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NAME: Neeraj Chauhan
CREDENTIALS: Ph.D.
EMAIL: neeraj.chauhan@utrgv.edu
OFFICE PHONE: 956-296-2063
PRIMARY ACADEMIC TITLE: Assistant Professor
I am currently working as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the School of Podiatric Medicine at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX, USA. My research focuses on immuno-oncology, nanomedicine, podiatric medicine, and their fundamental molecular mechanisms. I bring 15 years of expertise in breast, urological, gynecological, and gastroenterological oncology, with a primary focus on elucidating the mechanisms and biomarkers driving cancer progression, as well as the identification of small-molecules, microRNAs and their inhibitors, and development of advanced therapies including nanotechnology-based approaches, antibody-drug conjugates, exosome-mediated drug delivery systems, and immunotherapies, with additional emphasis on podiatry-related complications including diabetes and diabetic foot disorders.
I possess extensive experience in developing nanomedicines, conducting cell culture experiments, performing RNA/DNA isolation, qPCR, microRNA assays, and microarray analyses, as well as executing western blotting, ELISA, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization assays. I also have substantial expertise in generating preclinical xenograft and orthotopic mouse models.
During graduate school, my Ph.D. research focused on cervical cancer, the repurposing of a contraceptive agent (Ormeloxifene), nanotechnology, and cellular and molecular biology. To date, I have published 29 full-length research articles in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, which have collectively received over 2,287 citations. My current bibliometric metrics include an h-index of 19 and an i10-index of 21. I currently also serve as a key researcher and contributor on multiple NIH/NCI R01 grants and as an investigator on a private foundation funded project.
Previously, as an Assistant Professor Research in the Division of Cancer Immunology and Microbiology, Department of Medicine and Oncology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, I served as an investigator for an RGV community outreach initiative (Cervical Cancer Prevention Action Network) focused on cervical cancer awareness. In this role, I led engagement efforts across multiple colonias in the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding areas, designed and interpreted educational materials, and contributed to the development of HPV-related resources to promote HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening.
Our team recently has also developed Sabizabulin (formerly VERU-111), a next-generation tubulin inhibitor with broad anticancer activity across multiple tumor types, which has been licensed to Veru Inc. for commercial development. The VERU-111 compound is patented and has demonstrated promising efficacy and safety in multiple clinical trials (NCT03752099, NCT04842747, NCT05008510).
I am committed to advancing novel therapeutic approaches that enhance drug delivery for cancer and podiatric applications through the integration of immunology and nanotechnology. Additionally, my research addresses disparities in cancer, particularly cervical oncology, as well as diabetes and diabetic foot complications. The Rio Grande Valley exhibits significant disparities
in cervical cancer incidence among Hispanic and American women, as well as elevated prevalence of diabetes and diabetes-related complications, making this region a highly relevant setting for translating my basic research into clinically meaningful interventions.
- Cancer Biology
- Diabetes Related Complications
- Diabetic Foot
- Nanotherapy
- Drug Delivery
- Nano-Immunotherapy
- Medical Student Education
- Public Health
- Community Outreach
1) Ubiquitination of oncogenic mutant p53 via attenuation of ribosome biogenesis machinery effectively inhibits pancreatic tumor growth. Ahmad M, Alvi SS, Ahsan H, Perez C, Massey A, Kashyap VK, Chauhan N, Anning E, Tripathi MK, Kim DJ, Sahoo N, Oraby T, Yallapu MM, Khan MM, Sebastian MM, Chauhan SC, Hafeez BB. Mol Cancer Ther. 2025 Oct 7. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-25-0097
2) Milk Exosome-Glow Nanosystem for Cancer Cellular and Tissue Bioimaging. Cotto NM, Chauhan N, Adriano B, Chauhan DS, Cabrera M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Chem. Biomed. Imaging 2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00040 (Equal First Author)
3) One-step simultaneous liquid phase exfoliation-induced chirality in graphene and their Chirality-mediated microRNA delivery. Tiwari P, Ghali ENHK, Chauhan N, Tiwari R, Cabrera M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Materials Advances 4 (23), 6199-6212. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3MA00611E
4) Indocyanine Green-based Glow Nanoparticles Probe for Cancer Imaging. Chauhan N, Cabrera M, Chowdhury P, Nagesh PKB, Dhasmana A, Pranav, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Nanotheranostics 2023; 7(4):353-367. doi:10.7150/ntno.78405 (First Author)
5) Current status of biopsy markers for the breast in clinical settings. Martin EA, Chauhan N, Dhevan V, George E, Laskar P, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Expert Rev Med Devices 2022 Dec;19(12):965-975. doi: 10.1080/17434440.2022.2159807. Epub 2022 Dec 23.
