Chunying Du PhD

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 crosstalk 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.