Information

Membership Number: FCA3111

Membership Type: Fellowship

Division: Engineering and Applied Sciences

Corresponding Email: malek@tums.ac.ir; dr.reza.malekzadeh@gmail.com

Personal Statement: I am a Professor and Director of Digestive Disease Research Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. I founded this institute in the year 2000 as a research centre and expanded it to an institute in 2012. My main field of interest are digestive oncology, and chronic disease with special interest in prevention of NCD. I have supervised and conducted several epidemiological and clinical studies. I have established the first large-scale cohort study in the Middle East and North Africa (the Golestan Cohort Study). I have successfully secured internal and external funding for this large study and several other studies. I have been initiator of several collaborative studies with national and international institutions within the Golestan Cohort or as independent studies. I am also a member of 20 large scale international collaborative studies. As cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, and other chronic diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Iran, I have been interested in investigating the environmental and the genetic risk factors of chronic disease and metabolic syndrome.  For this reason, I have started the Pars (Southern Iran) and Golestan (Northern Iran) Cohort Studies and several other studies including clinical trials, case control and ecologic studies. We have collected detailed data and biological samples from cohort subjects and patients with cancer, CVD, chronic liver disease especially HBV, NAFLD/NASH in my research institute. I have also established two very large size pragmatic randomized control trial of healthy life style and PolyPill for prevention of CVD and other NCD nested within the Golestan and pars cohort.

I have also established Persian Cohort, which include all seven ethnicities of Iran with 200,000-sample size from 20 provinces of Iran.

Present and Previous Positions

Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Kargar Shomali Avenue, Shariati Hospital

Fields of Scholarship and Research Interests

I. Establishing Population-Based Cancer Registries in Iran

As Director of the Digestive Disease Research Center (DDRC), I established new population-based cancer registries in Northern Iran in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Center for Disease Control at the Iranian Ministry of Health, and local universities of medical sciences.

The first registry was established in Ardabil, in northwestern Iran. The Ardabil Cancer Registry is currently managed by Ardabil University of Medical Sciences under the supervision of DDRC and has been a member of the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR) since 2005. This registry was later extended eastward to cover Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan provinces. These northern provinces were selected for two main reasons: (1) the high incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancers reported in the region, and (2) the availability of cancer registry data dating back to the 1970s.

Another center was subsequently established in Kerman Province in south-central Iran to serve as a comparison site for cancer risk relative to the northern registries. Collectively, these five provinces represent a population of approximately 9.5 million (about 16% of Iran’s total population) and encompass three of the country’s major ethnic groups: Persian, Azari Turk, and Turkmen. All registries are currently managed by local universities of medical sciences.

Selected Publications:

1. Roshandel G, Ferlay J, …, Malekzadeh R, Bray F. Cancer in Iran 2008 to 2025: Recent incidence trends and short-term predictions of the future burden. Int J Cancer. 2021;149(3):594–605.

2. Roshandel G, Ghanbari-Motlagh A, Partovipour E, Malekzadeh R. Cancer incidence in Iran in 2014: Results of the Iranian National Population-Based Cancer Registry. Cancer Epidemiol. 2019;61:50–58.

3. Fitzmaurice C, Allen C, …, Malekzadeh R, Zenebe ZM, Murray CJ, Naghavi M. Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality… 1990–2015: GBD Study. JAMA Oncol. 2016.

4. Roshandel G, Boreiri M, Sadjadi A, Malekzadeh R. A diversity of cancer incidence and mortality in West Asian populations. Ann Glob Health. 2014;80(5):346–357.

5. Mohagheghi MA, Mosavi-Jarrahi A, Malekzadeh R, Parkin M. Cancer incidence in Tehran metropolis: The first report from the Tehran Population-Based Cancer Registry, 1998–2001. Arch Iran Med. 2009;12(1):15–23.

6. Roshandel G, Sadjadi A, Aarabi M, Keshtkar A, Sedaghat SM, …, Malekzadeh R. Cancer incidence in Golestan Province: Report of an ongoing registry, 2004–2008. Arch Iran Med. 2012;15(4):196–200.

7. Bashash M, Yavari P, Hislop TG, Shah A, Sadjadi A, …, Malekzadeh R, Bajdik C. Comparison of British Columbia (Canada) and Ardabil (Iran) populations… gastric and esophageal cancer survival. J Gastrointest Cancer. 2011;42(1):40–45.

8. Sadjadi A, Malekzadeh R, Derakhshan MH, Sepehr A, Nouraie M, …, Alimohammadian M. Cancer occurrence in Ardabil: Results of a population-based registry. Int J Cancer. 2003;107(1):113–118.

