2011.03- Principal Investigator, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

2008.09-2011.03, Associate Research Scientist, Columbia University Medical Center.

2005.11-2008.08, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Columbia University Medical Center.

2003.07-2005.10, Research fellow, Shanghai Research Center for Model Organism.

2000.09-2003.06, Ph.D., Shanghai Second Medical University.

1997.09-2000.08, Researcher, First Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University.

1994.09-1997.08, M.S., Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

1990.09-1994.06, B.S., Department of Biology, Southwestern Normal University.

Our lab focuses on the mechanism study and drug discovery of cancer on the platforms of tumor stem cells and animal models. Current projects include:

1. Establishing animal models of cancer.

2. Role of Huwe1 in tumor development.

3. Discovering tumor stem cell-specific molecular labeling.

3. Screening of tumor stem cell-specific drugs.

1.      Zhou X, Li G, An S,…, Iavarone A#, Zhao X#. A new method of identifying glioblastoma subtypes and creation of corresponding animal models. Oncogene. (Accepted)

2.      Yang D*, Cheng D*, Tu Q*,…, Yu X#, Jiang H#, Zhao X#. The HUWE1-p53 axis Controls the Development of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Theranostics. (Accepted)

3.      Li C, Yan L, Ban W, Tu Q, Wu Y, Wang L, Bi R, Ji S, Ma Y, Nie W, Lv L, Yao Y#, Zhao X#, Zheng P#. Long-term propagation of tree shrew spermatogonial stem cells in culture and successful generation of transgenic offspring. Cell Res. 2017; 27(2):241-252.

4.      Yang D, Sun B, Zhang X, Cheng D, Yu X, Yan L, li L, An S, Jiang H, Lasorella A, Iavarone A, Zhang S, ZouF^#, Zhao X^#. Huwe1 sustains normal ovarian epithelial cell transformation and tumor growth through the histone H1.3-H19 cascade. Cancer Res 2017; 77(18):4773-4784.

5.      Tu Q*, Hao J*, Zhou X*, Yan L, Dai H, Sun B, Yang D, An S, Lv L, Jiao B, Chen C, Lai R, Shi P^#, Zhao X^#. CDNK2B deletion is essential for pancreatic cancer development instead of unmeaningful co-deletin due to juxtposition to CDKN2A. Oncogene 2018; 37(1):128-138.

6.      Tong Y*, Hao J*, Tu Q*, Yu H, Yan L, Li Y, Lv L, Wang F, Iavarone A, Zhao X. A tree shrew glioblastoma model recapitulates features of human glioblastoma. Oncotarget. 2017; 8:17897-19072.

7.      Li Y, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Ni W, Dai Z, Yang D, Hao J, Luo L, Liu Y, Luo X^#, Zhao X^#. Cytotoxic indole alkaloid 3a-acetonyltabersonine glioblastoma apoptosis via inhibition of DNA damage repair. Toxins. 2017; 9(5):150-167.

8.      Liu T*, Guo Y*, Yan L, Sun B, Zheng P, Zhao X. Depletion of endogenous germ cells in tree shrews in preparation for spermatogonial transplantation. Exp Ther Med. 2017; 14(3):2349-2354

9.      Dai Z, Li S, Zhu P, Liu L , Wang B, Liu Y, Luo X^#, Zhao X ^#. Isocostunolide inhibited glioma stem cell by suppression proliferation and inducing caspase dependent apoptosis. Bioorg Med Chem Let. 2017; 27(13):2863-2867

10. Wei X, Dai Z, Yang J, Khanc A, Yu HF, ZhaoYL, Wang YF, Liu YP, Yang ZF, Huang WY, Wang XH^#, Zhao X^#, Luo XD^#. Unprecedented sugar bridged bisindoles selective inhibiting glioma stem cells. Bioorg Med Chem2018；26(8):1776-83

11. Yan L, Sun B, Lv L, Ma Y, Chen J, Lin Q, Zheng P, Zhao X. Early embryonic development and transplantation in tree shrews. Dongwuxue Yanjiu. 2016; 37(4): 252-258.

12. Niola F*, Zhao X*, Singh D, Sullivan R, Castano A, Verrico A, Zoppoli P, Friedmann-Morvinski D, Sulman E, Barrett L, Zhuang Y, Verma I, Benezra R, Aldape K, Iavarone A, Lasorella A . Mesenchymal high-grade glioma is maintained by the ID-RAP1 axis. J Clin Invest, 2013;123(1):405–417.

13. Niola F*, Zhao X*, Singh D, Castano A, Sullivan R, Lauria M, Nam HS, Zhuang Y, Benezra R, Di Bernardo D, Iavarone A, Lasorella A.Id proteins synchronize stemness and anchorage to the niche of neural stem cells. Nat Cell Biol, 2012;14(5):477-487. (* equal contribution)

14. Zhao X*, D’Arca D*, Lim WK, Brahmachary M, Carro MS, Ludwig T, Cardo CC, Guillemot F, Aldape K, Califano A, Iavarone A, and Lasorella A. the N-Myc-DLL3 cascade is suppressed by the ubiquitin ligase Huwe1 to inhibit proliferation and promote neurogenesis in the developing brain. Dev Cell, 2009;17(2): 210-221. (Cover article)

15. Zhao X, Heng JI, Guardavaccaro D, Jiang R, Pagano M, Guillemot F, Iavarone A, Lasorella A. The HECT-domain ubiquitin ligase Huwe1 controls neural differentiation and proliferation by destabilizing the N-Myc oncoprotein. Nat Cell Biol, 2008;10(6): 643-653.