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Joae Qiong Wu PhD

TitleAssistant Professor
InstitutionUMass Chan Medical School
DepartmentBiochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology
AddressUMass Chan Medical School
55 Lake Avenue North
Worcester MA 06155
Phone508-856-1939
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    Other Positions
    InstitutionT.H. Chan School of Medicine
    DepartmentBiochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    Nanjing University, Nanjing, , ChinaBSBiochemistry
    Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, , ChinaMEEnzyme Engineering
    South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, , ChinaPHDMolecular Plant Pathology
    Collapse awards and honors
    2004National Science and Technology Progress Award, Beijing, China, General Administration of Quanlity Supervision, Inspection and Quaranitine, China
    2001National Science and Technology Progress Award, Beijing, China, General Administration of Quanlity Supervision, Inspection and Quaranitine, China

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse overview


    I am a molecular biologist with a broad-spectrum background in biology, including biochemistry, microbiology and bioengineering. I have been investigating the molecular mechanism of cancer biology and metabolic disease for more than 10 years and have gained extensive research experience in oncology and obesity. My primary interests are to understand how cancer cells support their unlimited growth through manipulating metabolic pathways, the interplay between cancer and metabolic disorders, and the regulation of these processes at the epigenetic level.



    My research is focused on BRG1, an ATPase of the SWI/SNF ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex that regulates signaling pathways in cancer. Our findings suggest that BRG1 is required for cancer cell proliferation, survival, and resistance to therapeutic reagents. Moreover, BRG1 regulates de novo lipid synthesis, which is a hallmark of cancer. These results provide a broad signaling network mediated by BRG1 together with its cofactors in regulating cancer cell growth, survival, metabolism, and drug resistance. I’ve been performing transcriptomic analysis and ChIP-sequencing to facilitate our research using bioinformatic approaches. Meanwhile, I’ve also investigated BRG1 and its co-factor PRMT5, regulating signaling pathways in obesity and cancer. Our results suggest that BRG1 and PRMT5 are required for adipocyte differentiation. More importantly, BRG1 and PRMT5 regulate higher order chromatin structure to facilitate differentiation process. My research demonstrated a central role of BRG1 and its coactivators in in regulating metabolic related disease such as obesity. 



    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
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    PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Huang L, Zhang XO, Rozen EJ, Sun X, Sallis B, Verdejo-Torres O, Wigglesworth K, Moon D, Huang T, Cavaretta JP, Wang G, Zhang L, Shohet JM, Lee MM, Wu Q. PRMT5 activates AKT via methylation to promote tumor metastasis. Nat Commun. 2022 07 08; 13(1):3955. PMID: 35803962.
      Citations: 14     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    2. Huang L, Liu J, Zhang XO, Sibley K, Najjar SM, Lee MM, Wu Q. Inhibition of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 enhances hepatic mitochondrial biogenesis. J Biol Chem. 2018 07 13; 293(28):10884-10894. PMID: 29773653.
      Citations: 24     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    3. Wu Q, Lian JB, Stein JL, Stein GS, Nickerson JA, Imbalzano AN. The BRG1 ATPase of human SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling enzymes as a driver of cancer. Epigenomics. 2017 06; 9(6):919-931. PMID: 28521512.
      Citations: 61     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    4. Nickerson JA, Wu Q, Imbalzano AN. Mammalian SWI/SNF Enzymes and the Epigenetics of Tumor Cell Metabolic Reprogramming. Front Oncol. 2017; 7:49. PMID: 28421159.
      Citations:    
    5. Wu Q, Madany P, Dobson JR, Schnabl JM, Sharma S, Smith TC, van Wijnen AJ, Stein JL, Lian JB, Stein GS, Muthuswami R, Imbalzano AN, Nickerson JA. The BRG1 chromatin remodeling enzyme links cancer cell metabolism and proliferation. Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 21; 7(25):38270-38281. PMID: 27223259.
      Citations: 31     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    6. Wu Q, Sharma S, Cui H, LeBlanc SE, Zhang H, Muthuswami R, Nickerson JA, Imbalzano AN. Targeting the chromatin remodeling enzyme BRG1 increases the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer cells. Oncotarget. 2016 May 10; 7(19):27158-75. PMID: 27029062.
      Citations: 28     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    7. Gerstenberger BS, Trzupek JD, Tallant C, Fedorov O, Filippakopoulos P, Brennan PE, Fedele V, Martin S, Picaud S, Rogers C, Parikh M, Taylor A, Samas B, O'Mahony A, Berg E, Pallares G, Torrey AD, Treiber DK, Samardjiev IJ, Nasipak BT, Padilla-Benavides T, Wu Q, Imbalzano AN, Nickerson JA, Bunnage ME, M?ller S, Knapp S, Owen DR. Identification of a Chemical Probe for Family VIII Bromodomains through Optimization of a Fragment Hit. J Med Chem. 2016 05 26; 59(10):4800-11. PMID: 27115555.
      Citations: 36     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    8. LeBlanc SE, Wu Q, Lamba P, Sif S, Imbalzano AN. Promoter-enhancer looping at the PPAR?2 locus during adipogenic differentiation requires the Prmt5 methyltransferase. Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 06 20; 44(11):5133-47. PMID: 26935580.
      Citations: 17     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    9. Wu Q, Madany P, Akech J, Dobson JR, Douthwright S, Browne G, Colby JL, Winter GE, Bradner JE, Pratap J, Sluder G, Bhargava R, Chiosea SI, van Wijnen AJ, Stein JL, Stein GS, Lian JB, Nickerson JA, Imbalzano AN. The SWI/SNF ATPases Are Required for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation. J Cell Physiol. 2015 Nov; 230(11):2683-94. PMID: 25808524.
      Citations: 40     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    10. LeBlanc SE, Wu Q, Barutcu AR, Xiao H, Ohkawa Y, Imbalzano AN. The PPAR? locus makes long-range chromatin interactions with selected tissue-specific gene loci during adipocyte differentiation in a protein kinase A dependent manner. PLoS One. 2014; 9(1):e86140. PMID: 24465921.
      Citations: 11     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    11. Imbalzano KM, Cohet N, Wu Q, Underwood JM, Imbalzano AN, Nickerson JA. Nuclear shape changes are induced by knockdown of the SWI/SNF ATPase BRG1 and are independent of cytoskeletal connections. PLoS One. 2013; 8(2):e55628. PMID: 23405182.
      Citations: 36     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    12. Xiao H, Leblanc SE, Wu Q, Konda S, Salma N, Marfella CG, Ohkawa Y, Imbalzano AN. Chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding at the PPAR?2 promoter during adipogenesis is protein kinase A-dependent. J Cell Physiol. 2011 Jan; 226(1):86-93. PMID: 20625991.
      Citations: 19     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    13. Wu Q, Saunders RA, Szkudlarek-Mikho M, Serna Ide L, Chin KV. The obesity-associated Fto gene is a transcriptional coactivator. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2010 Oct 22; 401(3):390-5. PMID: 20858458.
      Citations: 42     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    14. Szkudlarek M, Bosio RM, Wu Q, Chin KV. Inhibition of angiogenesis by extracellular protein kinase A. Cancer Lett. 2009 Sep 28; 283(1):68-73. PMID: 19368997.
      Citations: 5     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    15. Wu Q, Jiang Z, Liao J, Chen Z, Li H, Mei M, Zhang LH. Identification of genetic markers to distinguish the virulent and avirulent subspecies of Pantoea stewartii by comparative proteomics and genetic analysis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2007 Feb; 74(1):186-93. PMID: 17086414.
      Citations: 2     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
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