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Boyi Gan, PhD

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

Our lab studies metabolic signaling in cancer development, stem cell maintenance and aging, with the long-term goal of applying the acquired knowledge toward the development of effective rational therapies targeting metabolic pathways in cancer treatment. Our current projects focus on the roles of FoxO/TSC/LKB1 tumor suppressor network (Gan B, 2008, PNAS; Gan B, 2010, Cancer Cell; Gan B, 2010, Nature) and other novel cancer genes in cancer metabolism and stem cell biology. We are employing multi- disciplinary approaches, including sophisticated genetic mouse models, integrated transcriptomic/genomic/computational analyses, and detailed biochemical mechanistic studies, to dissect these biological questions.

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Experimental Radiation Oncology
1515 Holcombe Blvd
Unit Number: 0066
Houston, TX 77030-4009
Room Number: Y4.6024
Phone: 713/792-8653
Fax: 713/794-5369
Email: bgan@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2006 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, PHD, Comparative Biomedical Sciences
2000 Fudan University, Shanghai, China, MS, Genetics
1997 Fudan University, Shanghai, China, BS, Microbiology

Postgraduate Training

2010-2011 Instructor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Ronald DePinho, MD
2006-2010 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Ronald DePinho, MD

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Member, Cancer Biology Program, the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 2/2012-present
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2/2012-present

Honors and Awards

2012-2014 CONquer canCER Now Award, Concer Foundation
2012-2014 CSCDB Faculty Scholar Award, Center for Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
2012-2014 Kimmel Scholar, Sidney Kimmel Foundation
2012-2013 The LAM Foundation Pilot Award, The LAM Foundation
2011-2012 DOD PCRP Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award, Department of Defense
2011 Harvard Chinese Life Science Annual Distinguished Research Award
2010-2014 DOD TSCRP Career Transition Award, Department of Defense
2009-2011 DF/HCC Kidney Cancer SPORE Career Development Award, DF/HCC Kidney Cancer SPORE
2007-2010 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fellowship, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Professional Memberships

