2004-2008

B.S., Biology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha,   China

· Leading the studies in the cross-talk   between cell metabolism and protein posttranslational modification network.

· Leading the identification of novel   types of protein post-translational medication, as well as the mechanism and   function of novel modifications.

· Leading the establishment of tumor   organoid platform for biological and translational researches.

2018-2019

Instructor, Department of Neuro-oncology,   University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

· Leading an interdisciplinary team to   study the mechanisms and functions underlying novel protein   post-translational modifications in tumor development, including novel   histone modifications in the regulation of gene expression and the effects of   membrane receptor modifications on the receptor-ligand interactions.

· Leading the development of a system   that can post-translationally modify specific amino acid residues on targeted   proteins in cells.

· Independently applying grants to   support the proposed researches.

· Mentoring young fellows and junior   scientists studying non-canonical activities of canonical enzymes in cancer   development.

2012-2018

Postdoctoral   Fellow, Department of Neuro-oncology, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson   Cancer Center, Houston, TX

· Established   a multi-disciplinary team and led the first identification of histone   succinyltransferase. I successfully outsourced experts in   protein structural biology, bioinformatics, proteomics, and chemical analysis   to build a rigid interdisciplinary team. I led the team and discovered that KAT2A, originally known as   acetyltransferase, can act as succinyltransferase and succinylate histone H3   at the lysine 79 residue, which controls tumor cell proliferation by   regulating the gene expression profiles in cancer cells (Nature, 2017). KAT2A   forms octahedral assembly structure in nuclei to secure its enzymatic   activities of being a multi-functional protein modifier (Cell Discovery, 2018). By   using protein co-crystal analyses, we further found that other acetyl-CoA   analogs, such as malonyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA, propinoyl-CoA, glutaryl-CoA, also have   good alignments in the only substrate binding pocket inside KAT2A’s catalytic   domain. Besides acetyltransferase and succinyltransferase activities, KAT2A   shows other histone modifying activities by using different acyl-CoAs. One of   my current researches focuses on the multi-activities of KAT2A and the   relevant prospective applications in cancer treatment.

· Established   the workflow of drug discovery. The non-canonical catalytic activities of   enzymes, such as protein kinase activities of metabolic enzymes, are becoming   promising therapeutic targets due to their revealing critical roles in cancer   development. I successfully managed a collaboration between different   functional teams to establish the workflow to discover small molecules that   target the tumorigenic  activities of   enzymes. The workflow includes structure based drug design (SBDD) to pre-select   the compound library, assay development to monitor the particular enzymatic   activities, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies to   validate the leading compound preclinically. I finished the workflows for   discovering inhibitors to PKM2 and PGK1, which resulted one leading compound with   promising efficacy and limited toxicity to mice.

· Contributed the discovery of metabolic enzymes   functioning as protein kinases. As a   core team member, I participated in the discovery that PKM2 phosphorylates   the myosin light chain 2 (MLC2) by using PEP to promote cytokinesis (Nature   Communications, 2014). I also contributed the discovery that PGK1   phosphorylates Beclin1 to regulate autophagy under energy stress conditions (Molecular   Cell, 2017). These accomplishments, together with other studies in   Dr. Zhimin Lu’s group, established the field that metabolic kinases   functioning as protein kinases and playing pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and   tumor growth. Simultaneously, I trained junior fellows in the studies of   cancer metabolism.

· Outsourced   funds to support laboratory innovations. The altered enzymatic   activities in cancer development, novel cancer therapeutic targets, drug   discovery platform, and leading compounds that obtained by the laboratory   have potent value for continuous studies and development. I, as a core   member, planned and drafted the proposals to outsource funds and collaborations   to support the continuous innovations in the laboratory, including federal   and private funds.

2008-2012

Graduate   Research Assistant, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing,   China

Mentor:   Lijun Du, M.D., Ph.D.

· Studied   the mechanism of drug action. Independently studied the dynamic   interaction between berberine and its targets in biological system by using   methods and knowledge from molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and   chemical analysis. I found that, after drug administration, berberine can be   transported into the cell nucleus and intercalate into the minor groove of   DNA double helix, with the preference to thymine and adenine rich sequence.   “TATA box” is the conserved DNA sequence that recruit “TATA box” binding   protein to gene promoters and initiate transcription. The binding of   berberine to the “TATA box” blocks the access of TBP to the “TATA box” in   euchromatin and suppresses gene expression. The exchange between euchromatin   and heterochromatin at gene promoters makes berberine show diversified effects   on gene transcription, leading to the variant responses of gene transcription   to berberine treatment in different diseases. This study revealed a   unprecedent mechanism of a small molecule drug showing diversified activities   in different diseases.

· Pharmacology   of natural products. I successfully established two live cell image   based drug screening systems; I led a three-member team and directed the   efficacy/toxicity (acute/chronic/reproductive) studies of five natural   products, which directly contributed to the Chinese Pharmacopeia (2015   edition); As a core member, I contributed the preclinical pharmacology data   to support the clinical trials of one compound and one formula.

2005-2007

Research   Assistant, Heart Development Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Hunan   Normal University, Changsha, China

Mentor:   Xiushan Wu Ph.D.

· Independently cloned and identified a novel   human zinc finger protein that plays roles in heart development by regulating   AP-1 pathway.

Title:

Funding   Source

Role

The   mechanisms underlying histone H3K79 succinylation-mediated gene transcription  

National   Natural Science Foundation of China

Principal   Investigator

Completed

Title:

Funding   Source

Role

Identifying   novel histone post-translational modifications.

UT   Proteomics Network Pilot Fund,

Principal   Investigator

Title:

Funding   Source

Role

Deciphering the role of Cdc25A in cancer   metabolism.

NIH/NINDS

Participant

2017

Odyssey   Outstanding Research Publication Award. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Houston,   TX.

2011

The   First Prize, Scholarship award for Ph.D. candidates. Tsinghua University.   Beijing, China

2010

The   Second Prize, Scholarship award for Ph.D. candidates. Tsinghua University.   Beijing, China

2008

Outstanding   Graduate Award-Hunan Province. Changsha, China

2007

The   Third Prize, The National Challenge-cup Extracurricular and Academic Contest.   Tianjin, China

2006

The   Top Prize, Hunan Challenge-cup Extracurricular and Academic Contest.   Xiangtan, China