Principal Investigator
Kareem Azab, PhD
AbdElKareem.Azab@UTSouthwestern.edu
Dr. Kareem Azab
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at University of Texas Southwestern
CPRIT Rising Star Scholar of Cancer Research
Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors
Founder of Cellatrix LLC; Founder of Targeted Therapeutics LLC; Co-Founder of CovACE Nanotechnology LLC; Co-Founder of OncInsight LLC.
Dr. Azab earned a Pharmacy degree, MSc in Medicinal Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and completed post-doctoral training focusing on cancer biology at Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and held a faculty position for 10 years at Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Azab’s Lab performs multi-disciplinary translational research for the treatment of cancer; including: Cancer cell biology (cancer cell signaling and tumor microenvironment as novel targets); Nano-therapy (development of therapy-loaded nano-particles targeted to cancer); Biodegradable drug implants (for localized high dose delivery of therapeutic agents in the tumor bed, and decrease delivery to normal tissues); Ex vivo cancer models (develop of patient-derived ex-vivo 3D-tissue engineered cancer models for drug development and personalized medicine); and Immunotherapy (Provide technological solutions for PK and PD limitation of CART cells and Bis-specific T cell engagers using biomedical engineering approaches).
Moreover, Dr. Azab is a serial entrepreneur who has over 12 patents at different stages, and founded/co-founded 4 spin-off startup companies (Cellatrix LLC, Targeted Therapeutics LLC, CovACE Nanotechnology LLC, and OncInsight LLC) based on research in his Lab.
Out side of work, Kareem is a musician, poet, and human rights activist.
Learn more about Dr. Azab
STAFF
Feda Azab
Senior Research Associate
Feda.Azab@UTSouthwestern.edu
Feda finished her Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Israel in 2005 and worked in a compounding pharmacy for two years. In 2007, she moved to Boston, MA to work at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School as Lead Research Technician and discovered research to be her passion. In 2012 she moved to St. Louis, MO and worked as a Senior Research Technician and Lab Manager in the Azab Lab at Washington University in St. Louis. In 2016, a startup company, Cellatrix LLC, was created out of the Azab Lab and Feda moved to lead its research team as a Senior Scientist, where she still consults today. Feda’s expertise is in cancer cell biology, especially cell signaling, drug resistance, metastasis, and in development of TME-relevant 3D culture models. In her spare time, Feda enjoys art (especially crafts and drawing), reading and trying recipes from different cuisines.
Mina Maksimos
Research Associate
Mina.Maksimos@UTSouthwestern.edu
Mina Maksimos has a strong academic background in pharmacy and immunology, having earned his bachelor’s degree from the School of Pharmacy at Heliopolis University in Egypt and his master’s degree from Friedrich Schiller University in Germany. In addition to his academic achievements, Mina has also gained research experience in the field of Nano-Immunotherapy for blood cancer through his master’s thesis at Washington University in St. Louis, under the supervision of Prof. Azab. His Master's thesis at Wash U, which focused on developing nanoparticle-based immunotherapies for targeting tumor microenvironment for Multiple Myeloma, demonstrates his dedication to working towards innovative solutions in the healthcare field.
Furthermore, Mina exhibits diverse interests and skills outside of his academic pursuits, he is an avid practitioner of physical fitness and enjoys various sports such as Calisthenics, Parkour, and diving
FORMER STAFF
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Camila Diedrich, PhD
Camila.Diedrich@UTSouthwestern.edu
Camila earned her PhD in Organic Chemistry in 2022 under the direction of Dr. Rubiana M. Mainardes at Midwestern University, Brazil, and Dr. Ildiko Badea at University of Saskatchewan, Canada. For her thesis, she developed chitosan-coated nanoemulsion containing luteolin, aiming its intranasal delivery to treat brain tumors. The nanostructure was characterized and evaluated regarding its cytotoxicity and pharmacokinetics. In her spare time, Dr. Diedrich enjoys gardening, swimming, and practicing volleyball. She also has special interest in learning new techniques of cell culture, quantitative chemical analysis, and animal models.
Saeideh Arsalani, PhD
Saeideh.Arsalani@UTsouthwestern.edu
Dr. Arsalani obtained a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Islamic Azad University, Iran; a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Applied Physics in Medicine and Biology from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her doctoral research focused on nano-medicine, focusing on cancer drug delivery using targeted nanoparticles.
