Summary
Dr Nabil Hajji’s [NH] was appointed as a Lecturer since October 2008 to the Centre of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of medicine, Imperial College London. NH got his PhD in Molecular Oncology at Seville University. He held his first research fellow appointment at Macarena hospital, Seville. Subsequently, he held postdoctoral appointments at and highly esteemed Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. NH also got cancer research UK research fellow positions at the Institute of Cancer Studies at Birmingham University and at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Science at Barts and the London.
Currently NH is lecturer in epigenetics and translational oncology with a strong expertise and track record in the mechanisms of epigenetics alteration in cancer, mitochondrial and apoptosis pathways. NH over the last few years has established the mechanism behind classical anticancer treatment resistance of several types of cancer, which is related to deficiencies in the epigenetic mechanism that control apoptotic machinery. NH focuses on epigenetics and drug resistance research. He examines how epigenetic alteration leads to tumours resistance to chemotherapy and used approaches to improving treatment by overcoming drug resistance. NH research area of interest and expertise also includes different aspects of epigenetic alterations as biomarkers of drug resistance. NH developed In vivo Imaging of Epigenetic Biomarkers for Cancer Chemoresistance: Towards More Effective Personalized Treatments in Cancer. This valuable tool provides unique insights into potential epigenetic biomarkers that can help to predict a cancer patient response to treatment.
The opposing effects of hMOF and SIRT1 regulate the response of cancer cells to topoisomerase II inhibition.
NH is also interested in different aspects of epigenetics control of metabolism in cancer . He investigates the relationship between mitochondrial biogenesis/dynamic and metabolism as well as changes in epigenetic as a central mechanism of mitochondrial gene transcription regulation.
Epigenetics & cancer metabolism
PhD student and Postdoctoral positions
If you are interested in applying for your own fellowship to work within our group, you should contact Dr Hajji Nabil n.hajji@imperial.ac.uk. Candidates from any part of the world who are suitably qualified will receive help to prepare a high quality funding application.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Hajji N, García-Domínguez DJ, Hontecillas-Prieto L, et al., 2021, The bitter side of epigenetics: variability and resistance to chemotherapy, Epigenomics, Vol:13, ISSN:1750-1911, Pages:397-403
Sunniyat Rahman, Zjwan Hussain, Aleksandra Dabrowska, et al., 2015, Global H3K9 Hypo-Acetylation and Promoter-Specific Hyper-Acetylation Facilitate E2F1-Mediated FOS Induction in Arsenic Trioxide Induced Cellular Transformation., Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol:123, ISSN:1552-9924, Pages:484-492
Burguillos MA, Deierborg T, Kavanagh E, et al., A caspase-dependent pathway regulates microglia activation and neurotoxicity, Nature (in Press)