Vishal Kothari

Principal Scientist- Immuno-Oncology Pliant Therapeutics

Research Expertise

molecular biology
cancer
Cancer Research
Oncology
Urology
Pharmacology (medical)
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Histology
Physiology
Surgery
Otorhinolaryngology
Radiation

About

Passionate team leader with a successful record of advancing therapeutic candidates from **discovery to FIH studies**. Extensive experience in **oncology,** **immune-oncology**, **discovery biology, drug discovery, assay development, biomarker discovery, translational research,** small molecule pharmacology, and functional genomics.

Publications

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Genomic hallmarks of localized, non-indolent prostate cancer.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature / Jul 24, 2018

Vasioukhin, V. (2018). Faculty Opinions recommendation of Genomic hallmarks of localized, non-indolent prostate cancer. [dataset]. In Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature. Faculty Opinions Ltd. https://doi.org/10.3410/f.727187920.793548720

Expressed Pseudogenes in the Transcriptional Landscape of Human Cancers

Cell / Jun 01, 2012

Kalyana-Sundaram, S., Kumar-Sinha, C., Shankar, S., Robinson, D. R., Wu, Y.-M., Cao, X., Asangani, I. A., Kothari, V., Prensner, J. R., Lonigro, R. J., Iyer, M. K., Barrette, T., Shanmugam, A., Dhanasekaran, S. M., Palanisamy, N., & Chinnaiyan, A. M. (2012). Expressed Pseudogenes in the Transcriptional Landscape of Human Cancers. Cell, 149(7), 1622–1634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.04.041

The Long Non-Coding RNA PCAT-1 Promotes Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation through cMyc

Neoplasia / Nov 01, 2014

Prensner, J. R., Chen, W., Han, S., Iyer, M. K., Cao, Q., Kothari, V., Evans, J. R., Knudsen, K. E., Paulsen, M. T., Ljungman, M., Lawrence, T. S., Chinnaiyan, A. M., & Feng, F. Y. (2014). The Long Non-Coding RNA PCAT-1 Promotes Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation through cMyc. Neoplasia, 16(11), 900–908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neo.2014.09.001

Analysis of Circulating Cell-Free DNA Identifies Multiclonal Heterogeneity of BRCA2 Reversion Mutations Associated with Resistance to PARP Inhibitors

Cancer Discovery / Aug 31, 2017

Quigley, D., Alumkal, J. J., Wyatt, A. W., Kothari, V., Foye, A., Lloyd, P., Aggarwal, R., Kim, W., Lu, E., Schwartzman, J., Beja, K., Annala, M., Das, R., Diolaiti, M., Pritchard, C., Thomas, G., Tomlins, S., Knudsen, K., Lord, C. J., … Feng, F. Y. (2017). Analysis of Circulating Cell-Free DNA Identifies Multiclonal Heterogeneity of BRCA2 Reversion Mutations Associated with Resistance to PARP Inhibitors. Cancer Discovery, 7(9), 999–1005. https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.cd-17-0146

DNA-PKcs-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation Drives Prostate Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Cancer Cell / Jul 01, 2015

Goodwin, J. F., Kothari, V., Drake, J. M., Zhao, S., Dylgjeri, E., Dean, J. L., Schiewer, M. J., McNair, C., Jones, J. K., Aytes, A., Magee, M. S., Snook, A. E., Zhu, Z., Den, R. B., Birbe, R. C., Gomella, L. G., Graham, N. A., Vashisht, A. A., Wohlschlegel, J. A., … Knudsen, K. E. (2015). DNA-PKcs-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation Drives Prostate Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Cancer Cell, 28(1), 97–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2015.06.004

Genomic Drivers of Poor Prognosis and Enzalutamide Resistance in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

European Urology / Nov 01, 2019

Chen, W. S., Aggarwal, R., Zhang, L., Zhao, S. G., Thomas, G. V., Beer, T. M., Quigley, D. A., Foye, A., Playdle, D., Huang, J., Lloyd, P., Lu, E., Sun, D., Guan, X., Rettig, M., Gleave, M., Evans, C. P., Youngren, J., True, L., … Alumkal, J. J. (2019). Genomic Drivers of Poor Prognosis and Enzalutamide Resistance in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer. European Urology, 76(5), 562–571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2019.03.020

Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK) as a Novel Mediator and Biomarker of Radioresistance in Human Breast Cancer

