Xin Chen, PhD
Research Interests
My lab studies cell signaling and molecular genetics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We are using cell lines, human HCC and mouse models to address the molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of this malignancy. One of the focuses of the lab is to characterize how Ras/MAPK signaling is regulated. We recently identified loss of Spry2 as a key mechanism to activate MAPK signaling during HCC pathogenesis. Other oncogenic proteins that we are studying include beta-catenin and Bmi1. We are characterizing the functional roles of beta-catenin and Bmi1, and how they cooperate with activated Ras/MAPK signaling to promote hepatic carcinogenesis.
Selected Publications
- Tward AD, Jones KD, Yant S, Cheung ST, Fan ST, Chen X, Kay MA, Wang R, Bishop JM. Distinct pathways of genomic progression to benign and malignant tumors of the liver. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2007;104:14771-14776.
- Lee SA, Ho C, Roy R, Kosinski C, Patil M, Tward A, Fridlyand J and Chen X. Integration of genomic analysis and in vivo transfection to identify Sprouty 2 as a candidate tumor suppressor. Hepatology, Vol. 47(4), Apr. 2008, pp1200-1210
- Patil MA, Lee SA, Macias E, Lam ET, Xu C, Jones K, Ho C, Puebla M and Chen X. Role of Cyclin D1 as a mediator of c-Met and β-Catenin induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Cancer Research, Vol. 69(1), Jan. 2009, pp253-261
- Assistant Professor
- Biopharmaceutical Sciences
Research Theme
- Progenitor Cells, Growth and Development
Contact Information
- chenx@
pharmacy.ucsf.edu - Phone: (415) 502-6526
- 513 Parnassus Ave
- Box 0912, S-816
- San Francisco, CA. 94143-0912
Other UCSF affiliations
- PSPG graduate program
- Hellen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center