Krishna P. Bhat, Ph.D.

Location

Contact

SUMMARY

Krishna P. Bhat, Ph.D., uses a multipronged approach to explain the genetic, molecular and immunological basis of glioblastoma (GBM), a malignant brain cancer that is incurable.

Focus areas

• Radiation resistance in glioma stemlike cells (GSCs). This project investigates the mechanistic underpinnings of transcriptional plasticity and mesenchymal phenotype in GSCs and evaluates how these traits contribute to radioresistance. New pharmacological inhibitors that block mesenchymal differentiation will also be tested as radiosensitizers in mouse models of gliomas.
• Interaction of myeloid cells, cancer cells and the central nervous system. Dr. Bhat's lab uses single-cell multi-omics technologies to decipher the components of the brain tumor microenvironment. Mechanisms underlying inflammation, phagocytosis in myeloid cells, and their role in regulating tumor growth are currently being studied along with information from high-dimensional data.
• Developing liquid biopsies for brain cancer. Dr. Bhat's lab is examining transcriptomic signatures from tumor-educated platelets and blood-derived cell-free DNA methylation patterns as a liquid biopsy platform to monitor GBMs.

Significance to patient care

Despite aggressive standard-of-care treatments, including concurrent chemoradiation, people with GBM ultimately relapse and die of this disease. Dr. Bhat's long-term goal is to understand GBM at the molecular and cellular levels. He uses state-of-the-art technologies and applies resulting knowledge to develop new therapeutic strategies and biomarkers for individuals with brain cancer.

Professional highlights

• Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2016-present.
• Member, editorial board, Neuro-Oncology, 2015-present.
• Member, American Association for Cancer Research, 2013-present.
• Interdisciplinary Translational Education and Research Training Outstanding Mentorship Award, Division of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020.
• Excellence in Adult Basic Science Research Award, Society for Neuro-Oncology, 2010.