Clinical Cancer Research / Nov 30, 2016

Speers, C., Zhao, S. G., Kothari, V., Santola, A., Liu, M., Wilder-Romans, K., Evans, J., Batra, N., Bartelink, H., Hayes, D. F., Lawrence, T. S., Brown, P. H., Pierce, L. J., & Feng, F. Y. (2016). Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK) as a Novel Mediator and Biomarker of Radioresistance in Human Breast Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 22(23), 5864–5875. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-2711

MDM2 Inhibition Sensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells to Androgen Ablation and Radiotherapy in a p53-Dependent Manner

Neoplasia / Apr 01, 2016

Feng, F. Y., Zhang, Y., Kothari, V., Evans, J. R., Jackson, W. C., Chen, W., Johnson, S. B., Luczak, C., Wang, S., & Hamstra, D. A. (2016). MDM2 Inhibition Sensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells to Androgen Ablation and Radiotherapy in a p53-Dependent Manner. Neoplasia, 18(4), 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neo.2016.01.006

Androgen receptor as a mediator and biomarker of radioresistance in triple-negative breast cancer

npj Breast Cancer / Aug 18, 2017

Speers, C., Zhao, S. G., Chandler, B., Liu, M., Wilder-Romans, K., Olsen, E., Nyati, S., Ritter, C., Alluri, P. G., Kothari, V., Hayes, D. F., Lawrence, T. S., Spratt, D. E., Wahl, D. R., Pierce, L. J., & Feng, F. Y. (2017). Androgen receptor as a mediator and biomarker of radioresistance in triple-negative breast cancer. Npj Breast Cancer, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41523-017-0038-2

The Landscape of Prognostic Outlier Genes in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Clinical Cancer Research / Mar 31, 2016

Zhao, S. G., Evans, J. R., Kothari, V., Sun, G., Larm, A., Mondine, V., Schaeffer, E. M., Ross, A. E., Klein, E. A., Den, R. B., Dicker, A. P., Karnes, R. J., Erho, N., Nguyen, P. L., Davicioni, E., & Feng, F. Y. (2016). The Landscape of Prognostic Outlier Genes in High-Risk Prostate Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 22(7), 1777–1786. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-1250

Patient-Level DNA Damage and Repair Pathway Profiles and Prognosis After Prostatectomy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer

JAMA Oncology / Apr 01, 2016

Evans, J. R., Zhao, S. G., Chang, S. L., Tomlins, S. A., Erho, N., Sboner, A., Schiewer, M. J., Spratt, D. E., Kothari, V., Klein, E. A., Den, R. B., Dicker, A. P., Karnes, R. J., Yu, X., Nguyen, P. L., Rubin, M. A., de Bono, J., Knudsen, K. E., Davicioni, E., & Feng, F. Y. (2016). Patient-Level DNA Damage and Repair Pathway Profiles and Prognosis After Prostatectomy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer. JAMA Oncology, 2(4), 471. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.4955

Outlier Kinase Expression by RNA Sequencing as Targets for Precision Therapy

Cancer Discovery / Mar 01, 2013

Kothari, V., Wei, I., Shankar, S., Kalyana-Sundaram, S., Wang, L., Ma, L. W., Vats, P., Grasso, C. S., Robinson, D. R., Wu, Y.-M., Cao, X., Simeone, D. M., Chinnaiyan, A. M., & Kumar-Sinha, C. (2013). Outlier Kinase Expression by RNA Sequencing as Targets for Precision Therapy. Cancer Discovery, 3(3), 280–293. https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.cd-12-0336

KRAS Engages AGO2 to Enhance Cellular Transformation

Cell Reports / Feb 01, 2016

Shankar, S., Pitchiaya, S., Malik, R., Kothari, V., Hosono, Y., Yocum, A. K., Gundlapalli, H., White, Y., Firestone, A., Cao, X., Dhanasekaran, S. M., Stuckey, J. A., Bollag, G., Shannon, K., Walter, N. G., Kumar-Sinha, C., & Chinnaiyan, A. M. (2016). KRAS Engages AGO2 to Enhance Cellular Transformation. Cell Reports, 14(6), 1448–1461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.01.034

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of accelerated fracture healing by COX2 gene therapy

Bone / Apr 01, 2013

Lau, K.-H. W., Kothari, V., Das, A., Zhang, X.-B., & Baylink, D. J. (2013). Cellular and molecular mechanisms of accelerated fracture healing by COX2 gene therapy. Bone, 53(2), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2013.01.003

Pleiotropic Impact of DNA-PK in Cancer and Implications for Therapeutic Strategies

