Sobia Zaidi

Experimental biologist with extensive postdoctoral research experience in cancer biology, biomarkers and metabolic diseases. Strong foundation in translational research, molecular biology and cell signaling. Strong publication record in high-impact peer reviewed journals (Citations- 946; h-index-14; i10 index-18). Reviewer in 7 peer reviewed journals with experience in teaching undergrad and master students. Adept at driving impactful projects, fostering collaborations and adaptable to evolving research needs.

• Defective insulin clearance plays a primary role in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease in mice with null deletion of Ceacam2 gene. Kumarasamy, s., Belew, G., Portuphy, A., Abdolahipour, R., Zaidi, S., ... Najjar, S. M., et al., Biorxiv 2025 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.23.690002
• Diminished CEACAM1 level plays a critical role in age-related hepatic fibrosis. Zaidi, S., et al., Mech Ageing Dev. 2025 Dec;228:112122.
• Conditional deletion of CEACAM1 causes hepatic stellate cell activation, Muturi, H. M., Ghadieh, H.,..... Zaidi, S., et al., Molecular Metabolism, 2024-10-01, 88, 102010
• Loss of CEACAM1 in hepatocytes causes hepatic fibrosis with insulin resistance, Zaidi, S., Asalla, S., ... Najjar, S.N. et al., European J Clinical Investigation, 2024-01-01, 10.1111/eci.14177
• Regulation of Insulin Clearance by Non-Esterified Fatty Acids, Najjar, S. N., Abdolahipour, R., Zaidi, S., et al., Biomedicines, 2022-08-05, 10, 8, 1899, 10.3390/biomedicines10081899
• Mechanisms and clinical significance of TGF-ß in hepatocellular cancer progression, Zaidi, S., Gough, N., Mishra, L., Advances in Cancer Research, 2022-01-01, 156, 227-248
• DETECT: DEvelopment of Technologies for Early HCC deTection, Benhammou, J. N., Rich, N. E, Zaidi, S., Rinaudo, J. S., Gastroenterology, 2022-07-01, 163, 1, 21-27
• Using quantitative immunohistochemistry in patients at high risk for hepatocellular cancer, Zaidi, S., Amdur, R. et al., Genes Cancer, 2022-01-01, 13, 9-20
• Impaired Reciprocal Regulation between SIRT6 and TGF-β Signaling in Fatty Liver, Xiang, X., Ohshiro, K., Zaidi, S., et al., FASEB J., 2022-06-01, 36, 6, e22335
• Β-Spectrin (SPTBN1) Deficiency Protects from High-Fat Diet-Induced Liver Disease and Cancer Development, Rao, S., Yang, X., Ohshiro, K., Zaidi, S., et al., Science Translational Medicine, 2021-01-01, 10.1126/scitranslmed.abk2267
• Mutated CEACAMs Disrupt Transforming Growth Factor Beta Signaling and Alter the Intestinal Microbiome to Promote Colorectal Carcinogenesis, Gu, S., Zaidi, S.*, Hassan, M.I., Mohammad, T., Malta, T. M., et al., Gastroenterology, 2020-01-01, 158, 1, 238-252, 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.09.023
• A Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals High-Frequency Genetic Alterations in Mediators of Signaling by the TGFβ Superfamily, Korkut, A., Zaidi, S., Kanchi, R.S., Rao, S., et al., Cell Syst, 2018-10-24, 7, 4, 422-437.e7, 10.1016/j.cels.2018.08.010
• Analysis of Genomes and Transcriptomes of Hepatocellular Carcinomas Identifies Mutations and Gene Expression Changes in the Transforming Growth Factor beta Pathway, Chen, J., Zaidi, S., Rao, S., Chen, J.S., et al., Gastroenterology, 2018-01-01, 154, 1, 195-210, 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.09.007
• Transforming Growth Factor-b in Liver Cancer Stem Cells and Regeneration, Rao, S., Zaidi, S., Banerjee, J., Jogunoori, W., Sebastian, R., Mishra, B., Nguyen, B-N., Wu, R. C., White, J., Deng, C., Amdur, R., Li, S., Mishra, L., Hepatology Communications, 2017-01-01, 1, 6, 477-493
• PRAJA is overexpressed in glioblastoma and contributes to neural precursor development, Shin, J., Mishra, V., Glasgow, E., Zaidi, S., Ohshiro, K., Chitti, B., Kapadia, A.A., Rana, N., Mishra, L., Deng, C.X., Rao, S., Mishra, B., Genes Cancer, 2017-01-01
• Protein aggregation, misfolding and consequential human neurodegenerative diseases, Sami, N., Rahman, S., Kumar, V., Zaidi, S., et al., Int J Neurosci, 2017-01-01, 127, 11, 1047-1057
• Denatured states of yeast cytochrome c induced by heat and guanidinium chloride are structurally and thermodynamically different, Zaidi, S.* Haque, M. A. Ubaid-Ullah, S. Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., Batra, J. K., and Ahmad, F., J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2017-01-01, 35, 7, 1420-1435
• Characterizations of pre-molten globule state of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and its deletants at pH 6.0 and 25 C, Haque, M. A.*, Zaidi, S.*, Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., Batra, J. K., and Ahmad, F., Int J Biol Macromol, 2015-01-01, 72, 1406-1418
• Structural characteristics of stable folding intermediates of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c, Zaidi, S., Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., and Ahmad, F., Biomacromolecular Journal, 2015-01-01
• The role of key residues in structure, function, and stability of cytochrome-c, Zaidi, S., Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., and Ahmad, F., Cell Mol Life Sci, 2014-01-01, 71, 229-255
• Effect of sequential deletion of extra N-terminal residues on the structure and stability of yeast iso-1-cytochrome-c, Ubaid-Ullah, S.*, Haque, M. A.*, Zaidi, S.*, Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., Batra, J. K., Singh, T. P., and Ahmad, F., J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2014-01-01, 32, 12, 2005-2016
• In vitro and in silico studies of urea-induced denaturation of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c and its deletants at pH 6.0 and 25 C, Haque, M. A.*, Ubaid-Ullah, S.*, Zaidi, S.* Prakash, A., Hassan, M. I., Islam, A., Batra, J. K., and Ahmad, F., J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2014-01-01, 33, 1493-1502