In our Lab, she will be studying the use on nanoparticles for improving immunotherapy in cancer. Focusing on novel methods to activate T cells to fight hard-to-treat cancers, such as pancreatic, liver, and upper-GI (stomach, gallbladder and esophageal).
Outside the Lab, Seti is multi-cultural, she speaks three languages and enjoys traveling and knowing new cultures and cuisines. Musically, she loves listening to classic Persian and classic Western music, and recently she enjoys pop and rock. She is also a talented dancer! She enjoys Persian traditional dance and Brazilian Forro.
FORMER POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
Nassera Aouali, PhD
2018-2019
Ahmet Surucu, MD
2018-2019
Cinzia Federico, PharmD/PhD
2016-2018
Mustafa Arslan, MD
2015-2016
Graduate Students
Katie earned her B.Sc in Biomedical Science and M.Sc. in Biology from Minnesota State University Mankato. Her undergraduate and master's research was in the lab of Dr. Michael Bentley and focused on the role of sex steroids on bone mineralization. After completing her M.Sc., she worked in the radiology department at UT Southwestern in the lab of Dr. Orhan Öz. During this time, she investigated the role of aromatase and estrogen deficiency in murine models. Furthermore, she was involved in a clinical study which aimed to compare the diagnostic value of of 99mTc-WBC SPECT/CT, MRI, and the “gold standard” bone biopsy.
In the Azab Lab, Katie's research seeks to develop novel in vivo and in vitro patient-derived cancer models which accurately recapitulate the tumor microenvironment. Her research strives to enhance personalized medicine and drug development processes while reducing cost to improve accessibility and efficiency.
Originally from Minnesota, Katie grew up doing many outdoor activities such as ice fishing, bow hunting, and gardening. Outside of the lab, she enjoys learning about other cultures, animals, and training for marathons with her dog, Batman.
Mr. Asare completed his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, he traveled to Switzerland to study molecular life science at the University of Bern. Soon after, he received the prestigious presidential research fellowship award from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where he pursued a Master of Science in biochemistry and molecular biology.
In the Azab lab, Obed's research focuses on the immune microenvironment in multiple myeloma, particularly the mechanisms underlying role of macrophages in myeloma progression and drug resistance. Ultimately, he aims to translate his insights into novel treatments for myeloma.
Having lived in many places, Obed has developed a deep appreciation for cultural diversity, but is originally from Obuasi, Ghana (West Africa). This area is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and abundant natural resources, including one of the largest gold deposits in the world. In his free time, Obed enjoys playing soccer (football), traveling, sightseeing, and playing the piano.
Winston graduated from National Chung-Hsing University in Taiwan with a B.S. degree in Biotechnology. Following his graduation, he worked as a Research Associate at Academia Sinica, the top national research institution in Taiwan, where he focused on developing novel liposomal platforms for enhanced drug delivery. In 2023, Winston matriculated into the Cancer Biology Ph.D. program at UTSW.
In our lab, Winston's research aims to reactivate the immune microenvironment in cancer. To accomplish this, he is developing novel nanoparticle systems for gene delivery to enhance T cell activation both in vitro and in vivo.
Proudly Taiwanese, Winston hails from a country renowned for its friendly people and delicious food. Outside the lab, he enjoys sports, traveling, movies, and TV shows.
FORMER GRADUATE STUDENTS
Mina Maksimos, MSc
2021-2022
Kinan Alhallak, PhD
2017-2022
Anupama Melam, MSc
2020-2022
Jennifer Sun, PhD
2017-2022
Luna Zhang, MSc
2020-2021
Micah Luderer, PhD
2013-2017
Zhe Wang, MSc
2018-2020
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS & INTERNS
Selena is originally from Palestine and grew up in Dayton, Ohio. She is a fourth-year student at The Ohio State University studying Neuroscience. During the academic year, she is involved with club sports as well as A Moment of Magic, a nonprofit organization working with underserved and medically vulnerable children. She most recently worked in a Cognitive Development Research Lab, which studies learning and development in children. She is also looking forward to her Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Position in the Fall for the Engineering Department. In her spare time, Selena enjoys reading, playing piano, and learning new languages.
FORMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS
FORMER MEDICAL & PHARMACY INTERNS
Rachel Ghazarian, PharmD
2015-2017
Nancy Quan, PharmD
2014-2016
