Parag Shah, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Department of Medicine, University of Louisville. Dr. Shah completed his master’s from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, India and received his PhD in Biotechnology from Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow, India. After his initial postdoctoral work at University of Louisville, he became an assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville.

Studies from his lab have shown that, ER stress induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cellular systems and chemotherapeutic drugs commonly used to treat patients also activate ER stress that is associated with activation of an EMT-like state. Through this mechanism, chemotherapeutic treatment often induces cancer stemness and invasiveness. Currently his area of research focuses on exploring the mechanisms of ER stress induced EMT and important signaling pathways that are involved in cancer progression and metastasis including lung and breast.

In another research area, Dr. Shah involves in understanding different biological processes regulated by Ubiquilin proteins and their role in driving cancer progression and tumorigenesis. The UBQLN proteins comprise five related members UBQLN1-4 and UBQLNL that all belong to a family of UBL/UBA containing proteins. These proteins have been shown to be associated with the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Previous studies from his lab reported that, apart from their role in the ER associated degradation (ERAD), they play an important role in EMT in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Currently his research focusses on exploring the detailed mechanisms by which disruption of the UBQLN-family of proteins contributes to the metastatic progression in variety of cancers including, lung, breast, and colon.