Lei Shi
Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Instructor, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders - Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Instructor, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders - Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2013 | The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, HK, Biochemistry, Ph.D |
| 2008 | Tianjin University, Tianjin, CN, Bioengineering, ME |
| 2006 | Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, CN, Bioengineering, BE |
Postgraduate Training
| 2021-2022 | Research Fellowship, Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders-Rsch, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2018-2021 | Research Fellowship, Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology-Rsch, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2018-2018 | Research Fellowship, Neurosurgery-Rsch, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
Experience & Service
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Postdoctoral Association, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2022
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | Outstanding Abstract Award, Cancer and Bone Society |
| 2023 | Rolanette and Berdon Lawrence Research Award, Texas Bone Disease Program |
| 2022 | ASBMR 2022 Annual Meeting Young Investigator Travel Grant, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) |
| 2022 | Professional Development Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2007 - 2009 | International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition |
| 2004 | China Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling |
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2026 - 2028 |
| Title: | Patient-Derived Mini-Tumor Avatars as a Functional Precision Medicine Platform to Advance CAR-NK Therapy |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | FP00028663 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2028 |
| Title: | Leveraging Mini-Tumor Avatars to Optimize CAR-NK Efficacy and Patient Selection in Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | DOD |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | CA250904 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Patient-Derived Mini-Tumor Avatars as a Functional Precision Medicine Platform to Advance CAR-NK Therapy |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | AN:5195058 (R01 number assignment pending) |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Seibert, T, Shi, L, Althouse, S, Hoffman, R, Schneider, BP, Russ, KA, Altherr, CA, Warden, SJ, Guise, TA, Coggan, AR, Ballinger, TJ. Molecular and clinical effects of aromatase inhibitor therapy on skeletal muscle function in early-stage breast cancer. Scientific reports 14(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38200207.
- Zhao, Y, Ning, J, Teng, H, Deng, Y, Sheldon, M, Shi, L, Martinez, C, Zhang, J, Tian, A, Sun, Y, Nakagawa, S, Yao, F, Wang, H, Ma, L. Long noncoding RNA Malat1 protects against osteoporosis and bone metastasis. Nature communications 15(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38493144.
- Tan, X, Xiao, GY, Wang, S, Shi, L, Zhao, Y, Liu, X, Yu, J, Russell, W, Creighton, CJ, Kurie, JM. EMT-activated secretory and endocytic vesicular trafficking programs underlie a vulnerability to PI4K2A antagonism in lung cancer. Journal of Clinical Investigation 133(7), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36757799.
- Banerjee, P, Xiao, GY, Tan, X, Zheng, V, Shi, L, Bota Rabassedas, MN, Guo, H, Liu, X, Yu, J, Diao, L, Wang, J, Russell, W, Roszik, J, Creighton, CJ, Kurie, JM. The EMT activator ZEB1 accelerates endosomal trafficking to establish a polarity axis in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Nature communications 12(1), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34732702.
- Shi, L, Tan, X, Liu, X, Yu, J, Bota Rabassedas, MN, Niu, Y, Luo, J, Xi, Y, Zong, C, Creighton, CJ, Glenn, JS, Wang, J, Kurie, JM. Addiction to Golgi-resident PI4P synthesis in chromosome 1q21.3-amplified lung adenocarcinoma cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118(25), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34155143.
- Tan, X, Banerjee, P, Shi, L, Xiao, GY, Rodriguez, B, Grzeskowiak, CL, Liu, X, Yu, J, Gibbons, DL, Russell, W, Creighton, CJ, Kurie, JM. p53 loss activates prometastatic secretory vesicle biogenesis in the Golgi. Science Advances 7(25), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34144984.
- Tan, X, Shi, L, Banerjee, P, Liu, X, Guo, H, Yu, J, Bota Rabassedas, MN, Rodriguez, B, Gibbons, DL, Russell, W, Creighton, CJ, Kurie, JM. A protumorigenic secretory pathway activated by p53 deficiency in lung adenocarcinoma. Journal of Clinical Investigation 131(1), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32931483.
- Chang, G, Shi, L, Ye, Y, Shi, H, Zeng, L, Tiwary, S, Huse, J, Huo, L, Ma, L, Ma, YJ, Zhang, S, Zhu, J, Xie, VK, Li, P, Han, L, He, C, Huang, S. YTHDF3 Induces the Translation of m6A-Enriched Gene Transcripts to Promote Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis. Cancer cell 38(6):857-871.e7, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33125861.
- Tan, X, Banerjee, P, Pham, EA, Rutaganira, FU, Basu, K, Bota Rabassedas, MN, Guo, H, Grzeskowiak, CL, Liu, X, Yu, J, Shi, L, Peng, D, Rodriguez, B, Zhang, J, Zheng, V, Duose, D, Solis Soto, LM, Mino, B, Raso, G, Behrens, MC, Wistuba, II, Scott, KL, Smith, M, Nguyen, K, Lam, G, Choong, I, Mazumdar, A, Hill, J, Gibbons, DL, Brown, PH, Russell, W, Shokat, KM, Creighton, CJ, Glenn, JS, Kurie, JM. PI4KIIIβ is a therapeutic target in chromosome 1q-amplified lung adenocarcinoma. Science translational medicine 12(527), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31969487.
Other Articles
- Zhao, Y, Ning, J, Teng, H, Deng, Y, Sheldon, M, Shi, L, Martinez, C, Zhang, J, Tian, A, Sun, Y, Nakagawa, S, Yao, F, Wang, H, Ma, L Correction to Long noncoding RNA Malat1 protects against osteoporosis and bone metastasis. Nature communications 15(1), 2024. PMID: 38858402.
- Tan, X, Banerjee, P, E, AP, Rutaganira, FU, Basu, K, Bota Rabassedas, MN, Guo, H, Grzeskowiak, CL, Liu, X, Yu, J, Shi, L, Peng, D, Rodriguez, B, Zhang, J, Zheng, V, Duose, D, Solis Soto, LM, Mino, B, Raso, G, Behrens, MC, Wistuba, II, Scott, KL, Smith, M, Nguyen, K, Lam, G, Choong, I, Mazumdar, A, Hill, J, Gibbons, DL, Brown, PH, Russell, W, Shokat, KM, Creighton, CJ, Glenn, JS, Kurie, JM Erratum. Science translational medicine 12(535), 2020. PMID: 32188723.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified February 23, 2026