Lab Leader: Jinke Cheng

Lab Name: Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction

Lab Info：Our lab targets protein SUMOylation, especially SENPs-mediated deSUMOylation and its regulation mechanism of cell signal transduction, as well as the significance in body development and disease.

The research interests include:

1. Protein SUMOylation on cellular metabolism. To study the molecular mechanism of mitochondrial protein SUMOylation on mitochondrial metabolism and its effect on cellular function.

2. Protein SUMOylation on regulation for inflammatory response. To study the regulatory effect of protein SUMOylation in inflammatory diseases.

3. Protein SUMOylation and aging. To study the metabolic regulation effect of protein SUMOylation on aging.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Yong Li

Lab Name: Laboratory of Receptor Trafficking and Diseases

Lab Information:

The Laboratory of Receptor Trafficking and Diseases focuses on understanding the roles of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in pain and itch, adult neuronal apoptosis, and anxiety disorders. Over the past five years, our team has published seven articles in leading academic journals, including Science Advances, Nature Communications, Cell Death & Differentiation, and Cell Reports. Our research has been supported by five grants from national and Shanghai funding agencies.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Jianxiu Yu

Lab Name: Laboratory of Protein and RNA Modifications

Lab Info：Research directions:

1. Protein modification regulates tumor development

2. Protein modification regulates miRNA biosynthesis and action efficiency

3. RNA degradation mechanism

4. Protein modifications regulate RNA modifications and their functions

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Bing Li

Lab Name: Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics

Lab Info：Our group has long been committed to the basic research of chromatin biology and gene expression regulation. In recent years, we have focused on both the basic and translational research of cancer epigenetics, as well as the exploration of the molecular mechanism of early embryonic development regulation. Specific research directions include: (1) Structural and functional studies of epigenetic regulators and development of next-generation anti-cancer drugs: We will explore the high-order assembly of transcription machinery and their spatial-temporal regulation in the three dimensional chromosomal environment; we will leverage our mechanistic understanding of regulatory specificity of multi-subunit epigenetic complexes to develop new drug targets and therapeutic strategies; (2) We will explore the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming in physiological processes including acquired trait inheritance, stem cell lineage differentiation, T cell activation and sperm development etc., and develop clinical applications to relevant diseases.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Hou Zhaoyuan

Lab Name: Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation

Lab Info：Our research group includes 1 principal investigator (PI), 2 teachers, and 1 technician. The main research direction of our group is the expression and regulation of gene networks in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor metastasis. The specific research object is the molecular mechanism of transcription factor Snail inhibiting gene transcription. Snail belongs to a family of zinc-finger proteins containing SNAG domains. SNAG is located at the amino terminus of Snail molecule and has the function of inhibiting gene transcription. During embryonic development and tumor metastasis, Snail is a key factor in inducing EMT and a central molecule connecting various signaling pathways that promote tumor metastasis. Therefore, studying the mechanism of Snail's action in cells not only helps us to understand the mechanism of tumor metastasis in theory, but also provides new targets for drug design and effective treatment in clinical practice.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Yang Wen

Lab Name: Laboratory of Mitochondrial Metabolism and Aging

Lab Info：Study of molecular mechanisms of mitochondria and aging, using proteomic approaches to study the dynamic changes of mitochondrial proteins and their relationship with aging and related diseases. The main focus is on the effects of mitochondrial protein level modifications (including acetylation, succinylation and oxidation) on the regulation of mitochondrial function and reverse signaling in aging and related diseases. At this stage, the main subject directions include the following.

