Dr Yong-Jie Lu

MD, PhD

Centre: Molecular Oncology

Job Title: Reader in Medical Oncology

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Research Interests

Dr Yong-Jie Lu's main research themes are in: Cancer Genetics, Cancer Genomics, Genitourinary Cancer and Prostate Cancer

I have set up a research programme of systematic genetic studies of prostate cancer, renal cancer and testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT). The mission of the research team is to identify, using a systematic approach, genomic alterations and genes significance in influencing the development, progression and therapeutic response of male urogenital tumours.

Recently, I have also started an investigation of genetic and environmental factors associated with key genomic alterations in prostate cancer. While the identification of genetic alterations will help us to understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer development and to develop useful biomarkers for tumour behaviour and potential targets for novel therapies, the identification of factors associated with specific genomic alterations will lead to improved cancer prevention. There are currently five main research areas of interest:

Identification of critical genes in the development and progression of prostate cancer using the genome-wide analysis approach.
Investigation of the mechanism and consequence of genomic alterations, particularly rearrangements/translocations, in prostate cancer development.
Investigation of the genetic and environmental factors associated with key genomic alterations in prostate cancer.
Experimental therapy based on specific genetic changes in cancer cells.
The resistance mechanism of targeted therapies of renal cancer.

Profile

Education

1992-1995: Ph.D. student in Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing. (Pathophysiology)
1989-1992 Post-graduate student in Dept. of Biology, Harbin Medical University. (M.D. Medical Genetics.)
1984-1989 Undergraduate medical student in Faculty of Medicine, Henan Medical University.

Appointments

July 2010- present: Reader (Team Leader), Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), London.
Jun. 2003-July 2010: Senior Lecturer (Team Leader), Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL.
Oct. 2001-Jun. 2003: Research Associate (deputy Team Leader), Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), Sutton, UK.
Apr. 2000-Oct. 2001: Senior postdoctoral scientist, Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, Section of Paediatrics (joint with Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis), ICR, Sutton, UK.
Apr. 1997-Apr. 2000: Postdoctoral scientist, Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, Section of Cell Biology & Experimental Pathology, ICR, Sutton, UK.
Oct. 1995-Jan. 1997: Visiting Scholar, Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, ICR, Sutton, UK.

Funding

Orchid Cancer Appeal (programme): 1st July 2010 – 30th June 2012; total £334,651. PI.
Title: Systematic studies of genetic alterations and identification of genes involved in male urological tumour development and progression
Medical Research Council Industrial Case PhD Studentship. 1st October 2010 – 30th September 2013. total £75.000. Joint application with Tom Powles (PI).
Title: The role of Src and its inhibition in urological cancers
Association for International Cancer Research (AICR) (09-0512) 1st October 2009 – 30th September 2012; total £192.685. PI
Title: Genetic and functional investigation of the role of ZDHHC14in human tumour development
Orchid Cancer Appeal equipment grant: April 2009; £25,000.
Title: A computer cluster used for 454 FLX next generation sequencing analysis
Orchid Cancer Appeal (programme): 1st July 2008 – 30th June 2010; total £301,210. PI
Title: Systematic studies of genetic alterations and identification of genes involved in male urological tumour development and progression
Medical Research Council (project MRC84663): 1st April 2008 – 31st March 2011; total £303,000.
Title: Identification of the recurrent chromosome breakpoints and associated genes in prostate cancer using a novel approach.
Cancer Research UK 5-year Molecular Pathology of Cancer Training Programme 2006-2011 £5 million. Co-investigator in award led by Professor Nick Lemoine and Andrew Wyllie.
Queen Mary College Funds (3-year PhD studentship): 1st September 2006 -31st August 2009; total £54,000.
Title: The role of chromosome rearrangement associated genes in prostate cancer development and progression.
Orchid Cancer Appeal (programme ONAG1C6R): 1st July 2006 – 30th June 2008; total £300,000
Title: Systematic studies of genetic alterations and identification of genes involved in male urological tumour development and progression

Key Publications

Androgen-induced TMPRSS2:ERG fusion in non-malignant prostate epithelial cells. Coll Bastus N, Boyd LK, Mao X, Stankiewicz E, Kudahetti SC, Oliver RTD, Berney DM, Lu YJ. Cancer Res. (December 2010) 70(23):9544-8. 20947519

