ASTRA 2025

Ashraf Zaman

Young Investigators, Garvan Institute of Medical Research

Dr Ashraf Zaman is a brain cancer researcher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, where he serves as Research and Biobank Officer in the Translational Genomics Program led by Prof Joseph Powell, and as a Conjoint Lecturer in Medicine at UNSW. He leads major efforts within the Garvan–St Vincent’s Brain Cancer Research Initiative, coordinating tumour banking and developing one of the world’s largest single-cell and spatial transcriptomic resources for brain cancer—spanning more than 200 tumours and 1.2 million cells.

His research centres on adult-type diffuse gliomas (glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma), with a particular focus on resolving their cellular and spatial complexity. His team has defined seven recurrent malignant cell states in adult-type diffuse gliomas, including a rare “astrocyte-like parental” population that underpins therapy resistance, tumour recurrence, and immune evasion. His group is advancing functional models—including patient-derived glioma stem cell lines and 3D bioprinted organoids —to directly test and therapeutically target these parental tumour cells.

Dr Zaman plays a pivotal role in multidisciplinary collaborations with neurosurgeons, oncologists, and pathologists, ensuring that discoveries flow seamlessly from theatre to laboratory and back to the clinic. His translational contributions include a preclinical study that led to the repurposing of an asthma drug, now trialled at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for patients with terminal brain cancer.
In addition to his research, Dr Zaman is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists and contributes actively to brain cancer foundations and tumour banks. His overarching goal is to transform the treatment of brain cancer by targeting the root tumour-initiating cells, ultimately improving survival and quality of life for patients confronting one of the most lethal cancers.