Xin Chen, PhD

Professor

Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences

Elisabeth Fall

[email protected]

Phone: +1 415 502-6526

513 Parnassus Ave, MSB, Rm 816B

UCSF Box 0912

San Francisco, CA 94117

United States

Links

Xin Chen Lab

UCSF Profiles

Educational programs

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Graduate Program (PSPG)

What I do

I study molecular genetics and signaling pathways in liver cancer development with the goal to develop better targeted therapy for this deadly malignancy.

Departmental research area

pharmacogenomics and genomics

My research expertise

liver cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, genomics, signaling pathway, stem cells, cancer metabolism, pharmacogenomics, targeted therapy

Degrees

PhD, Cell and Developmental Biology, Harvard University, 1997

Bachelor of Medicine, Medicine, Beijing Medical University, Bejing, China, 1992

Biography

My lab studies molecular genetics and signaling pathways during hepatic carcinogenesis. Specifically, using genomic approaches including expression arrays and array based CGH, we have identified large numbers of genes which are deregulated during liver cancer development. Using murine models, we are studying how these genetic alterations contribute to malignant transformation and progression in vivo. Our current studies focus on AKT/mTOR and Notch pathways and how they regulate cancer metabolism and cancer cell proliferation. In addition, using the novel mouse models as preclinical models, we are testing the therapeutic potentials of PI3K/mTOR or Notch inhibitors in treating liver cancers.

Research keywords

Liver Neoplasms, Fatty Acid Synthases, Carcinogenesis, Receptor, Notch2, Acrylonitrile, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Bile Duct Neoplasms, TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases, Cholangiocarcinoma, Pyruvate Kinase, ras Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt, Tankyrases, Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met

1.	Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Life Science Research Foundation, Baltimore, MD, 1998
2.	First Prize Award, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China, 1991

Publications

Wang J, Dong M, Xu Z, Song X, Zhang S, Qiao Y, Che L, Gordan J, Hu K, Liu Y, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Notch2 controls hepatocyte-derived cholangiocarcinoma formation in mice. Oncogene. 2018 06; 37(24):3229-3242.

Zhang S, Wang J, Wang H, Fan L, Fan B, Zeng B, Tao J, Li X, Che L, Cigliano A, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Chen B, Cong W, Wei L, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Hippo Cascade Controls Lineage Commitment of Liver Tumors in Mice and Humans. Am J Pathol. 2018 04; 188(4):995-1006.

Dong M, Liu X, Evert K, Utpatel K, Peters M, Zhang S, Xu Z, Che L, Cigliano A, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Cossu A, Gordan J, Calvisi DF, Evert M, Liu Y, Chen X. Efficacy of MEK inhibition in a K-Ras-driven cholangiocarcinoma preclinical model. Cell Death Dis. 2018 01 18; 9(2):31.

Xu Z, Hu J, Cao H, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Shao Z, Xu M, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Loss of Pten synergizes with c-Met to promote hepatocellular carcinoma development via mTORC2 pathway. Exp Mol Med. 2018 01 05; 50(1):e417.

Jia J, Qiao Y, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Liu X, Shao Z, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Tankyrase inhibitors suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth via modulating the Hippo cascade. PLoS One. 2017; 12(9):e0184068.

Liu P, Calvisi DF, Kiss A, Cigliano A, Schaff Z, Che L, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Zhao D, Chen X. Central role of mTORC1 downstream of YAP/TAZ in hepatoblastoma development. Oncotarget. 2017 Sep 26; 8(43):73433-73447.

Zhang S, Song X, Cao D, Xu Z, Fan B, Che L, Hu J, Chen B, Dong M, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Evert K, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Pascale RM, Cossu A, Vidili G, Porcu A, Simile MM, Pes GM, Giannelli G, Gordan J, Wei L, Evert M, Cong W, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Pan-mTOR inhibitor MLN0128 is effective against intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in mice. J Hepatol. 2017 12; 67(6):1194-1203.

