Dr. Farina Hanif

Research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• • Investigating the underlying biochemical, and molecular mechanisms implicated in complex diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and schizophrenia, aiming to pinpoint potential therapeutic targets for intervention.
  • Uncovering the role of Non-coding RNA in cancer pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on their utility in diagnosis and therapeutic development.
  • Exploring the involvement of transcribed ultra-conserved regions in the pathology of schizophrenia to uncover potential insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.
  • Identifying FDA-approved drugs with potential for repurposing against gliomas and colorectal cancer, with the goal of advancing therapeutic options for these malignancies.  RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

• • Noor, T., Kiran, Z., Khan, M.TK. Hanif F*. Predictive role and clinical correlation of copeptin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus associated nephropathy approaching end-stage renal disease. BMC Nephrology. 2026;27:145.
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    Ansari AA, Razzak ZA, Bari MF, Khan L, Amir Q, Ashraf A, Ashraf A, Haque Z, Qaiser M, Hanif F*. Vitamin C Mitigates Radiation-Induced Parotid Glands Inflammation by Downregulating TNF-α and IL-1β Expression in Guinea Pigs. Middle East Journal of Cancer. 2026 Apr 1. (Accepted)
    https://mejc.sums.ac.ir/article_51478_6b90482c39e46493137bbbfaf327f89d.pdf

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    Ahmed TF, Ahmed A, Haque Z, Azmi MB, Salam JU, Hanif F*. Mapping the microRNA-mediated crosstalk between insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s disease: A computational genomic insight. PLoS One. 2025 Dec 12;20(12):e0329056.

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    Raza I, Naz K, Mubeen S, Khan L, Naeem N, Wasim B, Shaikh S, Ghanchi NK, Hanif F*. Anti-Glioblastoma Effects of Dorzolamide Alone and in Combination with Temozolomide on U87 Cells and CD133+Glioblastoma Stem Cells. Curr Mol Med. 2025 Aug 28. Epub, online ahead of print.

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    Ashraf A, Ashraf A, Khan L, Shaikh S, Hanif F*. Glioma in different life stages: A comparative analysis of adult and pediatric tumors. Hum Gene. 2025;46:201476.

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    Masroor M, Haque Z, Anwar H, Hanif F, Farooqui WA. Association of APOC3 and PNPLA3 genetic polymorphism in adult Pakistani population with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Human Gene. 2025; (45): 201453.

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    Dube CJ, Lai M, Zhang Y, Saha S, Yener U, Hanif F, Hudson K, Gibert MK Jr, Marcinkiewicz P, Sun Y, Vegiraju T, Xu E, Sorot A, Gallagher RI, Wulfkuhle JD, Vernon A, Dell’Olio L, Anbu R, Mulcahy E, Kefas B, Guessous F, Petricoin EF, Abounader R. T-type calcium channels regulate medulloblastoma and can be targeted for therapy. Journal of Neurooncology. 2025 173, 121–130.

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    Noor T, Jamil A, Afnan HB, Kiran Z, Khan MT, Hanif F*. Impact of fluid consumption on serum copeptin levels among diabetes mellitus patients with progressive diabetic nephropathy. RMJ. 2025; 50(1): 87-91.

