Min Sup Song, PhD
Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Division of Discovery Science
About Dr. Min Sup Song
His early career is defined by seminal discoveries in cancer biology, particularly in cell cycle regulation and the PTEN pathway. Key early works include a cover article in Nature Cell Biology (2004) and foundational papers in EMBO Journal and Oncogene (2008), which established the tumor suppressor RASSF1A as a critical cell cycle regulator. His 2008 Nature paper, identifying the first PTEN deubiquitinase, has garnered nearly 600 citations, while his 2011 Cell paper—reporting PTEN's first phosphatase-independent role—has reached 450 citations. Notably, his 2012 Nature review on PTEN remains a cornerstone of the field with over 2,300 citations. Since establishing his group at MD Anderson Cancer Center, he has continued to produce highly original research, including: 1) Metabolic oncogenic drivers: Identified UBE2O as a novel driver of the mTOR-HIF1α pathway (Cover article, Cancer Cell, 2017; JCI Insight, 2019); 2) PTEN feedback mechanisms: Discovered a novel self-regulatory feedback loop for PTEN in cancer (Nature Communications, 2019); and 3) lncRNA & metabolism: Established a direct role for NEAT1 in regulating the Warburg effect, offering new therapeutic targets (Cell Metabolism, 2021). By bridging the gap between ubiquitination enzymes (UBE2O, USP11), lncRNAs (NEAT1), and core cancer signaling, his lab remains at the forefront of human health research, dedicated to discovering mechanisms that will revolutionize the prognosis and treatment of metastatic cancer.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Molecular Oncology, Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Faculty, CB/ BCB Programs, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Faculty, Cancer Biology / Molecular and Translational Biology Programs, The University of Texas Health Science Center
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2001 | Korea University, Seoul, KR, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Ph.D. in Molecular Biology |
| 1997 | Korea University, Seoul, KR, Molecular and Cellular Biology, M.S. in Biological Science |
| 1995 | Konkuk University, Seoul, KR, Biological Science, BS in Biological Science |
Postgraduate Training
| 2007-2011 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2007-2007 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York |
| 2001-2007 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Daejeon |
| 1999-2001 | Research Fellow, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2020
Instructor, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2011 - 2013
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, GSBS Scholarship Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Member, Research Integrity Investigation Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2025 - Present
Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Member, Mid-Career Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Chair, Departmental Postdoc and Student Research Progress Seminar Series, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, GSBS Curriculum Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2021
Member, Rodent Colony Management (RCM) Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - Present
Member, Focus on Junior Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2020
Member, Odyssey Program Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - Present
Member, Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - 2023
Chair, MCO CCSG Institutional Research Capital Request Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - Present
Member, Institutional Internal Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - Present
Member, GSBS Standing Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2013 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2013 | Trust Scholar Award, MD Anderson |
| 2013 | Rising STARs Award, University of Texas |
| 2012 | Travel Grant Award, Korean Society of Molecular and Cellular Biology |
| 2004 | Agarwal Research Award, Korea Advanced Institute of Sciences |
| 2001 | Best Talk Presentation, Korean Society of BioMedicine |
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2017. A role of UBE2O-AMPKα2 axis for tumor Initiation and progression and cancer therapy. Invited. Invited Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
- 2016. The PTEN signaling in cancer. Invited. Research and Development Seminar Series. Houston, Texas, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2024. The role of the lncRNA NEAT1 in breast cancer metabolism and progression. Invited. Invited Seminar Series. Oklahoma City, OK, US.
- 2023. Role and regulation of PTEN in cancer. Invited. Invited Seminar Series. Atlanta, GA, US.
- 2018. Pathogenetic role of UBE2O in cancer and diabetes. Invited. Invited Seminar Series. Columbia, SC, US.
- 2013. PTEN as a nuclear gatekeeper in cancer. Invited. Invited Seminar Series. Boston, MA, US.
National Presentations
- 2016. Novel PTEN regulatory pathway for prostate cancer therapy. Conference. Novel PTEN regulatory pathway for prostate cancer therapy. Laurel Hollow, NY, US.
