Experimental Pathology Division - Signal Transduction

Keqiang Ye, PhD

Primary Laboratory Research:

- How NGF regulates neuronal cell survival in the nucleus
My lab is mainly interested in identifying the molecular mechanisms how NGF regulates neuronal cell survival in the nucleus. There are three major research directions: a) identification and characterization of nuclear Akt substrates; b) to dissect the brain specific nuclear GTPase PIKE and characterize its biological functions including its role in human brain tumors; c) NGF-mediated nuclear proteins antagonizing apoptosis. Moreover, we are also interested in determining the biological role of NF2/PIKE signaling in neurofibromatosis II.

Patents:

·	Issued: No. 01028 "Noscapine and Noscapine Derivatives, Useful as Anticancer Agent" (60/057/037 and PCT/US98/14979)
·	Pending: No. 97012 "The Antitissue Drug Noscapine is a Tubulin Binding Anti-Tumor Drug"
·	Pending: No. 98056 "Use of Anticancer Agent Noscapine, as an immunological Adjuvant for Tumor Therapy"
·	Pending: No. 02040 "Delivery Systems and Methods for Nocapine and Noscapine Derivatives, Useful as Anticancer Agent"

Active Grants:

Federally Funded -
·	PI, NIH RO1 Nuclear GTPase PIKE Regulation and Functions. RO1 NS045627-01A1; $1,613,800, January 2004-December, 2008
·	PI, NIH RO1 The Role of Merlin Phosphorylation on Tumor Suppressive Activity. RO1 CA117872-01; $1,702,700; March, 2006-February, 2011
·	PI, NIH RO1 Molecular Regulation and Biological Functions of PIKE-A. RO1 CA CA127119 $1,937,500; July 1st, 2008-June 30th, 2013
·	PI, Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Researcher-Initiated Award $1,110,363; February, 2006-January, 2010
Previous Funding: -
·	PI, Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis New Investigator Award, $554,200 "Neurofibromatosis 2 Tumor Suppressor, Merlin, Inhibits PIKE/PI 3-Kinase Signaling" 2003 - 2006
·	PI, The Sontag Foundation Distinguished Young Scientist Award, $500,000 PIKE-A, a novel GTPase that mediates human brain cancer invasion through regulating Akt 2003 - 2006
·	PI, American Cancer Society for Research Scholar, TBE-105131, Dissection of the Nuclear GTPase PIKE Signaling, $797,800, January 2004 –December 2007
·	Department of Defense, Neurofibromatosis New Investigator Award ($554,200; 2003 - 2006); PI

Current Post-doctoral Fellows:

• Yanru Wang (July, 2008-present)
• Changhoon Kim (July, 2008-present)
• Pradoldej Sompol (May, 2008-present)
• Seran Yang (March, 2008-present)
• Sung-Muk Oh (June, 2007-present)
• Chi-Bun Chan (2005-present)
• Masashi Okada (2006-present)
• Sung-Wuk Jang (2006-present)

Previous Postdoc Fellows:

• Rong Rong (March 2002-May 2004),
  Research associate, Yerkes Research Center, Emory University
• Jee-Yin Ahn, (September 2002 - January, 2005)
  Assistant Professor, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
• Joyce Yao (August 2003-July, 2004)
  A medical student at University of Miami
• Seung-Ju Yang (June, 2005-July, 2006)
  Assistant Professor, Konyang University, South Korea
• Yuanxin Hu (September 2003-March, 2006)
  Research Associate, The University of Chicago
• Zhixue Liu (September, 2004-June, 2007)
  Research Associate, Mayo Clinics
• Xiaoling Tang (September, 2004-August, 2007
  Research Scientist, Center for Disease Control (CDC)

---