Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Websites
Timeline
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Nour Ghaddar

San Francisco,CA

Summary

Dedicated and innovative Cancer Biology Scientist with experience in the biotechnology industry, currently advancing research at Ideaya Biosciences. Proven expertise in cancer research. Adept at designing and executing complex experiments, with a strong publication record and numerous awards for scientific presentations. Proficient in cutting-edge techniques including CRISPR, immunoanalysis, and animal modeling. Demonstrated leadership in collaborative research projects and a keen ability to translate scientific findings into therapeutic strategies. Committed to driving innovative solutions in oncology to improve patient outcomes.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience

Work History

Research Scientist - Cancer Biology

Ideaya Biosciences
San Francisco, California
01.2023 - Current
  • Tested the validity of targets in their potential for targeting specific cancers, ensuring alignment with therapeutic goals
  • Focused on elucidating the mechanism of action of targets and assessing pharmacodynamic biomarkers.
  • Conducted and optimized cell-based assays to address critical biological questions.
  • Designed and executed experiments to generate and test hypotheses.
  • Collaborated with Contract Research Organizations (CROs) to outsource advanced experiments, including RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and ATAC sequencing (ATAC-seq), to develop potential hypotheses.
  • Worked closely with the computational biology team to integrate data and formulate testable hypotheses.
  • Communicated regularly across functional departments such as chemistry, DMPK (Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics), and lead discovery to align program goals and ensure timely progress towards quarterly objectives.
  • Regularly presented findings and progress updates in team meetings, effectively communicating complex scientific concepts.
  • Took a leadership role as the primary biologist on two key programs, driving project strategy and execution.

Graduate Research Assistant- PhD Candidate

McGill University
Montreal, Canada
05.2017 - 12.2022

Supervisor: Antonis E. Koromilas

Field of research: The adaptive trait of the integrate stress response promotes KRAS lung cancer

  • Identified that the integrated stress response (ISR) is crucial in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common type of lung cancer, with increased phosphorylation of eIF2α (p-eIF2α) linked to tumor invasiveness, growth, and poor patient outcomes.
  • Demonstrated that the ISR, particularly the PERK/p-eIF2α pathway, drives KRAS-driven lung tumorigenesis in mouse models, leading to translational repression of DUSP6 and increased phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK).
  • Employed different mouse models to study the role of ISR in lung cancer.
  • Demonstrated that ISR inhibitors, including a memory-enhancing drug, significantly reduce tumor growth and prolong survival in mice with KRAS-driven lung cancer, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for ISR-based treatments in LUAD.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Concordia University
Montreal, Canada
05.2016 - 05.2017

Supervisor: Dr. Brandon Findlay

Field of research: understanding the evolutionary dynamics of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli, when exposed to antibiotic gradients in a soft agar environment.

  • Identified that high-impact mutations are critical for the rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance in E. coli.
  • Developed Soft Agar Gradient Evolution (SAGE) plates as a high-throughput method to study resistance, validating them with multiple antibiotics.
  • Observed that E. coli can develop resistance to a wide range of antibiotics using SAGE, including those usually resistant to in vitro evolution.
  • Demonstrated that genetic analysis revealed multiple mutations contributing to resistance, often in regulatory and structural genes.
  • Showed that antibiotic resistance evolution is driven more by the availability of high-impact mutations than by other factors like antibiotic concentration.
  • Suggested that new antibiotic development should consider potential high-impact resistance pathways to reduce the emergence of resistance.

Teaching Assistant- Lab Demonstrator

Concordia University
Montreal, Canada
01.2016 - 04.2017

Courses: CHEM 205 (General Chemistry 1), CHEM 222 (Introductory Organic Chemistry 2), CHEM 375 (Introductory Biochemistry 2)

  • Demonstrated experiments for students, providing clear instructions and ensuring adherence to safety protocols.
  • Supervised and guided students through laboratory experiments, fostering a hands-on learning environment.
  • Evaluated and corrected experimental lab reports, providing constructive feedback to help students improve their scientific writing and understanding.
  • Assisted in the development of laboratory assignments and assessments in collaboration with course instructors.

Supervisors:
Dr. Cerrie Rogers - cerrie.rogers@concordia.ca
Zornitsa Stoyanova - zornitsa.stoyanova@concordia.ca
Dr. Neema Chirwa - neema.chirwa@concordia.ca

Education

Ph.D. - Experimental Medicine

McGill University
Montreal, Canada
12-2022

Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry

Concordia University
Montreal, Canada
05-2017

Bachelor of Science - Biology

Lebanese University
Beirut, Lebanon
07-2013

Skills

Technical skills

  • Immunoanalysis: Western Blotting, Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence, ELISA
  • Tissue culture: cell-plating, cell-treatment and passage, virus preparation and infection, clonogenic &
    proliferation assays
  • Protein and DNA purification, plasmid purification (Maxi-prep), PCR (RT-PCR, qPCR), SDS-PAGE,
    primer design
  • Microbiology techniques: growth and maintenance of bacterial cell cultures under sterile conditions,
    bacterial transformation, plasmid extraction, MIC determination
  • Flow cytometry: Operating on LSRFortessa cell analyzer, FlowJo analysis
  • Animal work: handling and restraint, substance administration (Oral gavage, subcutaneous injection,
    Intraperitoneal injection, Intratracheal injection), tissue and blood collection, anesthesia and analgesia,
    rodent surgery and aseptic technique

Spoken Languages

  • Fluent English
  • Fluent French
  • Native Arabic

Computer skills

  • Microsoft office,
  • Adobe
  • imageJ,
  • Scion image,
  • Aperio ImageScope,
  • GraphPad Prism 8,
  • R studio

