Dr

Mahan Azad

Email: 

Background

I am a molecular biologist and cancer researcher at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland, investigating Inflammation and its link to metabolism as well therapeutic strategies against metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) one of the most treatment-resistant and lethal cancers.

My work combines cell biology and immunology to understand how pancreatic tumours build protective barriers, evade the immune system, and spread to distant organs. I focus on dismantling these mechanisms to identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Current research areas include:

  • PAR2 signalling, tumour immunometabolism, and desmoplastic remodelling
  • Cyclic peptide design, intracellular delivery, and fluorescence-based uptake characterisation
  • Protease-driven epithelial signalling and stromal-immune crosstalk

I work within Professor David Fairlie's group, using confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and metabolic tracing to bridge molecular mechanism with drug design. My broader interests span cancer-associated fibrosis, metabolic reprogramming, and the development of multi-targeted compounds for cancers with high unmet clinical need.

Availability

Dr Mahan Azad is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biochemistry and cell biology Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Cancer cell biology Cancer therapy (excl. chemotherapy and radiation therapy) Cell development, proliferation and death Cell metabolism Cellular immunology Cellular interactions (incl. adhesion, matrix, cell wall) Immunology Molecular targets Oncology and carcinogenesis Protein trafficking Signal transduction Tumour immunology

Research interests

  • Cyclic Peptide Therapeutics and Intracellular Delivery

    Design and characterisation of cyclic peptides as cancer therapeutics, with emphasis on cellular uptake mechanisms, intracellular trafficking, and subcellular localisation using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry in pancreatic cancer cell models. Includes fluorescent conjugate development and artefact identification in peptide internalisation assays.

  • Anti-Metastatic and Anti-Desmoplastic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer

    Investigating therapeutic strategies to disrupt metastatic progression and desmoplastic stromal remodelling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Central to this work is PAR2 antagonism as a multi-axis intervention, suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition to block metastatic dissemination, modulating cancer-associated fibroblast plasticity (myCAF/iCAF) to dismantle the desmoplastic barrier, and repolarising tumour-associated macrophages to restore anti-tumour immunity. Research integrates protease-PAR2 epithelial signalling with immunometabolic reprogramming to identify vulnerabilities in the metastatic cascade.

  • PAR2 Signalling, Immunometabolism and Fibrosis

    Investigating how protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) drives immunometabolic reprogramming and fibrotic remodelling in the microenvironment. Research focuses on PAR2-mediated cytokine networks that reprogram metabolic flux in immune and stromal compartments, sustaining desmoplastic fibrosis and immune evasion. This extends to systemic metabolic consequences of PAR2 signalling.

Search Professor Mahan Azad’s works on UQ eSpace

24 works between 2020 and 2026
All (24) Journal Article (23) Conference Publication (1)

1 - 20 of 24 works

2026

Journal Article

Implementing the design cues of dissociation dynamics and transmetalation in gallium( iii ) complexes to promote the anti-proliferative activity of ligands targeting intracellular iron( ii ) trafficking

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Faiz, Sadia, Kaya, Busra, Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Suleymanoglu, Mediha, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Richardson, Vera, Zahoor, Ameer Fawad, Kalinowski, Danuta, Lewis, William, Bernhardt, Paul V., Anjum, Rukhsana and Richardson, Des R. (2026). Implementing the design cues of dissociation dynamics and transmetalation in gallium( iii ) complexes to promote the anti-proliferative activity of ligands targeting intracellular iron( ii ) trafficking. Chemical Science, 17 (13), 6546-6563. doi: 10.1039/d5sc06084b

Implementing the design cues of dissociation dynamics and transmetalation in gallium( iii ) complexes to promote the anti-proliferative activity of ligands targeting intracellular iron( ii ) trafficking

2026

Journal Article

Leading artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery platforms: 2025 landscape and global outlook

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Maya, Busra, Akinware, Adedoyin, Azad, Mahan Gholam and Richardson, Des R. (2026). Leading artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery platforms: 2025 landscape and global outlook. Pharmacological Reviews, 78 (1) 100102, 1-28. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmr.2025.100102

Leading artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery platforms: 2025 landscape and global outlook

2025

Journal Article

Artificial intelligence-assisted drug discovery in 2025: Faster, but is it better? The robots are coming, look out!

