Salma Khan

Dr. Salma Khan is an Associate Research Professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Medicine, Otolaryngology & Head/Neck Surgery, and the Biochemistry Division within Basic Sciences. With a background as a gynecologist in Bangladesh, she transitioned to cancer research after witnessing patients suffering from untreated cancers, particularly focusing on developing early diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Khan's research interests center on cancer biology with a specific focus on thyroid cancer health disparities, exosome research, survivin protein function, and biomarker development. She has developed expertise in protein purification, mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, exosome isolation, confocal microscopy, and various molecular biology techniques. Her work bridges molecular pathology with clinical applications, particularly in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes.

Her publication record shows a clear progression from early work on breast cancer epigenetics to current research on thyroid cancer disparities, with a consistent thread of investigating survivin and exosome-related mechanisms across cancer types. Recent publications focus on differential expression of miRNAs, vitamin D binding protein, and oncoproteins like Enigma in thyroid cancer disparities between ethnic groups, particularly Filipino Americans who show higher incidence and mortality rates.

Dr. Khan has secured significant research funding including NIH/NIGMS P20MD001632 as a key person and serves as PI for the Division of Head & Neck Research fund and Riverside University Health System grants. She has been instrumental in developing research protocols, mentoring students, and contributing to the Cancer Center at Loma Linda University.

As an educator, Dr. Khan has taught Cancer Biology since 2009 and various graduate courses including Cellular Mechanisms and Integrated System II. Her teaching extends to grant writing workshops and clinical data analysis for young physicians. She is actively involved in university committees including the University Faculty Council, Basic Science Faculty Council, Cancer Center, and Women in Medicine.