(*These authors contributed equally to this work)

2021–2025 

- Insulin resistance and Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

- Aging induced liver fibrosis 

2016-2021 

- Novel pathways in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of HCC 

- Pathway specific functional biomarkers for the early detection of liver cancer c

- Studies to determine the role of β2SP and Smad3 in the DNA damage response. 

- Genomic analyses of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) samples and HCC mouse models to identify and validate the effects of the changes in the TGF-β pathway in HCC and identify potential therapeutic targets. 

- Cross talk between Sirtuins and TGF-β signaling in liver steatosis and proliferation 

2010 – 2016 

- Role of Extra N-terminal Residues (-4 & -3) in the Folding and Stability of the Yeast Cytochrome- c.

• Senior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India, 2012-10-01, 2015-09-30
• Junior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India, 2010-10-01, 2012-09-30
• Qualified National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, 2010-06-01
• Qualified National Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), Department of Higher Education, Government of India, 2009-01-01
• Scholarships for Gold Medals in BSc, 2008
• Scholarships for Gold Medals in MSc, 2010

• Dr. Sonia M. Najjar, OHF John J. Kopchick Ph.D., Endowed Eminent Research Chair, Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701-2979, 740-593-2376, najjar@ohio.edu
• Dr. Md Imtaiyaz Hassan, Professor, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, mihassan@jmi.ac.in; imtiyaz.hassan@gmail.com
• Dr. Patricia Latham, Professor of Pathology, Professor of Medicine (Secondary), George Washington University, Washington, DC, (202)994-5057, platham@mfa.gwu.edu
• Dr. Shuyun Rao, Adjunct Professor of Surgery, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 202-741-3157, raoshuyun@gmail.com