Public Speaking

  • Demonstrated excellent public speaking skills, as evidenced by numerous awards for oral and poster presentations at professional conferences

Hobbies and interests:

  • Piano: Enjoy playing the piano and have been involved in various recitals and music events
  • Hiking: Passionate about hiking and exploring nature trails, often spending weekends on hiking adventures
  • Reading: Avid reader with a particular interest in science fiction and historical novels

Accomplishments

Publications

  • Ghaddar N, Wang S, Krishnamoorthy J, Darini C, Ah-son N, Woodvine B, Le Quesne J, Popper H, Teodoro J, Topisirovic I, Larsson O, Koromilas AE. The Integrated Stress Response is tumorigenic and constitutes a therapeutic liability in KRAS-driven lung cancer. Nature Communications. 2021 July 30; 12(1):4651.
  • Ghaddar N, Wang S, Michaud V, Koromilas AE. Detection of Lung Tumor Progression in Mice by Ultrasound Imaging. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2020 Feb 27; (156).
  • Darini C, Ghaddar N, Chabot C, Assaker G, Sabri S, Wang S, Krishnamoorthy J, Buchanan M, Aguilar-Machecha A, Abdulkarim B, Deschenes J, Torres J, Ursini-Siegel J, Basik M, Koromilas AE. An Integrated Stress Response via PKR Suppresses HER2+ cancers and Increases the Efficacy of Trastuzumab Therapy. Nature Communications. 2019 May 13; 10(1):2139.
  • Ghaddar N, Hashemidahaj M, Findlay B. Access to high-impact mutations constrains the evolution of antibiotic resistance in soft agar. Scientific Reports. 2018 Nov 19; 8(1):17023.
  • Krishnamoorthy J, Tenkerian C, Gupta J, Ghaddar N, Wang S, Darini C, Taschke KA, Ghosh A, Gandin V, Topisirovic I, Kristof AS, Hatzoglou M, Simos G, Koromilas AE. Downregulation of PERK activity and eIF2α serine 51 phosphorylation by mTOR complex 1 elicits pro-oxidant and pro-death effects in tuberous sclerosis-deficient cells. Cell Death and Disease. 2018 Feb 15; 9(3):254.

Conference Presentations

Ghaddar N, Wang S, Woodvine B, Krishnamoorthy J, Darini C, Van Hoef V, Kazimierczak U, Ah-son N, Officer L, Teodosio A, Popper H, Broggini M, Mann K, Hatzoglou M, Topisirovic I, Larsson O, Le Quesne J, Koromilas AE. The Integrated Stress Response is tumorigenic and constitutes a therapeutic liability in KRAS-driven lung cancer.

  • Poster presentation selected for an oral presentation at the EMBO|FEBS Lecture Course on Molecular Mechanisms in Signal Transduction and Cancer. Spetses, Greece, 16–24 August 2022.
  • Oral presentation presented at the 20th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference. Montreal Canada, November 2020 (virtual).
  • Oral presentation presented at the 2020 virtual meeting on Translational Control. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, September 2020 (virtual).
  • Poster presentation presented at the 2020 virtual meeting on Mechanisms and Models of Cancer. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, August 2020 (virtual).
  • Invited Speaker at the Goodman Cancer Research Center Spotlight Presentation. Montreal, Canada, February 2020.
  • Poster presentation at the Goodman Cancer Research Center Research Day. Montreal, Canada, November 2019.
  • Poster presentation presented at the Canadian Cancer Research Conference. Ottawa, Canada, November 2019.
  • Oral presentation presented at the 6th International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress. Chania, Greece, September 2019.
  • Poster presentation presented at the 10th Annual LDI Scientific Retreat. Montreal, Canada, May 2019.
  • Poster presentation presented at the 19th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference. Montreal, Canada, March 2019.
  • Oral presentation presented at the 9th Annual LDI Scientific Retreat. Montreal, Canada, May 2018.
  • Poster presentation presented at the 18th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference. Montreal, Canada, March 2018.

Ghaddar N, Findlay B. Developing Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria Via a Bacterial Evolution Chamber.

  • Poster presentation presented at the 3rd Concordia Undergraduate Research Showcase. Montreal, Canada, October 2016.

Awards

  • Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel award (GREAT), McGill University, January 2022
  • Oral Presentation Award, 20th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference (virtual), November 2020
  • Doctoral Fellowship, Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, April 2020
  • Poster Presentation Award, Goodman Cancer Research Center Research Day, November 2019
  • Travel Award, 6th International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress, September 2019
  • McGill Faculty of Medicine Internal Studentship Award, September 2019
  • Poster Presentation Award, 19th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference, March 2019
  • Faculty of Medicine Internal Studentship Award, September 2018 – August 2019
  • LDI/TD Studentship Award, April 2018
  • Oral Presentation Award, 9th Annual LDI Scientific Retreat, May 2018
  • Poster Presentation Award, 18th Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference, March 2018
  • McGill University Graduate Recruitment Award, September 2017
  • McGill Entrance Fellowship, September 2017
  • McGill Integrated Cancer Research Training Program, May 2017
  • Concordia Undergraduate Student Research Awards, May 2016

Timeline

Research Scientist - Cancer Biology

Ideaya Biosciences
01.2023 - Current

Graduate Research Assistant- PhD Candidate

McGill University
05.2017 - 12.2022

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Concordia University
05.2016 - 05.2017

Teaching Assistant- Lab Demonstrator

Concordia University
01.2016 - 04.2017

Ph.D. - Experimental Medicine

McGill University

Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry

Concordia University

Bachelor of Science - Biology

Lebanese University

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