Dr. Umar obtained his Ph.D. in 1993 from the Department of Biochemistry, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India. His research over this period involved in vitro culture and biochemical studies on exo-erythrocytic stages of rodent malarial parasite. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Umar started working as Research Scientist at Wockhardt Biotechnology Research Center, Aurangabad, India and in 1995, he came to United States as a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Bio-immunotherapy at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. His research during this period was focused on understanding the role of CD38 (a cell surface glycoprotein & a differentiation marker) in facilitating early detection of acute promyelocytic leukemia. After two years, Dr. Umar moved to UTHSC, Houston in 1997 to join division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition as Research Associate where he later became Instructor and Research Assistant Professor. During his stay at UTHSC, Dr. Umar was instrumental in successful characterization of a mouse model of hyperproliferation/hyperplasia (Tansmissible Murine Colonic Hyperplasia, TMCH). In December, 2003, Dr. Umar joined the Division of Gastroenterology in the Department of Internal Medicine at UTMB. His current research interests are to understand how pro-inflammatory cytokines and dietary fiber regulate nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and b-catenin mediated increases in cell census in the absence and presence of chronic inflammation and subsequent mucosal priming for neoplasia.

Umar S, Scott J, Sellin J.H., Dubinsky W.P., Morris A.P. Murine colonic mucosa hyperproliferation: 1) Elevated CFTR expression and enhanced cAMP-dependent Cl secretion. Am J Physiol 278:G753-G764, 2000. 2. Umar S, Scott J, Sellin J.H., Morris A.P. Murine colonic mucosa hyperproliferation: 2) PKC-b activation and cPKC mediated cellular CFTR over-expression. Am J Physiol 278:G765-G774, 2000. 3. Umar S., Sellin J.H., Morris A.P. Increased nuclear translocation of catalytically active PKC-z during colonic hyperplasia: possible role in regulating proliferation of mouse colonic epithelial cells. Am J Physiol 279:G223-G227, 2000. 4. Sellin J.H., Umar S., Xiao J., Morris A.P. Increased b-catenin expression and nuclear translocation accompany cellular hyperproliferation in vivo. Cancer Research 61:2899-2906, 2001. 5. Umar S, Morris A.P., Kourouma F., Sellin J.H. Dietary pectin and calcium inhibit colonic proliferation in vivo by differing mechanisms. Cell Proliferation 36:361-375, 2003. 6. Umar S, Wang Y, Sellin JH. (2005). Epithelial proliferation induces novel changes in APC expression. Oncogene 24: 6709-6718. 7. Wang Y, Kourouma F, Guang-Sheng X, Umar S. (2006) Citrobacter rodentium-induced NF-kB activation in hyperproliferating colonic epithelia: role of p65 (Ser536) phosphorylation. British Journal of Pharmacology, 148:814-824. 8. Umar S, Wang Y, Morris AP, Sellin JH. (2007) Dual alterations in casein kinase 1e and GSK-3b modulate b-catenin stability in hyperproliferating colonic epithelia. Am. J. Physiol. 292: G599-G607.

Address:	301 University Blvd., Galveston, Tx. 77555-0764
Email:	shumar@utmb.edu
Office:	409-772-1501