  • Mubeen, S.; Raza, I.; Ujjan, B.; Wasim, B.; Khan, L.; Naeem, N.; Enam, S.A.; Hanif, F*. Iloperidone and Temozolomide Synergistically Inhibit Growth, Migration and Enhance Apoptosis in Glioblastoma Cells. Biomedicines 2024 May 22; 12 (6), 1134.
• • Hanif F*, Amir Q, Washdev W. Effect of DIO2 Gene Polymorphism on Thyroid Hormone Levels and Its Correlation with the Severity of Schizophrenia in a Pakistani Population. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Feb 5;25(3):1915.
• • Bibi I, Hanif F*, Amir Q, Washdev W, Bari MF. Impact of Brain derived Neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism on its peripheral levels in schizophrenic patients. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S19-S24.
• • Saad S, Hanif F*, Simjee SU, Faizi S, Khan L, Ashfaque A. Modulation of Apoptotic and Akt/PI3K/mTOR pathways to target Glioblastoma Cells using synthetic compound PGEA-AN. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S39-S46.
• • Haque Z, Hanif F, Owais M. AI in biomedical research: unleashing the potential of a transformative partnership. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S1
• • Zubair M, Khan S, Ali A, Hanif F, Abbas U, Ahmed B, Mehmood S, Khan F. Association of Vitamin D Gene Receptor Polymorphism with Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women. Molecular Medicine Communications. 2023 Dec 29;3(02):139-48. Hanif F, Zhang Y, Collin D, Gibert K, Saha S, Hudson K, Marcinkiewicz P, kefas B, Guessous F, and Abounader. miR-3174 is a new tumor suppressor microRNA that inhibits several oncogenes in glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 26;24(11):9326.
• • Haque Z, Hanif F, Owais M, Siddiqui S. 1st International conference on biomedical sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. JPMA. 2023 June; 73 (6).
• • Gibert Jr MK, Sarkar A, Chagari B, Roig-Laboy C, Saha S, Bednarek S, Kefas B, Hanif F, Hudson K, Dube C, Zhang Y, Abounader R. Transcribed Ultraconserved Regions in Cancer. Cells. 2022 May;11(10).
• • Noor T, Kiran Z, Ali A, Syed B S, Hanif F*. Corelation of copeptin with osmolarity and electrolytes in diabetes Mellitus: A tertiary center outpatient experience. International Journal of Endorsing Health Science Research. 2022; 10 (2), 157-166. Doi: 10.29052/IJEHSR.v10. i2.2022.157-166.
• • Hussain IS, Noor T, Amir Q, Washdev W, Hanif F*. Prevalence of misconceptions and presentation of covid-19 post-vaccination symptoms among health care workers of Karachi, Pakistan. JPPS. 31 Oct 2022. 19(2).
• • Javed L, Hanif F*, Malhi SM, Zaman U, Jahan N, Amir Q, Javed A, Malik AB, Abrar H. Diclofenac sodium enhances the antiepileptic effect of levetiracetam in pilocarpine induced epileptic mice model. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2021 Sep 1;34(5 (Supplementary)):1969-74. (Corresponding author) (IF=0.6). (Y Category)
• • Javed A, Malik A, Amir Q.- ul-A, Hanif F*, Washdev W, & Jawed L. Glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 1 gene polymorphism (Gly>Ser) and its association with schizophrenia in Pakistani population: A pilot Study. International Journal of Endorsing Health Science Research. 2021. (IJEHSR), 9(4), 466-473. https://doi.org/10.29052/IJEHSR.v9.i4.2021.466-473.
• • Ashfaque A, Hanif F*, Simjee SU, Bari MF, Faizi S, Zehra S, Mirza T, Begum S, Khan L. Opuntiol Inhibits Growth, and Induces Apoptosis in Human Glioblastoma Cells by Upregulating Active Caspase 3 Expression. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP. 2021 Nov 1;22(11):3607-13.
• • QuratulAin, Hanif F*, Amar WD, Bilwani F, Simjee SU. Synonymous polymorphism rs201256011 in Dopamine receptor type 2 gene is associated with schizophrenia in Pakistani population: A First Report. Int J Clin Pract. 2020; e13536. doi:10.1111/ijcp.13536).