II. Identifying Opium Use and Hot Tea Consumption as Major Risk Factors for Cancer

As Principal Investigator and Director of the DDRC at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2000–2020), I led research that identified opium use and drinking very hot tea as two major risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Golestan Province—one of the world’s highest-risk regions.

To advance this work, I established the Atrak Clinic, a referral center for upper GI diseases in Gonbad (Golestan Province), and initiated collaborations with international partners including the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), IARC, Karolinska Institute, University of Toronto, and University of Cambridge.

Although previous researchers suspected these risk factors, they lacked conclusive evidence. Through a meticulously designed case–control study followed by the Golestan Cohort Study, using validated questionnaires and standardized methods to measure tea temperature and opium use, we demonstrated that these were indeed the most important risk factors for ESCC in Golestan. This body of evidence directly influenced IARC/WHO to publish monographs on the carcinogenicity of opium and very hot beverages.

Selected Publications:

• IARC Monographs Vol 126 Group. Carcinogenicity of opium consumption. Lancet Oncol. 2020;21(11):1407–1408.

• Sheikh M, Shakeri R, Poustchi H, Pourshams A, …, Malekzadeh R. Opium use and subsequent incidence of cancer: Results from the Golestan Cohort Study. Lancet Glob Health. 2020;8(5):e649–e660.

• Sheikh M, Poustchi H, Pourshams A, …, Malekzadeh R. Individual and combined effects of environmental risk factors for oesophageal cancer: Golestan Cohort Study. Gastroenterology. 2019;156(5):1416–1427.

• Islami F, Pourshams A, Nasrollahzadeh D, …, Malekzadeh R, Boffetta P. Tea drinking habits and oesophageal cancer in a high-risk area in northern Iran. BMJ. 2009;338:b929.

• Kamangar F, Shakeri R, Malekzadeh R, Islami F. Opium use: An emerging risk factor for cancer? Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(2):e69–77.

• Nasrollahzadeh D, Kamangar F, Aghcheli K, …, Malekzadeh R. Opium, tobacco, and alcohol use in relation to ESCC in a high-risk area of Iran. Br J Cancer. 2008;98(11):1857–1863.

III. Establishing the Golestan Cohort Study

The Golestan Cohort Study (GCS) is the largest prospective adult cohort study in the Middle East and North Africa, enrolling 50,000 participants with a 98% follow-up success rate over 20 years. As the Principal Investigator, I collaborated with NCI/NIH (USA), Cambridge University (UK), and IARC/WHO.

GCS has yielded important findings on cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and served as the foundation for the PolyIran Trial, a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial assessing lifestyle interventions and the polypill for NCD prevention.

Selected Publications:

• Pourshams A, Khademi H, Malekshah AF, …, Malekzadeh R. Cohort Profile: The Golestan Cohort Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2010;39(1):52–59.

• Mitter SS, Vedanthan R, Islami F, …, Malekzadeh R. Household fuel use and cardiovascular disease mortality: Golestan Cohort Study. Circulation. 2016;133(24):2360–2369.

• Eslamparast T, Sharafkhah M, Poustchi H, …, Malekzadeh R. Nut consumption and mortality: Golestan Cohort Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2016.

• Sepanlou SG, Sharafkhah M, Poustchi H, …, Malekzadeh R. Hypertension and mortality: Golestan Cohort Study. J Hum Hypertens. 2016;30(4):260–267.

• Hashemian M, Poustchi H, Abnet CC, …, Malekzadeh R. Dietary minerals and risk of ESCC: Golestan Cohort Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(1):102–108.

• Ostovaneh MR, Poustchi H, Hemming K, …, Malekzadeh R. PolyIran: Design of a pragmatic trial for CVD prevention. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2015;22(12):1609–1617.

IV. Clinical Trials of Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Liver Disease

I established a clinical research group in collaboration with biologists to initiate clinical trials of mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cell therapy for end-stage and metabolic liver diseases. These pioneering trials represent one of the first systematic efforts globally to explore stem cell applications in chronic liver disease.

Selected Publications:

• Mohamadnejad M, Vosough M, Moossavi S, …, Malekzadeh R, Baharvand H. Intraportal infusion of bone marrow mononuclear or CD133+ cells in decompensated cirrhosis: RCT. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2016;5(1):87–94.

• Katoonizadeh A, Poustchi H, Malekzadeh R. Hepatic progenitor cells in liver regeneration: Clinical perspectives. Liver Int. 2014;34(10):1464–1472.

• Mohamadnejad M, Alimoghaddam K, Bagheri M, …, Malekzadeh R. Randomized placebo-controlled trial of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in cirrhosis. Liver Int. 2013;33(10):1490–1496.

