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Peng Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor with Tenure, Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Faculty Member, The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX

Research Interests

Our laboratory research are in the areas of metabolic alterations in cancer cells and mechanisms of action of novel anticancer agents. The goals our research programs are to investigate the foundamental changes in energy metabolism and redox regulation in cancer, to examine the molecular interaction between the cancer cells and anticancer drugs, and to develop novel strategies to selectively kill the malignant cells based on their metabolic alterations and survival pathways.  Current research efforts are directed toward investigating the role of mitochondria in affecting glycolysis and drug-induced apoptosis, and examining the effect of oncogenic signals on mitochondrial respiration and ROS generation. Another important focus is the role of p53 and its associated molecules in sensing DNA damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other genotoxic agents and the subsequent signaling for apoptosis. The understanding of the difference between the cancer cells and normal cells in their ATP metabolism and ROS/redox regulation will provide an important basis for developing novel agants and new strategies to selectively kill cancer cells and improve therapeutic activity and selectivity for cancer treatment.   

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
7435 Fannin
Department of Molecular Pathology
Unit Number: 951
Houston, TX 77054
Room Number: 2SCR4.3029
Phone: 713-834-6044
Fax: 713-834-6084
Email: phuang@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1990 The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, PHD, Pharmacology
1982 Zhongshan Medical College, Guangzhou, China, MD, Medicine

Postgraduate Training

6/1990-11/1992 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
1/1983-8/1984 Postgraduate Fellowship, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Associate Professor (tenure 09/01/2003), Department of Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 9/2001-8/2007
Assistant Professor (non-tenure track 1995-1999; tenure track 1999-2001), Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1995-8/2001
Assistant Biochemist (non-tenure track), Department of Clinical Investigation, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1992-12/1994
Research Associate, Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 1/1991-1/1992

Honors and Awards

2008 John P McGovern Outstanding Teacher Award, GSBS-University of Texas at Houston
2006-2009 E. N. Cobb Faculty Scholar Award, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1998-2003 First Independent Research Support and Transition Award, National Cancer Institute
1996-1998 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Physicians Referral Service Research Award, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1984-1985 Scholarship for Overseas Studies, Chinese Minister of Education

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Chen G, Izzo J, Demizu Y, Wang F, Guha S, Wu F, Hung M-C, Ajani JA, Huang P. Different redox states in malignant and non-malignant esophageal epithelial cells and differential cytotoxic responses to bile acid and honkiol. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling 11:1083-1095, 2009.
2. Pelicano H, Lu W, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Chen Z, Hu Y, Huang P. Mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS imbalance promote breast cancer cell motility through a CXCL14-mediated mechanism. Cancer Research(69):2375-2383, 2009.
3. Chen Z, Zhang H, Lu W, Huang P. Role of mitochondria-associated hexokinase II in cancer cell death induced by 3-bromopyruvate. Biochim Biophys Acta 1787:553-560, 2009.
4. Kang Y, Lou C, Ahmed KB, Huang P, Jin Z. Synthesis of biotinylated OSW-1. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 19:5166-5168, 2009.
5. Trachootham D, Alexandre J, Huang P. Targeting cancer cells by ROS-mediated mechanisms: a radical therapeutic approach? Nat Rev Drug Discov 8:579-591, 2009.
6. Izzo JG, Wu X, Wu TT, Huang P, Lee JS, Liao Z, Lee JH, Bhutani MS, Hofstetter W, Maru D, Hung MC, Ajani JA. Therapy-induced expression of NF-kappaB portends poor prognosis in patients with localized esophageal cancer undergoing preoperative chemoradiation. Dis Esophagus 22:127-132, 2009.
7. Demizu Y, Sasaki R, Trachootham D, Pelicano H, Colacino JA, Liu J, Huang P. Alterations of cellular redox state during NNK-induced malignant transformation and resistance to radiation. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling 10:951-961, 2008.
8. Yen CJ, Izzo JG, Lee DF, Guha S, Wei Y, Wu TT, Chen CT, Kuo HP, Hsu JM, Sun HL, Chou CK, Buttar NS, Wang KK, Huang P, Ajani J, Hung MC. Bile acid exposure up-regulates tuberous sclerosis complex 1/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway in Barrett's-assocated esophageal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 68:2632-2640, 2008.
9. Sasaki R, Suzuki Y, Yonezawa Y, Ota Y, Okamoto Y, Demizu Y, Huang P, Yoshida H, Sugimura K, Mizushina Y. DNA polymerase gamma inhibition by vitamin K3 induces mitochondria-mediated cytotoxicity in human cancer cells. Cancer Sci 99:1040-1048, 2008.
10. Trachootham D, Zhang H, Zhang W, Feng L, Du M, Zhou Y, Chen C, Pelicano H, Plunkett W, Wierda WG, Keating MJ, Huang P. Effective elimination of fludarabine-resistant CLL cells by PEITC through redox-mediated mechanism. Blood 112:1912-1922, 2008.
11. Zhang H, Trachootham D, Lu W, Carew JS, Giles FJ, Keating MJ, Arlinghaus RB, Huang P. Effective killing of Gleevec-Resistant CML Cells with T3151 Mutation by a Natural Compound PEITC through Redox-Mediated Mechanism. Leukemia 22:1191-1199, 2008.
12. Nawrocki ST, Carew JS, Maclean KH, Courage JF, Huang P, Houghton JA, Cleveland JL, Giles FJ, McConkey DJ. Myc regulates aggresome formation, the induction of Noxa, and apoptosis in response to the combination of bortezomib and SAHA. Blood 112:2917-2926, 2008.
13. Niu J, Chang Z, Peng B, Xia Q, Lu W, Huang P, Tsao MS, Chiao PJ. Keratinocyte growth factor/fibroblast growth factor-7-regulated cell migration and invasion through activation of NF-kappaB transcription factors 282:6001-6011, 2007.
14. Alexandre J, Hu Y, Lu W, Pelicano H, Huang P. Novel action of paclitaxel against cancer cells: Bystander effect mediated by reactive oxygen species. Cancer Research 67:3512-3517, 2007.
15. Carew JS, Nawrocki ST, Kahue CN, Zhang H, Yang C, Chung L, Houghton JA, Huang P, Giles FJ, Cleveland JL. Targeting autophagy augments the anticancer activity of the histone deacetylase inhibitor SAHA to overcome Bcr- Abl-mediated drug resistance. Blood [Epub ahead of print], 2007.

