Academic Position
Professor, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, College of Medicine;
Research Interests
The laboratory has focused on three major projects: 1) how epithelial cell-intrinsic signaling pathways are altered during breast cancer development. Our earlier research defines two different populations of cell-of-origins for HER2-induced breast cancer, from both luminal and basal mammary epithelial cells (PMID: 23602409, Cancer Cell, 2013). We identified a paracrine regulation within different mammary lineages, from luminal WNT-5A production to the inhibition of basal tumor-initiating cells in the HER2-induced breast cancer. We continue to understand the functions of different WNT ligands and receptors in mammary gland biology and breast cancer (PMIDs: 25769722 (Cancer Research); 3459918 (Nature Communications); 32042113 (Oncogene); 2) how tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) controls or promotes cancer under different pathological or therapeutic conditions. This project defines a unique interaction between obesity and breast cancer progression by stimulating NLRC4 inflammasome activation and interleukin-1 production within the tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) (reference 1). We continue to understand how NLRC4 inflammasome is selectively activated under obesity and how interleukin-1 beta passes obesity-specific signals to neoangiogenesis in breast cancer. Along this line, we found that interleukin-1beta induces a strong production of ANGPTL4 from adipocytes, resulting in the obesity-associated neoangiogenesis (PMID: 30518876, Oncogene. 2019). We have developed and filled a patent on several antibodies that target human ANGPTL4 for anti-angiogenesis therapy. 3) To understand the complexity of TIME, we started a project on single cell RNA sequencing of human cancer-infiltrating immune cells from renal cancer specimens. In addition to paint a clear picture of RCC immune landscape, we decide to focus on the role of human tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs), a long-standing interest in our laboratory. Using our single-cell dataset, we were able to identify two most distinct and targetable molecules including CD177 and BCL-XL. We are also developing novel cancer immunotherapies using Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTAC) to target several intracellular proteins including BCL-XL, NR4A1, SetDB1, MSH2 etc.
Teaching statement: In addition to research programs, our group is actively in training students and postdocs. I have trained 8 postdoc fellows including 2 current postdoctoral fellows, among which includes Ryan Kolb, a tenure track assistant professor at the University of Florida; Kawther Ahmed, an assistant professor at University of Baghdad College of Pharmacy; Myung-Chul Kim, a tenure track assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Jeju National University, Korea; Jiao Mo, Research Scientist at Fisher Scientific and the other two continued 2nd postdocs in academia. I have trained 2 PHD students, 1 MSTP student and 4 master student, including Paige Kluz, a core director and scientist Senior Laboratory Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin; Qing Xie, an associate professor, Xinxiang Medical University, China; and Nicholas Borcherding, Resident, Clinical Pathology, Physician Scientist Training Program at Washing University School of Medicine in St. Louis. I currently have 5 PHD students in my laboratory including 3 passing qualifying exams. My dedication to training also includes undergraduate students, including 9 past undergraduates and 11 current ones, some of which have co-authorship publications and are staying in academia. In addition, I have mentored 2 faculty level scientist, 5 residents and fellows from Pathology and Surgery, as well as 4 visiting scholars.