• Gholamrezanezhad A, Mirpour S, Bagheri M, …, Malekzadeh R. In vivo tracking of labeled mesenchymal stem cells in advanced cirrhosis. Nucl Med Biol. 2011;38(7):961–967.

V. Contributions to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study

I actively contributed to the GBD 2010, 2013, and 2015 studies, the largest epidemiologic assessments of disease burden worldwide. As a collaborator from the Middle East, I provided data from Iran and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Collectively, our work produced 59 publications in The Lancet. I served as corresponding author on eight key papers, including analyses of cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and Iran’s health system.

Selected Publications (Corresponding Author):

1. Health system performance in Iran: GBD 2019. Lancet. 2022;399(10335):1625–1645.

2. Burden of colorectal cancer: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019.

3. Burden of oesophageal cancer: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5:582–597.

4. Burden of inflammatory bowel disease: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019.

5. Burden of pancreatic cancer: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019.

6. Burden of stomach cancer: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019.

7. Burden of cirrhosis by cause: GBD 2017. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020.

8. Danaei G, Farzadfar F, …, Malekzadeh R. Iran in transition. Lancet. 2019;393(10184):1984–2005.

Honors, Awards and Other Membership

1980: Top Medical School Graduate, Shiraz University 

1987: Distinguished Achievement Award by the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education for three years of valuable service as Chancellor of Shiraz University 

1993: Distinguished Achievement Award by the President of Iran for four years of valuable service in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education

2002: Razi Award for editorship of Archives of Iranian Medicine as the best Iranian Medical Journal.

2003: Avicenna award from Tehran University Medical Science (TUMS) for establishing the best Research center, Digestive Disease Research Center (DDRC).

2003: Permanent Personages Award in the Third Permanent Personages (Chehrehaye Mandegar) session [This national award is given to the most outstanding and memorable characters in Iran].

2004: Distinguished Researcher Award from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Iran.

2007: Razi Award for being selected as the Top Clinical Scientist of Iran.

2008 : Selected By TUMS as Distinguished Professor of Medicine.

2008-2009: Razi award by the Iranian president as the first-ranked clinical sciences in Iran. 

2011 up to now: Included in the top 1% world highly cited scientists in clinical Medicine in the Essential Science Indicators. 

2011: Highest International Prof Yalda Award for Distinguished Teaching, Research, Ethical and Responsibility in Medical Sciences.

2012: Allameh Tabatabaei Award by the Iranian Elite Foundation for achievement as the First Clinician Scientist ranked in 1% ESI. 2015: National Cancer Award from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

2018: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) Medal of Honor for outstanding contribution in research on cancer.

2020: Best teacher Award from the Medical School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Administrative Posts

1982-1983: Assistant Dean, Medical School, Shiraz University, Iran

1983-1984: Vice Chancellor of Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

1984-1987: Chancellor of Shiraz University, Iran, Shiraz, Iran.

1989-1991: Deputy Minister for Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

1991-1993: Minister of Health and Medical Education, I.R Iran

1997 -2001: Secretary of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences

2003-2010: Vice President for Research, Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences

2011-2012: Director, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

2013-2020: Deputy Minister for Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

Editorial activity

Founder &Editor in Chief, Archives of Iranian Medicine (AM)

Founder & Editor in Chief Middle East Journal of Digestive Disease(MEJDD)

Founder & editorial Board Member, Govaresh Journal (Persian)

Reviewers for several national & international Journals.

Professional Organizations

1990 up to now: Member of the International Association for the Study of the Liver (IASL)

1994 up to now: Member of the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA)

1996 up to now: Member of the European Association for Gastroenterology & Endoscopy (EAGE)

2001 up to now: Member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)

1991 to 2001: Founder & Secretary of the Iranian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

2002-up to now: President of the Iranian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

1979 up to now: Member of the Iranian Society of Physicians

1985-2005: Counsellor of the Iranian Board of Internal Medicine

1986-1990: Counsellor of the Research Council of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

1990-1992: Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the University of Medical Sciences in Iran

1990 -2001: Vice President of the Iranian College of Internal Medicine

1990-1993: Counsellor of the Iranian Council of Medical Specialty Training

1992-1995: Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences

1993 up to now: Counsellor of the Board of Trustees of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

1996 up to now: Permanent Member of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences

2004: Elected fellow of the Academy of Sciences of Developing Countries (TWAS)

2006 to 2010: President Iranian College of Internal Medicine societies

2007: Honorary professor of medicine, Medical School, University of Birmingham UK

2007: Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) 

Selected Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VMjnaEYAAAAJ&hl=en 

Other Information

Reza Malekzadeh  CV 2024.docx

Acceptance letter.docx