Dr. Xiaoqing (Cathy) Cheng joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Instructor in October 2024. She received a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Wuhan University in 2017. Her PhD training including the mitochondrial dynamics and the mechanism study between epigenetic regulation and liver tumorigenesis. As an expert in the field of cancer research, she continues her research training as a postdoc associate in Johns Hopkins University, with the study on the membrane proteins of ZNT8 in the diabetes using pancreatic islets. Dr. Cheng joined the Division of Oncology as a postdoctoral research associate in July 2018. Over the past 6 years, she has developed into a first-rate scientist, with a record of innovative and impact on breast cancer research.
Her research focus on the metastatic breast cancer and clear cell renal cell carcinoma, specially, she uses organoid genetic modeling and transplant mouse models to determine the efficacy of antibody-conjugating drugs combined with chemotherapy to improve patient outcomes and overcome drug resistance. As she has proven expertise in the field of cancer research and as her endeavor has applications in the advancement clinical, she was appointed as a staff scientist in July 2022. Combining multi-omics and other biometrology, bioinformatics, predictive modeling, and analytical tools for functional phenotypes, engineering of multicellular systems, which are formally recognized as critical and emerging technologies, her continued studies are cancer research intersect with immunology and neurology. Organoid is a strong tool that can be used for drug testing and precision therapeutic concepts. Her distinguished work builds a bridge between research and translational study and patients will be the beneficial people.
For these reasons, Dr. Cheng will be promoted to Instructor of Medicine on the investigator track in summer 2024. Dr. Cheng has a bright future in science, she is highly motivated, visionary, and contains all the best phenotypes that one would want in a young academic scientist. With her extensive expertise and experience, Dr. Cheng will continue her further endeavors in cancer research, focus on these interests in drug resistance and cancer treatment, and keep moving forward on her future career track as an independent PI in the academic field. Research interests focus on the metastatic breast cancer with HER2 activating mutations and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Specifically, studying the genetic and epigenetic determinants for the drug response activity, the molecular mechanism of the metastasis and invasion process, and the regulation of tumor microenvironment interplay in the metastatic organs, especially the metastasis in the lung and the brain.