Education

Biography

Zafar Nawaz, Ph.D. is the Senior Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, a Tenured Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Associate Research Director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Nawaz is an internationally recognized scientist with over 20 years of experience investigating mechanisms of gene regulation by steroid hormone receptors. Early in his career, he served as a Fellow and later as an Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas. In 2002, Dr. Nawaz became the Cancer Center Molecular Biology Core Director at Creighton University, Nebraska, where he developed an interest in the area of translational research, specifically related to endocrine cancers. Dr. Nawaz moved to the University of Miami in 2004 and continues his research in the areas of endocrinology, neuro-degenerative diseases and cancer. Dr. Nawaz holds a Visiting Professor position at Behua University, China, and Foreign Professorships at the University of Punjab and Allama Iqbal Medical College, both in Lahore, Pakistan. Dr. Nawaz has received several awards and honors, and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed research articles in prestigious scientific journals, such as Molecular Cell and PNAS. He is a member of numerous professional societies and serves on the review boards for a number of professional journals and funding agencies.

Major Discoveries:

• Discovered protein degradation is linked to steroid hormone receptor gene transcription
• Discovered novel proteins that regulate the functions of steroid hormone receptors
• Developed novel animal model systems for breast and prostate cancers

Research Interest

• Gene regulation by steroid hormone receptors and co regulators
• Patho biology of endocrine cancers(Breast and Prostate Cancers)
• Patho biology of neuro-genetic diseases
• Development of novel animal models for Breast Tumorigenesis

Scientific Activities:

Teaching Experience:

Professional Activities:

Professional and Honorary Organizations

• The Endocrine Society (1999-Present)
• American Society of Microbiology (1994-1995)
• The American Cancer Society (2005-Present)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (2002-Present)
• Phi Beta Delta Honor Society (1988-1990)
• Tri Beta Biological Honor Society (1989-1991)
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (1988-1992)
• Honor Society of International Scholars (1990-1992)
• Who’s Who (1995)

