Harvard Chinese Life Science Annual Symposium 2018
May 5th, 2018
Folkman Auditorium, Enders Building, Boston Children’s Hospital320 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115
Organizing Committee
Harvard Medical School - Chinese Scientists & Scholars Association(HMS-CSSA)
Song Yang, Qiong Ye, Linchang Huang, Wenqing Cai, Wei Li, Bin Li, Xiaoqing Wang, Shuxi Qiao, Hong Yue, Jingyu Peng, Yue Zhang, Xianrui Yang, Miao Liu, Chan Cao, Yiming Zhou, An Xiao, Yang Zhang, Yue Huang, Lijie Xing, Mohui Wei, Shengqing Gu, Tao Wang, Xiaofeng Li, Zhengnian Li, Hui Liu, Jiye Liu, Junlin Guo, Pingping Mao, Su Wang, Shuang Zhou, Jinmiao Chen, Songwei Duan, Yanan Qi
Organizing Committee Advisors
Jianzhu Chen, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Chuan He, Professor, University of Chicago
Xi He, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Zhigang He, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Frank Hu, Professor, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health
Xiaole Shirley Liu, Professor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health
Hongbo Luo, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
William Pu, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Yang Shi, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Jiping Wang, Assistant Professor, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Hao Wu, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Yingzi Yang, Professor, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Junying Yuan, Professor, Harvard Medical School
Yi Zhang, Professor, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Jean Zhao, Professor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Invited Speakers
George Daley, MD, PhDHarvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital
Dr. George Q. Daley seeks to translate insights in stem cell biology into improved therapies for genetic and malignant diseases. Important research contributions from his laboratory include the creation of customized stem cells to treat genetic immune deficiency in a mouse model (together with Rudolf Jaenisch), the differentiation of germ cells from embryonic stem cells (cited as a “Top Ten Breakthrough” by Science magazine in 2003), and the generation of disease-specific pluripotent stem cells by direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts (cited in the “Breakthrough of the Year” issue of Science magazine in 2008). As a graduate student working with Nobel Laureate Dr. David Baltimore, Dr. Daley demonstrated that the BCR/ABL oncogene induces chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in a mouse model, which validated BCR/ABL as a target for drug blockade and encouraged the development of imatinib (GleevecTM; Novartis), a revolutionary magic-bullet chemotherapy that induces remissions in virtually every CML patient. Dr. Daley’s recent studies have clarified mechanisms of Gleevec resistance and informed novel combination chemotherapeutic regimens.
Dr. Daley received his bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Harvard University (1982), a Ph.D. in biology from MIT (1989), and the M.D. from Harvard Medical School, where he was one of twelve individuals in the school’s history to be awarded the degree summa cum laude (1991). He served as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital (94-95) and is currently a staff physician in Hematology/Oncology at the Children's Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and a member of the Hematology Division of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He has been elected the National Academy of Medicine(NAM), the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians, and the American Pediatric Societies, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Xiang-Dong Fu, PhDDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego
Dr. Fu’s laboratory is interested in molecular and cell biology of RNA metabolism and regulation in higher eukaryotic cells. Current research interests in the Fu lab include the regulation of alternative splicing, functional RNA elements in mammalian genomes, transcription/splicing coupling, nuclear architecture, and cellular reprogramming. Dr. Fu was a major contributor for co-discovery of SR proteins, a family of RNA binding proteins involved in constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA processing. His laboratory was the first to identify a family of kinases specific for SR proteins and demonstrated that these kinases are critical for transducing external and intracellular signals to regulate alternative splicing in the nucleus. Dr. Fu's group elucidated a series of regulatory mechanisms for splice site selection in mammalian cells and developed multiple key technologies for high throughput analysis of gene expression, mRNA isoforms, and genomic interactions. Dr. Fu's current research is focused on integrated regulation of gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Dr. Fu's contribution to biomedical science has been recognized by selection for the Searle Scholar award (1994) and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar award (1997) and election to Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010).
Dr. Fu is a Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at University of California, San Diego. Dr. Fu received his MS degree in Virology from Wuhan University, China in 1982, PhD degree in Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University in 1988 (via the CUSBEA program), and postdoctoral training at Harvard from 1988 to 1992. Dr. Fu joined the faculty of University of California, San Diego in 1992 (Assistant Professor, 1992-1998; Associate Professor, 1998 to 2002; and Full Professor, 2002-present).