- 2016. The ubiquitin-dependent control of tumor metabolism. Conference. The ubiquitin-dependent control of tumor metabolism. New Orleans, LA, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | The role of PTEN feedback mechanism in cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2R01CA196740 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2026 |
| Title: | Targeting m6A RNA epigenetics in treatment-emergent neuroendocrine prostate cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R01CA258100 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Taffoni C, Marines J, Chamma H, Guha S, Saccas M, Bouzid A, Valadao A-L C, Maghe C, Jardine J, Park MK, Polak K, Martino MD, Vanpouille‐Box C, Rio MD, Gongora C, Gavard J, Bidère N, Song MS, Pineau D, Hugnot J-P, Kissa K, Fontenille L, Blanchet FP, Vila IK, Laguette N. DNA damage repair kinase DNA-PK and cGAS synergize to induce cancer-related inflammation in glioblastoma. EMBO J 42(7):e111961, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36574362.
- Sopariwala DH, Rios AS, Park MK, Song MS, Kumar A, Narkar VA. Estrogen-related receptor alpha is an AMPK-regulated factor that promotes ischemic muscle revascularization and recovery in diet-induced obese mice. FASEB Bioadv 4(9):602-618, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36089981.
- Park MK, Zhang L, Min K-W, Cho J-H, Yeh C-C, Moon H, Hormaechea-Agulla D, Mun H, Ko S, Lee JW, Jathar S, Smith AS, Yao Y, Giang NT, Vu HH, Yan VC, Bridges MC, Kourtidis A, Muller F, Chang JH, Song SJ, Nakagawa S, Hirose T, Yoon J-H, Song MS. NEAT1 is essential for metabolic changes that promote breast cancer growth and metastasis. Cell Metab 33(12):2380-2397.e9, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34879239.
- Wu X, Park MK, Sarbassova DA, Ying H, Lee MG, Bhattacharya R, Ellis LM, Peterson CB, Hung MC, Lin H, Bersimbaev RI, Song MS, Sarbassov DD. A chirality-dependent action of vitamin C in suppressing Kirsten rat sarcoma mutant tumor growth by the oxidative combination. Int J Cancer 146(10):2822-2828, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31472018.
- Abetov DA, Kiyan VS, Zhylkibayev AA, Sarbassova DA, Alybayev SD, Spooner E, Song MS, Bersimbaev RI, Sarbassov DD. Formation of mammalian pre-ribosomes proceeds from intermediate to composed state during ribosome maturation. J Biol Chem 294(28):10746-10757, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31076509.
- Vila IK, Park MK, Setijono SR, Yao Y, Kim H, Badin PM, Choi S, Narkar V, Choi SW, Chung J, Moro C, Song SJ, Song MS. A muscle-specific UBE2O/AMPKα2 axis promotes insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in obesity. JCI Insight 4(13):e128269, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31292296.
- Park MK, Yao Y, Xia W, Setijono SR, Kim JH, Vila IK, Chiu HH, Wu Y, Billalabeitia EG, Lee MG, Kalb RG, Hung MC, Pandolfi PP, Song SJ, Song MS. PTEN self-regulates through USP11 via the PI3K-FOXO pathway to stabilize tumor suppression. Nat Commun 10(1):636, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30733438.
- Sopariwala DH, Yadav V, Badin PM, Likhite N, Sheth M, Lorca S, Vila IK, Kim ER, Tong Q, Song MS, Rodney GG, Narkar VA. Long-term PGC1β overexpression leads to apoptosis, autophagy and muscle wasting. Sci Rep 7(1):10237, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28860475.
- Wan L, Chen M, Cao J, Dai X, Yin Q, Zhang J, Song SJ, Lu Y, Liu J, Inuzuka H, Katon JM, Berry K, Fung J, Ng C, Liu P, Song MS, Xue L, Bronson RT, Kirschner MW, Cui R, Pandolfi PP, Wei W. The APC/C E3 Ligase Complex Activator FZR1 Restricts BRAF Oncogenic Function. Cancer Discov 7(4):424-441, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28174173.
- Vila IK, Yao Y, Kim G, Xia W, Kim H, Kim SJ, Park MK, Hwang JP, González-Billalabeitia E, Hung MC, Song SJ, Song MS. A UBE2O-AMPKα2 Axis that Promotes Tumor Initiation and Progression Offers Opportunities for Therapy. Cancer Cell 31(2):208-224, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28162974.
