of human diseases.  We look forward to his continued success at UAB.