Rudolf Jaenisch, PhD
Founding Member of Whitehead InstituteDepartment of Biology, MIT
Dr. Jaenisch lab’s expertise is in epigenetics, reprogramming and stem cells. Dr. Jaenisch began his research career as a pioneer making transgenic mice, some of which have produced important advances in understanding cancer, neurological and connective tissue diseases, and developmental abnormalities. These methods have been used to explore basic questions such as the role of DNA modification, genomic imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, nuclear cloning, and, most recently, the nature of stem cells. In addition, using mice as a model and a technique called “altered nuclear transfer,” Dr. Jaenisch has demonstrated that it is possible to procure embryonic stem cells without harming a viable embryo. More recently he has demonstrated that somatic cells can be reprogrammed in vitro to pluripotent ES-like cells and that these cells are suitable to correct both genetic and induced defects in mice by transplantation therapy. Using this technique for turning skin cells into stem cells, the lab has been able to cure mice of sickle cell anemia -- the first direct proof that these easily obtained cells can reverse an inherited disease.
Dr. Jaenisch is a Professor of Biology at MIT and a founding member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. He has been granted numerous awards from organizations across the world. He is a pioneer of transgenic science, in which an animal’s genetic makeup is altered. Jaenisch has focused on creating genetically modified mice to study cancer and neurological diseases. Dr. Jaenisch received his doctorate in medicine from the University of Munich in 1967. He became a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, studying bacteriophages. He left Germany in 1970 for research positions at Princeton University, Fox Chase Institute for Cancer Research and the Salk Institute. He returned to Germany in 1977 to become the head of the Department of Tumor Virology at the Heinrich Pette Institute at the University of Hamburg. He arrived at MIT in 1984. He participated in the 2005 science conference on human cloning at the United Nations and serves on the science advisory boards of the Genetics Policy Institute and Stemgent.
Xi He, PhDBoston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Dr. He’s laboratory seeks to understand the molecular basis of cell-to-cell communication, and how this communication regulates embryonic and neural development in vertebrates. Dr. He is also interested in learning how defective regulation of cell communication causes human cancers and diseases. In particular, Dr. He is investigating signaling mechanisms employed by secreted growth factors of the Wnt family, which play critical roles in establishing the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo and underlie the formation of head versus trunk regions during early embryogenesis. Wnt signaling pathways are also pivotal in the development of human cancers--as several key Wnt signaling components are encoded by human oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes--and in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, such as osteoporosis and degenerative disorders. Dr. He aims to identify molecular components of Wnt signaling pathways and the mechanisms by which Wnt pathways are activated and governed during embryonic development and human tumorigenesis.
Dr. He received his bachelor’s degree in engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, China, and Ph.D. in Dr. Michael G. Rosenfeld’s lab at University of California, San Diego (UCSD). After his postdoctoral training with Dr. Harold Varmus at National Cancer Institute (NCI), Dr. He became an Assistant Professor at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1997. He was promoted to professor in 2007. Dr. He was a Pew Scholar, a Klingenstein Fellow, a W. M. Keck Distinguished Young Scholar and a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar. Dr. He received the Young Investigator Award from the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America (SCBA) in 2004, and holds a Chang Jiang Guest Professorship and 1000 Talent Plan (B) Professorship at HUST. Dr. He is an elected Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science and an American Cancer Society Research Professor. He has served on numerous review and advisory boards in academia and the biopharmaceutical industry in the USA, Canada, EU, UK and China.
William Pu, MDBoston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
The Pu lab is interested in the regulation of gene expression and cell lineage specification in heart development, disease, and regeneration using various technologies including genetically engineered mice, conditional gene inactivation, genome-wide chromatin occupancy analysis, and RNA expression profiling. The major goals of Dr. Pu's research include: 1. To understand the transcriptional network regulating heart development and disease; 2. To understand cell lineage specification in heart development and regeneration; 3. To understand genetic contributions to congenital heart disease.
