Sam Thiagalingam, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of 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.

Publications

  • Published 5/9/2025

    Nohesara S, Mostafavi Abdolmaleky H, Dickerson F, Pinto-Tomas AA, Jeste DV, Thiagalingam S. Associations of microbiome pathophysiology with social activity and behavior are mediated by epigenetic modulations: Avenues for designing innovative therapeutic strategies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2025 Jul; 174:106208. PMID: 40350003.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/1/2025

    Nohesara S, Mostafavi Abdolmaleky H, Pirani A, Pettinato G, Thiagalingam S. The Obesity-Epigenetics-Microbiome Axis: Strategies for Therapeutic Intervention. Nutrients. 2025 May 01; 17(9). PMID: 40362873.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 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 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 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

View All 67 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

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

Websites

Education

  • Johns Hopkins University, PhD
  • Bowling Green State University, MS
  • University of Jaffna, BSc

View all profiles