Rui
Zhao, Ph.D.
Molecular Biology
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa - 2004
Post-Doctoral
Fellow
Research
Interests:
Cell cycle regulation is one of the features that distinguishes embryonic stem cells from differentiated cells. ES cells transit through cell cycle much faster than differentiated cells mainly due to a shortened G1 phase. It has been proposed that hyperphosphorylated RB protein, constitutively activated cyclin E and A-associated kinases, and a lack of expression of major CDK inhibitors collaboratively contribute to this unique cell cycle regulation. Upon differentiation, the ES cell-cycle pattern quickly switches to a MEF-like pattern, suggesting that the cell cycle regulation is closely coupled with the pluripotency of ES cells. My research interest is to understand 1) the role of a shortened G1 phase in maintaining self-renewal and pluripotency of ES cells, and 2) the role of pluripotency promoting factors, such as Oct4 and Nanog, in the cell cycle regulation of ES cells. These projects are in collaboration with Paul Lerou in Daley lab, and Rick Deibler and Andrea Ballabeni in Marc Kirschner's lab at Harvard Medical School.
Cell cycle regulation is one of the features that distinguishes embryonic stem cells from differentiated cells. ES cells transit through cell cycle much faster than differentiated cells mainly due to a shortened G1 phase. It has been proposed that hyperphosphorylated RB protein, constitutively activated cyclin E and A-associated kinases, and a lack of expression of major CDK inhibitors collaboratively contribute to this unique cell cycle regulation. Upon differentiation, the ES cell-cycle pattern quickly switches to a MEF-like pattern, suggesting that the cell cycle regulation is closely coupled with the pluripotency of ES cells. My research interest is to understand 1) the role of a shortened G1 phase in maintaining self-renewal and pluripotency of ES cells, and 2) the role of pluripotency promoting factors, such as Oct4 and Nanog, in the cell cycle regulation of ES cells. These projects are in collaboration with Paul Lerou in Daley lab, and Rick Deibler and Andrea Ballabeni in Marc Kirschner's lab at Harvard Medical School.