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Dihua Yu, M.D., Ph.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Hubert L. & Olive Stringer Distinguished Chair in Basic Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor (tenured) and Biologist, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Deputy Chair, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Distinguished Teaching Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Faculty, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Unit Number: Unit 108
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: B7.4527
Phone: (713) 792-3636
Fax: (713) 792-4454

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1991 Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), U. T. Health Science Center, Houston, TX, PHD, Molecular Biology and Cancer Biology
1985 Capital University of Medicine, Beijing, China, MS, Neuro-Cardio Physiology
1982 Capital University of Medicine, Beijing, China, MD, Medicine

Honors and Awards

2012 Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award, The University of Texas System
2012 The 2012 Dallas/Fort Worth Living Legend Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Research, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2012 The Distinguished Faculty Research Mentor Award, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2011 Elected AAAS Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
2011 Elected Academy Member, The University of Texas Academy of Health Science Education
2010 BPW/Texas Award, Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW)
2009-present Hubert L. & Olive Stringer Distinguished Chair in Basic Science, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2007 Faculty Educator of the Month (November 2007), University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2006-2009 Nylene Eckles Distinguished Professorship in Breast Cancer Research, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
2001-2005 Dean's Excellence Award, Recipient of Honors Convocation of the University of Texas Health Science Center
2000-2003 E. N. Cobb Faculty Scholar Award, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Wang Q, Li SH, Wang H, Xiao Y, Sahin Ozgur, Brady SW, Li P, Ge H, Jaffee EM, Muller WJ, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D. Concomitant targeting of tumor cells and induction of T cell response synergizes to effectively inhibit trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer. Cancer Research 72(17):4417-4428, 9/2012.
2. Chan CH, Li CF, Yang WL, Gao Y, Lee SW, Feng Z, Huang HY, Tsai KK, Flores LG, Shao Y, Hazle JD, Yu D, Wei W, Sarbassov D, Hung MC, Nakayama KI, Lin HK. The Skp2-SCF E3 Ligase Regulates Akt Ubiquitination, Glycolysis, Herceptin Sensitivity, and Tumorigenesis. Cell 149(5):1098-111, 5/2012. PMID: 22632973.
3. Pickering BF, *Yu D, *Van Dyke MW. Nucleolin protein interacts with microprocessor complex to affect biogenesis of microRNAs 15a and 16. J Biol Chem (* corresponding authors) 286(51):44095-103, 12/2011. e-Pub 11/2011. PMCID: PMC3243533.
4. Morrow PK, Wulf GM, Ensor J, Booser DJ, Moore JA, Flores PR, Xiong Y, Zhang S, Krop IE, Winer EP, Kindelberger DW, Coviello J, Sahin AA, Nuñez R, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D, Esteva FJ. Phase I/II Study of Trastuzumab in Combination With Everolimus (RAD001) in Patients With HER2-Overexpressing Metastatic Breast Cancer Who Progressed on Trastuzumab-Based Therapy. J Clin Oncol 29(23):3126-32, 8/2011. e-Pub 7/2011. PMCID: PMC3157979.
5. Zhang S, Huang WC, Li P, Guo H, Poh SB, Brady SW, Xiong Y, Tseng LM, Li SH, Ding Z, Sahin AA, Esteva FJ, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D. Combating trastuzumab resistance by targeting SRC, a common node downstream of multiple resistance pathways. Nat Med 17(4):461-9, 4/2011. e-Pub 3/13/2011. PMID: 21399647.
