Dr Jimma Lenjisa

Dr Jimma Lenjisa

Research Assistant

School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

  • TAM Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) Inhibition: Lead the design, synthesis, and pharmacological characterization of novel inhibitors targeting the TAM family. Evaluated dual-action mechanisms encompassing antiproliferative effects and immune-mediated anticancer activity. (Completed 2022; Manuscript under review).
  • Next-Generation CDK4/6 Immunotherapy: Investigating the immunotherapeutic applications of a novel CDK4/6 inhibitor as a monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors or chemotherapy across various solid tumor models. (Patent Published; Manuscript in preparation).
  • Targeted CDK4 Strategies in Resistance: Investigating novel combination strategies utilizing selective CDK4 targeting to overcome drug resistance in advanced breast cancer subtypes. (Completed; Reported to industry sponsor; Manuscript in preparation).
  • CDK2 Inhibition in Malignancy: Evaluated the efficacy of the novel inhibitor AU14-5 against solid and hematological malignancies, focusing on cell cycle regulation and therapeutic potential. (Doctoral Thesis project completed 2020; Manuscript in preparation).

Year Citation
2025 Safaroghli-azar, A., Mekonnen, L. B., Hassankhani, R., Lenjisa, J., Basnet, S. K. C., Batayneh, H., . . . Wang, S. (2025). A novel CDK4 inhibitor for myeloid protection in chemotherapy-treated triple-negative breast Cancer. Investigational New Drugs, 43(3), 728-741.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2025 Mekonnen, L. B., Teo, T., Noll, B., Rahaman, M. H., Lenjisa, J., Basnet, S., . . . Wang, S. (2025). A brain-penetrant CDK4/6 inhibitor - AU3-14 shows robust anti-tumor efficacy against glioblastoma.. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie, 189(118340), 118340.
DOI Scopus3 Europe PMC2
2024 Abdalla-Aslan, R., Bonomo, P., Keefe, D., Blijlevens, N., Cao, K., Cheung, Y. T., . . . Nagano, C. (2024). Guidance on mucositis assessment from the MASCC Mucositis Study Group and ISOO: an international Delphi study. eClinicalMedicine, 73(102675), 102675-1-102675-12.
DOI Scopus15 WoS16 Europe PMC10
2024 Kasirzadeh, S., Lenjisa, J. L., & Wang, S. (2024). Targeting CDK2 to combat drug resistance in cancer therapy. Future Oncology, 20(39), 3325-3341.
DOI Scopus9 WoS11 Europe PMC6
2023 Fanta, B. S., Lenjisa, J., Teo, T., Kou, L., Mekonnen, L., Yang, Y., . . . Wang, S. (2023). Discovery of N,4-Di(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)pyrimidin-2-amine-Derived CDK2 Inhibitors as Potential Anticancer Agents: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Molecules, 28(7), 2951.
DOI Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC5
2023 Fanta, B. S., Mekonnen, L., Basnet, S. K. C., Teo, T., Lenjisa, J., Khair, N. Z., . . . Wang, S. (2023). 2-Anilino-4-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)pyrimidine-derived CDK2 inhibitors as anticancer agents: Design, synthesis & evaluation. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 80(117158), 117158.
DOI Scopus16 WoS16 Europe PMC10
2023 Safaroghli Azar, A., Emadi, F., Lenjisa, J., Mekonnen, L., & Wang, S. (2023). Kinase inhibitors: opportunities for small molecule anticancer immunotherapies. Drug Discovery Today, 28(5), 1-12.
DOI Scopus3 WoS4 Europe PMC1
2022 Anshabo, A. T., Bantie, L., Diab, S., Lenjisa, J., Kebede, A., Long, Y., . . . Wang, S. (2022). An Orally Bioavailable and Highly Efficacious Inhibitor of CDK9/FLT3 for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers, 14(5), 1113.
DOI Scopus13 WoS11 Europe PMC10
2020 Bantie, L., Tadesse, S., Likisa, J., Yu, M., Noll, B., Heinemann, G., . . . Wang, S. (2020). A first-in-class CDK4 inhibitor demonstrates in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo efficacy against ovarian cancer.. Gynecol Oncol, 159(3), 827-838.
DOI Scopus16 WoS19 Europe PMC16
2019 Khair, N. Z., Lenjisa, J. L., Tadesse, S., Kumarasiri, M., Basnet, S. K. C., Mekonnen, L. B., . . . Wang, S. (2019). Discovery of CDK5 inhibitors through structure-guided approach. ACS, 10(5), 786-791.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC19
2017 Tadesse, S., Zhu, G., Mekonnen, L. B., Lenjisa, J. L., Yu, M., Brown, M. P., & Wang, S. (2017). A novel series of N-(pyridin-2-yl)-4-(thiazol-5-yl)pyrimidin-2-amines as highly potent CDK4/6 inhibitors. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 9(13), 1495-1506.
DOI Scopus16 WoS16 Europe PMC11
2017 Lenjisa, J. L., Tadesse, S., Khair, N. Z., Kumarasiri, M., Yu, M., Albrecht, H., . . . Wang, S. (2017). CDK5 in oncology: recent advances and future prospects.. Future medicinal chemistry, 9(16), 1939-1962.
DOI Scopus37 WoS36 Europe PMC32
2015 Lenjisa, J. L., Wega, S. S., Lema, T. B., & Ayana, G. A. (2015). Outcomes of highly active antiretroviral therapy and its predictors: a cohort study focusing on tuberculosis co-infection in South West Ethiopia. BMC Research Notes, 8(1), 446.
DOI Scopus4 Europe PMC2
2014 Lenjisa, J. L., Woldu, M. A., & Satessa, G. D. (2014). New hope for eradication of HIV from the body: The role of polymeric nanomedicines in HIV/AIDS pharmacotherapy. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 12(1), 9.
DOI Scopus25 Europe PMC13

Year Citation
2024 Bantie, L., Likisa, J., Rahaman, M., Teo, T., Safaroghliazar, A., Basnet, S. K. C., . . . Wang, S. (2024). AU2-94: A CDK4-specific inhibitor with the marked anti-tumor efficacy. In CANCER RESEARCH Vol. 84 (pp. 2 pages). CA, San Diego: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH.
DOI

Year Citation
2025 Lenjisa, J., & Hassankhani, R. (2025). 85eP CDK4/6 and CDK8 co-inhibition drives immune-mediated tumour suppression in acute myeloid leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of ESMO.
2025 Lenjisa, J., & Hassankhani, R. (2025). 85eP CDK4/6 and CDK8 co-inhibition drives immune-mediated tumour suppression in acute myeloid leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of ESMO.
2024 Kasirzadeh, S., Lenjisa, J. L., & Wang, S. (2024). Evaluation of AU8-18: A potent CDK 2 inhibitor for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Poster session presented at the meeting of ANNALS OF ONCOLOGY. SINGAPORE, Singapore: ELSEVIER.
DOI
2018 Bantie, L., Tadesse, S., Likisa, J., Yu, M., Noll, B., Albrecht, H., . . . Wang, S. (2018). Preclinical development of a highly potent and selective dual inhibitor of CDK4/6 for the treatment of cancer. Poster session presented at the meeting of Cancer research. US: American Association Cancer Research.
DOI
2018 Mekonnen, L. B., Zeleke, S., Lenjisa, J., Yu, M., Noll, B., Heinemann, G., . . . Wang, S. (2018). A first-in-class CDK4 inhibitor shows excellent in vitro and in vivo efficacy against ovarian cancer. Poster session presented at the meeting of Cancer research. US: American Association Cancer Research.
DOI

Developed successful funding applications, including a university-level competitive seed grant ($10,000, 2024) and a major industry-sponsored non-competitive grant (approx. $1M, 2022–2025 in collaboration with colleagues) for research into novel combination strategies for drug-resistant breast cancer. 

Courses I teach

  • BIOL 2035 Physiology (2024)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2022 Co-Supervisor Investigation of AU3-14, a novel CDK4/6 inhibitor, for immunotherapeutic potential in cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Hajer Batayneh

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