- Badin PM, Vila IK, Sopariwala DH, Yadav V, Lorca S, Louche K, Kim ER, Tong Q, Song MS, Moro C, Narkar VA. Exercise-like effects by Estrogen-related receptor-gamma in muscle do not prevent insulin resistance in db/db mice. Sci Rep 6:26442, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27220353.
- Guarnerio J, Riccardi L, Taulli R, Maeda T, Wang G, Hobbs RM, Song MS, Sportoletti P, Bernardi R, Bronson RT, Castillo-Martin M, Cordon-Cardo C, Lunardi A, Pandolfi PP. A genetic platform to model sarcomagenesis from primary adult mesenchymal stem cells. Cancer Discov 5(4):396-409, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25614485.
- González-Billalabeitia E, Seitzer N, Song SJ, Song MS, Patnaik A, Liu XS, Epping MT, Papa A, Hobbs RM, Chen M, Lunardi A, Ng C, Webster KA, Signoretti S, Loda M, Asara JM, Nardella C, Clohessy JG, Cantley LC, Pandolfi PP. Vulnerabilities of PTEN-TP53-deficient prostate cancers to compound PARP-PI3K inhibition. Cancer Discov 4(8):896-904, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24866151.
- Papa A, Wan L, Bonora M, Salmena L, Song MS, Hobbs RM, Lunardi A, Webster K, Ng C, Newton RH, Knoblauch N, Guarnerio J, Ito K, Turka LA, Beck AH, Pinton P, Bronson RT, Wei W, Pandolfi PP. Cancer-associated PTEN mutants act in a dominant-negative manner to suppress PTEN protein function. Cell 157(3):595-610, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24766807.
- Song SJ, Poliseno L, Song MS, Ala U, Webster K, Ng C, Beringer G, Brikbak NJ, Yuan X, Cantley LC, Richardson AL, Pandolfi PP. MicroRNA-antagonism regulates breast cancer stemness and metastasis via TET-family-dependent chromatin remodeling. Cell 154(2):311-324, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23830207.
- Noguera NI, Song MS, Divona M, Catalano G, Calvo KL, García F, Ottone T, Florenzano F, Faraoni I, Battistini L, Colombo E, Amadori S, Pandolfi PP, Lo-Coco F. Nucleophosmin/B26 regulates PTEN through interaction with HAUSP in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 27(5):1037-1043, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23183427.
- Garcia-Cao I, Song MS, Hobbs RM, Laurent G, Giorgi C, de Boer VC, Anastasiou D, Ito K, Sasaki AT, Rameh L, Carracedo A, Vander Heiden MG, Cantley LC, Pinton P, Haigis MC, Pandolfi PP. Systemic elevation of PTEN induces a tumor-suppressive metabolic state. Cell 149(1):49-62, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22401813.
- Song MS, Carracedo A, Salmena L, Song SJ, Egia A, Malumbres M, Pandolfi PP. Nuclear PTEN regulates the APC-CDH1 tumor-suppressive complex in a phosphatase-independent manner. Cell 144(2):187-199, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21241890.
- Poliseno L, Salmena L, Riccardi L, Fornari A, Song MS, Hobbs RM, Sportoletti P, Varmeh S, Egia A, Fedele G, Rameh L, Loda M, Pandolfi PP. Identification of the miR-106b~25 microRNA cluster as a proto-oncogenic PTEN-targeting intron that cooperates with its host gene MCM7 in transformation. Sci Signal 3(117):ra29, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20388916.
- Song SJ, Kim SJ, Song MS, Lim DS. Aurora B-mediated phosphorylation of RASSF1A maintains proper cytokinesis by recruiting Syntaxin16 to the midzone and midbody. Cancer Res 69(22):8540-8544, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19887622.
- Song SJ, Song MS, Kim SJ, Kim SY, Kwon SH, Kim JG, Calvisi DF, Kang D, Lim DS. Aurora A regulates prometaphase progression by inhibiting the ability of RASSF1A to suppress APC-Cdc20 activity. Cancer Res 69(6):2314-23, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19276349.