• • Noor T, Hanif F* , Kiran Z, Rehman R, Haque Z, Nankani K. Relation of Copeptin with Diabetic and Renal Function Markers Among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Progressing Towards Diabetic Nephropathy. Arch Med Res. 2020; S0188-4409(20)30306-4. doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.05.018.
• • Hanif F*, Quratul Ain Amir, Amar WD, Bilwani F, Shabana SU. A novel variant in dopamine receptor type 2 gene is associated with schizophrenia. Arch Med Res. 2020; 10:S0188-4409(20)30623-8. Aziz A, Hanif F, ⦁ Majeed S, ⦁ Iftikhar K, Simjee SU (2019). N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide (NA-2) elicits potent antitumor effect against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Toxicol in Vitro 60: 296-304.
• • Chaudhry, Hanif F, Kausar S. (2019). Molecular Signatures of Calpain 10 Isoforms Sequences, Envisage Functional Similarity and Therapeutic Potential. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 32(3):937-946.10p.
• • Hanif F, Perveen K, Malhi SM, Jawed H, Simjee SU (2018). Verapamil potentiates anti-glioblastoma efficacy of temozolomide by modulating apoptotic signaling. Toxicol in Vitro S0887-2333(18)30343-6. Hanif F, ⦁ Muzaffar K, ⦁ Perveen K, ⦁ Malhi SM, Simjee ShU. (2017). ⦁ Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Review of its Epidemiology and Pathogenesis through Clinical Presentation and Treatment. Asia Pacific journal of Cancer Prevention 18(1):3-9.
• • Hagiwara Y, Sieverling L, Hanif F, Anton J, Dickinson ER, Bui TT, Andreeva A, Barran PE, Cota E and Nikolova PV. (2016). Consequences of point mutations in melanoma-associated antigen 4 (MAGE-A4) protein in human cancers: Insights from structural and biophysical studies. Scientific Reports (npg) 6:25182
• • Hanif F, Perveen K, Jawed H, Ahmed A, Malhi SM, Jamall S and Simjee SU (2014) N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide (NA-2) and Temozolomide synergistically induce apoptosis in human glioblastoma cell line U87. Cancer Cell International. 14(1): 133.
• • Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, Jamall S and Simjee SU (2014) ⦁ N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide: a novel suppressor of Toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 394(1-2): 67-75. Malhi SM, ⦁ Jawed H, ⦁ Hanif F, ⦁ Ashraf N, ⦁ Zubair F, ⦁ Siddiqui BS, ⦁ Begum S, ⦁ Kabir N and ⦁ Simjee⦁ SU (2014) Modulation of c-Fos and BDNF protein expression in pentylenetetrazole-kindled mice following the treatment with novel antiepileptic compound HHL-6. Biomed Research International.2014: 876712
• • Jawed H, Shah SUA, Jamall S, Perveen K, Hanif F, and Simjee SU(2014) N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide produces profound inhibition of c-Fos protein and mRNA expression in the brain of adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2014:387.
• • Hanif F, Perveen K, Jawed H, and Simjee SU (2013) In vitro growth inhibition of u87 glioblastoma cells by N-(2- hydroxy phenyl) acetamide. International Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences.3 (4): 69 – 78.
• • Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, and Simjee SU (2013) Protective efficacy of N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide against adjuvant -induced arthritis (AIA) in rats. Biomed Research International.2013: 635143.
• • Danish Saleheen et al. (2009) The Pakistan Risk of Myocardial Infarction Study: a bio resource for study of genetic and other determinants of myocardial infarction in South Asia. European Journal of Epidemiology. 24(6):329-38.