Clinical Cancer Research / Sep 13, 2019

Dylgjeri, E., McNair, C., Goodwin, J. F., Raymon, H. K., McCue, P. A., Shafi, A. A., Leiby, B. E., de Leeuw, R., Kothari, V., McCann, J. J., Mandigo, A. C., Chand, S. N., Schiewer, M. J., Brand, L. J., Vasilevskaya, I., Gordon, N., Laufer, T. S., Gomella, L. G., Lallas, C. D., … Knudsen, K. E. (2019). Pleiotropic Impact of DNA-PK in Cancer and Implications for Therapeutic Strategies. Clinical Cancer Research, 25(18), 5623–5637. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2207

HDAC inhibitor valproic acid enhances tumor cell kill in adenovirus‐HSVtk mediated suicide gene therapy in HNSCC xenograft mouse model

International Journal of Cancer / Aug 13, 2009

Kothari, V., Joshi, G., Nama, S., Somasundaram, K., & Mulherkar, R. (2009). HDAC inhibitor valproic acid enhances tumor cell kill in adenovirus‐HSVtk mediated suicide gene therapy in HNSCC xenograft mouse model. International Journal of Cancer, 126(3), 733–742. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.24700

Antisense Inhibition of Cyclin D1 in Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery / Aug 01, 2000

Nakashima, T., & Clayman, G. L. (2000). Antisense Inhibition of Cyclin D1 in Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 126(8), 957. https://doi.org/10.1001/archotol.126.8.957

CDKN1B Deletions are Associated with Metastasis in African American Men with Clinically Localized, Surgically Treated Prostate Cancer

Clinical Cancer Research / Jun 01, 2020

Faisal, F. A., Murali, S., Kaur, H., Vidotto, T., Guedes, L. B., Salles, D. C., Kothari, V., Tosoian, J. J., Han, S., Hovelson, D. H., Hu, K., Spratt, D. E., Baras, A. S., Tomlins, S. A., Schaeffer, E. M., & Lotan, T. L. (2020). CDKN1B Deletions are Associated with Metastasis in African American Men with Clinically Localized, Surgically Treated Prostate Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 26(11), 2595–2602. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-1669

DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Drives Prostate Cancer Progression through Transcriptional Regulation of the Wnt Signaling Pathway

Clinical Cancer Research / Sep 13, 2019

Kothari, V., Goodwin, J. F., Zhao, S. G., Drake, J. M., Yin, Y., Chang, S. L., Evans, J. R., Wilder-Romans, K., Gabbara, K., Dylgjeri, E., Chou, J., Sun, G., Tomlins, S. A., Mehra, R., Hege, K., Filvaroff, E. H., Schaeffer, E. M., Karnes, R. J., Quigley, D. A., … Feng, F. Y. (2019). DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Drives Prostate Cancer Progression through Transcriptional Regulation of the Wnt Signaling Pathway. Clinical Cancer Research, 25(18), 5608–5622. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2387

A Novel Role for DNA-PK in Metabolism by Regulating Glycolysis in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Clinical Cancer Research / Jan 24, 2022

Dylgjeri, E., Kothari, V., Shafi, A. A., Semenova, G., Gallagher, P. T., Guan, Y. F., Pang, A., Goodwin, J. F., Irani, S., McCann, J. J., Mandigo, A. C., Chand, S., McNair, C. M., Vasilevskaya, I., Schiewer, M. J., Lallas, C. D., McCue, P. A., Gomella, L. G., Seifert, E. L., … Knudsen, K. E. (2022). A Novel Role for DNA-PK in Metabolism by Regulating Glycolysis in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 28(7), 1446–1459. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-1846

A mouse model of prostate cancer bone metastasis in a syngeneic immunocompetent host

Oncotarget / Dec 03, 2019

Simons, B. W., Kothari, V., Benzon, B., Ghabili, K., Hughes, R., Zarif, J. C., Ross, A. E., Hurley, P. J., & Schaeffer, E. M. (2019). A mouse model of prostate cancer bone metastasis in a syngeneic immunocompetent host. Oncotarget, 10(64), 6845–6854. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.27317

High-throughput transcriptomic analysis nominates proteasomal genes as age-specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets in prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases / May 19, 2015

Zhao, S. G., Jackson, W. C., Kothari, V., Schipper, M. J., Erho, N., Evans, J. R., Speers, C., Hamstra, D. A., Niknafs, Y. S., Nguyen, P. L., Schaeffer, E. M., Ross, A. E., Den, R. B., Klein, E. A., Jenkins, R. B., Davicioni, E., & Feng, F. Y. (2015). High-throughput transcriptomic analysis nominates proteasomal genes as age-specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets in prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, 18(3), 229–236. https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2015.22

Driven to metastasize: Kinases as potential therapeutic targets in prostate cancer