Invited Articles
1. Trachootham D, Lu W, Ogasawara MA, Rivera-Del Valle N, Huang P. Redox Regulation of Cell Survival. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling 10:1343-1374, 2008.
2. Lu W, Ogasawara MA, Huang P. Models of reactive oxygen species in cancer. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models 4(2):67-73, 2007.

Book Chapters
1. Trachootham D, Zhang W, Huang P. Oxidative stress and drug resistance in cancer. In: In Drug Resistance in Cancer Cells, Ed by Mehta K and Siddik ZH Springer Science Publications, 2009.
2. Carew, JS, Zhou, Y, Huang, P. Oxidative Stress, Cell Proliferation, and Apoptosis. In: Oxidative Stress, Disease and Cancer. Imperial College Press: (London), Ch 9, 309-332, 2006.
3. Huang, P, Wright, S. Apoptosis induced by nucleoside analogues. In: Nucleoside Analogs in Cancer Therapy. Marcel Dekker, Inc., 37-72, 1997.
4. Plunkett, W, Ruiz van Haperen, VWT, Huang, P, Gandhi, V. Gemcitabine: a strategy for combination therapy. In: Ovarian Cancer 5. Chapman & Hall Ltd., 385-394, 1997.
5. Gandhi, V, Du, M, Chapman, AJ, Huang, P, Estey, E, Keating, KJ, Plunkett, W. Fludarabine and ara-C combination for treatment of adult acute myelogenous leukemia: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects. In: Acute Leukemias V: Experimental Approaches & Management of Refractory Disease. Springer-Verlag, 1996.
6. Hertel, LW, Kroin JS, Grossman, CS, Grindey, GB, Dorr, AF, Storniolo, AMV, Plunkett, W, Gandhi, V, Huang, P. Synthesis and biological activity of 2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine (Gemcitabine). In: Biomedical Frontiers of Fluorine Chemistry. 639, 265-278, 1996.
7. Gandhi, V, Huang, P, Xu, Y-Z, Heinemann, V, Plunkett, W. Metabolism and action of 2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine: self-potentiation of cytotoxicity. In: Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism in Man. 309A. Plenum Publishing Corp., 125-130, 1991.

Last updated: 2/18/2013