Honors & Awards

Publications

1. Amadei C., Obeid J.-P., Nawaz Z. 2017. Hormonal Signaling and Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Future Biomarkers. Current Trends in Endocrinology. (Submitted).
2. El Hokayem J., Amadei C., Obeid J.-P., Nawaz Z.2017. Ubiquitination of Nuclear Receptors. Clinical Science (In Press).
3. El Hokayem J., Brittain C.G., Nawaz Z., Bethea R.J. 2016. TRAF2 and TRAF3 form a transcriptional complex with pRNAPolII and p65 in CD40L activated Neuro2a cells. Mol. Neurobiol.,Feb 3. [Epub ahead of print]
4. El Hokayem J. and Nawaz Z. 2014. E6AP in the Brain: One Protein, Dual Function, Multiple Diseases. Mol. Neurobiol. 49(2):827-39. Cover article.
5. Zhou W., Srinivasan S., Nawaz Z., and Slingerland J.M. 2013. ERα, SKP2 and E2F-1 form a feed forward loop driving late ERα targets and G1 cell cycle progression. Oncogene.1;33(18):2341-53.
6. Buffa L., Saeed A. and Nawaz Z. 2013. Molecular mechanism of WW-Domain Binding Protein-2 Coactivation Function in Estrogen Receptor Signaling. IUBMB. 65(1):76-84
7. Sun J., Zhou W., Kaliappan K., Nawaz Z. and Slingerland J.M. 2012. ERα phosphorylation at Y537 by SrcTriggers E6-AP-ERα Binding, ERα Ubiquitylation, Promoter Occupancy, and Target Gene Expression. Mol. Endo.26(9):1567-77
8. McDonald C., Buffa L., Bar-Mag T., Salah Z., Bhat V., Mikles D.C., Deegan B.J., Seldeen K.L., Malhotra A., Sudol M., Aqeilan R.I., Nawaz Z. and Farooq A. 2012. Biophysical Basis of the Binding of WWOX Tumor Suppressor to WBP1 and WBP2 Adaptors. J. Mol. Biol. 422(1):58-74.
9. Andreev V.P, Petyuk V., Brewer H., Karpievitch Y.V., Xie F., Clarke J., Camp D.G., Smith R.D., Lieberman A.P., Albin R.L., Nawaz Z., Hokayem J.E. and Myers A.J. 2012. Label-Free Quantitative LC-MS Proteomics of Alzheimer’s Disease and Normally Aged Human Brains. J Proteome Res. 2012 May 5. [Epub ahead of print]
10. Kausar H., Gull S., Ijaz B., Ahmad W., Sarwar MT., Iqbal Z., Nawaz Z., Riazuddin S. and Hassan S. 2011. Huh-7 cell line as an alternative cultural model for the production of human like erythropoietin (EPO). J Transl Med. 9(1):186.
11. Ashfaq U.A., Masoud M.S., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. 2011. Glycyrrhizin as antiviral agent against Hepatitis C Virus. J Transl Med. 9:112.
12. McDonald C., McIntosh S.K.N., Mikles D., Bhat V., Deegan B.J., Seldeen K.L., Saeed A.M., Buffa L., Sudol M., Nawaz Z. and Farooq A. 2011. Biophysical Analysis of Binding of WW Domains of the YAP2 Transcriptional Regulator to PPXY Motifs within WBP1 and WBP2 Adaptors. Biochemistry. 50(44):9616-27.
13. Ramamoorthy S., Tufail R., El Hokayem J., Jorda M., Zhao W., Reis I. and Nawaz Z. 2011. Overexpression of ligase defective E6-associated protein, E6-AP, results in mammary tumorigenesis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 132(1):97-108.
14. Tufail R., Jorda M., Zhao W., Reis I. and Nawaz Z. 2011. Loss of Yes-associated protein (YAP) expression is associated with estrogen and progesterone receptors negativity in invasive breast carcinomas. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 131(3):743-50.
15. Catoe, H.W. and Nawaz, Z. 2011. E6-AP Facilitates p300 Recruitment to Estrogen Responsive Promoter to Allow Efficient Transcription. Steroids. 76(9):897-902.
16. Abdeen S.K., Salah Z. Maly B., Smith Y., Tufail R., Abu-Odeh M., Zanesi N., Croce C.M., Nawaz Z. and Aqeilan R.I. 2011.Wwox inactivation enhances mammary tumorigenesis. Oncogene. 30(36):3900-6. doi: 10.1038/onc.2011.115.
17. Ashfaq U.A., Masoud M.S., Khaliq S., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. 2011. Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus 3a genotype entry through GlanthusNivalis Agglutinin. Virol J. 8:248.
18. Ashfaq U.A., Javed T., RehmanS., Nawaz Z. and Riazzudin S. 2011. Lysosomotropic agents as HCV entry inhibitors. Virol J. 8(1):163.
19. Ashfaq U.A., Javed T., Rehman S., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. 2011. An overview of HCV Molecular biology, replication and immune responses. Virol J. 8:161.
20. Ashfaq U.A., Khan S.N., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. 2011. In-vitro model systems to study Hepatitis C Virus. Genet Vaccines Ther. 9:7.
21. Ashfaq U.A., Javed T., Rehman S., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. 2011. Inhibition of HCV 3a core gene through Silymarin and its fractions. Virol J. 8:15.
22. Ramamoorthy S., Dhananjayan S.C., DeMayo F.J. and Nawaz Z. 2010. Isoform specific degradation of PR-B by E6-AP is critical for normal mammary gland development. Mol. Endocrinol. 24(11):2099-113.
