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Li Ma, Ph.D.

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

Metastasis, microRNA, tumor-stroma interaction, signal transduction, cancer models and mechanisms, development, reprogramming and stem cells.

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Experimental Radiation Oncology-0066
1515 Holcombe Blvd
Unit Number: 0066
Houston, TX 77030-4009
Room Number: Y3.6024
Phone: 713-792-6590
Fax: 713-794-5369
Email: lma4@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2006 Sloan-Kettering Institute, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, PHD, Cancer Biology
2001 Peking University, Beijing, China, BS, Biology

Postgraduate Training

2006-2010 Postdoctoral, Cancer Biology, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, Dr. Robert A. Weinberg

Honors and Awards

2008 Margaret and Herman Sokol Award, Margaret and Herman Sokol
2007-2010 Life Sciences Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Life Sciences Research Foundation
2005 Julian Rachele Prize, Julian Rachele
2000 Panasonic Scholarship, Panasonic and Peking University Beijing

Professional Memberships

American Association for Cancer Research
Member, 2005-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Ma L, Reinhardt F, Pan E, Soutschek J, Bhat B, Marcusson EG, Teruya-Feldstein J, Bell GW, Weinberg RA. Therapeutic silencing of miR-10b inhibits metastasis in a mouse mammary tumor model. Nat Biotechnol 28(4):341-7, 4/2010. e-Pub 3/28/2010. PMCID: PMC2852471.
2. Ma L, Young J, Prabhala H, Pan E, Mestdagh P, Muth D, Teruya-Feldstein J, Reinhardt F, Onder TT, Valastyan S, Westermann F, Speleman F, Vandesompele J, Weinberg RA. miR-9, a MYC/MYCN-activated microRNA, regulates E-cadherin and cancer metastasis. Nat Cell Biol 12(3):247-56, 3/2010. e-Pub 2/21/2010. PMCID: PMC2845545.
3. Distefano G, Boca M, Rowe I, Wodarczyk C, Ma L, Piontek KB, Germino GG, Pandolfi PP, Boletta A. Polycystin-1 regulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent phosphorylation of tuberin to control cell size through mTOR and its downstream effectors S6K and 4EBP1. Mol Cell Biol 29(9):2359-71, 2009.
4. Ma L, Weinberg RA. Micromanagers of malignancy: role of microRNAs in regulating metastasis. Trends Genet 24(9):448-56, 9/2008. e-Pub 7/31/2008. PMID: 18674843.
5. Ma L, Weinberg RA. MicroRNAs in malignant progression. Cell Cycle 7(5):570-2, 3/1/2008. e-Pub 12/31/2007. PMID: 18256538.
6. Carracedo A, Ma L, Teruya-Feldstein J, Rojo F, Salmena L, Alimonti A, Egia A, Sasaki AT, Thomas G, Kozma SC, Papa A, Nardella C, Cantley LC, Baselga J, Pandolfi PP. Inhibition of mTORC1 leads to MAPK pathway activation through a PI3K-dependent feedback loop in human cancer. J Clin Invest 118(9):3065-74, 2008.
7. Ma L, Teruya-Feldstein J, Weinberg RA. Tumour invasion and metastasis initiated by microRNA-10b in breast cancer. Nature 449(7163):682-8, 10/11/2007. e-Pub 9/26/2007. PMID: 17898713.
8. Ma L, Teruya-Feldstein J, Bonner P, Bernardi R, Franz DN, Witte D, Cordon-Cardo C, Pandolfi PP. Identification of S664 TSC2 phosphorylation as a marker for extracellular signal-regulated kinase mediated mTOR activation in tuberous sclerosis and human cancer. Cancer Res 67(15):7106-12, 8/1/2007. PMID: 17671177.
9. Hernando E, Charytonowicz E, Dudas ME, Menendez S, Matushansky I, Mills J, Socci ND, Behrendt N, Ma L, Maki RG, Pandolfi PP, Cardon-Cardo C. The AKT-mTOR pathway plays a critical role in the development of leiomyosarcomas. Nat Med 13(6):748-53, 2007.
10. Ma L, Teruya-Feldstein J, Behrendt N, Chen Z, Noda T, Hino O, Cordon-Cardo C, Pandolfi PP. Genetic analysis of Pten and Tsc2 functional interactions in the mouse reveals asymmetrical haploinsufficiency in tumor suppression. Genes Dev 19(15):1779-86, 8/1/2005. e-Pub 7/18/2005. PMCID: PMC1182340.
11. Ma L, Chen Z, Erdjument-Bromage H, Tempst P, Pandolfi PP. Phosphorylation and functional inactivation of TSC2 by Erk implications for tuberous sclerosis and cancer pathogenesis. Cell 121(2):179-93, 4/22/2005. PMID: 15851026.
12. Ruggero D, Montanaro L, Ma L, Xu W, Londei P, Cordon-Cardo C, Pandolfi PP. The translation factor eIF-4E promotes tumor formation and cooperates with c-Myc in lymphomagenesis. Nat Med 10(5):484-6, 5/2004. e-Pub 4/18/2004. PMID: 15098029.

Invited Articles
1. Ma L, Weinberg RA. Micromanagers of malignancy: role of microRNAs in regulating metastasis. Trends in Genetics 24:448-456, 2008.
2. Ma L and Weinberg FA. MicroRNAs in malignant progression. Cell Cycle 7:570-572, 2008.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Funding Source: CPRIT First Time, Tenure-Track Faculty Award (R1004
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/1/2010 - 8/31/2014
 
Title: Role of microRNAs in malignant progression
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/1/2010 - 8/31/2013
 
Title: Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention
Funding Source: University of Texas STARS Award
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 9/1/2010 - 3/31/2012

Last updated: 12/21/2010