Education and Experiences

2001.09~2006.04 PhD, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

2006.05~2007.10  Postdoctoral Fellow, Cancer Cell Biology, Northwestern University, America

2007.11~2010.10  Research Professional Associate, University of Chicago, America

2010.12~ present  Professor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital 

Research Focus

Irreversibly disrupting metabolic homeostasis specifically kills cancer cells. We will determine if metabolic pathways and constituent enzymes play essential roles in maintaining glucose, protein and lipid metabolic homeostasis, and whether they are potential therapeutic targets of cancer cells alone or in combination. We will then dissect the mechanisms by which disruption of metabolic homeostasis leads to cell death. We will set up a highthrough-put screening platform to identify the inhibitors of these pathways/enzymes. 

Selected Publications

1. Wang Y. ^#, Bai C. ^#, Ruan Y. ^#, Liu M., Chu Q., Qiu L., Yang C., and Li B.*. Coordinative metabolism of glutamine carbon and nitrogen in proliferating cancer cells under hypoxia. Nat. Commun., 10(1):201 (2019).https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-08033-9

2. Liu M.^#, Wang Y.^#, Ruan Y., Bai C., Qiu L., Cui Y., Ying G., Li B.*. PKM2 promotes reductive glutamine metabolism. Cancer Biol. Med., doi: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2018.0122 (2018).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/30891326/

3. Cui Y, Wang Y, Liu M, Qiu L, Xing P, Wang X, Ying G, Li B*. Determination of glucose deficiency-induced cell death by mitochondrial ATP generation-driven proton homeostasis. J. Mol. Cell Biol., 9(5):395-408 (2017).https://academic.oup.com/jmcb/article/9/5/395/3089959

4. Lu C. ^#, Wang W., Jia Y., Liu X., Tong Z.*, and Li B.*. Inhibition of AMPK/autophagy potentiates parthenolide-induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 115(8):1458-1466. (2014). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcb.24808

5. Zhang J. ^#, Wang X., Cui W., Wang W., Zhang H., Liu L., Zhang Z., Li Z., Ying G., Zhang N., and Li B.*. Visualization of caspase-3-like activity in cells using a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor activated by protein cleavage. Nat. Commun., 4:2157 (2013).https://www.onacademic.com/detail/journal_1000036033127710_886b.html

6. Li B. ^#, Gordon GM., Du CH., Xu J, and Du W.*. Specific killing of Rb mutant cancer cells by inactivating TSC2. Cancer Cell, 17: 469-480 (2010).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1535610810001467?via%3Dihub