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Member, 2006-present
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)
Member, 2003-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Ying H, Kimmelman AC, Lyssiotis CA, Hua S, Chu GC, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Locasale JW, Son J, Zhang H, Coloff JL, Yan H, Wang W, Chen S, Viale A, Zheng H, Paik JH, Lim C, Guimaraes AR, Martin ES, Chang J, Hezel AF, Perry SR, Hu J, Gan B, Xiao Y, Asara JM, Weissleder R, Wang YA, Chin L, Cantley LC, Depinho RA. Oncogenic Kras Maintains Pancreatic Tumors through Regulation of Anabolic Glucose Metabolism. Cell 149(3):656-70, 4/27/2012. PMID: 22541435.
2. Ding Z, Wu CJ, Jaskelioff M, Ivanova E, Kost-Alimova M, Protopopov A, Chu GC, Wang G, Lu X, Labrot ES, Hu J, Wang W, Xiao Y, Zhang H, Zhang J, Zhang J, Gan B, Perry SR, Jiang S, Li L, Horner JW, Wang YA, Chin L, DePinho RA. Telomerase reactivation following telomere dysfunction yields murine prostate tumors with bone metastases. Cell 148(5):896-907, 3/2/2012. e-Pub 2/16/2012. PMID: 22341455.
3. Hu J, Hwang SS, Liesa M, Gan B, Sahin E, Jaskelioff M, Ding Z, Ying H, Boutin AT, Zhang H, Johnson S, Ivanova E, Kost-Alimova M, Protopopov A, Wang YA, Shirihai OS, Chin L, DePinho RA. Antitelomerase therapy provokes ALT and mitochondrial adaptive mechanisms in cancer. Cell 148(4):651-63, 2/17/2012. PMCID: PMC3286017.
4. Zhang K, Li L, Qi Y, Zhu X, Gan B, DePinho RA, Averitt T, Guo S. Hepatic Suppression of Foxo1 and Foxo3 Causes Hypoglycemia and Hyperlipidemia in Mice. Endocrinology 153(2):631-46, 2/2012. e-Pub 12/6/2011. PMID: 22147007.
5. Wei H, Wei S, Gan B, Peng X, Zou W, Guan JL. Suppression of autophagy by FIP200 deletion inhibits mammary tumorigenesis. Genes and Development 25(14):1510-1527, 2011. PMCID: PMC3143941.
6. Gan B, Hu J, Jiang S, Liu Y, Sahin E, Zhuang L, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Colla S, Wang YA, Chin L, Depinho RA. Lkb1 regulates quiescence and metabolic homeostasis of haematopoietic stem cells. Nature 468(7324):701-4, 12/2/2010. PMCID: PMC3058342.
7. Zheng H, Ying H, Wiedemeyer R, Yan H, Quayle SN, Ivanova EV, Paik JH, Zhang H, Xiao Y, Perry SR, Hu J, Vinjamoori A, Gan B, Sahin E, Chheda MG, Brennan C, Wang YA, Hahn WC, Chin L, DePinho RA. PLAGL2 regulates Wnt signaling to impede differentiation in neural stem cells and gliomas. Cancer Cell 17(5):497-509, 5/18/2010. PMCID: PMC2900858.
8. Gan B, Lim C, Chu G, Hua S, Ding Z, Collins M, Hu J, Jiang S, Fletcher-Sananikone E, Zhuang L, Chang M, Zheng H, Wang YA, Kwiatkowski DJ, Kaelin WG Jr, Signoretti S, DePinho RA. FoxOs enforce a progression checkpoint to constrain mTORC1-activated renal tumorigenesis. Cancer Cell 18(5):472-484, 2010. PMCID: PMC3023886.
9. Liang CC, Wang C, Peng X, Gan B, Guan JL. Neural-specific deletion of FIP200 leads to cerebellar degeneration caused by increased neuronal death and axon degeneration. Journal of Biological Chemistry 285(5):3499-3509, 2010. PMID: 19940130.
10. Gan B, DePinho RA. mTORC1 signaling governs hematopoietic stem cell quiescence. Cell Cycle 8(7):1003-6, 4/1/2009. e-Pub 4/2/2009. PMCID: PMC2743144.
11. Wei H, Gan B, Wu X, Guan JL. Inactivation of FIP200 leads to inflammatory skin disorder, but not tumorigenesis, in conditional knock-out mouse models. Journal of Biological Chemistry 284(9):6004-6013, 2009.
12. Gan B, Sahin E, Jiang S, Sanchez-Aguilera A, Scott KL, Chin L, Williams DA, Kwiatkowski DJ, DePinho RA. mTORC1-dependent and -independent regulation of stem cell renewal, differentiation, and mobilization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(49):19384-9, 12/9/2008. e-Pub 12/3/2008. PMCID: PMC2593615.
13. Martin N, Schwamborn K, Urlaub H, Gan B, Guan JL, Dejean A. Spatial interplay between PIASy and FIP200 in the regulation of signal transduction and transcriptional activity. Molecular and Cellular Biology 28(8):2771-2781, 2008. PMID: 18285457.
14. Nagy T, Wei H, Shen TL, Peng X, Liang CC, Gan B, Guan JL. Mammary epithelial-specific deletion of the focal adhesion kinase gene leads to severe lobulo-alveolar hypoplasia and secretory immaturity of the murine mammary gland. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282(43):31766, 2007. PMID: 17716968.
15. Gan B, Yoo Y, Guan JL. Association of focal adhesion kinase with tuberous sclerosis complex 2 in the regulation of s6 kinase activation and cell growth. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281(49):37321-37329, 2006. PMID: 17043358.
16. Gan B, Peng X, Nagy T, Alcaraz A, Gu H, Guan JL. Role of FIP200 in cardiac and liver development and its regulation of TNFalpha and TSC-mTOR signaling pathways. Journal of Cell Biology 175(1):121-133, 2006. PMCID: PMC2064504.
17. Wei H, Wang X, Gan B, Urvalek AM, Melkoumian ZK, Guan JL, Zhao J. Sumoylation delimits KLF8 transcriptional activity associated with the cell cycle regulation. Journal of Bio 281(24):16664-16671, 2006. PMID: 16617055.
18. Wu X, Gan B, Yoo Y, Guan JL. FAK-mediated src phosphorylation of endophilin A2 inhibits endocytosis of MT1-MMP and promotes ECM degradation. Developmental Cell 9(2):185-196, 2005. PMID: 16054026.
19. Gan B, Melkoumian ZK, Wu X, Guan KL, Guan JL. Identification of FIP200 interaction with the TSC1-TSC2 complex and its role in regulation of cell size control. Journal of Cell Biology 170(3):379-389, 2005. PMCID: PMC2171462.
20. Melkoumian ZK, Peng X, Gan B, Wu X, Guan JL. Mechanism of cell cycle regulation by FIP200 in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Research 65(15):6676-6684, 2005. PMID: 16061648.

Invited Articles
1. Zhang Y, Gan B, Liu D, Paik JH. FoxO family members in cancer. Cancer Biology and Therapy 12(4):253-259, 2011. PMID: 21613825.
2. Gan B, DePinho RA. mTORC1 signaling governs hematopoietic stem cell quiescence. Cell Cycle 8(7):1003-1006, 2009. PMCID: PMC2743144.
3. Gan B, Guan JL. FIP200, a key signaling node to coordinately regulate various cellular processes. Cell Signal 20(5):787-94, 5/2008. e-Pub 11/2007. PMCID: PMC2278039.

Last updated: 3/4/2013