Xiaojing Yang

Summary:

• 10+ years of experience in cancer & epigenetics research, drug discovery, large scale date analysis, translational medicine;
• Strong academic and technical background in cellular and molecular biology, pharmacology and biotechnology;
• Expertise in strategy development, design, management and timely execution of research projects;
• Impressive publication record in leading scholarly journals, including 3 Cancer Cell papers

Professional Experience

Zymo Research 2015- present

Scientist

• Leading and driving research and development of high-plex target enrichment platforms
• Developed an epigenetic based bladder cancer recurrence test using urine sample.
• Contributed in development of innovated clinical tests and veterinary tests.

University of Southern California 2009-2015

Postdoctoral Research Associate Supervisor: Dr. Peter A. Jones

• Identified gene body methylation as a therapeutic target in cancer
• Elucidated the function of H2A.Z in 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytine (Decitabine) induced gene reactivation process
• Developed a novel prognostic marker (VTRNA2-1) for AML patients by collaborating with clinical physicians.
• Developed new non-invasive bio-markers for monitoring patients’ responses to demethylation drugs by screening DNA methylation changes in patients’ samples
• Developed a novel assay to detect global chromatin architecture
• Investigated epigenetic signatures of genes with non-CpG island promoters
• Tested and analyzed global effects of combinatorial treatments consisting of Decitabine and EZH2 inhibitors or LSD1 inhibitors
• Screened panels of potential DNA demethylation agents

Genome Institute of Singapore 2005-2009

Ph.D. Student/ Postdoctoral Fellow

• Established a high throughput drug screening platform based on the Rb/E2F1 pathway
• Identified the anticancer activity of NSC 617989 (DZNep)
• Characterized DZNep as the first epigenetic drug targeting Polycomb group proteins
• Investigated the function of miR-449a/b in cell cycle regulation and tumorogenesis.
• Discovered a novel epigenetic repression mechanism for CDKN1C
• Identified DACT3 as a novel epigenetic regulator of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling in cancer cells
• Studied the ribosomal protein S27-like(RPS27L) function in p53 signaling pathway

EDUCATION

Peking Union Medical College

Ph.D. Equivalent to Pharmacology in U.S. degree evaluation 2003- 2008

Peking University

BS Pharmaceutical Sciences 1999-2003