Chunying Du
Chunying Du
Title: Associate Professor
Address:
Vontz Center for Molecular Studies
University of Cincinnati Medical Center
3125 Eden Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521
Tel: (513) 558-4803
Email: chunying.du@uc.edu
Dr. Chunying Du joined the University of Cincinnati in
2009. One of the research interests in Dr. Du's lab is to
understand the regulation of apoptosis (cell death), an essential
process for eliminating unwanted cells in development and
homeostasis. Apoptosis is executed through precisely orchestrated
biochemical and genetic pathways. Dysregulation of apoptosis can
lead to human diseases including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and
neurodegenerative disorders. The goal is to determine how caspases,
inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs), and IAP antagonists (such as
Smac/Diablo) regulate mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis. Another
focus in the Du lab is to study the cross talk of apoptosis
proteins with DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint control, a
genome surveillance mechanism to prevent the passage of damaged
genetic material to daughter cells. The goal is to use a
combination of biochemistry, proteomics, and mouse genetics to
determine how apoptosis proteins functionally modulate DNA repair
and checkpoint control and how certain apoptosis proteins function
to suppress tumor development. The long-term goal is to identify
new molecules that regulate apoptosis, tumor suppression, and the
maintenance of genomic stability, and to elucidate novel targets
for therapeutic intervention in human diseases, including
cancers.