- Song MS, Salmena L, Carracedo A, Egia A, Lo-Coco F, Teruya-Feldstein J, Pandolfi PP. The deubiquitinylation and localization of PTEN are regulated by a HAUSP-PML network. Nature 455(7214):813-817, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18716620.
- Song MS, Song SJ, Kim SY, Oh HJ, Lim DS. The tumour suppressor RASSF1A promotes MDM2 self-ubiquitination by disrupting the MDM2-DAXX-HAUSP complex. EMBO J 27(13):1863-1874, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18566590.
- Song MS, Song SJ, Kim SJ, Nakayama K, Nakayama KI, Lim DS. Skp2 regulates the antiproliferative function of the tumor suppressor RASSF1A via ubiquitin-mediated degradation at the G1-S transition. Oncogene 27(22):3176-3185, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18071316.
- Oh HJ, Lee KK, Song SJ, Jin MS, Song MS, Lee JH, Im CR, Lee JO, Yonehara S, Lim DS. Role of the tumor suppressor RASSF1A in Mst1-mediated apoptosis. Cancer Res 66(5):2562-2569, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16510573.
- Choi N, Son DS, Song I, Lee HS, Lim YS, Song MS, Lim DS, Lee J, Kim H, Kim J. RASSF1A is not appropriate as an early detection marker or a prognostic marker for non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Cancer 115(4):575-581, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15700308.
- Song MS, Chang JS, Song SJ, Yang TH, Lee H, Lim DS. The centrosomal protein RAS association domain family protein 1A (RASSF1A)-binding protein 1 regulates mitotic progression by recruiting RASSF1A to spindle poles. J Biol Chem 280(5):3920-3927, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15546880.
- Song MS, Song SJ, Ayad NG, Chang JS, Lee JH, Hong HK, Lee H, Choi N, Kim J, Kim H, Kim JW, Choi EJ, Kirschner MW, Lim DS. The tumour suppressor RASSF1A regulates mitosis by inhibiting the APC-Cdc20 complex. Nat Cell Biol 6(2):129-137, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 14743218.
- Lee JH, Xu B, Lee CH, Ahn JY, Song MS, Lee H, Canman CE, Lee JS, Kastan MB, Lim DS. Distinct functions of Nijmegen breakage syndrome in ataxia telangiectasia mutated-dependent responses to DNA damage. Mol Cancer Res 1(9):674-681, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12861053.
- Choi J, Chang JS, Song MS, Ahn BY, Park Y, Lim DS, Han YS. Association of hepatitis B virus polymerase with promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies mediated by the S100 family protein p11. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 305(4):1049-1056, 2003. e-Pub 2003. PMID: 12767936.
- Song MS, Park YK, Lee JH, Park K. Induction of glucose-regulated protein 78 by chronic hypoxia in human gastric tumor cells through a protein kinase C-epsilon/ERK/AP-1 signaling cascade. Cancer Res 61(22):8322-8330, 2001. e-Pub 2001. PMID: 11719466.
Review Articles
- Christine A, Park MK, Song SJ, Song MS. The equilibrium of tumor suppression: DUBs as active regulators of PTEN. Exp Mol Med 54(11):1814-1821, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36385557.
- Song MS, Pandolfi PP. The HECT family of E3 ubiquitin ligases and PTEN. Semin Cancer Biol 85:43-51, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34129913.
- Cha J, Chan LC, Song MS, Hung MC. New approaches on cancer immunotherapy. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 10(8):1-16, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31615865.
- Hormaechea-Agulla D, Kim Y, Song MS, Song SJ. New Insights into the Role of E2s in the Pathogenesis of Diseases: Lessons Learned from UBE2O. Mol Cells 41(3):168-178, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29562734.
- Vila IK, Song SJ, Song MS. A new duet in cancer biology: AMPK the typical and UBE2O the atypical. Mol Cell Oncol 4(3):e1304846, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28616582.
- Song MS, Salmena L, Pandolfi PP. The functions and regulation of the PTEN tumour suppressor. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 13(5):283-296, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22473468.
- Song MS, Lim DS. Control of APC-Cdc20 by the tumor suppressor RASSF1A. Cell Cycle 3(5):574-576, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15107619.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026