Distinct genomic alterations suggest alternative pathways of prostate carcinogenesis in Chinese and Western populations. Mao X, Yu Y, Boyd LK, Ren G, Stankiewicz E, Lin D, Chaplin T, Kudahetti SC, Xue L, Beltran L, Gupta M, Oliver RTD, Lemoine NR, Berney DM, Young BD, Lu YJ. Cancer Res (July 2010) 70(13):5207-12. 20516122

The Association of CCND1 Overexpression and Cisplatin Resistance in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors and Other Cancers. Noel EE, Yeste-Velasco M, Mao X, Perry J, Kudahetti SC, Li NF, Sharp S, Chaplin T, Xue L, McIntyre A, Shan L, Powles T, Oliver RTD, Young BD, Shipley J, Berney DM, Joel SP, Lu YJ. Am J Path (June 2010) 176(6):2607-15. 20395447

Identification of seven novel prostate cancer susceptibility loci through a genome-wide association study. Eeles RA, Kote-Jarai Z, Lu YJ, Al Olama AA, Giles GG, Guy M, Severi G, Muir K, Hopper JL, Henderson BE, Haiman CA, Schleutker J, Hamdy FC, Neal DE, Donovan JL, Stanford JL, Ostrander EA, Ingles SA, John EM, Thibodeau SN, Schaid D, Park JY, Spurdle A, Clements J, Dickinson JL, Maier C, Vogel W, Dörk T, Rebbeck TR, Cooney KA, Cannon-Albright L, Chappuis PO, Hutter P, Zeegers M, Kaneva R, Zhang HW, Foulkes WD, English DR, Leongamornlert DA, Tymrakiewicz M, Morrison J, Ardern-Jones AT, Hall AL, O'Brien LT, Wilkinson RA, Saunders EJ, Page EC, Sawyer EJ, Edwards SM, Dearnaley DP, Horwich A, Huddart RA, Khoo VS, Parker CC, Van As N, Woodhouse CJ, Thompson A, Christmas T, Ogden C, Cooper CS, Southey MC, Lophatananon A, Liu JF, Kolonel LN, Le Marchand L, Wahlfors T, Tammela TL, Auvinen A, Lewis SJ, Cox A, FitzGerald LM, Koopmeiners JS, Karyadi DM, Kwon EM, Stern MC, Corral R, Joshi AD, Shahabi A, McDonnell SK, Sellers TA, Pow-Sang J, Chambers S, Aitken J, Gardiner RA, Batra J, Kedda MA, Lose F, Polanowski A, Patterson B, Serth J, Meyer A, Luedeke M, Stefflova K, Ray AM, Lange EM, Farnham J, Khan H, Slavov C, Mitkova A, Cao G; UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study Collaborators/British Association of Urological Surgeons' Section of Oncology; UK ProtecT Study Collaborators; PRACTICAL Consortium, Easton DF. Nat Genet (October 2009) 41(10):1116-21. 19767753

Further Publications

For additional publications, please click here.

Research Group

Male Urogenital Cancer Generics

Mrs Xueying Mao, Research Assistant/Part Time PhD
Dr Marc Yeste-Velasco, Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Dr Lara Boyd, Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Miss Nuria Coll Bastus, PhD Student
Mr Kevin Sharpe, PhD Student
Ms Eiman Mohammad, PhD Student
Ms Elzbieta Stankiewicz, Part Time PhD Student
Emma Mercer, PhD student
Ahmet Imrali,Research Technician

External Activities

Senior Editor: American Journal of Cancer Research
Editorial Board Member: The Open Breast Cancer Journal.
Scientific assessment committee member: France national cancer research programme Canceropole (2007-2014).
Research grant reviewer for funding bodies, such as British Medical Research Council (MRC), British National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UK Prostate Action, Prostate Cancer Research Charity, National Cancer Institute of France, International Association of Cancer Research, Hong Kong Research Grants Council.
Referee of scientific journals such as Oncogene, J Path, Gene Chromosome Cancer, Br J Cancer, Carcinogenesis and Histopathology.
Active Member of American Association for Cancer Research.
Visiting Professor, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
Honourable Professor, Department of Pathology, Zhengzhou University Medical College, China.

News

A press release on our study: Androgen-induced TMPRSS2:ERG fusion in non-malignant prostate epithelial cells, was presented at BBC TV news and dozens of national and international newspapers and online media, including Telegraph, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail and The Guardian in November 2010.