23. Srinivasan S. and Nawaz Z. 2010. E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase, E6-Associated Protein (E6-AP) Regulates PI3K-Akt Signaling and Prostate Cell Growth. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1809(2):119-27.
24. Fu W., Ma Q., Chen L., Li P., Zhang M., Ramamoorthy S., Nawaz Z., Shimojima T., Wang H., Yang Y., Shen Z., Zhang Y., Zhang X., Nicosia S.V., Zhang Y., Pledger J.W., Chen J. and Bai W. 2009. MDM2 Acts Downstream of p53 as an E3 Ligase to Promote FOXO Ubiquitination and Degradation. J Biol Chem. 284(21):13987-4000.
25. Ramamoorthy, S., and Nawaz, Z. 2008. E6-associated protein is a dual function coactivator of steroid hormone receptors. The Nuclear Receptor Signaling. 6:e006.
26. Sun J., Nawaz Z. and Slingerland J. 2007 Long-Range Activation of GREB1 by Estrogen Receptor via Three Distal Consensus Estrogen-Responsive Elements in Breast Cancer Cells. MolEndocrinol. 21(11): 2651-2662.
27. ChuI., Arnaout A., Loiseau S., Sun J., Seth A., McMahon C., Chun K., Hennessy B., Mills G.B., Nawaz Z. and Slingerland J. 2007 Src promotes estrogen-dependent estrogen receptor alpha proteolysis in human breast cancer. J Clin Invest.; 117(8):220.
28. Burjonrappa S.C., Reddimasu S., Nawaz Z., Gao X., Sharma P. and Loggie B. (2007) Mucin expression profile in Barrett's, dysplasia, adenocarcinoma sequence in the esophagus.
    Indian J Cancer, 44(1):1-5.
29. Rapuri P.B., Gallagher J.C., and Nawaz Z. (2007) Caffeine decreases vitamin D receptor protein expression and 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) stimulated alkaline phosphatase activity in human osteoblast cells. J Steriod Biochem Mol Biol., 103(3-5):368-71.
30. Dhananjayan S.C., Ramamoorthy S., Khan O.Y., Ismail A., Sun J., Slingerland J., O'Malley B.W., and Nawaz Z. (2006) WW-domain binding protein-2 (WBP-2), an E6-AP interacting protein acts as a coactivator of estrogen and progesterone receptors. Mol. Endocrinol., 20(10):2343-54.
31. Khan O.Y., Fu G., Ismail A., Srinivasan S., Cao X., Tu Y., Lu S. and Nawaz Z. (2006) Multifunction steroid receptor coactivator, E6-associated protein, is involved in development of the prostate gland. Mol Endocrinology, 20(3):544-59.
32. Wu J., Liang Y., Nawaz Z., and Hyder S.M. (2005) Complex agonist-like properties of ICI 182,780 (Faslodex) in human breast cancer cells that predominantly express progesterone receptor-B: implications for treatment resistance. International Journal of Oncology, 27(6):1647-59.
33. Dhananjayan S., Ismail A. and Nawaz Z. (2005) Ubiquitin and the control of transcription. Essays in Biochem., 41:69-80. Review.
34. Ismail A. and Nawaz N. (2005) Nuclear hormone receptor degradation and gene transcription: An Update. IUBMB Life Sciences, 57(7):483-90. Review.
35. Dennis A.P., Lonard D.M., Nawaz Z., O'Malley B.W. (2005) Inhibition of the 26S proteasome blocks progesterone receptor-dependent transcription through failed recruitment of RNA polymerase II. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol., 94(4):337-46.
36. Gao X., Mohsin S.K., Gatalica Z., Fu G., Sharma P., and Nawaz Z. (2005) Decreased expression of e6-associated protein in breast and prostate carcinomas. Endocrinology, 146(4):1707-12.
37. Verma S., Ismail A., Li X., O’Malley B.W. and Nawaz Z. (2004) Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme, UBCH7 acts as a coactivator for steroid hormone receptors. Mol Cell Biol., 24(19):8716-26.
38. Liu Z., Shi H.Y., Nawaz Z. and Zhang M. (2004) Tamoxifen induces the expression of maspin through estrogen receptor-alpha. Cancer Lett., 209: 55-65.
39. Nawaz Z. and O’Malley B.W. (2004) Urban Renewal In The Nucleus: Is Protein Turnover by Proteasomes Required for Transcription? Mol. Endo. 18(3):493-9. Review.
40. Khan O.Y. and Nawaz Z. (2003) Nuclear hormone receptor co-regulators. Current Opinion in Drug Discovery & Development, 6(5):692-701. Review.
41. Yan F., Gao X., Lonard D. and Nawaz Z. (2003) Specific ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes promote degradation of specific nuclear receptor coactivators. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 17(7):1315-31.
42. Pearce V., Nawaz Z., Xiao W., Wiedenfled D., Boyle N. and Smith D. (2003) 4-Ethoxymethylphenol: A novel estrogen that acts as an agonist for human estrogen receptors. Steroid Biochem. And Mol. Biol., 84: 431-439.
43. Gao X., Loggie B.W. and Nawaz Z. (2002) The roles of sex steroid receptor coregulators in cancer. Molecular Cancer 1: 1-7.
