Jixin Dong, PhD

Professor, Eppley Institute

Courtesy Appointment - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Courtesy Appointment - Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology

Phone:  402-559-5596
Fax:  402-559-4651
Email: Jixin Dong

Jixin Dong, PhD

Education

PhD - Zhejiang University, China

Research Interests

Hippo signaling and Cancer

Summary of Research

My laboratory is focused on the Hippo signaling pathway, a novel tumor suppressor cascade discovered in Drosophila. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Hippo signaling plays an important role in controlling organ size by coordination of cell proliferation and cell death or apoptosis.

The Hippo signaling pathway is highly conserved in mammals and consists of five core components: tumor suppressors Hippo/Hpo (human MST1/2), Salvador/Sav (human WW45), Warts/Wts (human Lats1/2), Mob as tumor suppressor/Mats (human Mob1) and oncoprotein Yorkie/Yki (human YAP). Hpo/MST phosphorylates and activates Wts/Lats, which in turn, inactivates Yki/YAP by phosphorylating them at a critical residue (Yki-S168/YAP-S127). 

Specifically, we are interested in how the Hippo pathway is regulated in mitosis and its subsequent biological significance in contributing to cancer development. 

Selected Publications