Overview

Dr. Salhia is an Associate Professor in the Department of Translational Genomics at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and a member of the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Salhia is a translational genomics scientist with extensive knowledge and expertise in mechanisms that underlie tumorigenesis and tumor biology. She merges cutting edge genomics/epigenomics analyses with cell biological and functional studies towards the investigation of clinically relevant problems in human cancer. During her graduate training, she focused on understanding the molecular and cellular determinants of glioma invasion. Her post-doctoral work focused on the genomics and epigenomics of breast cancer metastasis and multiple myeloma. She also characterized the function of AKT1(E17K) in breast cancer and performed immunophenotypic analysis of breast cancer in North Africa. She has led and continues to lead numerous DNA methylation studies using a plethora of both array and sequencing based technologies to measure whole genome and targeted CpG methylation changes in a variety of cancer types. Dr. Salhia utilizes these data to develop DNA methylation liquid biopsies. Her lab is in the process of validating a DNA methylation liquid biopsy for breast cancer recurrence which would indicate patients with evidence of micrometastatic residual disease that are therefore likely to experience a recurrence. Dr. Salhia’s lab also has research efforts in experimental therapeutics of brain metastasis by utilizing patient-derived xenografts and cell lines to identify novel treatment methods for this dismal disease.

Finally, Dr. Salhia finds it extremely important to connect with the people her research is attempting to serve. She has volunteered with the Arizona Myeloma Network, The Wellness Community, and Susan G. Komen affiliate in Phoenix. She has travelled to Egypt as a US Delegate with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise awareness about breast cancer and she has worked with underserved minorities on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. She served as a Community Outreach Ambassador and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Arizona between 2012-2016. She has received numerous community awards including a service award by the Arizona Myeloma Network. She was also named one of 20 Faces of Komen in 2012 and 2013 and in June 2014 was the recipient of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 award.