Frank Chen

 

Fanqing Chen obtained his B.S. in Biochemistry from Fudan University, Shanghai, China, in 1991.  From 1992 to 1998, he did Ph.D. research on DNA repair in Los Alamos National Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. David J. Chen.  From 1998 to 2000, he worked on diabetic complications in Dr. Anthony Cerami’s group in Picower Institute and Mount Sina Medical Center of New York University.  He joined Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2000 as a Scientist.  Currently, he is involved in the following major projects:

 

  1. Molecular targeting of DNA repair protein Ku functional domains for radiosensitization of cancer cells. (Principal Investigator, National Institute of Health R21 CA 095393-01)
  2. Peptide Inhibitors for Rad51 protein and its paralogs.
  3. Genome Wide Expression Profiling of LLIR & Biological Conseuences. (Department of Energy DE AC03 76SF00098, Principal Investigator David J. Chen,) Determining the global gene expression patterns induced by ionizing radiation in human cells.  Dr. Chen's role is to provide the microarray and gene expression analysis support.
  4. Models to Study Interactions of Genome and Cellular Microenvironment: How One-Dimensional (Linear Sequence) Information is Selectively Utilized to Make a Three-Dimensional (Complex). (Department of Energy DE AC03 76SF00098, Principal Investigator Mina J. Bissell). This umbrella proposal integrates the work of 17 investigators in the Life Sciences Division to develop and critically test a theoretical model of understanding how the microenvironment regulates the structure of the nucleus and hence gene expression.  There are 16 projects in the proposal.  Dr. Chen's role is to provide the microarray and gene expression analysis support for the proposal.
  5. Development of Quantum Dots as Novel Reagent for Biological Assays.  The projects aims to adapt the Quantum Dots (Qdots) technology for use in microarray and other potential biological assays.  Dr. Chen is actively involved in the optimization of conditions for Qdots in microarray applications.

 

DNA repair-related interests

 

        Radiation is one of the most efficient therapeutic treatments for cancer.   However, severe radiation-induced side effects limit its use.  We are studying to use radiosensitization treatment to combine with the standard radiotherapy, thus enhancing the sensitivity of the targeted cancer cells to radiation.  The goal of radiosensitization is to achieve highly effective adjuvant treatment for cancer radiotherapy while minimizing the collateral damages caused by radiation therapy.

        We are targeting the mammalian DNA repair mechanism for the development of radiosensitizers.  We are focusing our effort on the possibility of using DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair proteins as novel molecular targets for adjuvant cancer treatment, with an emphasis on prostate and breast cancers. We use a wide variety of techniques, ranging from molecular and cell biology to biochemistry, combinatorial biochemistry, genetics, and computational biology.

Some specific projects that are ongoing in the lab include:

·        Studying the targeting potential of the DNA-PKcs/Ku70/Ku80 protein complex in nonhomologous end rejoining (NHEJ) pathway

·        Studying the Rad51/Rad51B/Rad51C protein complex in the homologous recombinational repair (HRR) pathway.

·        Screening for inhibitory peptides to DNA-PKcs/Ku70/Ku80/ Rad51/Rad51B/Rad51C proteins, and test for radiosensitization potential of these peptides on cancer cells.

 

Microarray-related interestes

 

        We are managing the division microarray facility, which is also providing support on microarray for the Breast Cancer Center for Excellence Program, funded by Department of Defense.  For details, click here.

        We are also developing new tools for microarray study.  Our microarray development projects include the development of the ultra-sensitive, next-generation, fluorescent nanocrystal with single-molecule-detection (SMD) capability, for use in single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) detection.  The nanocrystal project is in collaboration with Dr. Paul Alivisatos group in the University of California, Berkeley.  We are also working on the development of next-generation nanocluster probes.

 

Contact Information:

Fanqing Chen
Life Sciences Division
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
MS 84R0171, 1 Cyclotron Rd.
Berkeley, CA 94720

Ph: 510-495-2229
FAX: 510-486-6816

Email: f_chen@lbl.gov

 

 

Publications:

1.  Yuichi Takiguchi, Akihiro Kurimasa, Fanqing Chen, Paige E. Pardington, Kyama T,  Okinaka T. Richard, Robert Moyzis, and David J. Chen (1996) Genomic structure and chromosomal assignment of the mouse Ku70 gene.  Genomics, 35(1), 129-35

2.  Fanqing Chen, Scott R. Peterson, Michael D. Story, and David J. Chen (1996) Disruption of DNA-PK in Ku80 Mutant Xrs-6 and the Implications in DNA DSB repair.  Mutat. Res., 362, 9-19

3.  Akihiro Kurimasa, Noriyuki Suzuki, Satoshi Kumano, Hua Li, Dan Wells, Michael J. Wagner, Fanqing Chen, David J. Chen, and Mitsuo Oshimura (1995) Construction of 110 Cosmid Markers and a 4.5-Mb YAC Contig on Human Chromosome 8p12-q11.  Genomics, 28(2), 147-153

4.  Fanqing Chen, Anthony Nastasi, Zhiyuan Shen, Mark Brenneman, Harry Crissman, and David J. Chen (1997) Cell cycle-dependent expression of mammalian homologs of yeast DNA double strand break repair genes RAD51 and RAD52. Mutat. Res., 384, 205-211

5.  Dale L. Ludwig, Fanqing Chen, Scott R. Peterson, Andre Nussenzweig, Gloria C. Li, and David J. Chen (1997) Ku80 gene expression is Sp1-dependent and sensitive to CpG methylation within a novel cis element, Gene, 199, 181-194

6.  Scott. R. Peterson, Murray Stackhouse, Mary Jo Waltman, Fanqing Chen, Sato, K., and David J. Chen (1997) Characterization of two DNA double-stranded break repair-deficient cell lines that express inactive DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunits.  J. Biol. Chem. 272(15), 10227-31

7.  Robert B. Cary, Fanqing Chen, Zhiyuan Shen, David J. Chen (1998) A central region of Ku80 mediates interaction with Ku70 in vivo. Nucleic Acid Res. 26(4), 974-979

8.  Stitt, A. W.; Burke, G. A.; Chen, F.; McMullen, C. B.; Vlassara, H. (2000) Advanced glycation end-product receptor interactions on microvascular cells occur within caveolin-rich membrane domains.  FASEB J. 14(15), 2390-2.

9. Zhang Z, Zhu L, Lin D, Chen F, Chen DJ, Chen Y.  (2001) The three-dimensional structure of the C-terminal DNA-binding domain of human Ku70.  J. Biol. Chem.  276(41):38231-38236.

10. Omori S., Takiguchi, Y., Suda, A., Sugimoto, T., Miyazawa, H., Kimura, H., Pardington, P.E., Chen, D.J., Kuriyama, T., Chen, F. (2002) Suppression of a DNA- double-strand break repair gene, Ku70, increase radio- and chemosensitivity in a human lung carcinoma cell line.  DNA repair, 23, 299-310.

11. Zhang H, Fu S, Busch A, Chen F, Qin L, Bromberg JS (2001) Identification of TNF-alpha-sensitive sites in HCMVie1 promoter.  Exp Mol Pathol. 71(2):106-14.