6) microRNA-205 in prostate cancer: Overview to clinical translation. Chauhan N, Manojkumar A, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2022 Nov;1877(6):188809. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188809. Epub 2022 Oct 1. (First Author)
7) In Situ Nanoparticle Self-Assembly for Combination Delivery of Therapeutics to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Hatami E, Nagesh PKB, Chauhan N, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. ACS Appl Bio Mater. 2022 Mar 21;5(3):1104-1119. doi: 10.1021/acsabm.1c01158. Epub 2022 Feb 18.
8) Bay Leaf Extract-Based Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Tissue and Cellular Imaging. Adriano B, Cotto NM, Chauhan N, Karumuru V, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. J Imaging. 2021 Nov 30;7(12):256. doi: 10.3390/jimaging7120256.
9) Milk exosomes: Nature's abundant nanoplatform for theranostic applications. Adriano B, Cotto NM, Chauhan N, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Bioact Mater. 2021 Feb 2;6(8):2479-2490. doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.01.009. eCollection 2021 Aug.
10) COVID-19: Fighting the Invisible Enemy with microRNAs. Chauhan N, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2020 Sep 16:1-9. doi: 10.1080/14787210.2020.1812385. (First Author)
11) miR-205: A Potential Biomedicine for Cancer Therapy. Chauhan N, Dhasmana A, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC, Yallapu MM. Cells. 2020 Aug 25;9(9):E1957. doi: 10.3390/cells9091957. (First Author)
12) VERU-111 Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastatic Phenotypes of Cervical Cancer Cells Through the Activation of p53 Signaling Pathway. Kashyap VK, Dan N, Chauhan N, Wang Q, Setua S, Nagesh PKB, Malik S, Batra V, Yallapu MM, Miller DD, Li W, Hafeez BB, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Cancer Lett. 2020;470:64–74. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2019.11.035.
13) Pluronic Polymer-Based Ormeloxifene Nanoformulations Induce Superior Anticancer Effects in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Chauhan N, Kruse A, Newby H, Jaggi M, Yallapu MM, Chauhan SC. ACS Omega. 2020;5(2):1147–1156. Published 2020 Jan 9. doi:10.1021/acsomega.9b03382. (First
14) Novel Mechanistic Insight into the Anticancer Activity of Cucurbitacin D against Pancreatic Cancer (Cuc D Attenuates Pancreatic Cancer). Sikander M, Malik S, Khan S, Kumari S, Chauhan N, Khan P, Halaweish FT, Chauhan B, Yallapu MM, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Cells. 2019;9(1):E103. Published 2019 Dec 31. doi:10.3390/cells9010103
15) Ormeloxifene nanotherapy cervical cancer treatment. Chauhan N, Yallapu MM, Diane M, Hafeez BB, Mandil H, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Int J Nanomedicine. 2019;9:7107-7121. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S200944. (First Author)
16) A triphenylethylene nonsteroidal SERM attenuates cervical cancer growth. Chauhan N, Maher DM, Yallapu MM, Hafeez BB, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Sci Rep. 2019 Jul29;9(1):10917. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46680-0. (First Author)
17) Next-generation Paclitaxel-nanoparticle formulation for pancreatic cancer treatment. Andrew E. Massey AE, Sikander M, Chauhan N, Kumari S, Setua S, Shetty AB, Mandil H, Kashyap VK, Khan S, Jaggi M, Yallapu MM, Hafeez BB, Chauhan SC. Nanomedicine. 2019 Aug;20:102027. doi: 10.1016/j.nano.2019.102027.