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Richardson, Vera, Kaya, Busra and Richardson, Des R. (2025). Artificial intelligence-assisted drug discovery in 2025: Faster, but is it better? The robots are coming, look out!. Pharmacological Reviews, 78 (1) 100103, 100103. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmr.2025.100103

Artificial intelligence-assisted drug discovery in 2025: Faster, but is it better? The robots are coming, look out!

2025

Journal Article

Thiosemicarbazones down-regulate N-Myc expression in neuroblastoma cells via transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms

Deng, Zhao, Azad, Mahan Gholam and Richardson, Des R. (2025). Thiosemicarbazones down-regulate N-Myc expression in neuroblastoma cells via transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Pharmacological Research, 221 107967, 1-27. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2025.107967

Thiosemicarbazones down-regulate N-Myc expression in neuroblastoma cells via transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms

2025

Journal Article

Metal-based antibody, nanobody, and peptide conjugates: potential for breast cancer therapy

Kaya, Busra, Laurencia, Devina, Ayoub, Maseeha Farha, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2025). Metal-based antibody, nanobody, and peptide conjugates: potential for breast cancer therapy. Pharmacological Reviews, 77 (6) 100087, 1-37. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmr.2025.100087

Metal-based antibody, nanobody, and peptide conjugates: potential for breast cancer therapy

2025

Journal Article

NDRG1 and its family members: more than just metastasis suppressor proteins and targets of thiosemicarbazones

Azad, Mahan Gholam, Russell, Tiffany M., Gu, Xuanling, Zhao, Xiao, Richardson, Vera, Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Babu, Golap, Guo, Xinnong, Kaya, Busra, Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Deng, Zhao and Richardson, Des R. (2025). NDRG1 and its family members: more than just metastasis suppressor proteins and targets of thiosemicarbazones. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 301 (7) 110230, 1-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110230

NDRG1 and its family members: more than just metastasis suppressor proteins and targets of thiosemicarbazones

2025

Journal Article

Advantages of novel anti-cancer selenosemicarbazones: preferential reactivity of their Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes with key physiological reductants/ligands versus isosteric thiosemicarbazones

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Zhang, Stanley, Zhao, Xiao, Richardson, Vera, Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Suleymanoglu, Mediha, Gholam Azad, Mahan, Bernhardt, Paul V., Kaya, Busra and Richardson, Des R. (2025). Advantages of novel anti-cancer selenosemicarbazones: preferential reactivity of their Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes with key physiological reductants/ligands versus isosteric thiosemicarbazones. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 68 (9), 9594-9622. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c00374

Advantages of novel anti-cancer selenosemicarbazones: preferential reactivity of their Fe(III), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes with key physiological reductants/ligands versus isosteric thiosemicarbazones

2025

Conference Publication

Mechanisms of the Multi-Modal Inhibition of c-Cbl by the Metastasis Suppressor, N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene-1 (NDRG1)

Azad, Mahan Gholam and Richardson, Des (2025). Mechanisms of the Multi-Modal Inhibition of c-Cbl by the Metastasis Suppressor, N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene-1 (NDRG1). AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER. doi: 10.1016/j.jpet.2024.100558

Mechanisms of the Multi-Modal Inhibition of c-Cbl by the Metastasis Suppressor, N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene-1 (NDRG1)

2024

Journal Article

Innovative N-acridine thiosemicarbazones and their Zn(II) complexes transmetallate with Cu(II): redox activity and suppression of detrimental oxy-myoglobin oxidation

