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Lynda Chin, M.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Department Chair, Department of Genomic Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor, Department of Genomic Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Scientific Director, MD Anderson Institute for Applied Cancer Science, Houston, TX

Research Interests

The central goal of my research program is to convert basic discoveries into drug development and diagnostic endpoints. In particular, we are interested in accelerating the translation of complex cancer genomic data into validated therapeutic targets and biomarkers through functional genomics and mechanism biology. We utilize complimentary molecular, cellular and organismal approaches, leveraging various model systems, including genetically engineered mouse and human cell systems, to dissect the complex molecular mechanisms and biological processes governing the genesis, progression and maintenance of cancers. Specific emphasis is in area of metastasis and early staged disease prognosis. Our integrated genomic, genetic and biological program framework interacts with the MD Anderson Institute for Applied Cancer Science, a new academic construct that bridges the academia and industry to enable drug discovery.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1993 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, MD, Medicine
1988 Brown University, Providence, RI, BS, Magna Cum Laude, Neuroscience

Postgraduate Training

1994-1997 Clinical Residency, Dermatology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
1994-1997 Research Fellowship, Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
1993-1994 Clinical Internship, Medicine, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY

Honors and Awards

2009 The Milstein Innovation Award, American Skin Association
2004 The Claire and Richard Morse Research Award
2003 The James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Research Award
2002 The Goldhirsh Brain Tumor Foundation Research Award
2001 BASF Bioresearch Corporation Award
2001 The Barr Investigator Award
2001 The Charles E. Culpeper Scholarships in Medical Science
2001 The Dunkin' Donut Rising Star Award
2000 The Wilson S. Stone Memorial Award
1999 The V Foundation Award
1998 LaLezari Awards for Research Excellence
1998 World Congress Fund Award
1997 Albert M. Kligman Fellowship, Society for Investigative Dermatology
1988 Honors Degree in Neuroscience, Brown University
1988 Magna Cum Laude, Brown University
1984 Valedictorian, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
1984 Westinghouse Science Competition Semi-finalist

