Arvin Dar, PhD
- ADJUNCT PROFESSOR | Pharmacological Sciences
- ADJUNCT PROFESSOR | Oncological Sciences
Arvin Dar is a Professor in the Departments of Oncological Sciences and Pharmacological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NYC. He is also the Associate Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutic Discovery and a member of the Tisch Cancer Institute (TCI). Dr. Dar’s research is focused on the integration of genetics and small molecule chemistry to uncover basic principles of signal transduction, with applications in tool development and therapeutics. His laboratory has been researching and developing kinase inhibitors and other small molecule approaches for the treatment of cancer and neurological disorders. Dr. Dar has received numerous awards and honors, including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, Damon-Runyon Rachleff Innovation Award, the Pew Charitable Trusts Pew-Stewart Scholarship for Cancer Research, Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance Award, Junior Faculty Award at Mount Sinai, Friedman Brain Institute Scholar Award, and the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Aspire Award.
Education
BSc, University of Western Ontario
PhD, University of Toronto
Postdoctoral Training, University of California, San Francisco
-
2020
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research ASPIRE Award -
2018
Friedman Brain Institute Research Scholar -
2015
Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators (PSSCRA) -
2014
Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award -
2014
Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research -
2013
NIH Director’s New Innovator Award -
2012
UCSF Dean's Postdoctoral Prize -
2012
Tisch Cancer Institute Developmental Fund Award -
2006
BCRP Multidisciplinary Postdoctoral Award -
2003
Canadian Graduate Scholarship
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.
Postdoctoral Fellows: Alex Scopton, Zaigham Khan, Jayasudhan Yerabolu
Current Students: Jia (Annie) Yu, Ryan Smith, Alexander Real, Arthur Chow
Research Assistant: Lisa Silber