Méndez-Lucas A, Li X, Hu J, Che L, Song X, Jia J, Wang J, Xie C, Driscoll PC, Tschaharganeh DF, Calvisi DF, Yuneva M, Chen X. Glucose Catabolism in Liver Tumors Induced by c-MYC Can Be Sustained by Various PKM1/PKM2 Ratios and Pyruvate Kinase Activities. Cancer Res. 2017 08 15; 77(16):4355-4364.

Liu P, Ge M, Hu J, Li X, Che L, Sun K, Cheng L, Huang Y, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Pes GM, Pascale RM, Brozzetti S, Vidili G, Porcu A, Cossu A, Palmieri G, Sini MC, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Tao J, Calvisi DF, Chen L, Chen X. A functional mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling is indispensable for c-Myc-driven hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatology. 2017 07; 66(1):167-181.

Che L, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Latte G, Simile MM, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Evert M, Chen X, Calvisi DF. Oncogene dependent requirement of fatty acid synthase in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Cycle. 2017 Mar 19; 16(6):499-507.

Che L, Fan B, Pilo MG, Xu Z, Liu Y, Cigliano A, Cossu A, Palmieri G, Pascale RM, Porcu A, Vidili G, Serra M, Dombrowski F, Ribback S, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Jagged 1 is a major Notch ligand along cholangiocarcinoma development in mice and humans. Oncogenesis. 2016 Dec 05; 5(12):e274.

Cao D, Song X, Che L, Li X, Pilo MG, Vidili G, Porcu A, Solinas A, Cigliano A, Pes GM, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Chen X, Li L, Calvisi DF. Both de novo synthetized and exogenous fatty acids support the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Liver Int. 2017 01; 37(1):80-89.

Li L, Che L, Wang C, Blecha JE, Li X, VanBrocklin HF, Calvisi DF, Puchowicz M, Chen X, Seo Y. [(11)C]acetate PET Imaging is not Always Associated with Increased Lipogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice. Mol Imaging Biol. 2016 06; 18(3):360-7.

Li L, Che L, Tharp KM, Park HM, Pilo MG, Cao D, Cigliano A, Latte G, Xu Z, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Evert M, Gores GJ, Stahl A, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Differential requirement for de novo lipogenesis in cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma of mice and humans. Hepatology. 2016 06; 63(6):1900-13.

Hu J, Che L, Li L, Pilo MG, Cigliano A, Ribback S, Li X, Latte G, Mela M, Evert M, Dombrowski F, Zheng G, Chen X, Calvisi DF. Co-activation of AKT and c-Met triggers rapid hepatocellular carcinoma development via the mTORC1/FASN pathway in mice. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 09; 6:20484.

Wang C, Che L, Hu J, Zhang S, Jiang L, Latte G, Demartis MI, Tao J, Gui B, Pilo MG, Ribback S, Dombrowski F, Evert M, Calvisi DF, Chen X. Activated mutant forms of PIK3CA cooperate with RasV12 or c-Met to induce liver tumour formation in mice via AKT2/mTORC1 cascade. Liver Int. 2016 08; 36(8):1176-86.

Li L, Pilo GM, Li X, Cigliano A, Latte G, Che L, Joseph C, Mela M, Wang C, Jiang L, Ribback S, Simile MM, Pascale RM, Dombrowski F, Evert M, Semenkovich CF, Chen X, Calvisi DF. Inactivation of fatty acid synthase impairs hepatocarcinogenesis driven by AKT in mice and humans. J Hepatol. 2016 Feb; 64(2):333-341.

Chen DG, Lin F, Chen XJ, Tang W, Kitzman H. Cusp catastrophe model: a nonlinear model for health outcomes in nursing research. Nurs Res. 2014 May-Jun; 63(3):211-20.

Chen X, Calvisi DF. Hydrodynamic transfection for generation of novel mouse models for liver cancer research. Am J Pathol. 2014 Apr; 184(4):912-923.