Dr. Pu received an MD from Harvard Medical School. He completed his internship, residence, and pediatric cardiology training at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Pu has been an independent PI since 2004 and has an established track record of innovation in cardiovascular biology. Dr. Pu has 19 successful postdoctoral fellow “alumni”. Among those, 12 remain in academic medicine, 11 have faculty appointments, and 8 are PIs of independent research labs in Europe, North America, and China. Dr. Pu is also the contact PI of the Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Cardiology T32 training grant and the Director of Basic and Translational Cardiovascular Research for the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Jean Zhao, PhDDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Zhao’s research centers on understanding kinase signaling pathways in cancer. Her laboratory has pioneered a new front for understanding signal transduction by integrating mouse genetics, chemical biology and immunology in the field of translational cancer research. Her productive and insightful work on deciphering the role of PI3-kinase isoforms and the cyclin D1-CDK4/6 pathway in cancer not only addresses important basic science questions, but also has had a significant clinical impact. By providing a mechanistic understanding of the synergies gained for targeting PI3K isoforms and CDK4/6 in combination with immune checkpoint blockade in cancer, her lab has guided the design of current clinical trials of integrating immunotherapy and targeted therapy both here at DFCI and internationally.
Dr. Jean Zhao is a Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). Dr. Zhao has been widely recognized for her innovation and excellence in the field. After obtaining her Ph.D. degree with honors from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Dr. Zhao completed her postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Thomas M. Roberts at DFCI. Dr. Zhao began her independent research at HMS and DFCI in 2006. Her honors and awards include the Career Development Awards from NIH/NCI, the V Scholar Award, the Starr Foundation Award and, recently, the Outstanding Investigator Award from NIH/NCI. Dr. Zhao serves as a member on multiple scientific boards and committees, including the Executive Committee for Research and the Committee for Women Faculty at DFCI, the Steering Committee of Breast Cancer at DF/Harvard Cancer Center and the Advisory Council of the National Brain Tumor Society.
Wenyi Wei, PhDBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
The major focus of research in Dr. Wei’s laboratory is aimed at understanding how APC and SCF activities contribute towards cell cycle regulation and subsequent tumor formation. More specifically, Dr. Wei is interested in elucidating the underlying mechanisms that define the oscillation of APC and SCF activity in different cell cycle phases. Currently, he is pursuing the underlying mechanisms that timely regulate APC/Cdh1 activity in different cell cycle phases. Additionally, Dr. Wei is also interested in understanding whether other layers of crosstalk between the APC and SCF complex exist. Furthermore, Dr. Wei would like to identify novel downstream targets for both APC and SCF complexes, which will help pinpoint their functions in both cell cycle control and tumor formation. To this end, Dr. Wei has developed biochemical purification approaches that would allow him to identify novel downstream targets for APC/Cdh1 and SCF/Fbw7 complexes. In addition, he is also interested in defining the tumor suppressor function of Cdh1 utilizing conditional Cdh1 knockout mice. To achieve these goals, Dr. Wei’s lab will use multidisciplinary approaches including biochemical and genetic analysis.
Dr. Wenyi Wei received his B.A. degree from Shandong University in 1993 and then obtained his M.S. training in Chinese Academy of Science from 1993 to 1996. Afterwards Dr. Wei received his Ph.D. training in the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry (MCB) at Brown University and his postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. William Kaelin, Jr. at DFCI and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wei became independent from 2006 in Department Pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Department of Pathology at Harvard Medical School.
Nathanael Gray, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Nathanael Gray’s research utilizes the tools of synthetic chemistry, protein biochemistry, and cancer biology to discover and validate new strategies for the inhibition of anti-cancer targets. Dr. Gray’s research has had broad impact in the areas of kinase inhibitor design and in circumventing drug resistance. Dr. Gray has established a discovery chemistry group that focuses on developing first-in-class inhibitors for newly emerging biological targets, including resistant alleles of existing targets, as well as inhibitors of well-validated targets, such as Her3 and RAS, that have previously been considered recalcitrant to small molecule drug development. Amongst the additional notable achievements of Dr. Gray’s research laboratory are: development of the first T790M selective EGFR inhibitors, ATP-competitive mTor inhibitor, Torin1, and its use to discover that rapamycin is an incomplete inhibitor of mTOR; development of the first inhibitors of ERK5 (BMK1), CDK7 and CDK12.
