Mehdi Mollapour

Mehdi Mollapour (born 1973) is a British-American biochemist and cancer biologist. He is a professor, vice chair for translational research and director of Renal Cancer Biology Program for the Department of Urology, and adjunct professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

In 2013 he joined the Department of Urology at the Upstate Medical University as an assistant professor. He became the Director of the Kidney Cancer Program within the same department in 2015. Mollapour's h-index is 52, based on almost 10,000 citations.

Research Molecular Chaperones Mollapour is widely recognized for his research on post-translation regulation of the molecular chaperone Heat shock protein-90 (Hsp90) and co-chaperones in cancer. His work demonstrated how reversible biochemical reactions can become directional and ordered, and in general, how a house-keeping machine (Hsp90) can be modulated through signaling inputs and consequently regulating many cellular pathways such cell cycle, steroid hormone receptor and autophagy.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHD)

Mollapour's laboratory has discovered the tumor suppressor TSC1 and FNIPs function as the new co-chaperones of Hsp90. These two proteins are involved in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHD) syndromes respectively. His research has identified a cross-talk between these two co-chaperones and demonstrated interconnectivity and compensatory mechanisms between the BHD and TSC pathways. Building on this foundation, Mollapour's team developed a selective PP5 inhibitor, demonstrating its ability to activate the extrinsic apoptotic pathway in kidney cancer cells by disrupting complex II. These findings not only elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying kidney cancer progression but also present potential new therapeutic strategies for treatment.

Mollapour's research group has been supported by grants from the National Institutes for General Medical Science and the National Cancer Institute and US Department of Veterans Affairs to design and examine novel therapeutic strategies for patients with kidney, bladder and breast cancer.

Metabolism and the Warburg Effect Aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells, also known as the "Warburg effect", is driven by hyperactivity of lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDHA). Mollapour's team has identified the human tumor suppressor folliculin (FLCN) as a binding partner and uncompetitive inhibitor of LDHA. Their work has provided a new paradigm for the regulation of glycolysis. Cancer cells that experience the Warburg effect show FLCN dissociation from LDHA. Mollapour's lab has shown that treatment of these cancer cells with a decapeptide derived from the FLCN loop region caused cell death, therefore providing a new avenue for targeted therapy in these cancers.

Kidney Cancer Patient Advocacy Mollapour is actively involved in kidney cancer patient advocacy. He serves on the scientific advisory panel for KidneyCAN, a patient-created and patient-driven movement dedicated to accelerating cures for kidney cancer. Mollapour's commitment to rare kidney cancer research is further exemplified by his membership on the Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) Science Advisory Board. This board is part of the Myrovlytis Trust, a UK charity founded in 2007 to promote research into rare conditions and advance public education in medical and molecular genetics.

Recognition

2025 President Cell Stress Society International 2023 President-elect Cell Stress Society International 2019 Fellow of Cell Stress Society International 2017 Society for Basic Urological Research Young Investigator 2017 American Urological Association Research Scholar 2011 2011 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award, as member of the recipient team at The Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health 2010 Intramural National Cancer Institute (NCI) Fellow and Young Investigator of the Year 2010 Scholar-in-training award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2006 Federation of European Biochemical Societies Research Fellowship (FEBS)

Selected publications

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