Welcome to my personal and professional space! My name is Prajish Iyer, and I am a dedicated Associate Research Scientist with a robust background in biomedical oncology research. Currently based at Columbia University, New York, I bring a wealth of experience and expertise to cancer research, focusing particularly on genetic, transcriptomic, and metabolic abnormalities in aggressive lymphoid cancers.
My academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from B.K. Birla College of Arts, Science & Commerce in Mumbai, India. I then pursued a Master’s degree in Biochemistry at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, followed by a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from ACTREC Tata Memorial Cancer Centre, Navi Mumbai, India. During my graduate studies, I focused on understanding the functional role of genomic alterations in gallbladder cancer, a critical step towards improving patient outcomes.
Staff Scientist at City of Hope National Medical Center, CA, LA
From February 2022 to 2025, I worked as a Staff Scientist at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Monrovia, CA. My research centered on understanding the aggressive transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into Richter’s transformation (RT). I have been involved in understanding the role of mitochondrial OXPHOS in Richter's transformation, as well as the PD1 response in RT patients.
Post-doctoral Research Fellow at City of Hope National Medical Center, CA.
From February 2018 to 2022, I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Monrovia, CA. My research centered on understanding the aggressive transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into Richter’s transformation (RT). I generated and validated in vivo murine models using Crispr-Cas9 and conducted comprehensive metabolic analyses. My work has been presented at prestigious conferences, including the ASH Annual Meeting and the AACR Annual Meeting.
Graduate Student Researcher at Tata Memorial Cancer Centre, Mumbai, India.
Before my postdoctoral work, I was a Graduate Student Researcher at Tata Memorial Cancer Centre in Mumbai, where I conducted groundbreaking research on gallbladder cancer. My studies provided the first evidence supporting an association between non-typhoidal Salmonella species and gallbladder cancer, adding a new dimension to the genetic model of gallbladder carcinogenesis.