Dr. Gray received his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1999 after receiving his BS degree with the highest honor award from the same institution in 1995. After completing his PhD, Dr. Gray was recruited to the newly established Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) in San Diego, California. In 2006, Dr. Gray returned to academia and accepted a faculty appointment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Gray’s scientific contributions have been recognized through numerous awards including the Career Award of the National Science Foundation in 2007, the Damon Runyon Foundation Innovator award in 2008, the American Association for Cancer Research for Team Science in 2010 and for Outstanding Achievement in 2011 and the American Chemical Society award for Biological Chemistry in 2011.
Jiahuai Wang, PhDDana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Wang’s lab has been focusing on structures of cell surface receptors that play critical roles in the immune system and nervous system. In collaboration with colleagues within Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School, the Wang lab has worked out structures of a number of key immune molecules, including T cell receptors, MHC molecules, co-receptors and their interacting complexes. His group has also determined structures of many cell adhesion molecules, such as CD2, CD58, Cadherin, ICAM family members and the complexes with their interacting partners. More recently he begins to turn his interests into neuronal receptors. Most recently in collaboration with a group at EMBL, Hamburg, Dr. Wang has determined the structure of netrin-1 in complex with DCC, uncovering the molecular mechanism of netrin-1 bi-functionality, a long-standing puzzle in the neuroscience field.
Dr. Jiahuai Wang obtained his B.A from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1963 and an equivalent Ph.D. from the Beijing Biophysics Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1979. He had worked in Biophysics Institute in the period of 1963-1979. During 1979-1982, he was a visiting scholar at University of Wisconsin at Madison and at Harvard University, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In 1982-1988 he was back in Beijing Biophysics Institute, promoted to Associate Professor and later Professor. He served as director of Protein Crystallography Department there in 1987-1988. He was appointed as a member of National 863 Committee of Biotechnology of China in 1986-1990. He came to the United States again late in 1988 working at Harvard Medical School, the same department till 1996 before moving to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a Principal Investigator. In 2001, he was promoted as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.
Xiaoliang Sunney Xie, PhDDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Dr. Xiaoliang Sunney Xie received a B.S. from Peking University in 1984, and his Ph.D. from the University of California at San Diego in 1990, followed by a short postdoctoral experience at the University of Chicago. In 1992, Xie joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he later became a Chief Scientist. In 1999, he was appointed Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University. He was the first full professor at Harvard University from the People's Republic of China since China's reform in 1978. He is currently the Mallinckrodt Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard, and the Director of Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics at Peking University.
Xie is among the first to conduct fluorescence studies of single molecules at room temperature in the early 1990s. He has made major contributions to the emergence of the field of single-molecule biophysical chemistry and its application to biology. His team also pioneered the development of coherent Raman scattering microscopy and single cell whole genome sequencing.
His honors include the Albany Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the U. S. Department of Energy E. O. Lawrence Award, the Biophysical Society’s Founders Award, the National Institute of Health Director’s Pioneer Award, the Sackler Prize for Physical Sciences and the American Chemical Society’s Peter Debye Award. Xie is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is also an honorary fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society and has received scholarly awards from China, Germany and Israel.
2018 Harvard Chinese Life Sciences YONGJIN Distinguished Research Award Awardees
Harvard Chinese Life Sciences YONGJIN Distinguished Research Award is sponsored by Yongjin Group, which is to reward Chinese scientists whose research and discoveries were published or accepted for publication in 2017 & 2018 and well recognized by the scientific community. After tons of applications and some seriously stiff competition, we're super excited to announce that the following twelve researchers are awarded 2018 Harvard Chinese Life Sciences YONGJIN Distinguished Research Award!
They will be awarded at the Harvard Chinese Life Science Annual Research Symposium on May 5, 2018, the symposium will take place at the Folkman Auditorium, Enders Building, Boston Children’s Hospital, 320 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115.
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Registration:
Registration is FREE for students, scholars, and postdocs (with .edu email) !
Registration is REQUIRED to attend this event.
Refreshment and lunch will be provided with RSVP !
Please register by recognizing the QR code, or click
Organizer:
哈佛医学院华人专家学者联合会
Website: http://www.hms-cssa.org
微信公众号: hmscssa
