The College of Pharmacy at Gulf Medical University proudly announces the successful public oral defense of Ms. Ayesha Rifath, a Master of Science in Drug Discovery and Development (MDD) student, held on Friday, April 18, 2025, on GMU campus.
Ms. Rifath’s thesis, titled “Evaluating the Effect of Hypoxia on Uhrf1 Expression and its Role in the Tumorigenesis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma”, explores the molecular mechanisms by which hypoxia influences the expression of UHRF1, an epigenetic regulator frequently overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Given the aggressive nature of PDAC and its profoundly hypoxic tumor microenvironment, the study offers valuable insights into the interplay between Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and UHRF1, with implications for tumor progression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Ms. Rifath studied how low oxygen levels (hypoxia) affect a gene called UHRF1 in pancreatic cancer cells. She found that under long-term hypoxia, UHRF1 levels dropped, controlled by a protein called HIF-1α. This challenges the usual belief that UHRF1 is always high in these cancers. Her findings open new doors for research into how hypoxia influences cancer growth.
The thesis defense was evaluated by a distinguished panel of experts:
- Dr. Bilal Azakir (External Examiner), Associate Professor of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon
- Dr. NazeerullahRahamathullah (Internal Examiner), Assistant Professor of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Gulf Medical University
- Dr. Raefa Abou Khouzam (Main Supervisor), Assistant Professor of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University
The MDD program and the College of Pharmacy congratulate Ms. Rifath on her achievement and commends her for advancing understanding in the field of cancer epigenetics. Her work underscores the importance of investigating tumor biology within physiologically relevant microenvironments, such as hypoxia, and contributes to the overarching mission of the MDD program to foster innovation in drug discovery and development.