Gagan Deep

Gagan Deep, PhD, is a Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, with joint appointments in Gerontology and Geriatrics (Department of Internal Medicine), Urology, and the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He is actively affiliated with multiple research centers, including the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), Center for Redox Biology and Medicine (CRBM), Center for Addiction Research, and the Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention (CHAAP).

• Professor, Gerontology and Geriatrics, Internal Medicine
• Professor, Urology
• Professor, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
• Member, Center for Redox Biology and Medicine
• Member, Center for Addiction Research
• Member, Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Member, Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention

Dr. Deep holds a BS (1995), MS (1997), and PhD (2004), all from Kurukshetra University, India. His research is centered on discovering and validating non-toxic agents for cancer prevention and intervention, with strong mechanistic and translational focus.

His primary research interests include cancer chemoprevention, molecular cancer epidemiology, exosome-mediated metastasis, hypoxia in tumor microenvironment, and pre-metastatic niche formation. His lab investigates how hypoxic prostate cancer cells use exosomes to prepare distant sites for metastasis, aiming to develop early interventions. He also explores the role of TRP channels in gut microbiome modulation and the development of novel photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

The recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend combining chemical biology, nanomedicine, exosome signaling, and immunomodulatory cancer therapies. The work spans from basic molecular mechanisms to translational models, with applications in prostate cancer, melanoma, and neurodegeneration associated with opioid use.

Dr. Deep is actively involved in mentoring graduate students in the Cancer Biology PhD program and contributes to the educational mission of the institution. His lab, the Gagan Deep Lab, receives research funding to support pre-clinical and clinical studies focused on target validation and mechanistic evidence for cancer preventive agents. While specific grants are not listed, his affiliations with major centers suggest involvement in collaborative, NIH-funded research initiatives.

His laboratory is a key component of the cancer research ecosystem at Wake Forest, focusing on redox biology, exosome signaling, and tumor microenvironment. The lab bridges basic discovery with clinical translation, particularly in prostate cancer and chemoprevention strategies. It collaborates across disciplines, including chemistry, immunology, and regenerative medicine.