Donghang Cheng, Ph.D.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Donghang Cheng, Ph.D., M.S.

Address:Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Science Park

1808 Park Road 1C, P.O. Box 389

Smithville, TX 78957

Tel:(512) 237-9328 (office), (512) 924-5659 (cell)

Fax:(512) 237-2475

E-mail:

Immigration status: Permanent resident

EDUCATION

1997-2001Ph.D. National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica,

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Shanghai, P.R. China

Major: Molecular Pharmacology

1994-1997M.S. Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Shanghai, P.R. China

Major: Pharmacology

1986-1990B.S. Liaoning University

Shenyang, P.R. China

Major: Biology

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2011-Present Research Assistant Professor,UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Member, Center for Cancer Epigenetics.

  • Investigate the mechanisms of PRMT6 as both a transcriptional activator and a repressor.
  • Characterize and develop CARM1 specific inhibitors for potential prostate cancer treatment.

2007-2011Instructor,UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Bedford

  • Identify and characterize PRMT6 complex.
  • Study how novel modifications of PRMT6 impact on chromatin function.
  • Identify small molecule regulators (activators or inhibitors) of epigenetic modification enzymes (especially CARM1 and PRMT6).

2004-2007Research Scientist,UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Mentor: Dr. Mark Bedford

  • Discovered novel synthetic histone/protein methyltransferase inhibitors.
  • Identified protein methyltransferases substrates.
  • Studied the role of CARM1 in alternative splicingand identify CARM1-regulated alternative splicing genes.

2001-2004Post-Doctoral Fellow,UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Mentor: Dr. Mark Bedford

  • Identified the first small molecule inhibitor of protein arginine methyltransferase.
  • Developed a novel method for identifying protein methyltransferase substrates using in vitro transcription/translation system.

1997-2001Graduate Research Assistant, National Center for Drug Screening, China.

Ph.D. Advisor: Dr. Qi-Zhuang Ye

  • Cloning, purification, expression, and characterizationof Gelatinase A, B, human macrophage elastase (MMP-12), andMMP-23 for lead compounds screening.
  • HTS Based Anti-cancer Inhibitors Discovery:MMPs are potential targets for developing anti-cancer drugs.

1994-1997Graduate Research Assistant, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, China.

M.S. Advisor: Dr. XiCan Tang

  • Comparative studies of huperzine A, E2020 (donepezil) and tacrine on cholinesterase and memory impairments in rats.
  • Identified one of huperzine A derivatives ZT-1, a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Debio 9902 (formerly ZT-1) is being conducted in phase II clinical trial in Europe and in China.

1990-1994Research Investigator,Liaoning Institute of Materia Medica, China.

Supervisor: Prof. Yushu Feng

  • Characterized and developed new Chinese medicines.
  • Pharmacological and toxicological studies of Chinese medicines on animals.

HONORS AND AWARDS

2006Performance Reward, MD Anderson Cancer Center.

1997The first JIU-YUAN scholarship from “JIA-ZHEN TAN Life Science Foundation” for Outstanding Graduate Students, China.

1997“DIAO” Scholarship for Outstanding Graduate Students, China.

1994-5Director Scholarship for Outstanding Graduate Student, Shanghai
Institute of Materia Medica, China.

1992-3Excellent Junior Faculty Member Award, Liaoning Institute of Materia Medica.

1990Excellent Undergraduate Thesis Award at Liaoning University, China.

1988Outstanding undergraduate student scholarship, Liaoning University, China.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Cheng D*, Valente S, Castellano S, Sbardella G,. Bedford, MT* and Mai A*.Novel 3,5-Bis(bromohydroxybenzylidene)piperidin-4-ones as CARM1 Inhibitors: Enzyme Selectivity and Cellular Activity. J Med Chem. 2011 Jul 14;54(13):4928-32.