Kaya, Busra, Smith, Henry, Chen, Yanbing, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Russell, Tiffany M., Richardson, Vera, Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Innovative N-acridine thiosemicarbazones and their Zn(II) complexes transmetallate with Cu(II): redox activity and suppression of detrimental oxy-myoglobin oxidation. Inorganic Chemistry, 63 (43), 20840-20858. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c03642

Innovative N-acridine thiosemicarbazones and their Zn(II) complexes transmetallate with Cu(II): redox activity and suppression of detrimental oxy-myoglobin oxidation

2024

Journal Article

Isosteric replacement of sulfur to selenium in a thiosemicarbazone: promotion of Zn(II) complex dissociation and transmetalation to augment anticancer efficacy

Kaya, Busra, Gholam Azad, Mahan, Suleymanoglu, Mediha, Harmer, Jeffrey R., Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Richardson, Vera, Zhao, Xiao, Bernhardt, Paul V., Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Isosteric replacement of sulfur to selenium in a thiosemicarbazone: promotion of Zn(II) complex dissociation and transmetalation to augment anticancer efficacy. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67 (14), 12155-12183. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00884

Isosteric replacement of sulfur to selenium in a thiosemicarbazone: promotion of Zn(II) complex dissociation and transmetalation to augment anticancer efficacy

2024

Journal Article

Multi-modal mechanisms of the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1: Inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling by stabilization of protein kinase Cα

Gholam Azad, Mahan, Hussaini, Mohammed, Russell, Tiffany M., Richardson, Vera, Kaya, Busra, Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Multi-modal mechanisms of the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1: Inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling by stabilization of protein kinase Cα. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (7) 107417, 1-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107417

Multi-modal mechanisms of the metastasis suppressor, NDRG1: Inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling by stabilization of protein kinase Cα

2024

Journal Article

Correction to “Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series’’

Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Kaya, Busra, Gonzálvez, Miguel A., Harmer, Jeffrey R., Gholam Azad, Mahan, Bernhardt, Paul V., Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Correction to “Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series’’. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67 (8), 6893-6893. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00714

Correction to “Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series’’

2024

Journal Article

Differential transmetallation of complexes of the anti-cancer thiosemicarbazone, Dp4e4mT: effects on anti-proliferative efficacy, redox activity, oxy-myoglobin and oxy-hemoglobin oxidation

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Kaya, Busra, Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Richardson, Vera, Harmer, Jeffrey R., Gonzalvez, Miguel A., Lewis, William, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Bernhardt, Paul V. and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Differential transmetallation of complexes of the anti-cancer thiosemicarbazone, Dp4e4mT: effects on anti-proliferative efficacy, redox activity, oxy-myoglobin and oxy-hemoglobin oxidation. Chemical Science, 15 (3), 974-990. doi: 10.1039/d3sc05723b

Differential transmetallation of complexes of the anti-cancer thiosemicarbazone, Dp4e4mT: effects on anti-proliferative efficacy, redox activity, oxy-myoglobin and oxy-hemoglobin oxidation

2024

Journal Article

Targeting lysosomes by design: novel N-acridine thiosemicarbazones that enable direct detection of intracellular drug localization and overcome P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-mediated resistance

Kaya, Busra, Smith, Henry, Chen, Yanbing, Azad, Mahan Gholam, M. Russell, Tiffany, Richardson, Vera, Bernhardt, Paul V., Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2024). Targeting lysosomes by design: novel N-acridine thiosemicarbazones that enable direct detection of intracellular drug localization and overcome P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-mediated resistance. Chemical Science, 15 (37), 15109-15124. doi: 10.1039/d4sc04339a

Targeting lysosomes by design: novel N-acridine thiosemicarbazones that enable direct detection of intracellular drug localization and overcome P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-mediated resistance

2023

Journal Article

Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series

Wijesinghe, Tharushi P., Kaya, Busra, Gonzálvez, Miguel A., Harmer, Jeffrey R., Gholam Azad, Mahan, Bernhardt, Paul V., Dharmasivam, Mahendiran and Richardson, Des R. (2023). Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66 (22), 15453-15476. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01612

