Xiaojing Yang
Summary:
- 10+ years of experience in cancer & epigenetics research, drug discovery, large scale date analysis, translational medicine;
- Strong academic and technical background in cellular and molecular biology, pharmacology and biotechnology;
- Expertise in strategy development, design, management and timely execution of research projects;
- Impressive publication record in leading scholarly journals, including 3 Cancer Cell papers
Professional Experience
Zymo Research 2015- present
Scientist
- Leading and driving research and development of high-plex target enrichment platforms
- Developed an epigenetic based bladder cancer recurrence test using urine sample.
- Contributed in development of innovated clinical tests and veterinary tests.
University of Southern California 2009-2015
Postdoctoral Research Associate Supervisor: Dr. Peter A. Jones
- Identified gene body methylation as a therapeutic target in cancer
- Elucidated the function of H2A.Z in 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytine (Decitabine) induced gene reactivation process
- Developed a novel prognostic marker (VTRNA2-1) for AML patients by collaborating with clinical physicians.
- Developed new non-invasive bio-markers for monitoring patients’ responses to demethylation drugs by screening DNA methylation changes in patients’ samples
- Developed a novel assay to detect global chromatin architecture
- Investigated epigenetic signatures of genes with non-CpG island promoters
- Tested and analyzed global effects of combinatorial treatments consisting of Decitabine and EZH2 inhibitors or LSD1 inhibitors
- Screened panels of potential DNA demethylation agents
Genome Institute of Singapore 2005-2009
Ph.D. Student/ Postdoctoral Fellow
- Established a high throughput drug screening platform based on the Rb/E2F1 pathway
- Identified the anticancer activity of NSC 617989 (DZNep)
- Characterized DZNep as the first epigenetic drug targeting Polycomb group proteins
- Investigated the function of miR-449a/b in cell cycle regulation and tumorogenesis.
- Discovered a novel epigenetic repression mechanism for CDKN1C
- Identified DACT3 as a novel epigenetic regulator of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling in cancer cells
- Studied the ribosomal protein S27-like(RPS27L) function in p53 signaling pathway
EDUCATION
Peking Union Medical College
Ph.D. Equivalent to Pharmacology in U.S. degree evaluation 2003- 2008
Peking University
BS Pharmaceutical Sciences 1999-2003