*Corresponding author

  1. Cheng D and Bedford MT. Xenoestrogens Regulate the activity of Arginine Methyltransferases. Chembiochem. 2011 Jan 24;12(2):323-9.
  1. Castellano S, Milite C, Ragno R, Simeoni S, Mai A, Limongelli V, Novellino E, Bauer I, Brosch G, Spannhoff A, Cheng D, Bedford MT, Sbardella G. Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Carboxy Analogues of Arginine Methyltransferase Inhibitor 1 (AMI-1). ChemMedChem. 2010 Mar 1;5(3):398-414.
  1. Kim D, Lee J, Cheng D, Li j, Carter C, Richie E, Bedford MT. Enzymatic activity is required for CARM1’s in vivo functions. J Biol Chem. 2010 Jan 8;285(2):1147-52.
  1. Mai A, Cheng D, Bedford MT, Valente S, Nebbioso A, Perrone A, Brosch G, Sbardella G, De Bellis F, Miceli M, Altucci L. Epigenetic Multiple Ligands: Mixed Histone/Protein Methyltransferase, Acetyltransferase, and Class III Deacetylase (Sirtuin) Inhibitors. J Med Chem. 2008 Apr 10;51(7):2279-90.
  1. Yadav N, Cheng D, Richard S, Morel M, Iyer VR, Aldaz CM, Bedford MT. CARM1 promotes adipocyte differentiation by coactivating PPARgamma. EMBO Rep. 2008 Feb;9(2):193-8.
  1. Iberg AN, Espejo A, Cheng D, Kim D, Michaud-Levesque J, Richard S, Bedford MT. Arginine methylation of the histone H3 tail impedes effector binding. J Biol Chem. 2008 Feb 8;283(6):3006-10.
  1. Sayegh J, Webb K, Cheng D, Bedford MT, Clarke SG. Regulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 8 (PRMT8) activity by its N-terminal domain. J Biol Chem. 2007 Dec 14;282(50):36444-53.
  1. Mai A, Valente S, Cheng D, Perrone A, Ragno R, Simeoni S, Sbardella G, Brosch G, Nebbioso A, Conte M, Altucci L, Bedford MT. Synthesis and Biological Validation of Novel Synthetic Histone/Protein Methyltransferase Inhibitors. ChemMedChem. 2007 Jul 9;2(7):987-991.
  1. Swiercz R, Cheng D, Kim D, Bedford MT. Ribosomal protein rpS2 is Hypomethylated in PRMT3-deficient mice. J Biol Chem. 2007 Jun 8;282(23):16917-23.
  1. Cheng D, Côté J, Shaaban S, Bedford MT. The arginine methyltransferase CARM1 regulates the coupling of transcription and mRNA processing. Mol Cell. 2007 Jan 12;25(1):71-83.
  1. Naeem H, Cheng D, Zhao Q, Underhill C, Tini M, Bedford MT, Torchia J. The activity and stability of the transcriptional coactivator p/CIP/SRC-3 are regulated by CARM1-dependent methylation. Mol Cell Biol. 2007 Jan;27(1):120-34.
  1. El Messaoudi S, Fabbrizio E, Rodriguez C, Chuchana P, Fauquier L, Cheng D, Theillet C, Vandel L, Bedford MT, Sardet C. Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) is a positive regulator of the Cyclin E1 gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Sep 5;103(36):13351-6.
  1. Cheng D, Yadav N, King RW, Swanson MS, Weinstein EJ, Bedford MT. Small molecule regulators of protein arginine methyltransferases. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 279(23):23892-92004, 2004.
  1. Cheng DH, Shen Q, Nan FJ, Qian Z, Ye QZ. Purification and characterization of catalytic domains of gelatinase A with or without fibronectin insert for inhibitor screening. Protein Expression and Purification 27(1):63-74, 2003.
  1. Cheng DH, Shen Q, Qian J, Qian Z, Ye QZ. Expression, purification, and characterization of active catalytic domain of macrophage elastase for high-throughput screening. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 23(2):143-51, 2002.
  1. Xiong ZQ, Cheng DH, Tang XC. Effects of huperzine A on nuleus basalis magnocellularis lesion-induced spatial working memory deficit. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 19: 128-132, 1998.
  1. Cheng DH and Tang XC. Comparative studies of huperzine A, E2020, and tacrine on behavior and cholinesterase activities. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 60: 377-386, 1998.
  1. Cheng DH, Run H, Tang XC. Huperzine A, a novel promising acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Neuroreport 8: 97-101,1996.
  1. Li YF, Cheng DH, Ai L, Feng YS, Tao SY. Pharmacodynamics studies of Chinese medicine “Red Drug” spray. Liaoning Pharmacy and Clinical Remedies 2000; Vol.3 No.1.6-7.

BOOK CHAPTER

Lee J, Cheng DH, Bedford MT. “Techniques in protein methylation” in Signal Transduction Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology. 284:195-208, 2004

ABSTRACT PRESENTATIONS

Cheng D, Kim J, and Bedford MT.Characterizing CAS3, a prominent substrate for CARM1. FASEB Summer Research Conferences Biological Methylation, Carefree, Arizona 2010.

Cheng D, Mai A, and Bedford MT. Arginine Methyltransferases as Novel Therapeutic Targets. Keystone Symposia Molecular Basis for Chromatin Modifications and Epigenetic Phenomena. Snowmass, Colorado, 2008 (Selected for oral presentation)

Cheng D, Jocelyn Cote, Salam Shaaban, Bedford MT. The arginine methyltransferase CARM1 regulates the coupling of transcription and mRNA Processing. FASEB Summer Research Conferences Biological Methylation, Saxtons River, Vermont, 2006.

Cheng D, Yadav N, King RW, Swanson MS, Weinstein EJ, Bedford MT. Small molecule inhibitors of protein arginine methyltransferases. FASEB Summer Research Conferences Biological Methylation, Saxtons River, Vermont, 2004.

Cheng D, and Bedford MT. Small molecule inhibitors of protein arginine methyltransferases. Comparative Mouse Genomic Centers Consortium Symposium Cell Cycle and DNA Repair Variants. Expression Profiles and Pathway Analysis Section. Austin, 2004.

Cheng D, Yadav N , King RW, Swanson MS, Weinstein EJ, Bedford MT. Small molecule inhibitors of protein arginine methyltransferases. Lost Pines Conference 207, Smithville, 2003.

Cheng D and Bedford MT. Identifying Methylated proteins using small pool screening. Lost Pines Conference. 211, Smithville, 2002

Feng YS, Ai L, Li YF, Cheng DH. Influence of “DaHuangZheChong pill and capulae” on hemodynamic effects in rats. Chinese Cardiovascular Pharmacological Communication. 1991;9: 206 China.

Ai L, Feng YS, Li SB, Li YF, Cheng DH. Cardiovascular effects of “YiXinFuMai”. Chinese Cardiovascular Pharmacological Communication. 1991;9: 207 China.

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