Publications

25. Al-Zahrani KN*, Langille ER, Nurtanto J, Obersterescu A, Teng K, Lowden C, Dessapt J, Chiu CH, Caldwell LV, Cook DP, Pérez-Castro MA, Berman JM, Tsai R, Bahcheli AT, Mbamalu G, Wu S, Narimatsu M, Lopes AG, Fotiadou I, Chan K, Zhang L, Bang KWA, Parsons MJ, Mourao L, Temel EI, McCulla L, Palavalasa S, Borowsky AD, Scheele CLGJ, Wahl DR, Jackson HW, Stewart KS, Fuchs E, Egan SE, Pujana MA, Reimand J, Wrana JL, and Schramek D*. Aneuploidy selects for the acquisition of driver genes in breast cancer. (Nature; Revised and Resubmitted. Preprint available at Research Square). 2026.

24. Aynaud MM, Caldwell L, Al-Zahrani KN, Bartucu S, Chan K, Obersterescu A, Ogunjimi AA, Zakoor K-R, Patel S, Padilla R, Jen M, Veniegas PM, Dewsi N, Yonathan F, Zhang L, Ayson-Fortunato A, Aquino A, Krzyzanowski P, Simpson J, Bartlett J, Lungu I, Wouters BG, Rini JM, Gekas M, Poutanen S, Pelletier L, Mazzulli T, and Wrana JL. Systematic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 reveals dynamics of variant mutagenesis and transmission in a large urban population. Nature Communications. 2024.

21. Martinez S, Wu S, Geuenich M, Malik A, Weber R, Woo T, Zhang A, Jang GH, Dervovic D, Al-Zahrani KN, Tsai R, Fodil N, Gros P, Gallinger S, Neely GG, Notta F, Sendoel A, Campbell K, Elling U, and Schramek D. In vivo CRISPR screens reveal SCAF1 and USP15 as drivers of pancreatic cancer. Nature Communications. 2024.

20. Lü Y, Cho S, Mukherjee S, Suarez CF, Gonzalez-Foutel NS, Malik A, Martinez S, Dervovic D, Oh RH, Langille E, Al-Zahrani KN, Hoeg L, Lin ZY, Tsai R, Mbamalu G, Rotter V, Ashton-Prolla P, Moffat J, Chemes LB, Gingras A-C, Oren M, Durocher D, and Schramek D. Genome-wide CRISPR screens identify novel regulator of wild-type and mutant p53 stability. Molecular Systems Biology. 2024.

19. Adler N, Bahcheli AT, Cheng KCL, Al-Zahrani KN, Slobodyanyuk M, Pellegrina D, Schramek D, and Reimand J. Mutational processes of tobacco smoking and APOBEC activity generate protein-truncating mutations in cancer genomes. Science Advances. 2023.

18. Kim H, Aliar K, Tharmapalan P, McCloskey CW, Kuttanamkuzhi A, Grünwald BT, Palomero L, Mahendralingam MJ, Waas M, Mer AS, Elliot MJ, Zhang B, Al-Zahrani KN, Langille ER, Parsons M, Narala S, Hofer S, Waterhouse PD, Hakem R, Haibe-Kains B, Kislinger T, Schramek D, Cescon DW, Pujana MA, Berman HK, and Khokha R. Differential DNA damage repair and PARP inhibitor vulnerability of the mammary epithelial lineages. Cell Reports. 2023. 

17. Langille E, Al-Zahrani KN, Ma Z, Liang M, Uuskula-Reimand L, Espin R, Teng K, Malik A, Bergholtz H, El Ghamrasni S, Afiuni-Zadeh S, Tsai R, Alvi S, Elia A, Lü Y, Oh RH, Kozma KJ, Trcka D, Narimatsu M, Liu JC, Nguyen T, Barutcu S, Loganathan SK, Bremner R, Bader GD, Egan SE, Cescon DW, Sørlie T, Wrana JL, Jackson HW, Wilson MD, Witkiewicz AK, Knudsen ES, Pujana MA, Wahl GM, and Schramek D. Loss of epigenetic regulation disrupts lineage integrity, induces aberrant alveogenesis and promotes breast cancer. Cancer Discovery. 2022. 

16. Yanchus CL, Drucker KL, Kollmeyer TM, Tsai R, Winick-Ng W, Liang M, Malik A, Pawling J, De Lorenzo SB, Ali A, Decker PA, Kosel ML, Panda A, Al-Zahrani KN, Jiang L, Browning JWL, Lowden C, Geuenich M, Hernandez JJ, Gosio JT, Ahmed M, Loganathan SK, Berman J, Trcka D, Michealraj KA, Fortin J, Carson B, Hollingsworth EW, Jacinto S, Mazrooei P, Zhou L, Elia A, Lupien M, He HH, Murphy DJ, Wang L, Abyzov A, Dennis JW, Maass PG, Campbell K, Wilson MD, Lachance DH, Wrensch M, Wiencke J, Mak T, Pennacchio LA, Dickel DE, Visel A, Wrana J, Taylor MD, Zadeh G, Dirks P, Eckel-Passow JE, Attisano L, Pombo A, Ida CM, Kvon EZ, Jenkins RB, and Schramek D. A non-coding single nucleotide polymorphism at 8q24 drives IDH1-mutant glioma formation. Science. 2022. 