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Bass AJ, Lawrence MS, Brace LE, Ramos AH, Drier Y, Cibulskis K, Sougnez C, Voet D, Saksena G, Sivachenko A, Jing R, Parkin M, Pugh T, Verhaak RG, Stransky N, Boutin AT, Barretina J, Solit DB, Vakiani E, Shao W, Mishina Y, Warmuth M, Jimenez J, Chiang DY, Signoretti S, Kaelin WG, Spardy N, Hahn WC, Hoshida Y, Ogino S, Depinho RA, Chin L, Garraway LA, Fuchs CS, Baselga J, Tabernero J, Gabriel S, Lander ES, Getz G, Meyerson M. Genomic sequencing of colorectal adenocarcinomas identifies a recurrent VTI1A-TCF7L2 fusion. Nat Genet 43(10):964-8, 10/2011. e-Pub 9/2011. PMID: 21892161.
2. Gutierrez A, Kentsis A, Sanda T, Holmfeldt L, Chen SC, Zhang J, Protopopov A, Chin L, Dahlberg SE, Neuberg DS, Silverman LB, Winter SS, Hunger SP, Sallan SE, Zha S, Alt FW, Downing JR, Mullighan CG, Look AT. The BCL11B tumor suppressor is mutated across the major molecular subtypes of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 118(15):4169-73, 10/2011. e-Pub 8/2011. PMID: 21878675.
3. Locasale JW, Grassian AR, Melman T, Lyssiotis CA, Mattaini KR, Bass AJ, Heffron G, Metallo CM, Muranen T, Sharfi H, Sasaki AT, Anastasiou D, Mullarky E, Vokes NI, Sasaki M, Beroukhim R, Stephanopoulos G, Ligon AH, Meyerson M, Richardson AL, Chin L, Wagner G, Asara JM, Brugge JS, Cantley LC, Vander Heiden MG. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase diverts glycolytic flux and contributes to oncogenesis. Nat Genet 43(9):869-74, 9/2011. e-Pub 7/2011. PMID: 21804546.
4. Scott KL, Nogueira C, Heffernan TP, van Doorn R, Dhakal S, Hanna JA, Min C, Jaskelioff M, Xiao Y, Wu CJ, Cameron LA, Perry SR, Zeid R, Feinberg T, Kim M, Vande Woude G, Granter SR, Bosenberg M, Chu GC, DePinho RA, Rimm DL, Chin L. Proinvasion metastasis drivers in early-stage melanoma are oncogenes. Cancer Cell 20(1):92-103, 7/2011. PMCID: PMC3176328.
5. Rabbani P, Takeo M, Chou W, Myung P, Bosenberg M, Chin L, Taketo MM, Ito M. Coordinated activation of Wnt in epithelial and melanocyte stem cells initiates pigmented hair regeneration. Cell 145(6):941-55, 6/2011. PMID: 21663796.
6. Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network (Chin L, Meyerson M, corresponding authors). Comprehensive genomic characterization defines human glioblastoma genes and core pathways. Nature 455(7216):1061-8, 10/2008. e-Pub 9/2008. PMCID: PMC2671642.
7. Furnari FB, Fenton T, Bachoo RM, Mukasa A, Stommel JM, Stegh A, Hahn WC, Ligon KL, Louis DN, Brennan C, Chin L, DePinho RA, Cavenee WK. Malignant astrocytic glioma: genetics, biology, and paths to treatment. Genes Dev 21(21):2683-710, 11/2007. PMID: 17974913.
8. Allinen M, Beroukhim R, Cai L, Brennan C, Lahti-Domenici J, Huang H, Porter D, Hu M, Chin L, Richardson A, Schnitt S, Sellers WR, Polyak K. Molecular characterization of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer. Cancer Cell 6(1):17-32, 7/2004. PMID: 15261139.
9. Artandi SE, Chang S, Lee SL, Alson S, Gottlieb GJ, Chin L, DePinho RA. Telomere dysfunction promotes non-reciprocal translocations and epithelial cancers in mice. Nature 406(6796):641-5, 8/2000. PMID: 10949306.
10. Chin L*, Tam A, Pomerantz J, Wong M, Holash J, Bardeesy N, Shen Q, O'Hagan R, Pantginis J, Zhou H, Horner JW, Cordon-Cardo C, Yancopoulos GD, DePinho RA* (Co-corresponding author). Essential role for oncogenic Ras in tumour maintenance. Nature 400(6743):468-72, 7/1999. PMID: 10440378.
11. Chin L, Artandi SE, Shen Q, Tam A, Lee SL, Gottlieb GJ, Greider CW, DePinho RA. p53 deficiency rescues the adverse effects of telomere loss and cooperates with telomere dysfunction to accelerate carcinogenesis. Cell 97(4):527-38, 5/1999. PMID: 10338216.
12. Greenberg RA, O'Hagan RC, Deng H, Xiao Q, Hann SR, Adams RR, Lichtsteiner S, Chin L, Morin GB, DePinho RA. Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene is a direct target of c-Myc but is not functionally equivalent in cellular transformation. Oncogene 18(5):1219-26, 2/1999. PMID: 10022128.
13. Pomerantz J, Schreiber-Agus N, Liégeois NJ, Silverman A, Alland L, Chin L, Potes J, Chen K, Orlow I, Lee HW, Cordon-Cardo C, DePinho RA. The Ink4a tumor suppressor gene product, p19Arf, interacts with MDM2 and neutralizes MDM2's inhibition of p53. Cell 92(6):713-23, 3/1998. PMID: 9529248.
14. Alland L, Muhle R, Hou H, Potes J, Chin L, Schreiber-Agus N, DePinho RA. Role for N-CoR and histone deacetylase in Sin3-mediated transcriptional repression. Nature 387(6628):49-55, 5/1997. PMID: 9139821.
15. Serrano M, Lee H, Chin L, Cordon-Cardo C, Beach D, DePinho RA. Role of the INK4a locus in tumor suppression and cell mortality. Cell 85(1):27-37, 4/1996. PMID: 8620534.

Last updated: 2/13/2013