6. Chang CJ, Chao CH, Xia W, Yang JY, Xiong Y, Li CW, Yu WH, Rehman SK, Hsu JL, Lee HH, Liu M, Chen CT, Yu D, Hung MC. p53 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stem cell properties through modulating miRNAs. Nat Cell Biol 13(3):317-23, 3/2011. e-Pub 2/2011. PMCID: PMC3075845.
7. Esteva FJ, Guo H, Zhang S, Santa-Maria C, Stone S, Lanchbury JS, Sahin AA, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D. PTEN, PIK3CA, p-AKT, and p-p70S6K status: association with trastuzumab response and survival in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Am J Pathol 177(4):1647-56, 10/2010. e-Pub 9/2010. PMCID: PMC2947262.
8. Lu J, Guo H, Treekitkarnmongkol W, Li P, Zhang J, Shi B, Ling C, Zhou X, Chen T, Chiao PJ, Feng X, Seewaldt VL, Muller WJ, Sahin A, Hung MC, Yu D. 14-3-3zeta Cooperates with ErbB2 to Promote Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Progression to Invasive Breast Cancer by Inducing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cancer Cell 16(3):195-207, NIHMS[140388], 9/8/2009. PMCID: PMC2754239.
9. Danes CG, Wyszomierski SL, Lu J, Neal CL, Yang W, Yu D. 14-3-3 zeta down-regulates p53 in mammary epithelial cells and confers luminal filling. Cancer Res 68(6):1760-7, 3/15/2008. PMID: 18339856.
10. Tan, M, Li P, Klos KS, Lu J, Fang D, Nagata Y, Jing T, Yu D. ErbB2 promotes Src synthesis and stability: novel mechanisms of Src activation that confer breast cancer metastasis. Cancer Res 65(5):1858-67, 3/2005. PMID: 15753384.
11. Li Y, Pan Y, Wei Y, Cheng X, Zhou B, Tan M, Zhou X, Xia W, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D, Hung M-C. Upregulation of CXCR4 is essential for HER2-mediated tumor metastasis. Cancer Cell 6(5):459-469, 11/2004. PMID: 15542430.
12. Nagata Y, Lan KH, Zhou X, Tan M, Esteva FJ, Sahin AA, Klos KS, Li P, Monia BP, Nguyen NT, Hortobagyi GN, Hung MC, Yu D. PTEN activation contributes to tumor inhibition by trastuzumab, and loss of PTEN predicts trastuzumab resistance in patients. Cancer Cell 6:117-27, 2004. *Accompanied by Preview: Crowder RJ, Lombardi DP, Ellis MJ. Successful targeting of ErbB2 receptors - is PTEN the key? Cell 6: 103-4, 2004. * Accompanied by Nature news: Pearson H, Nature, Aug 23, 2004. *Accompanied by News and Commentary: Pandolfi PP. N Engl J Med 351:2337. Cancer Cell 6(2):117-27, 8/2004. PMID: 15324695.
13. Sellappan S, Grijalva R, Zhou X, Yang W, Eli MB, Mills GB, Yu D. Lineage infidelity of MDA-MB-435 cells: expression of melanocyte proteins in a breast cancer cell line. Cancer Res 64(10):3479-85, 5/2004. PMID: 15150101.
14. Tan M, Jing T, Lan KH, Neal CL, Li P, Lee S, Fang D, Nagata Y, Liu J, Arlinghaus R, Hung MC, Yu D. Phosphorylation on tyrosine-15 of p34(Cdc2) by ErbB2 inhibits p34(Cdc2) activation and is involved in resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis. Mol Cell 9(5):993-1004, 5/2002. PMID: 12049736.
15. Yu D, Jing T, Liu B, Yao J, Tan M, McDonnell TJ, Hung MC. Overexpression of ErbB2 blocks Taxol-induced apoptosis by upregulation of p21Cip1, which inhibits p34Cdc2 kinase. Mol Cell 2(5):581-91, 11/1998. PMID: 9844631.

Invited Articles
1. Zhang S, Yu D. Targeting Src Family Kinases in Anti-cancer Therapies: Turning Promise into Triumph. Trends Pharmacol Sci 33(3):122-128, 3/2012. e-Pub 12/9/2011. PMID: 22153719.
2. Zhang S, Yu D. PI(3)King Apart PTEN's Role in Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 16(17):4325-30, 9/1/2010. e-Pub 7/8/2010. PMID: 20622047.
3. Lu J, Steeg PS, Price JE, Krishnamurthy S, Mani SA, Reuben J, Cristofanilli M, Dontu G, Bidaut L, Valero V, Hortobagyi GN, Yu D. Breast Cancer Metastasis: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancer Res 69(12):4951-3, 6/2009. e-Pub 5/2009. PMID: 19470768.
4. Hung MC, Mills GB, Yu D. Oxygen sensor boosts growth factor signaling. Nat Med 15(3):319-24, 3/2009. PMID: 19265822.

Last updated: 3/11/2013