Thymoquinone: a promising anti‑cancer drug from natural sources (review and perspectives).
Oncology-related literature
Cell and Cancer Biology — Mechanisms to translation
Gali‑Muhtasib Laboratory
American University of Beirut (AUB)Welcome to our lab
Hala Gali‑Muhtasib
Investigating DNA damage signalling, radiosensitization and natural‑product anticancer strategies with emphasis on p53‑dependent outcomes.
Principal Investigator
Hala Gali‑Muhtasib
Professor of Cell Biology, AUB
Hala Gali‑Muhtasib studies the cellular mechanisms by which DNA damage signalling controls tumour cell fate and how small molecules — notably natural products — can be harnessed for chemoprevention and therapy. She has authored numerous papers on thymoquinone and DNA damage responses.
Full profile →Research programmes
Four complementary programmes
01
Natural products and chemoprevention: thymoquinone biology
How do natural quinones such as thymoquinone provoke selective tumour cell death and modulate invasion, stemness and response to chemotherapy?
02
DNA‑PK, NHEJ and radiosensitization
Targeting DNA‑PK and classical NHEJ to increase tumour radiosensitivity — molecular basis and translational potential.
03
Chk1 signalling, p53 status and selective radiosensitization
Why Chk1 inhibition preferentially radiosensitises p53‑defective tumour cells and how that dependency can be exploited therapeutically.
04
p53‑status dependent apoptosis and senescence in therapy response
How p53 status steers tumour cells towards apoptosis, senescence or survival after genotoxic stress and the therapeutic implications.
Selected publications
Recent and defining work
2004↗2007↗2013↗2006 2001↗
Thymoquinone extracted from black seed triggers apoptotic cell death in human colorectal cancer cells via a p53‑dependent mechanism.
International Journal of Oncology
Thymoquinone reduces mouse colon tumor cell invasion and inhibits tumor growth in murine colon cancer models.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences / Open access (PMC)
Redox cycling of endogenous copper by thymoquinone leads to ROS‑mediated DNA breakage and consequent cell death.
Chemico‑Biological Interactions
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DNA‑PK: the major target for wortmannin‑mediated radiosensitization by the inhibition of DSB repair via NHEJ pathway.
International Journal of Radiation Biology
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