Research
After completing her PhD, Hasan joined the University of Pennsylvania as a postdoctoral research fellow in the chemistry department. She joined Harvard Medical School in 1982. [8] [1] Hasan worked with Alan Oseroff on antibody conjugate photosensitization of cells for receptor-based photolysis. [2] She showed it was possible to target sub-cellular structures by photosensitization. [2] [9] Hasan's scientific efforts are focused on photochemistry-based approaches (photodynamic therapy, or PDT) for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer and infection using targeted strategies, especially nanotechnology. [10] She has trained dermatologists, ophthalmologists, urologists, gynecologists and orthopedic surgeons. [2]
She demonstrated that benzoporphyrin derivatives could be used in the eye to eliminate subretinal vessels [11] . [2] She went on to discover Visudyne with Ursula Schmidt. [2] Visudyne is one of over thirty US patents held by Hasan. [2] She was inducted as a Fellow into the National Academy of Inventors in 2018 as a result of her many innovative inventions. She was appointed to professor of dermatology at HMS and MGH in 2009. [12] In 2011 she inaugurated what is now a part of ECOR as the founding director of the Office for Research Career Development at Massachusetts General Hospital. [13] [14]
She is targeting diseases such as leishmaniasis, mycobacterium tuberculosis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and cancers of the pancreas and skin . [13] Hasan's lab focusses on the photophysical and biological mechanisms of photodynamic therapy. [15] The overall strategy is to develop molecular mechanisms and optical imaging-based combination treatment regimens where one treatment arm involves light activation of certain near-infrared-absorbing chemicals. This is designed to identify various cellular and molecular targets for specific diseases and design constructs for optimal photochemical treatment effects. She leads a National Cancer Institute funded multi-national project focused on image-guided therapy for pancreatic and skin cancers. [16] [17] These include singlet oxygen formation, and cytokine secretion. [15] She also leads an international consortium developing low-cost technologies for image-guided photodynamic therapy of oral cancer in low resource settings, in addition to several investigator-initiated programs. [10]
The Hasan Lab runs several collaborative research projects: [18] [4]
- Small Molecule Enhancers of Photodynamic Therapy for Skin Cancer [19]
- Endoscopic Photodynamic and Combination Therapy for Local and Metastatic Pancreatic Tumors [20]
- Mechanism-Based Design of Combination Therapies for Pancreatic Cancer [21]
- Model-Based Dosimetry and Imaging for PDT [22]
Her leadership has included many senior roles, such as terms as the President of the American Society for Photobiology (ASP), Co-Chair and President of the International Photodynamic Association (IPA), Member of the Advisory Board for the Planning Committee of the European Society for Photobiology (ESP) and many Study Sections and grant review panels both for the US NIH as well as international funding panels. [23] She contributed to the 2014 book Photodynamic Therapy: From Theory to Application. [8] She also serves on the advisory board of Polythea. [24]
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