44. Gao X. and Nawaz Z. (2002) Role of steroid receptor coactivators and corepressors of progesterone receptors in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 4(5):182-6.
45. Smith C.L., DeVera D.G., Lamb D.J., Nawaz Z., Jiang Y.H., Beaudet A.L. and O’Malley B.W. (2002)Genetic Ablation of the Steroid Receptor Coactivator-Ubiquitin Ligase, E6-AP, Results in Tissue-Selective Steroid Hormone Resistance and Defects in Reproduction. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 22(2):525-35.
46. Dennis A.P., Haq R.U., and Nawaz Z. (2001) Importance of the regulation of nuclear receptor degradation. Front. Bioscience, 6:D954-9.
47. Zhao H., Herrera R.E., Coronado-Heinsohn E., Yang M.C., Ludes-Meyers J.H., Seybold-Tilson K.J., Nawaz Z., Yee D., Barr F.G., DiabS.G., Brown P.H., Fuqua S.A., and Osborne C.K. (2001) Forkhead homologue in rhabdomyosarcoma functions as a bifunctional nuclear receptor-interacting protein with both coactivator and corepressor functions. J Biol Chem., 276(30):27907-12.
48. Sivaraman L., Nawaz Z., Medina D., Conneely O.M., and O’Malley B.W. (2000) The novel dual function steroid receptor coactivator/ubiquitin protein-ligase integrator E6-AP is overexpressed in mouse mammary tumorigenesis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 62(3):185-95.
49. Hyder S.M., Huang J.C., Nawaz Z., Tong H.B., Makela S., Chiappetta C. and Stancel G. (2000) The Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by estrogens and progestins. Environmental Health Prospectives, 108 Suppl 5:785-90.
50. Li J., Wang J., Wang J., Nawaz Z., Liu J.M., Qin J., and Wong J. (2000) Both corepressors SMRT and N-CoR proteins exist in large protein complexes containing HDAC3. EMBO, 19(16):4342-50.
51. *Lonard D.M., *Nawaz Z., Smith C.L., and O’Malley B.W. (2000) The 26S proteasome is required for estrogen receptor-a and coactivator turnover and for efficient estrogen receptor-a transactivation. Molecular Cell, 5(6):939-48. *Equal contribution.
52. Hyder S.M., Nawaz Z., Chiappetta C., and Stancel G. (2000) Detection of classical and atypical estrogen response elements in the untranslated regions of the rat VEGF gene. Cancer Research, 60(12):3183-90.
53. McKenna N.J., Xu J., Nawaz Z., Tsai S.Y., Tsai M.J. and O’Malley B.W. (1999) Nuclear receptor coactivator: Multiple enzymes, multiple complexes, multiple functions. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Bio., 69(1-6):3-12.
54. Robinson C.E., Wu X., Nawaz Z., Onate S.A. and Gimble J.M. (1999) A corepressor and chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor proteins modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2/retinoid X receptor alpha-activated transcription from the murine lipoprotein lipase promoter. Endocrinology, 140(4):1586-93.
55. Nawaz Z.,Lonard D. M., Dennis A. P., Smith C. L. and O’Malley B.W. (1999) Proteasome-dependent degradation of the human estrogen receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 96(5):1858-62.
56. Nawaz Z., Standcel G.M. and Hyder S.M. (1999) The pure antiestrogen ICI 182780 inhibits progestin-induce transcription. Cancer Res., 59(2):372-6.
57. Nawaz Z., Lonard D.M., Smith C.L., Lev-Lehman E., Tsai S.Y., Tsai M.J. and O’Malley B.W. (1999) The Angelman syndrome-associated gene, E6-AP, is also a coactivator for nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Mol. Cell. Bio., 19(2):1182-9.
58. McKenna N.J., Nawaz Z., Tsai S.Y., Tsai M.J. and O’Malley B.W. (1998) Distinct steady state nuclear receptor coregulator complexes exist in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 95(20):11697-702.
59. Shibata H., Nawaz Z., Tsai S.Y., O’Malley B.W. and Tsai M.J. (1997) Gene silencing by chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor I (COUP-TFI) is mediated by transcriptional corepressors, nuclear receptor-corepressor (N-CoR) and silencing mediator for retinoic acid receptor and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT). Mol Endocrinol. 11(6):714-24.
60. Smith C.L., Nawaz Z. and O’Malley B.W. (1997) Coactivator and corepressor regulation of the agonist/antagonist activity of the mixed antiestrogen, 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Mol Endocrinol. 11(6):657-66.
61. Xu J., Nawaz Z., Tsai S.Y., Tsai M.J. and O’Malley B.W. (1996) The extreme carboxyl-terminus of progesterone receptor contains a transcriptional repressor domain that functions through a putative corepressor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 93(22):12195-9.
