Arvin Dar

  • ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Oncological Sciences
  • ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Structural and Chemical Biology
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Training Areas

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Toronto

  • B.Sc, University of Western Ontario

  • Postdoctoral Training, Univesity of California, San Francisco

Awards

  • 2012 -
    Dean's Postdoctoral Prize
    UCSF

  • 2006 - 2009
    BCRP Multidisciplinary Postdoctoral Award
    US Department of Defense

  • 2003 - 2006
    Canadian Graduate Scholarship
    Canadian Institutes for Health Research

Research

Through the development and understanding of small molecules, our lab explores links between the regulation of drug targets and the system level properties of biological networks within cells and animals. Our goals are to create new tools to modulate and explore biomolecular function, with a long-term objective of developing innovative medicines for disease. Our work is highly interdisciplinary, employing methods from synthetic organic chemistry, X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, informatics, biochemistry and model organism genetics.

In one research area we are investigating one of the most frequently activated pathways in cancer biology: the Ras-Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway. Oncogenic forms of Ras occur in over 20% of all cancers. These mutants have stifled direct pharmacological approaches and inhibitors for the direct effectors of Ras have shown limited or no efficacy in patients. We are exploring new targets or strategies to modulate the Ras pathway through the development of chemical tools. In particular, we are using target-based and systems pharmacology approaches to generate new classes of small molecule modulators for the Ras pathway.

Publications

Dar AC, Das TK, Shokat KM, Cagan RL. Chemical genetic discovery of targets and anti-targets for cancer polypharmacology. Nature 2012 Jun; 486(7401).

Dar AC, Shokat KM. The evolution of protein kinase inhibitors from antagonists to agonists of cellular signaling. Annual review of biochemistry 2011 Jun; 80.

Brennan DF, Dar AC, Hertz NT, Chao WC, Burlingame AL, Shokat KM, Barford D. A Raf-induced allosteric transition of KSR stimulates phosphorylation of MEK. Nature 2011 Apr; 472(7343).

Dar AC, Lopez MS, Shokat KM. Small molecule recognition of c-Src via the Imatinib-binding conformation. Chemistry & biology 2008 Oct; 15(10).

Dar AC, Dever TE, Sicheri F. Higher-order substrate recognition of eIF2alpha by the RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR. Cell 2005 Sep; 122(6).

Industry Relationships

Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.

Dr. Dar did not report having any of the following types of financial relationships with industry during 2012 and/or 2013: consulting, scientific advisory board, industry-sponsored lectures, service on Board of Directors, participation on industry-sponsored committees, equity ownership valued at greater than 5% of a publicly traded company or any value in a privately held company. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.

Mount Sinai's faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website at http://icahn.mssm.edu/about-us/services-and-resources/faculty-resources/handbooks-and-policies/faculty-handbook. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.

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Address

CSM aka Primary Care Building Floor 6 Room 105
1470 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10029