Dr. Dinesh Kumar Ahirwar is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University. Before joining Ohio State University, he completed his post-doctoral training from School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. His major research focus is to understand how tumor cells hijack surrounding stromal cells, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells, to acquire invasive and metastatic properties. Using genetically modified and spontaneous tumor mouse models, he has shown that cancer associated fibroblasts-derived inflammatory molecule CXCL12 enhances tumor cell intravasation by increasing vascular permeability and expansion of a leaky tumor vasculature, resulting in metastasis to the lungs. Dr. Ahirwar is utilizing pro/anti-inflammatory molecules to develop various immune-based strategies against aggressive and metastatic tumors. Other areas of interest includes clinically relevant in-vivo tumor model development, racial disparity in breast cancer and effect of induced Electric Fields on tumor cells.