1. Mitochondrial peroxide-mediated reverse signaling in senescence and cell death

2. The function of ketoglutarate dehydrogenase-specific chaperonin proteins in related disease

3. Protein networks of mitochondria-organelle interactions

4. Mitochondrial metabolism and cancer drug resistance

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Xu Yingjie

Lab Name: Laboratory of Cancer Target Discovery& mRNA-based Therapy

Lab Info：1. Molecular target , mechanism and targeted therapy evaluation mediating cancer metastasis and drug resistance

2. Optimization of mRNA synthesis in vitro and delivery in vivo

3. Development of mRNA-based therapeutic applications: including mRNA vaccines for cancer, mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases, mRNA protein replacement therapies for cancer and other diseases

Lab Members:

Lab Leader:Sun Xuxu

Lab Name: Laboratory of Regeneration and Cancer

Lab Info：We are interested in understanding the mechanism of cancer and tissue regeneration under chronic injury. We have established translational platforms to explore the dysfunction and molecular mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in cancer. Specifically, we found chromatin remodeling deficiency facilitated de-differentiation of cells which generate cancer cell origin. In addition, we are studying the cell-cell crosstalk in regeneration under chronic injury. The long-term goal of our lab is to improve tissue regeneration and prevent cancer in GI.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Junling Liu

Lab Name: Laboratory of Thrombus and Vascular Physiology

Lab Info：Adhesion molecules and their intracellular signals play an important role in physiology and pathophysiology. Our research group mainly focuses on the mechanism of major adhesion molecules on the cell surface, such as integrin and multiple EGF like domains family proteins, in the pathogenesis and development of cardiovascular diseases and tumors, and finds corresponding targeted therapies

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Jun Mi

Lab Name: Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Early Diagnosis

Lab Info：Mi Lab has been devoted to studying tumor pathogenesis and early diagnosis for many years. The main research directions are:

1. Effects of microenvironmental metabolites on tumor progression and treatment, focusing on metabolites as signal molecules regulating therapeutic resistance and tumor immune evasion.

2. The clinical applications of tumor metabolites, such as metabolites or enzymes as diagnostic or prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Since the lab establishment in 2009, we have published more than 30 papers in J. Hematol Oncol, Cell Reports et al. peer-viewed journals. And we have undertaken more than 10 research projects, supported by the Shanghai and national scientific funds, with a total of over 10 million Chinese dollars. We have applied for 2 international invention patents and won the second prize of Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award. Prof. Mi serves as a PI in a research group including an assistant professor, a technician, post-doctors, and graduate students.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Zhao Xuyun

Lab Name: Laboratory of Energy Homeostasis and Disease

Lab Info：Research Interests: We investigate the role of cellular metabolites and redox status in the control of 1) brown fat thermogenesis and energy expenditure in obesity and diabetes 2) hepatocyte function in NASH pathogenesis.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader:Lingli He

Lab Name:Laboratory of cancer metabolismandtargetedtherapy

Lab Info:Our laboratory focuses on metabolic regulation and its translational potential by integrating three interconnected directions: defining cancer-specific metabolic vulnerabilities through functional screening and multi-omics analyses; developing small-molecule therapeutics targeting key metabolic nodes using structure-guided design, AI-assisted screening, and chemical biology approaches; and elucidating the physiological and pathological roles of the selenium–selenoprotein axis in cancer, aging, and metabolic diseases. Together, these efforts aim to uncover fundamental mechanisms of metabolic control, identify actionable therapeutic targets, and translate these discoveries into clinically relevant strategies for disease intervention.

Lab Members:

Lab Leader: Zhangfei Shen

Lab Name:Laboratory of Microbial Immunology and Horizontal Gene Transfer

Lab Info：Thelab will focus on the research of exogenous nucleic acid immune response and horizontal gene transfer regulation in the field of microbiology and immunology.We will decipher how the microbial immune system recognizes and responds to the invasion of exogenous nucleic acids from mobile genetic elements such as plasmid and phage. We will also focus on the immune recognition and molecular interaction between viruses and hosts, and explore the molecular mechanisms of viral invasion of hosts as well as the molecular mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer by mobile genetic elements. The research group will integrate research methods of structural biology, biochemistry, genetics and microbiology, so as to provide an important theoretical basis for the development of new antiviral strategies, antibacterial tools, new nucleic acid editing tools, and for understanding the evolutionary rules of exogenous nucleic acid immune recognition by the microbial immune system. (https://www.x-mol.com/groups/shenlab)

Lab Members: