Opioid cohort consortium (OPICO) to investigate the long-term health consequences of opioid use


Investigating the effects of postdiagnosis smoking cessation on the risk of cancer progression and mortality


Assessing the clinical performance of TERT promoter mutation as an early detection biomarker for bladder cancer


Investigating the trends, risk factors, and burden of upper gastrointestinal cancers across the world



Sheikh M, Mukeriya A, Shangina O, et al. 2021. Postdiagnosis Smoking Cessation and Reduced Risk for Lung Cancer Progression and Mortality : A Prospective Cohort Study. Annals of Internal Medicine. Volume 174(9). 1232-1239

Sheikh M, Shakeri R, Poustchi H, et al. 2020. Associations between regular opium use and subsequent incidence of cancer: results from the Golestan Cohort Study. Lancet Global Health. Volume 8(5). e649-e660

Sheikh M, Poustchi H, Pourshams et al. 2020. Household fuel use and the risk of gastrointestinal cancers; the Golestan Cohort Study. Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 128(6). 67002

Hosen MI, Sheikh M, Zvereva M, et al. 2020. Urinary TERT promoter mutations are detectable up to 10 years prior to clinical diagnosis of bladder cancer: evidence from the Golestan Cohort Study. EBioMedicine. Volume 53. 102643

Sheikh M, Poustchi H, Pourshams A, et al. 2019. Individual and Combined Effects of Major Environmental Risk Factors for Esophageal Cancer: Results from the Golestan Cohort Study. Gastroenterology. Volume:156(5). 1416-1427


Iranian Medical Council (2016 - present)

Iranian Young Researchers and Elite Club (2017 - present)


Winner of the 1st National Elite Foundation’s Research Award for most influential young scientist in gastroenterology and hepatology (2020)
Winner of the 18th Royan International Research Award for outstanding clinical research in infertility (2017)