Steric blockade of oxy-myoglobin oxidation by thiosemicarbazones: structure–activity relationships of the novel PPP4pT series

2023

Journal Article

Innovative thiosemicarbazones that induce multi-modal mechanisms to down-regulate estrogen-, progesterone-, androgen- and prolactin-receptors in breast cancer

Shehadeh-Tout, Faten, Milioli, Heloisa H., Roslan, Suraya, Jansson, Patric J., Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Graham, Dinny, Anderson, Robin, Wijesinghe, Tharushi, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Richardson, Des R. and Kovacevic, Zaklina (2023). Innovative thiosemicarbazones that induce multi-modal mechanisms to down-regulate estrogen-, progesterone-, androgen- and prolactin-receptors in breast cancer. Pharmacological Research, 193 106806, 1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106806

Innovative thiosemicarbazones that induce multi-modal mechanisms to down-regulate estrogen-, progesterone-, androgen- and prolactin-receptors in breast cancer

2023

Journal Article

Designing tailored thiosemicarbazones with bespoke properties: the styrene moiety imparts potent activity, inhibits heme center oxidation, and results in a novel “Stealth Zinc(II) Complex”

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Kaya, Busra, Wijesinghe, Tharushi, Gholam Azad, Mahan, Gonzálvez, Miguel A., Hussaini, Mohammad, Chekmarev, Jason, Bernhardt, Paul V. and Richardson, Des R. (2023). Designing tailored thiosemicarbazones with bespoke properties: the styrene moiety imparts potent activity, inhibits heme center oxidation, and results in a novel “Stealth Zinc(II) Complex”. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66 (2), 1426-1453. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01600

Designing tailored thiosemicarbazones with bespoke properties: the styrene moiety imparts potent activity, inhibits heme center oxidation, and results in a novel “Stealth Zinc(II) Complex”

2022

Journal Article

The thiosemicarbazone, DpC, broadly synergizes with multiple anti-cancer therapeutics and demonstrates temperature- and energy-dependent uptake by tumor cells

Dharmasivam, Mahendiran, Azad, Mahan Gholam, Afroz, Rizwana, Richardson, Vera, Jansson, Patric J. and Richardson, Des R. (2022). The thiosemicarbazone, DpC, broadly synergizes with multiple anti-cancer therapeutics and demonstrates temperature- and energy-dependent uptake by tumor cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects, 1866 (8) 130152, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130152

The thiosemicarbazone, DpC, broadly synergizes with multiple anti-cancer therapeutics and demonstrates temperature- and energy-dependent uptake by tumor cells

2022

Journal Article

Thiosemicarbazones reprogram pancreatic cancer bidirectional oncogenic signaling between cancer cells and stellate cells to suppress desmoplasia

Richardson, D. R., Azad, M Gholam, Afroz, R., Richardson, V. and Dharmasivam, M. (2022). Thiosemicarbazones reprogram pancreatic cancer bidirectional oncogenic signaling between cancer cells and stellate cells to suppress desmoplasia. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 14 (13), 1005-1017. doi: 10.4155/fmc-2022-0050

Thiosemicarbazones reprogram pancreatic cancer bidirectional oncogenic signaling between cancer cells and stellate cells to suppress desmoplasia

2021

Journal Article

The relationship of glutathione-s-transferase and multi-drug resistance-related protein 1 in nitric oxide (No) transport and storage

Russell, Tiffany M., Azad, Mahan Gholam and Richardson, Des R. (2021). The relationship of glutathione-s-transferase and multi-drug resistance-related protein 1 in nitric oxide (No) transport and storage. Molecules, 26 (19) 5784, 1-27. doi: 10.3390/molecules26195784

The relationship of glutathione-s-transferase and multi-drug resistance-related protein 1 in nitric oxide (No) transport and storage

Availability

Dr Mahan Azad is:
Available for supervision

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Enquiries

Contact Dr Mahan Azad directly for media enquiries about:

  • Cancer
  • Desmoplasia
  • Inflammation
  • Metastasis

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