62. Nawaz Z., Tsai M.J. and O’Malley B.W. (1995) Specific mutations in the ligand binding domain selectively abolish the silencing function of human thyroid receptor ß. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 92(25):11691-5.
63. Burris T.P., Nawaz Z., Tsai M.J. and O'Malley B.W. (1995) A nuclear hormone receptor-associated protein that inhibits transactivation by the thyroid hormone and retinoic acid receptors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92(21):9525-9.
64. Hyder S., Nawaz Z., Chiappetta C., Yokoyama K. and Stancel G.M. (1995) Protooncogene c-jun contains an unusual estrogen inducible enhancer within the coding sequences. J. Biol. Chem., 92(21):9525-9.
65. Baniahmad C., Nawaz Z., Baniahmad A., Gleeson M., Tsai M.J. and O'Malley B.W. (1995) Enhancement of human estrogen receptor activity by SPT6: A potential Co-activator. Mol. Endo., 9(1):34-43.
66. Nawaz Z., Baniahmad C., Stillman D.J., Burris T., O'Malley B.W. and Tsai M.J. (1994) The yeast SIN3 gene negatively regulates the activity of the human progesterone receptor and positively regulates the activities of GAL4 and the HAP1 activator. Mol. General Genetics, 245(6):724-33.
67. Fuqua S.A.W., Allred D.C., Elledge R.M., Krieg S.L., Benedix M.G., Nawaz Z., O'Malley B.W., Green G.L. and McGuire W.L. (1993) The ER-positive/ PgR-negative breast cancer phenotype is not associated with mutations within the DNA binding domain. Breast Cancer Res. and Treatment, 26(2):191-202.
68. Nawaz Z., Stancel G.M., McDonnell D.P. and Hyder S.M. (1993) Creation of an active estrogen-responsive element by a single base change in the flanking sequence of a cellular oncogene: A possible mechanism for hormonal carcinogenesis? Mol. Carcinogenesis, 7(2):76-82.
69. Hyder S.M., Stancel G.M., Nawaz Z., McDonnell D.P. and Loose-Mitchell D.S. (1992) Identification of an estrogen response element in the 3'-flanking region of the murine c-fos protooncogene. J. Biol. Chem., 267(25):18047-54.
70. Nawaz Z., Tsai M.J., McDonnell D.P. and O'Malley B.W. (1992) Identification of novel steroid responsive elements. Gene Expression, 2(1):39-47.
71. Fuqua S.A.W., Fitzgerald S.D., Allred D.C., Elledge R.M., Nawaz Z., McDonnell D.P., O'Malley B.W., Green G.L. and McGuire W.L. (1992) Inhibition of estrogen receptor action by naturally occurring variant in human breast tumors. Cancer Res., 52(2):483-6.
72. McDonnell D.P., Nawaz Z. and O'Malley B.W. (1991) In situ distinction between steroid receptor binding and transactivation at a target gene. Mol. Cell. Bio., 11(9):4350-5.
73. McDonnell D.P., Nawaz Z., Densmore C., Weigal N.L., Pham T.A., Clark J.H. and O'Malley B.W. (1991) High level expression of biologically active estrogen receptor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Steroid Biol. and Mol. Biol, 39(3):291-7.
74. Pham T.A., Elliston J.F., Nawaz Z., McDonnell D.P., Tsai M.J. and O'Malley B.W. (1991) Antiestrogen can established nonproductive receptor complexes and alter chromatin structure at target enhancers. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 88(8):3125-9.
75. Fuqua S.A.W., Fitzgerald S.D., Chamness G.C., Tandon A.K., McDonnell D.P., Nawaz Z., O'Malley B.W. and McGuire W.L. (1991) Variant human breast tumor estrogen receptor with constitutive transcriptional activity. Cancer Res., 51(1):105-9.
76. Witliff J.L., Wenz L.L., Dong J., Nawaz Z. and Butt T.R. (1990) Expression and characterization of an active human estrogen receptor as a ubiquitin fusion protein from Escherichia coli. J. Biol. Chem., 265(35):22016-22.
77. Riazuddin S., Sohail A. and Nawaz Z. (1987) Isolation of temperate bacteriophage phi R7 specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pak. J. of Zool., 19(3), 290-298.
78. Raufa A., Nawaz Z., Riazuddin S. and Shakoori A.R. (1987) Isolation, characterization and genetic studies of Rhizobium meliloti. Pak. J. of Zool., 19(2), 120-124.
79. Neelam M., Nawaz Z. and Riazuddin S. (1987) Hydrocarbon Biodegradation: Biochemical characterization of bacteria isolated from local soils. Pak. J. of Sci. and Indus., Res. 30, 282-285.
80. Neelam M., Nawaz Z., Shakoori A.R. and Riazuddin S. (1987) Isolation and characterization of R- factor (plasmids) from antibiotic resistant strains collected from local hospitals. Pak. J. of Zool., 19(1), 17-26.
81. Nawaz Z. and Ahmad N. (1987) Isolation and characterization of Rhizobium species as nitrogen fixing symbionts in Guar (Cymopsistetragonoloba (L) Taub). Pak. J. of Zool.,19(1), 9-15.
82. Riazuddin S., Shakoori A.R. and Nawaz Z. (1986) Mutagenicity testing of children’s consumables. Pak. J. of Zool., 18(3), 325- 334.