15. Labrèche C, Cook DP, Abou-Hamad J, Pascoal J, Pryce BR, Al-Zahrani KN, and Sabourin LA. Periostin gene expression in Neu-positive breast cancer cells is regulated by a FGFR signaling cross-talk with TGFb/PI3K/AKT pathways. Breast Cancer Research. 2021.

14. Al-Zahrani KN, Abou-Hamad J, Pascoal JC, Labrèche C, Garland B, and Sabourin LA. AKT-mediated phosphorylation of Sox9 induces Sox10 transcription in a murine model of HER2-positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research. 2021.

13. Garland B, Delisle S, Al-Zahrani KN, Pryce BP, and Sabourin LA. The Ste20-like kinase – a Jack of all trades? Journal of Cell Science. 2021.

12. Pryce BP, Labrèche C, Hamoudi D, Abou-Hamad J, Al-Zahrani KN, Hodgins JJ, Boulanger-Piette A, Bossé S, Balog-Alvarez C, Frénette J, Ardolino M, Kornegay JN, and Sabourin LA. Muscle-specific deletion of SLK/Stk2 enhances p38 activity and myogenesis in mdx mice. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Cell Research. 2021.

11. Al-Zahrani KN, Abou-Hamad J, Cook DP, Pryce BR, Hodgins JJ, Labrèche C, Robineau-Charette P, de Souza CT, Bell JC, Auer RC, Ardolino M, Vanderhyden BC, and Sabourin LA. Loss of the Ste20-like kinase induces a basal/stem-like phenotype in HER2-positive breast cancers. Oncogene. 2020.

10. Al-Zahrani KN, Cook DP, Vanderhyden BC, and Sabourin LA. Assessing the efficacy of androgen receptor and Sox10 as independent markers of the triple-negative breast cancer subtype by transcriptome profiling. Oncotarget. 2018.

9. Ahmed S, Pryce BR, Al-Zahrani KN, and Sabourin LA. The LIM domain binding Protein 1, Ldb1, has distinct roles in Neu-induced mammary tumorigenesis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Cell Research. 2018.

8. Conway JC, Al-Zahrani KN, Pryce BR, Abou-Hamad J, and Sabourin LA. Transforming growth factor b-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition requires the Ste20-like kinase SLK independent of its catalytic activity. Oncotarget. 2017.

7. Pryce BR, Al-Zahrani KN, Dufresne S, Belkina N, Labrèche C, Patino-Lopez G, Frenette J, Shaw S, Sabourin LA. Deletion of the Ste20-like Kinase SLK, in skeletal muscle results in a progressive myopathy and muscle weakness. Skeletal Muscle. 2017.

6. Howe GA, Xiao H, Al-Zahrani KN, Hasim MS, Villeneuve J, Sekhon HS, Goss GD, Sabourin LA, Dimitroulakos, and Addison CL. Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitors in Combination with Erlotinib Demonstrate Enhanced Anti-Tumor Activity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. PLOS One. 2016.

5. Baron KD, Al-Zahrani KN, Conway J, Labrèche C, Storbeck CJ, Visvader JE, and Sabourin LA. Recruitment and activation of SLK at the leading edge of migrating cells requires Src family kinase activity and the LIM-only protein 4. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular Cell Research. 2015.

4. Al-Zahrani KN, Sekhon P, Tessier DR, Yockell-Lelievre J, Pryce BR, Baron KD, Howe GA, Sriram RK, Daniel K, Mckay M, Lo V, Quizi J, Addison CL, Gruslin A, and Sabourin LA. Essential role for the SLK protein kinase in embryogenesis and placental tissue development. Developmental Dynamics. 2014.

3. Storbeck CJ, Al-Zahrani KN, Sriram R, Kawesa S, O’Reilly P, Daniel K, McKay M, Kothary R, Tsilfidis C, and Sabourin LA. Distinct roles for the Ste20-like kinase SLK in muscle function and regeneration. Skeletal Muscle. 2013.

2. Al-Zahrani KN, Baron KD, and Sabourin LA. Ste20-like kinase SLK, at the crossroads: A matter of life and death. Cell Adhesion & Migration. 2013.

1. Quizi JL, Baron KD, Al-Zahrani KN, O’Reilly P, Sriram RK, Conway J, Laurin A-A, and Sabourin LA. SLK-mediated phosphorylation of paxillin is required for focal adhesion turnover and cell migration. Oncogene. 2012.