Tamer Saad Kaoud, PhD, PharmB

Research Program: Cancer Therapeutics Faculty Rank: Assistant Professor Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Pharmacy Department: Pharmaceutical Science

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: Breast, Brain, Melanoma, GI, Thoracic/ Lung
• Research Focus Area: Treatment, Detection, Carcinogenesis
• Type of Research: Translational
• Research Interest Statement: My laboratory investigates how channel-kinase signaling and cytoskeletal plasticity drive tumor progression, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. We define druggable control points linking ion conductance and kinase activity to cell-state transitions (EMT), focal-adhesion dynamics, and immunomodulatory programs. Using pre-steady-state enzymology, quantitative phosphoproteomics, HX-MS, cryo-EM, and CRISPR tiling, we map mechanisms and translate findings in patient-derived organoids (PDOs, PDO–PBMC co-cultures) and in vivo models. These studies guide optimization of kinase-inhibitor plus immunotherapy combinations and development of biomarker frameworks for patient selection and dosing. We also advance mechanism-guided tools for precision oncology. This builds on prior work in kinase-activity biosensors and covalent protein–protein interaction inhibitors effective in xenografts and PDOs. I bring sustained commitment to cancer research and team science, with roles at UT Austin, the LIVESTRONG Cancer Institute (Faculty Member, Molecular Oncology, 2022–2025), the Cancer Targeted Therapeutic Drug Discovery & Development Program (2015–2020), and CPRIT postdoctoral training (2013–2015). At UAMS, our mission is to turn mechanisms into medicines by delivering translational tools, validated biomarkers, and impactful combination strategies to improve outcomes for patients with aggressive cancers.

Contact Information

• Email Address: TKaoud@uams.edu
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Recent Publications

• Soleimani M, Duchow M, Goyal R, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) activity increases resistance of TNBC stem cells to metabolic stress. Life science alliance. 2025 8(3). PMID: 39814550.
• Sammons RM, Devkota AK, Kaoud TS, [et al.]. Steady State and Time-Dependent Fluorescent Peptide Assays for Protein Kinases. Current protocols. 2024 4(3):e998. PMID: 38439594.
• Postiglione AE, Adams LL, Ekhator ES, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Hydrogen peroxide-dependent oxidation of ERK2 within its D-recruitment site alters its substrate selection. iScience. 2023 26(10):107817. PMID: 37744034.
• Zhan X, Kaoud TS, Dalby KN, [et al.]. Arrestin-3-Dependent Activation of c-Jun N-Terminal Kinases (JNKs). Current protocols. 2023 3(9):e839. PMID: 37668419.
• Silva RP, Huang Y, Nguyen AW, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Identification of a conserved S2 epitope present on spike proteins from all highly pathogenic coronaviruses. eLife. 2023 12. PMID: 36942851.
• Sammons RM, Bohanon AL, Kowtha A, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. High-Throughput Assay for Identifying Diverse Antagonists of the Binding Interaction between the ACE2 Receptor and the Dynamic Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2. ACS infectious diseases. 2022 8(11):2259-2270. PMID: 36315931.
• Soleimani M, Somma A, Kaoud T, [et al.]. Covalent JNK Inhibitor, JNK-IN-8, Suppresses Tumor Growth in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Activating TFEB- and TFE3-Mediated Lysosome Biogenesis and Autophagy. Molecular cancer therapeutics. 2022 21(10):1547-1560. PMID: 35977156.
• Perry-Hauser NA, Kaoud TS, Stoy H, [et al.]. Short Arrestin-3-Derived Peptides Activate JNK3 in Cells. International journal of molecular sciences. 2022 23(15). PMID: 35955810.
• Zeng L, Kaoud TS, Zamora-Olivares D, [et al.]. Multiplexing the Quantitation of MAP Kinase Activities Using Differential Sensing. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2022 144(9):4017-4025. PMID: 35195411.
• Javanmardi K, Chou CW, Terrace CI, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Rapid characterization of spike variants via mammalian cell surface display. Molecular cell. 2021 81(24):5099-5111.e8. PMID: 34919820.
• Ramadan M, A M M Elshaier Y, Aly AA, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Development of 2'-aminospiro [pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline]-3'-carbonitrile derivatives as non-ATP competitive Src kinase inhibitors that suppress breast cancer cell migration and proliferation. Bioorganic chemistry. 2021 116:105344. PMID: 34598088.
• Baas BJ, Medellin BP, LeVieux JA, [et al., including Kaoud TS]. Kinetic and Structural Analysis of Two Linkers in the Tautomerase Superfamily: Analysis and Implications. Biochemistry. 2021 60(22):1776-1786. PMID: 34019384.