18) Cucurbitacin D Reprograms Glucose Metabolic Network in Prostate Cancer. Sikander M, Malik S, Chauhan N, Khan P, Kumari S, Kashyap VK, Khan S, Ganju A, Halaweish FT, Yallapu MM, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Cancers (Basel). 2019 Mar 14;11(3). pii: E364. doi: 10.3390/cancers11030364.
19) Therapeutic efficacy of a novel βIII/βIV-tubulin inhibitor (VERU-111) in pancreatic cancer. Kashyap VK, Wang Q, Setua S, Nagesh PKB, Chauhan N, Kumari S, Chowdhury P, Miller DD, Yallapu MM, Li W, Jaggi M, Hafeez BB, Chauhan SC. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Jan 23;38(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s13046-018-1009-7.
20) Nanoparticle formulation of ormeloxifene for pancreatic cancer. Khan S, Chauhan N, Yallapu MM, Ebeling MC, Balakrishna S, Ellis RT, Thompson PA, Balabathula P, Behrman SW, Zafar N, Singh MM, Halaweish FT, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Biomaterials. 2015 Jun;53:731-43. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.02.082. (Equal First Author)
21) Ormeloxifene Suppresses Prostate Tumor Growth and Metastatic Phenotypes via Inhibition of Oncogenic β-catenin Signaling and EMT Progression. Hafeez BB, Ganju A, Sikander M, Kashyap VK, Hafeez ZB, Chauhan N, Malik S, Massey AE, Tripathi MK, Halaweish FT, Zafar N, Singh MM, Yallapu MM, Chauhan SC, Jaggi M. Mol Cancer Ther. 2017 Oct;16(10):2267-2280. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-17-0157. Epub 2017 Jun 14.
22) Curcumin Nanoformulation for Cervical Cancer Treatment. Zaman MS, Chauhan N, Yallapu MM, Gara RK, Maher DM, Kumari S, Sikander M, Khan S, Zafar N, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 3;6:20051. doi: 10.1038/srep20051.
23) Ormeloxifene suppresses desmoplasia and enhances sensitivity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer. Khan S, Ebeling MC, Chauhan N, Thompson PA, Gara RK, Ganju A, Yallapu MM, Behrman SW, Zhao H, Zafar N, Singh MM, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Cancer Res. 2015 Apr 3. pii: canres.2397.2014.
24) Implications of protein corona on physico-chemical and biological properties of magnetic nanoparticles. Yallapu MM, Chauhan N, Othman SF, Khalilzad-Sharghi V, Ebeling MC, Khan S, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Biomaterials. 2015 Apr;46:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.12.045. Epub 2015 Jan 15.
25) MicroRNA-145 targets MUC13 and suppresses growth and invasion of pancreatic cancer. Khan S, Ebeling MC, Zaman MS, Sikander M, Yallapu MM, Chauhan N, Yacoubian AM, Behrman Author) SW, Zafar N, KumarD, Thompson PA, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Oncotarget. 2014 Sep 15;5(17):7599-609.
26) Anti-cancer activity of curcumin loaded nanoparticles in prostate cancer. Yallapu MM, Khan S, Maher DM, Ebeling MC, Sundram V, Chauhan N, Ganju A, BalakrishnaS, Gupta BK, Zafar N,Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Biomaterials. 2014 Oct;35(30):8635-48. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.06.040.
27) Novel curcumin-loadedmagnetic nanoparticles for pancreatic cancer treatment. Yallapu MM,Ebeling MC, Khan S, Sundram V, Chauhan N, Gupta BK, Puumala SE, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC.Mol Cancer Ther. 2013 Aug;12(8):1471-80. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-12-1227.
28) Curcumin-loaded magnetic nanoparticles for breast cancer therapeutics and imaging applications.Yallapu MM, Othman SF, Curtis ET, Bauer NA, Chauhan N, Kumar D, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC.Int J Nanomedicine. 2012;7:1761-79. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S29290.
29) Interaction ofcurcumin nanoformulations with human plasma proteinsand erythrocytes. Yallapu MM, Ebeling MC, Chauhan N, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Int J Nanomedicine. 2011;6:2779-90. doi:10.2147/IJN.S25534.