91̽»¨

Education

PhD – Microbiology and Immunology; Wake Forest University School of Medicine

BA – Biology; University of Virginia

Research Interests

• Oncolytic Viruses
• Virus-Host Interactions
• Natural Products

Oncolytic viruses are an emerging form of cancer therapy with the ability to selectively lyse and kill tumor cells. My research program seeks to investigate the mechanisms by which a negative-sense RNA virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), manipulates immune components of the tumor microenvironment. I am particularly interested in dissecting the multifaceted role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in breast cancer development and progression and the potential of VSV strains to modulate TAM populations to promote tumor immunosurveillance. My research also extends to the identification of plants and their derivatives with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties for the development of combination therapeutic approaches. The work in my laboratory makes use of molecular, biochemical, and cell biology tools and techniques to gain mechanistic insights on how VSV therapies may lead to improved outcomes in aggressive forms of cancers.

Biography

I completed my undergraduate studies in the Department of Biology at the University of Virginia with an interest in microbiology. After graduation, I earned my PhD at Wake Forest University School of Medicine where I studied the evolution of viruses and their virulence factors, with a focus on negative-sense RNA viruses. During my postdoctoral studies at the Wistar Institute and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, I temporarily switched my focus to DNA viruses and investigated the mechanisms governing herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) latency and reactivation. My interest in virus-host interactions and oncolytic viruses led me back to Wake Forest University School of Medicine as a research faculty after which I obtained a faculty position at Appalachian State University in the Department of Biology. I joined the Department of Biological Sciences at 91̽»¨ in 2024, where I continue to investigate how viruses interact with host immune components and cancer cells.

Publications

For a more comprehensive list of publications, visit my page. 

Emrani J, Ahmed M, Newman R, Thomas M, and Teleha J. 2021. SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Transmission, Transcription, Translation, Proteins, and Treatment. Inter. Journal of Biological Macromolecules. DOI: 

Polzin M, McCanless J, Owen S, Sizemore D, Lucero E, Fuller R, Neufeld HS, Seals DF, and Ahmed M. 2020. Oncolytic matrix protein mutant of vesicular stomatitis virus modulates the phenotype of macrophage populations. Virus Research. DOI: 

Daly C, Logan B, Breeyear J, Whitaker K, Ahmed M, and Seals DF.  2020. Tks5 SH3 domains mutations differentially co-localize with invadopodia-associated gelatin matrix degradation in Src-3T3 cells. PLOS ONE. DOI: 

Brown A, Emrani J, Mowa CN, and Ahmed M. 2019. Moringa oleifera and Vesicular Stomatitis Virus: A Combination Approach for the Treatment of Cervical Cancers. 2019. South African Journal of Botany. DOI:.

Fehl D and Ahmed M. 2017. Curcumin promotes the oncolytic capacity of vesicular stomatitis virus for the treatment of prostate cancers. Virus Research. DOI: 

Ahmed M, Henson DA, Sanderson MC, Nieman DC, Zubeldia JM, and Shanely RA. 2015. Rhodiola rosea exerts anti-viral activity in athletes following competitive marathon race. Frontiers in Nutrition: Sport and Exercise Nutrition. DOI:

Stewart JH, Ahmed M, Northrup SA, Willingham M, and Lyles DS. 2011. Vesicular stomatitis virus as a treatment for colorectal cancer. Cancer Gene Therapy. DOI: 

Ahmed M, Puckett S, and Lyles DS.  2010. Susceptibility of breast cancer cells to an oncolytic matrix (M) protein mutant of vesicular stomatitis virus. Cancer Gene Therapy. DOI: