Nihal Ahmad is a Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he holds the Frederic E. Mohs Skin Cancer Research Chair. In the field of Medicine, his academic journey began with a B.S. in Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology in 1982, an M.S. in Chemistry in 1984, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1989, all from Lucknow University in India. He conducted postdoctoral training at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, starting as a Research Associate in 1996, advancing to Senior Research Associate, Instructor, and Assistant Professor by 2001. In 2002, he joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as Assistant Professor in Dermatology, promoted to Associate Professor in 2007 and full Professor in 2011.

Dr. Ahmad's research specializations center on the mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression, with a particular emphasis on skin cancer and melanoma. His investigations explore the roles of mitotic regulators such as polo-like kinases (PLKs) in melanocytic transformation and melanoma progression, as well as NAD+-dependent sirtuin proteins in cancer. He studies cancer prevention, interception, and experimental therapeutics using naturally occurring agents like resveratrol, vitamin E, selenium, and melatonin. Notable publications include "Green tea constituent epigallocatechin-3-gallate and induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human carcinoma cells" (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1997), "Resveratrol causes WAF-1/p21-mediated G1-phase arrest of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells" (Clinical Cancer Research, 2001), "Role of sirtuin histone deacetylase Sirt1 in prostate cancer" (Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2009), and "PLK1 and NOTCH Positively Correlate in Melanoma" (Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 2021). He has been honored with election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2023 and the Mohs Family Endowment. Dr. Ahmad co-leads the Cancer Prevention & Control program at the UW Carbone Cancer Center and trains graduate students in programs such as Molecular & Environmental Toxicology and Cellular & Molecular Pathology.

Professional Email: nahmad@dermatology.wisc.edu