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences / Jan 08, 2016

Feng, F. Y., & Kothari, V. (2016). Driven to metastasize: Kinases as potential therapeutic targets in prostate cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 473–475. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1522938113

DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Promotes Metastatic Pathways in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics / Oct 01, 2016

Alluri, P. G., Kothari, V., Speers, C., Feng, F., & Chinnaiyan, A. (2016). DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Promotes Metastatic Pathways in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 96(2), E598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.06.2127

Abstract 1851: Novel roles of DNA-PK in metabolic regulation in prostate cancer

Cancer Research / Jul 01, 2019

Dylgjeri, E., Goodwin, J., Shafi, A., Kothari, V., Zadra, G., Seifert, E., Feng, F., & Knudsen, K. (2019). Abstract 1851: Novel roles of DNA-PK in metabolic regulation in prostate cancer. Cancer Research, 79(13_Supplement), 1851–1851. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2019-1851

Abstract 2853: Investigating DNAPK as a biomarker and a novel therapeutic target in aggressive prostate cancer

Cancer Research / Aug 01, 2015

Kothari, V., Goodwin, J. F., Zhao, S., Davicioni, E., Karnes, J. R., Den, R. B., Mehra, R., Knudsen, K. E., & Feng, F. Y. (2015). Abstract 2853: Investigating DNAPK as a biomarker and a novel therapeutic target in aggressive prostate cancer. Cancer Research, 75(15_Supplement), 2853–2853. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2015-2853

Abstract LB-264: Preclinical evaluation of DNA-PK as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer

Cancer Research / Jul 01, 2017

Dylgjeri, E., Goodwin, J. F., McNair, C. M., Shafi, A. A., Kothari, V., Feng, F., Rathkop, D., & Knudsen, K. (2017). Abstract LB-264: Preclinical evaluation of DNA-PK as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer. Cancer Research, 77(13_Supplement), LB-264-LB-264. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2017-lb-264

Abstract LB-008: KRAS engages AGO2 to enhance cellular transformation

Cancer Research / Jul 15, 2016

Shankar, S., Pitchiaya, S., Malik, R., Kothari, V., Hosono, Y., Yocum, A. K., Gundlapalli, H., White, Y., Firestone, A., Cao, X., Dhanasekaran, S. M., Stuckey, J., Bollag, G., Shannon, K., Walter, N., Kumar-Sinha, C., & Chinnaiyan, A. M. (2016). Abstract LB-008: KRAS engages AGO2 to enhance cellular transformation. Cancer Research, 76(14_Supplement), LB-008-LB-008. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2016-lb-008

Abstract LB-010: Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK): A novel target for radiosensitization that is independently prognostic in triple-negative breast cancers

Cancer Research / Jul 15, 2016

Speers, C., Santola, A., Zhao, S. G., Liu, M., Kothari, V., Wilder-Romans, K., Lawrence, T. S., Brown, P. H., Pierce, L. J., & Fang, F. Y. (2016). Abstract LB-010: Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK): A novel target for radiosensitization that is independently prognostic in triple-negative breast cancers. Cancer Research, 76(14_Supplement), LB-010-LB-010. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.am2016-lb-010

Genomic Hallmarks and Structural Variation in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Cell / Jul 01, 2018

Quigley, D. A., Dang, H. X., Zhao, S. G., Lloyd, P., Aggarwal, R., Alumkal, J. J., Foye, A., Kothari, V., Perry, M. D., Bailey, A. M., Playdle, D., Barnard, T. J., Zhang, L., Zhang, J., Youngren, J. F., Cieslik, M. P., Parolia, A., Beer, T. M., Thomas, G., … Feng, F. Y. (2018). Genomic Hallmarks and Structural Variation in Metastatic Prostate Cancer. Cell, 174(3), 758-769.e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.06.039

Mechanism-centric regulatory network identifies NME2 and MYC programs as markers of Enzalutamide resistance in CRPC

Nature Communications / Jan 08, 2024

Panja, S., Truica, M. I., Yu, C. Y., Saggurthi, V., Craige, M. W., Whitehead, K., Tuiche, M. V., Al-Saadi, A., Vyas, R., Ganesan, S., Gohel, S., Coffman, F., Parrott, J. S., Quan, S., Jha, S., Kim, I., Schaeffer, E., Kothari, V., Abdulkadir, S. A., & Mitrofanova, A. (2024). Mechanism-centric regulatory network identifies NME2 and MYC programs as markers of Enzalutamide resistance in CRPC. Nature Communications, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44686-5

Experience

Northwestern University - Chicago

Research Assistant Professor / February, 2019Present

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