Sam Thiagalingam, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine
Biography
Dr. Thiagalingam is an expert cancer geneticist and was the first to show that SMAD4 inactivation is a critical event during the late stages of colon cancer progression. He was a lead researcher in the team that first identified a family of five novel SMAD genes. He also proposed a simple minded multi-modular molecular network (MMMN) cancer progression model as a road map to visualize the various gene alterations in modules of networks of pathways. Recently, his studies found that intact hyperactive TGFß-Smad signaling is required to sustain “epigenetic memory” responsible for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical step during conversion to malignant cancer. His long-term goal is to identify novel cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets by contributing to the “big picture” of interconnected network of events that mediate cancer progression to metastasis using breast and colon cancers as the model systems. In addition to studying the various aspects of cancer, Dr. Thiagalingam has also been interested in taking an interdisciplinary approach to studying epigenomics of other complex diseases such as schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Recent studies by the lab found that there is asymmetric expression of many genes involved in the TGFB super family signaling pathways and those known to establish left-right asymmetry in SCZ and BD. Research efforts are ongoing to correlate epigenomic alterations in SCZ and BD to pathogenesis to identify effective therapeutic targets and agents.
Other Positions
- Associate Professor, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center, Boston University
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
- Member, Genome Science Institute, Boston University
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
Education
- Johns Hopkins University, PhD
- Bowling Green State University, MS
- University of Jaffna, BSc
Publications
- Published on 2/17/2025
Nohesara S, Mostafavi Abdolmaleky H, Pettinato G, Pirani A, Thiagalingam S, Zhou JR. IUPHAR review: Eating disorders, gut microbiota dysbiosis and epigenetic aberrations. Pharmacol Res. 2025 Mar; 213:107653. PMID: 39970995.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/13/2025
Abdolmaleky HM, Nohesara S, Zhou JR, Thiagalingam S. Epigenetics in evolution and adaptation to environmental challenges: pathways for disease prevention and treatment. Epigenomics. 2025 Apr; 17(5):317-333. PMID: 39948759.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/17/2024
Nohesara S, Abdolmaleky HM, Dickerson F, Pinto-Tomás AA, Jeste DV, Thiagalingam S. Maternal Gut Microbiome-Mediated Epigenetic Modifications in Cognitive Development and Impairments: A New Frontier for Therapeutic Innovation. Nutrients. 2024 Dec 17; 16(24). PMID: 39770976.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/30/2024
Nohesara S, Mostafavi Abdolmaleky H, Thiagalingam S. Substance-Induced Psychiatric Disorders, Epigenetic and Microbiome Alterations, and Potential for Therapeutic Interventions. Brain Sci. 2024 Jul 30; 14(8). PMID: 39199463.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/7/2024
Abdolmaleky HM, Nohesara S, Thiagalingam S. Epigenome Defines Aberrant Brain Laterality in Major Mental Illnesses. Brain Sci. 2024 Mar 07; 14(3). PMID: 38539649.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/18/2024
Nohesara S, Abdolmaleky HM, Thiagalingam S. Potential for New Therapeutic Approaches by Targeting Lactate and pH Mediated Epigenetic Dysregulation in Major Mental Diseases. Biomedicines. 2024 Feb 18; 12(2). PMID: 38398057.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/14/2023
Nohesara S, Abdolmaleky HM, Zhou JR, Thiagalingam S. Microbiota-Induced Epigenetic Alterations in Depressive Disorders Are Targets for Nutritional and Probiotic Therapies. Genes (Basel). 2023 Dec 14; 14(12). PMID: 38137038.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/13/2023
Nohesara S, Abdolmaleky HM, Thiagalingam S, Zhou JR. Gut microbiota defined epigenomes of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases reveal novel targets for therapy. Epigenomics. 2024 Jan; 16(1):57-77. PMID: 38088063.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/24/2023
Nohesara S, Abdolmaleky HM, Thiagalingam S. Epigenetic Aberrations in Major Psychiatric Diseases Related to Diet and Gut Microbiome Alterations. Genes (Basel). 2023 Jul 24; 14(7). PMID: 37510410.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/12/2023
Abdolmaleky HM, Martin M, Zhou JR, Thiagalingam S. Epigenetic Alterations of Brain Non-Neuronal Cells in Major Mental Diseases. Genes (Basel). 2023 Apr 12; 14(4). PMID: 37107654.
Read at: PubMed
View 55 more publications: View full profile at BUMC