Deepak Nijhawan, M.D., Ph.D.

Deepak Nijhawan, M.D., Ph.D., is a physician-scientist and Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at UT Southwestern, with joint appointments in Biochemistry and Internal Medicine. He is internationally recognized for pioneering work in cancer biology, chemical genetics, and drug discovery. Dr. Nijhawan’s laboratory focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms of bioactive small molecules, leading to transformative insights into cellular processes and new therapeutic approaches.

After earning his B.A. in neuroscience from Northwestern University, Dr. Nijhawan completed an M.D./Ph.D. in biochemistry at UT Southwestern under the mentorship of Dr. Xiaodong Wang, where he made landmark contributions to the understanding of apoptosis. He then trained in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and in medical oncology and cancer genomics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he helped define a new class of cancer targets known as CYCLOPS genes.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Nijhawan has developed a novel forward genetic platform that has enabled the discovery of molecular targets for numerous anti-cancer compounds. His team has identified tumor-selective inhibitors, including novel molecular glues, inhibitors of DNA polymerases, endonucleases involved in transcriptional regulation, and first-in-class ribosome assembly inhibitors. These discoveries have resulted in five patents, the founding of two biotech companies, and preclinical development programs supported by both federal agencies and industry partnerships.

His groundbreaking work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award, the Harrington Discovery Institute Scholar Innovator Award, and the Seldin-Smith Award for Pioneering Research. Dr. Nijhawan continues to lead collaborative efforts at the intersection of chemical biology and translational oncology, advancing the next generation of cancer therapeutics.