Dhara Shah
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Phone: 602-543-1209
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Arizona State University - West campus 4701 W. Thunderbird Road Glendale, AZ 85306
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Mail code: 2352Campus: West
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Shah’s research interests are in the field of enzymology, chemical biology and metabolomics. Her research focuses on enzymes involved in a variety of metabolic pathways found in human microbiome and in various human cancers. She is particularly interested in kinetic and mechanistic studies of the reactions catalyzed by these enzymes. Understanding basics of reaction catalyzed by these enzymes can enable development of tools to engineer a beneficial microbiome and to combat different types of cancers.
Postdoctoral Fellow. Brown University (2014-2017).
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
My research focuses on enzymes involved in a variety of metabolic pathways found in human microbiome and in various human tumors. A description is below:
1. Human Microbiome: Human microbiome produces many unexplored metabolites. These metabolites can have variety of functions. These include: 1. Metabolites produced by one microbe that can either be beneficial or deterimental to another microbe of human microbiome or to the host. 2. Different microbes that can join forces to make a particular metabolite which can influence host metabolism.
Metabolites produced by the microbiome are built by enzymes. The enzymes can either arise from one single continuous metabolic pathway or can come from multiple metabolic pathways. These can be in the form of two or more pathways merging from two different microbes. Understanding the metabolic pathways and enzymatic activities can enable development of tools to engineer a beneficial microbiome.
2. Cancer Biology: A malignant tumour can enhance its growth in two ways: (i) It can exploit certain inherent metabolites (generally produced by human host) to their advantage. Certain type of cancers are highly dependent on such metabolites. (ii) By modifying the outcome of a particular enzymatic reaction that produces a metabolite. For example, a mutation in an enzyme can change the output of the enzymatic activity and now will produce a completely different metabolite as an end product, which will be utilized prominently by cancer cells to their advantage or this metabolite can have detrimental effect to the human host. Understaning the basic nature of these enzyme catalyzed reactions can help in developing tools to combat different types of cancers.
- Dhara D. Shah, Young-OK You and David E. Cane (2017). Stereospecific Formation of E- and Z-Disubstituted Double Bonds by Dehydratase Domains from Modules 1 and 2 of the Fostriecin Polyketide Synthase. J. Am. Chem. Soc. (JACS) 139,14322-14330.
- Book chapter: Dhara D. Shah and Graham R. Moran (2015). 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase and Hydroxymandelate Synthase: 2-Oxo Acid-Dependent Oxygenases of Importance to Agriculture and Medicine. 2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Oxygenases, RSC metallobiology series vol 3, Schofield C. J. and Hausinger R. P. Eds.438-457.
- Brett A. Beaupre, Brenton R. Carmichael, Matthew R. Hoag, Dhara D. Shah and Graham R. Moran (2013) Renalase is an a-NAD(P)H Oxidase/Anomerase. J. Am. Chem. Soc. (JACS) 135,13980-13987. Article featured in JACS spotlights.
- Dhara D. Shah, John A. Conrad and Graham R. Moran (2013) Intermediate Partitioning Kinetic Isotope Effects for the NIH shift of 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase and the Hydroxylation Reaction of Hydroxymandelate Synthase Reveal Mechanistic Complexity. Biochemistry 52,6097-6107.
- Dhara D. Shah, John A. Conrad, Brian Heinz, June M. Brownlee and Graham R. Moran (2011) Evidence for the Mechanism of Hydroxylation by 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase and Hydroxymandelate Synthase from Intermediate Partitioning in Active Site Variants. Biochemistry 50,7694-7704.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BCH 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
BCH 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BCH 493 | Honors Thesis |
CHM 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
CHM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
CHM 493 | Honors Thesis |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
CHM 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
BCH 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
BCH 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BCH 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
BCH 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BCH 493 | Honors Thesis |
CHM 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
CHM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
CHM 493 | Honors Thesis |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
BCH 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
CHM 392 | Intro to Research Techniques |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
LSC 493 | Honors Thesis |
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
LSC 493 | Honors Thesis |
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
LSC 493 | Honors Thesis |
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
2021 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
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FOR 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
LSC 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
LSC 486 | Peer Mentoring in STEM |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
LSC 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BCH 371 | Modern Concepts Biochemist |
BCH 372 | Modern Concepts Biochemist Lab |
Scientist (Immuno-Oncology), Agios Pharmaceuticals (April 2018-August 2019)