The projects of this laboratory aim to leverage cutting-edge approaches in combination of chemistry and biology to annotate, perturb and manipulate essential functions of protein methyltransferases implicated in epigenetic biology and cancer. The Luo laboratory is also interested in designing and synthesizing inhibitors as potential anti-cancer drugs with the emphasis of their distinct modes of action and wise uses in relevant disease contexts. Researchers in the field of chemistry, biochemistry and biology work in a highly collaborative manner to synthesize novel chemical reagents, elucidate disease-causing mechanisms at molecular levels, and develop potential treatments for human diseases.
Minkui Luo, PhD
Associate Professor
Research Focus
Chemical Biologist Minkui Luo develops cutting-edge tools, technologies and concepts to annotate functions of protein-posttranslational modifications and designs inhibitors for cancer therapies.Education
- BS, Fudan University
- PhD, Princeton University
- Office Phone: 646-888-3066
- Lab Phone: 646-888-3067
Lab Members
Minkui Luo
Lab Head
Junyi Wang
Research Technician
Nawei Zhang
Visiting Scholar
Chamara Senevirathne
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ryan Blawski
Graduate Student
Xiaochuan Cai
Postdoctoral Fellow
Shi Chen
Graduate Student
Elizabeth Isaac
Graduate Student
Ming Jiang
Graduate Student
Michael Langberg
Graduate Student
Ke Wang
Visiting Investigator
Nicole Weiss
Graduate Student
Publications
- Joshua A. Linscott, Kanishk Kapilashrami, Zhen Wang, Chamara Senevirathne, Ian R. Bothwell, Gil Blum, Minkui Luo, “Kinetic Isotope Effects Reveal Early SN2 Transition State of SET8-catalyzed Protein Lysine Methylation”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2016, 113, E8369.
- Zhang L, Tran NT, Su H, Wang R, Lu Y, Tang H, Aoyagi S, Guo A, Khodadadi-Jamayran A, Zhou D, Qian K, Hricik T, Côté J, Han X, Zhou W, Laha S, Abdel-Wahab O, Levine RL, Raffel G, Liu Y, Chen D, Li H, Townes T, Wang H, Deng H, Zheng YG, Leslie C, Luo M, Zhao X. “Cross-talk between PRMT1-mediated methylation and ubiquitylation on RBM15 controls RNA splicing”, Elife, 2015, e07938
Selected Achievements
- Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry, American Chemical Society (2015)
- Clinical & Translational Science Center Novel Award, Weill Cornell Medical College (2014)
- Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (2011)
- Director’s New Innovator Award, National Institutes of Health (2010)
- Alfred W. Bressler Scholar, Alfred W. Bressler Scholars Endowment Fund (2010)
