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Research Fellow Johannes Kratz, M.D. Leaves Lasting Mark on Lab
Johannes Kratz, M.D., a research fellow in the Thoracic Oncology Lab from 2008-11, played a pivotal role in the development of a prognostic assay for early-stage lung cancer patients, reported on in The Lancet and JAMA.
Zhidong Xu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Surgery
Division of Adult Cardiothoracic Surgery
Contact Information
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94143-1724
(415) 514-0592 Phone
Zhidong.Xu@ucsfmedctr.org
BiographyEducation
- 1978-82, Shanghai Fisheries University, Shanghai, China, B.A., Aquaculture
- 1984-86, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, M.S. , Biology/Cytogenetics
- 1986-92, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, Ph.D., Molecular Mutagenesis
Postdoctoral Training
- 1998-2001 , UCSF, Assistant Researcher III, Molecular Biologist
- 1993-1998, UCSF, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Gene Therapy Core Center, Postgraduate Researcher Molecular Biologist
- 1986-1992, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, Research Assistant
- 1984-1986, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Illinois University, Research Assistant
- 1982-1984, Department of Aquaculture, Shanghai Fisheries University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China, Assistant Instructor
Program Affiliations
- Thoracic Oncology Laboratory
- Thoracic Oncology Program
- UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Research Interests
- Epigenetics
- Gene expression profiling
- Hypermethylation
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Molecularly targeted therapies
- Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
- Recombinant DNA technology
- WIF-1
- Wnt pathway
Biography
Dr. Zhidong Xu is a molecular biologist and senior scientist in the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory. Dr. Xu graduated Shanghai Fisheries University in China in 1982 with an undergraduate degree in marine aquaculture and received a masters in biology/cytogenetics in 1986 from Western Illinois University. In 1992, he received a Ph.D. in Molecular Mutagenesis from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Xu then became a post-doctoral Fellow at the Human Genome Mapping Center at UCSF, and later in the Cardiovascular Research Institute. In 1998, Dr. Xu was recruited to the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory by Dr. David Jablons and In 2001 joined the UCSF faculty.
Dr. Xu has played an important role in the expansion of the lab. Between 1999-'2001. Dr. Xu's research on full-length cDNA cloning technology was supported by an NIH R21 grant. He is also co-PI on an NIH R01 grant, The Wnt Pathway in Malignant Mesothelioma, research that will elucidate the molecular mechanisms of malignant mesothelioma.Dr. Xu's research is focused on the molecular biology of non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma, including the development of novel targeted therapeutics based on recombinant DNA technology. A summary of his overall research includes:
- Using microarray technology for the identification of novel genes and therapeutic targets.
- Methylation in lung carcinogenesis and as a marker in the detecting early lung cancers.
- Elucidation of novel molecular mechanisms in the Wnt Signaling Pathway.
- Oncolytic viral gene therapy.
- Development of anti-Wnt ligand monoclonal antibodies for lung cancer therapeutics
- Development of recombinant human proteins targeting Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF-1).
- Differential gene expression profiling.
Dr. Xu has also played a critical role in forging international ties with the medical establishment in China, the goal to improve treatment lung cancer patients worldwide. Dr. Xu also helped draft the "Beijing Declaration on Lung Cancer, A Campaign for Treatment, Research and Prevention", at the 2nd North South Lung Cancer Summit in Beijing, China. He has also authored numerous peer-reviewed papers in his fields of research.
Selected Publications
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Biao He, L. You, K. Uematsu, K. Zang, Z. Xu, M. Matsangou, F. McCormick and D. M. Jablons. A monoclonal antibody against Wnt-1 induces apoptosis in human cancer cells, Neoplasia, 2004, 6: 7-14, Role: Planned and performed experiments, compiled data summaries.
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You, L., B. He, K. Uematsu, Z. Xu, F. McCormick, and D. M. Jablons. Inhibition of Wnt-1 signaling induces apoptosis in beta-Catenin-deficient mesothelioma cells, Cancer Research, 2004, 64: 3474-3478, Role: Planned and performed experiments, compiled data summaries.
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You, L. B. He, Z. Xu, K. Uematsu, A.Y. Lee, F. McCormick and D.M. Jablons. A novel anti-human Wnt-2 monoclonal antibody induces programmed cell death in human non-small-cell lung cancer cells, Oncogene, 2004, Jun 21 [Epub ahead of print], Role: Planned and performed experiments, compiled data summaries.
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You, L., B. He, Z. Xu, K. Uematsu, A.Y. Lee, J. Mazieres, F. McCormick and D.M. Jablons. A novel anti-human Wnt-2 monoclonal antibody induces programmed cell death in human melanoma cells, Cancer Research, 2004 (In press). Role: Planned and performed experiments, compiled data summaries.
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Mazieres, J. Biao He, L. You, Z. Xu, A. Lee, I. Mikami, F. McCormick and D. M. Jablons. Wnt Inhibitory Factor-1 (WIF-1) is silenced by promoter hypermethylation in human lung cancer, Cancer Research, 2004 (In press). Role: Planned and performed experiments, compiled data summaries.
In the News
Mulitgene Assay Better Predictor of Survival than Conventional Staging
The Lancet - UCSF News Center - Medscape Medical News - Jan 26, 2012
In the two largest clinical studies ever conducted on the molecular genetics of lung cancer, an international team, led by UCSF thoracic surgeons David M. Jablons, M.D. and Michael Mann, M.D., demonstrated that a 14-gene prognostic molecular assay better predicted the likelihood of death in early-stage lung cancer patients versus conventional staging guidelines. Johannes Kratz, M.D., a former surgical resident in the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory, helped spearhead the development of the assay and was lead author of a paper published in The Lancet discussing the results. John Minna, M.D.", Max L. Thomas Distinguished Chair in Molecular Pulmonary Oncology at UT Southwestern lauded the results, stating that the assay was "head and shoulders" above the rest and ready for "prime time" clinical use.
New Lung Cancer Test Predicts Survival (by Jason Bardi - UCSF News Center)
Genetic Test for Early Stage Lung Cancer (Video Interview with Johannes Kratz, M.D.)
David Jablons Audio Interview with The Lancet
New Lung Cancer Assay Ready for Prime Time (Medscape Oncology News)
Zhidong Xu Invited Speaker at 14th European Cancer Conference
Barcelona, Spain - Sep 24, 2007Zhidong Xu, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the Thoracic Oncology Lab and Assistant Adjunct Professor of Surgery, spoke at the 14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) in Barcelona, Spain. In his talk, Novel agents targeting the Wnt pathway in lung cancer, Dr. Xu discussed how predictive markers could be used in conjunction with targeted therapies in lung cancer.
