Mechanisms of Oncogenesis Program Co-Leaders

We study cancer cell signaling with expertise in signal transduction, genetic and epigenetic regulation, and animal models. Our current research is centered on two families of transcriptional co-activators, MAML and CRTC, which are essential components of Notch receptor signaling and LKB1-CRTC/CREB signaling pathways, respectively. We are investigating the molecular regulation and the roles of deregulated cell signaling in cancer generation and progression, with the goal of gaining molecular insights into cancer pathogenesis and identifying novel cancer diagnostic and therapeutic targets. We have 3 main projects: identification and functional characterization of a family of MAML transcriptional co-activators; identification, functional characterization, and targeting of CRTC1-MAML2 fusion oncogene; and investigations into deregulated LKB1-CRTC signaling in human cancers. Each project is expected to enhance our understanding of the roles and mechanisms of signaling in cancers, and such knowledge will help with diagnosis and treatment of tumors.

Zhijian Qian Ph.D. joined Department of Medicine, at the University of Florida in April, 2018. Currently, he is a tenured full Professor. Before that, he had been serving as a tenured Associate Professor of medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago for several years.

Dr. Qian received his Ph.D. degree from Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, China, and then conducted postdoc training at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago. He established his independent research laboratory in 2010 in the department of Medicine at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Qian is a scholar of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2018) and Research of the year. His research has been supported by multiple RO1 grants from NIH and other private foundations.

Current Research Interests: The long-term goal of Qian laboratory is to understand the mechanisms that underlie the development of blood cancer with a focus on studying the genetic pathways that control the proliferation, survival and self-renewal of normal or leukemic hematopoietic stem cells, and to identify novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of myeloid malignant diseases. Current my lab research interests include 1) understanding molecular regulation of normal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and its leukemic transformation, 2) determining the role and mechanisms of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the development and maintenance of myeloid neoplasms, 3) understanding transcriptional, epigenetic and epitranscriptome regulation of normal hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis, 4) studying post-translational modifications of RNA m6A methylation regulators in cancer, and 5) developing novel targeted therapies for myeloid malignant diseases and solid tumors including lung and head-neck cancers.