PREPRINTS ON PUBMED

• • Saha S, Zhang Y, Gilbert MK Jr, Dube C, Hanif F, Mulcahy EQX, Bednarek S, Marcinkiewicz P, Wang X, Kwak G, Hudson K, Sun Y, Dinda M, Saha T, Guessous F, Cruickshanks N, Colon RR, Dell’Olio L, Anbu R, Kefas B, Kumar P, Klibanov AL, Schiff D, Suk JS, Hanes J, Mata J, Hafner M, Abounader R. Discovery and therapeutic exploitation of Master Regulatory miRNAs in Glioblastoma. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Apr 25:2025.04.01.646663. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.01.646663. PMID: 40236125; PMCID: PMC11996502.

• • Dube CJ, Zhang Y, Saha S, Lai M, Gibert MK, Escalante M, Hudson K, Wong D, Marcinkiewicz P, Yener U, Sun Y, Xu E, Sorot A, Mulcahy E, Kefas B, Hanif F, Guessous F, Vernon A, Patel MK, Schiff D, Zong H, Purow B, Holland E, Sonkusare S, Sontheimer H, Abounader R. Microenvironment T-Type calcium channels regulate neuronal and glial processes to promote glioblastoma growth. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Aug 23:2024.08.22.609229. doi: 10.1101/2024.08.22.609229. PMID: 39229003; PMCID: PMC11370607.

• • Gibert MK, Zhang Y, Saha S, Konduru GV, Marcinkiewicz P, Dube C, Hudson K, Sun Y, Bednarek S, Chagari B, Sarkar A, Roig-Laboy C, Neace N, Saoud K, Setiady I, Hanif F, Schiff D, Kefas B, Hafner M, Kumar P, Abounader R. A comprehensive analysis of Transcribed Ultra Conserved Regions uncovers important regulatory functions of novel non-coding transcripts in gliomas. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jul 30:2023.09.12.557444. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.12.557444. PMID: 38562826; PMCID: PMC10983853.

• ABSTRACTS PUBLISHED IN IMPACT FACTOR JOURNALS

   

  • Noor T, Ali A, Khan MT, Amir Q, Hanif F* (2026). Investigating clinical outcomes in post renal transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus with the lens of pharmacogenomics. Kidney International Reports. Volume 11, Issue 4.
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    Ahmed TF, Haque Z, Ahmed A, Salam JU, Bhatty S, Hanif F* (2025). Basic science and pathogenesis. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. Volume 21, e101481.

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    Ahmed TF, Haque Z, Ahmed A, Salam JU, Bhatty S, Hanif F* (2025). In silico identification of microRNAs targeting shared pathways in insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Volume 21, e101481.

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    Ahmed TF, Ahmed A, Hanif F*, Haque Z, Bhatty S (2025). MicroRNAs modulating insulin resistance: a shared pathway in Alzheimer’s disease and metabolic syndrome. Journal of Neurochemistry. Volume 169.

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    Shahid M, Khan SF, Iftikhar K, Jamal M, Faizi S, Hanif F, Simjee SU (2025). Neurogenic potential of quinic acid in combating ischemic stroke by regulating Notch pathway. Journal of Neurochemistry. Volume 169.

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    Dube C, Zhang Y, Saha S, Lai M, Gibert M, Escalante M, Hudson K, Yener U, Hanif F, Kefas B, et al. (2023). T-type calcium channels regulate neuron-glioblastoma interactions and promote tumor growth. Neuro-Oncology. Volume 25, Issue Suppl 5.

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    Dube C, Zhang Y, Saha S, Lai M, Gibert M, Escalante M, Mulcahy E, Ottolini M, Hudson K, Bednarek S, Hanif F, Xu E, Sorot A, Sonkusare S, Sontheimer H, Abounader R (2022). T-type calcium channels drive glioblastoma growth by promoting neuronal interactions. Neuro-Oncology. Volume 24, Issue Supplement_7.

