Chetan Oturkar

PhD

Cancers Treated:

Breast Ovarian

Specializing In:

Cellular and molecular biology Estrogen receptor signaling in breast and high-grade serous ovarian cancers

Research Interests:

ERβ-mutant p53-p73 signaling pathway in triple-negative breast cancer ERβ-mutant p53-FOXM1 signaling pathway in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

About Chetan Oturkar

Biography:

I am an expert researcher and currently a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. I pursued my PhD thesis research in biochemistry at the University of Pune, India, in 2011. 

To pursue my career in cancer biology, I joined as a postdoctoral fellow in the Das Laboratory at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2013. I studied the role of estrogen receptor alpha-beta (ERα and ERβ) interactions with wild-type as well as mutant p53 in breast, lung, and ovarian cancer. Using proximity ligation (PLA), co-immunoprecipitation, and the chromatin immunoprecipitation approach, I have successfully demonstrated the pro-vs. anti-tumorigenic role of ERβ in p53 status-dependent breast cancer. With this novel behavior of ERβ, we hypothesized that Tamoxifen, an FDA-approved drug, could be repurposed for the treatment of TNBC. In recognition of my work in Tamoxifen research at TNBC, the American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR) awarded me Young Investigator 2020.


Besides my work in the breast cancer area, I have pursued my interest in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGS-OvCa). I investigated the ERβ2-specific role in tumor development and metastasis. Using the molecular and bioinformatics approach, I have demonstrated the clinical significance of the ERβ2-Mutant p53-FOXM1 signaling axis in the tumor progression in HGS-OvCa.

Positions

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Research Assistant Professor
  • Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Background

Education and Training:

  • 2011 - PhD - Biochemistry, University of Pune, India
  • 2004 - MSc - Biochemistry, University of Pune, India

Professional Memberships:

  • American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
  • American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR)
  • Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI)

Honors & Awards:

  • 2020 - Young Investigator Award by American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research (AAISCR)
  • 2010 - Senior Research Fellowship by University Grant Commission, New Delhi, India
  • 2009 - Junior Research Fellowship by University Grant Commission, New Delhi, India

Publications

Full Publications list on PubMed

• Tzetzo SL, Kramer ED, Mohammadpour H, Kim M, Rosario SR, Yu H, Dolan MR, Oturkar C.C, Morreale BG, Bogner PN, Stablewski AB, Benavides FJ, Brackett CM, Ebos JML, Das GM, Opyrchal M, Nemeth MJ, Evans SS, Abrams SI. Downregulation of IRF8 in alveolar macrophages by G-CSF promotes metastatic tumor progression. iScience. 2024 Feb 10;27(3):109187. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109187.

• Scarpetti, L., Oturkar, C.C., Kuter, I., Juric, D., Shellocki, M., Malvarosa, G., Post, K., Isakoff, S., Wang, N., Nahedi, B., Oh, K., Das, G.M*., Bardia, A*. (2023). Therapeutic role of tamoxifen for triple negative breast cancer: leveraging the interaction between estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ) and mutant p53. The Oncologist, 28:358-363

• Oturkar, C.C.; Gandhi, N.; Rao, P.; Eng, K.H.; Miller, A.; Singh, P.K.; Zsiros, E.; Odunsi, K.O.; Das, G.M. (2022) Estrogen Receptor-Beta2 (ERβ2)–Mutant p53–FOXM1 Axis: A Novel Driver of Proliferation, Chemoresistance, and Disease Progression in High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC). Cancers, 14, 1120.

• Gandhi, N.; Oturkar, C.C.; Das, G.M. (2021) Estrogen Receptor-Alpha and p53 Status as Regulators of AMPK and mTOR in Luminal Breast Cancer. Cancers, 13, 3612.

• Mukhopadhyay, UK., Otukar,C.C.* (equal first author)., Adams, C., Wickramasekera, N., Bansal, S., Medisetty, R., Miller, A., Swetzig, WM., Silwal-Pandit, L., Borresen-Dale, Al., Creighton, C.J., Park J.H., Konduri, SD., Mukhopadhyay, a., Caradori., A, Omilian, A., Bshara, W., Kaipparettu, BA., Das, GM. (2019). TP53 status as a determinant of pro- versus anti-tumorigenic effects of estrogen receptor-beta in breast cancer. Journal of National Cancer Institute (JNCI), 111 (11):1202-1215