Mikhail A. Nikiforov

Education

• M.S. Lomonosov Moscow State Universty (Russia), 1992
• B.S. Lomonosov Moscow State Universty (Russia), 1992
• Ph.D. University of Illinois, 1997

Positions

• Professor of Pathology
• Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Member of the Duke Cancer Institute

Courses Taught

• PATHOL 793: Research Independent Study
• BME 792: Continuation of Graduate Independent Study
• BME 791: Graduate Independent Study
• BME 644: Physiology for Engineers
• BME 590: Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering
• BME 494: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
• BME 493: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)

Publications

• Wu J, Yan Z, Burcher K, Han Z, Nikiforov MA, Vuligonda V, et al. IRX4204 sensitizes multiple myeloma to ferroptosis and improves lenalidomide efficacy through the HMOX1-GPX4 axis. Sci Rep. 2026 Mar 17;16(1).
• Yan Z, Han Z, Wang Y, Beus M, Zhang Y, Picado A, et al. Targeting STK17B kinase activates ferroptosis and suppresses drug resistance in multiple myeloma. Blood. 2026 Jan 1;147(1):48u201360.
• Maslov AA, Trageser NH, Kichina JV, Elamir H, Gardner E, Teaman F, et al. Inhibitors of De Novo Guanylate Biosynthesis Enhance the Potency of MAPK Cascade Inhibitors Against Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Dec 11;26(24).
• Wu J, Yan Z, Burcher K, Han Z, Nikiforov M, Vuligonda V, et al. RXR agonist IRX4204 induces ferroptosis in multiple myeloma via HMOX1/GPX4 axis and enhances lenalidomide efficacy. In: Blood. American Society of Hematology; 2025. p. 3950u20133950.
• Wu J, Zhou Y, Burcher K, Wirthlin L, Makepeace J, Noldner P, et al. RXR agonist IRX4204 enhances BCMA CAR-T-cell efficacy by suppressing ferroptosis via CHAC1 downregulation. In: Blood. American Society of Hematology; 2025. p. 3947u20133947.
• Maslov AA, Trageser NH, Kichina JV, Elamir H, Gardner E, Teaman F, et al. Inhibition of the RAC/PAK Signaling Axis Enhances the Potency of MAPK Cascade Inhibitors Against Uveal Melanoma. Biomolecules. 2025 Oct 7;15(10).
• Han Z, Yan Z, Ma Z, Wang Y, Beus M, Lu J, et al. Targeting ABCD1-ACOX1-MET/IGF1R axis suppresses multiple myeloma. Leukemia. 2025 Mar;39(3):720u201333.
• Xue G, Li X, Kalim M, Fang J, Jiang Z, Zheng N, et al. Clinical drug screening reveals clofazimine potentiates the efficacy while reducing the toxicity of anti-PD-1 and CTLA-4 immunotherapy. Cancer Cell. 2024 May 13;42(5):780-796.e6.
• Bouch RJ, Zhang J, Miller BC, Robbins CJ, Mosher TH, Li W, et al. Distinct inflammatory Th17 subsets emerge in autoimmunity and infection. J Exp Med. 2023 Oct 2;220(10).
• Wolff DW, Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Nikiforov MA. Compartmentalization and regulation of GTP in control of cellular phenotypes. Trends Mol Med. 2022 Sep;28(9):758u201369.
• Wolff DW, Deng Z, Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Foley CE, Han Z, Wang X, et al. Phosphorylation of guanosine monophosphate reductase triggers a GTP-dependent switch from pro- to anti-oncogenic function of EPHA4. Cell Chem Biol. 2022 Jun 16;29(6):970-984.e6.
• Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Wolff DW, Marston DJ, Deng Z, Han Z, Moparthy S, et al. Regulation of local GTP availability controls RAC1 activity and cell invasion. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 19;12(1):6091.
• Lipchick BC, Utley A, Han Z, Moparthy S, Yun DH, Bianchi-Smiraglia A, et al. The fatty acid elongase ELOVL6 regulates bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma. Blood Advances. 2021 Apr 13;5(7):1933u201346.
• Fink EE, Moparthy S, Bagati A, Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Lipchick BC, Wolff DW, et al. XBP1-KLF9 Axis Acts as a Molecular Rheostat to Control the Transition from Adaptive to Cytotoxic Unfolded Protein Response. Cell Reports. 2018 Oct;25(1):212-223.e4.
• Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Bagati A, Fink EE, Affronti HC, Lipchick BC, Moparthy S, et al. Inhibition of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor/polyamine biosynthesis axis suppresses multiple myeloma. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2018 Sep 10;128(10):4682u201396.
• Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Rana MS, Foley CE, Paul LM, Lipchick BC, Moparthy S, et al. Internally ratiometric fluorescent sensors for evaluation of intracellular GTP levels and distribution. Nature Methods. 2017 Oct;14(10):1003u20139.
• Bagati A, Bianchi-Smiraglia A, Moparthy S, Kolesnikova K, Fink EE, Lipchick BC, et al. Melanoma Suppressor Functions of the Carcinoma Oncogene FOXQ1. Cell Reports. 2017 Sep;20(12):2820u201332.