  • T Noor, MT Khan, Hanif F*, Z Kiran, AA Baloch (2020). ⦁ Detection of serum copeptin levels in diabetic patients to evaluate progressive nephropathy. NEPHROLOGY.25, 39-39.
  • T Noor, MT Khan, Hanif F*, Z Kiran, AA Baloch, Rehman R. (2020)⦁ Correlation of vasopressin with serum electrolytes in diabetes mellitus patients progressing towards diabetic nephropathy. NEPHROLOGY.25, 38-39.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K and Simjee SU (2016). Verapamil potentiates temozolomide anticancer efficacy through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in brain cancer cells. Front. Cell. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 14th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry. doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2016.36.00190.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K, and Simjee SU (2016). Calcium channel blocker increases the anticancer activity of temozolomide by inhibiting autocrine VEGF signaling, Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods. 81, 350 doi.org/10.1016/j.vascn.2016.02.051.
  • Chaudhry B, Alia A, Mah-e-Nu M, Hanif F (2016). Serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels and Metabolic Health Status in Obese individuals in Pakistan. Surgery for obesity and related diseases. 12 (7): S205. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2016.08.357
  • Simjee SU, Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, and Jamall S (2015). ⦁ Therapeutic activity of N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide: a novel anti-arthritic agent on pro-inflammatory cytokines production and suppression of Toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. The FASEB Journal 2015 29:1_supplement.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K and Simjee SU (2014)⦁ N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide induces apoptosis of brain cancer cells by increasing ⦁ Bax⦁ /Bcl-2 ratio. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods.70 (1): 321.
  • Perveen K, Hanif Fand Simjee SU (2014) ⦁ Expression of toll-like receptor (TLR4) in splenocytes and its inhibition by N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide in adjuvant induce arthritic rat model (AIA). Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods.70 (1): 322.

GRANTS:
Extramural grants:

• Project Title: Differential Expression of Transcribed Ultra-conserved Regions (TUCRs) in Early- versus Late-Onset Colorectal Cancer: Potential as Minimally Invasive Biomarkers
  Position: Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 1.45 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2025-2028
  Status: Approved
• Investigating Novel Biomarkers and Polymerase Chain Reaction as Molecular Methods to Improve Diagnosis of Viral Meningitis.
  Position: Co Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 1.5 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2024-2027
  Status: Approved
• Differential expression of transcribed ultra conserved regions (TUCRS) in schizophrenia and their potential utility as biomarker.
  Position: Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 1.5 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2023-2026
  Status: Approved
• Investigating Serum Levels of miR-4768-3p, miR-4722-5p and miR-5680 as Potential Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease.
  Position: Co Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 0.25 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2023-2024
  Status: Awarded
• Modulation of apoptotic and AKT/PI3K/mTOR signaling pathways in glioblastoma Cells using small Molecules.
  Position: Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 0.25 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2020-2021
  Status: Concluded
• Impact of Brain-derived Neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism on its peripheral levels in schizophrenic patients.
  Position: Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 0.25 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2019-2020
  Status: Concluded
• Targeting expression of inflammatory markers in cortex and hippocampus of epileptic mice treated with novel drug combination.
  Position: Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: DUHS
  Amount: 0.1 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2019-2020
  Status: Concluded
• Effects of Modified Human Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Animal Model of Alzheimer’s disease, A Preclinical Study.
  Position: Co-Principal Investigator
  Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS
  Amount: 1.5 million PKR
  Project Duration: 2021-2023
  Status: Concluded

Intramural Grants:

• Differential expression of transcribed ultra conserved regions (TUCRS) in schizophrenia and their potential utility as biomarker. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2023-2026 Status: Approved
• Investigating Serum Levels of miR-4768-3p, miR-4722-5p and miR-5680 as Potential Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease. Position: Co Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2023-2024 Status: Awarded
• Modulation of apoptotic and AKT/PI3K/mTOR signaling pathways in glioblastoma Cells using small Molecules. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2020-2021. Status: Concluded
• Impact of Brain-derived Neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism on its peripheral levels in schizophrenic patients. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2019-2020 Status: Concluded
• Targeting expression of inflammatory markers in cortex and hippocampus of epileptic mice treated with novel drug combination. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: DUHS Project Duration: 2019-2020 Status: Concluded
• Effects of Modified Human Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Animal Model of Alzheimer’s disease, A Preclinical Study. Position: Co-Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2021-2023 Status: Concluded
  

  Grants to Organize Conferences and Workshops:

  Conference: 1st International Conference on Biomedical Sciences (CONBIOMEDICA 2023)

  Position: Chair Scientific Committee and Conference Secretary.
  Funding Agency: Sindh Higher Education Commission,
  Project Duration: March 20th -21st, 2023.