Protein kinase CK2 has emerged as a major signal involved in diverse cellular functions of health and disease and may be a universal target for cancer drug development. Dr. Ahmed began his investigation of CK2 in studies of prostate cancer and has subsequently studied CK2 involvement in head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. He was first to characterize CK2's intracellular phosphorylation signaling mechanism and then delineated the role of CK2 as a suppressor of cell death, including apoptosis or programmed cell death, in normal and neoplastic cells. The latter activity of CK2 is now regarded as one of its most important functions. Ahmed's current research, in collaboration with fellow investigators at the VA Health Care System and private industry, focuses on studies of the mechanisms of CK2 regulation of cell death and on developing molecular therapeutic strategies using a nanomedicine approach for the treatment of prostate and other cancers.
