We are delighted to announce that Dr. Maen Abdelrahim, MD, Ph.D., Pharm B, Associate Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Associate Clinical Member, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Director, Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics, Research Institute, has taken over as Section Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Transplant Oncology and Cancer Nursing Care” in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694). 

Dr. Maen Abdelrahim is a gastrointestinal medical oncologist and transplant oncologist attending to patients with upper and lower GI malignancies in addition to malignancies treated by liver transplantation. He is the section chief of GI medical oncology leading GI cancer care at Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center with a focus on clinical trial Phase II/III in GI malignancies. Dr. Abdelrahim serves as the medical director of the Cockrell Center for Advanced Therapeutics where he oversees the Phase I program at Houston Methodist Hospital and Neal Cancer Center. He is a principal investigator on multiple clinical trials with a focus on chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy in GI malignancies. His translational research is focused on developing new mechanism-based drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. He has identified for the first time a new structural class of compounds that can target selective transcription factors that is now recognized as a candidate for the development of new anticancer drugs. The lead compound of this class reached Phase I clinical trial to treat patients with GI cancers.

Dr. Maen Abdelrahim's research has pinpointed a number of compounds that inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis, in part by inducing proteasome-dependent degradation of selected Sp proteins in cancer cells and tumors. The lead compound of this class (Tolfenamic acid) has reached Phase I clinical trial to treat patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine and radiation therapy. Dr. Abdelrahim has a patent application submitted for the new use of these compounds in GI cancers. In prior research, he was the first to discover that Sp4 protein is overexpressed in GI cancers, including pancreatic cancer, and that the role of Sp4 can be equally as important as Sp1 in some types of GI cancers.

Researchers in cancer have the ultimate responsibility of taking their findings to the clinic, which is described as translational research. By seeing GI cancer patients in his practice, collaborating with translational scientists in the lab and conducting and directing clinical trials, Dr. Maen Abdelrahim hopes to continue to fuel the translational research cycle from lab to clinic and back to the lab. Dr. Abdelrahim has published more than 220 original research articles, abstracts, review articles, and book chapters in prestigious journals and publishing groups. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, European Society for Medical Oncology, and International Liver Transplant Society. He is the site principal investigator for the Southwest Oncology Cooperative Group at Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center.

Dr. Maen Abdelrahim completed his pharmacy degree followed by a Ph.D. and graduate work in the field of pharmacology and toxicology from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. He obtained his medical degree from Texas A&M University, completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine, and a fellowship in medical oncology at Duke University.

The following is a short Q&A with Dr. Maen Abdelrahim, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area:

1. What appealed to you about Cancers that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?
What drew me to Cancers is its emphasis on openness and novelty in research by publishing studies on clinical translations, and basic science topics associated with cancer research. As an Editorial Board Member, reviewer, and contributor to Cancers, I have found it to be the best resource for information on the problems that affect oncology. One of those platforms that aid in guiding research in the right direction is Cancers; as well as guiding research in the right direction, Cancers’ emphasis on publishing results from around the world with the same enthusiasm strikes me as being the aspect that most closely aligns with my way of thinking. Publishing meaningful negative results with the same enthusiasm as positive results is another aspect of Cancers.

2. What is your vision for Cancers?
In the years to come, I hope to see Cancers serve as a forum for researchers and oncologists to share their knowledge and research findings. My goal is to make a difference in the field of cancer research by opening doors for fresh ideas and giving them the chance to present their work without just focusing on experiments' positive and negative outcomes. I would see this as a chance to inspire and encourage researchers to explain the reasoning behind their research and will make sure to add my expertise to every research or study I undertake.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
It is a well-known fact that the number of cancer patients has been increasing over the years; deaths from this disease are very visible, and these numbers are expected to rise further in the coming years. According to statistics, implementing cancer prevention strategies can prevent half to two-thirds of all cancer cases. Once the potential of this field is realized, the battle against cancer will be half won, and lethal exposure to existing cancer therapies will be eliminated. As a result, it is critical to prioritize cancer research and expand its reach.

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?
In my opinion, there should be no obstacles between science and readers. It should be open to all with no restrictions. Furthermore, as this research field gains traction, it would benefit a larger population if the progress was transparent and accessible to all newcomers in this field.

We warmly welcome Dr. Maen Abdelrahim to his new role as Section Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to him leading Cancers to many more milestones.