Molecular Biology Program

The Xiaolan Zhao Lab

Research

Xiaolan Zhao, PhD

Our lab studies two fundamental aspects of biology that have broad implications for human health. The first research direction examines how cells faithfully duplicate their genomes and repair DNA lesions arising from endogenous and exogenous sources. The second direction focuses on how a protein modifier called SUMO mediates signal transduction, directs the DNA stress response, and dynamically regulates the functions of many proteins. We have implemented a versatile combination of molecular, genetic, biochemical, cell biological, and genomic/proteomic approaches toward answering these questions. Our current work aims to elucidate new underlying principles of the above processes, and reveal how they are integrated with other cellular functions to achieve cell proliferation under various conditions.

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Featured News

At Work: Molecular Biologist Xiaolan Zhao

In the Lab

“Molecular Origami” Enables Proteins to Serve as Specialized Delivery Vehicles, Study Finds

Monday, August 12, 2019

In the News

10 Remarkable Basic Science Breakthroughs from 2019

Monday, December 16, 2019

Publications

Meng X, Wei L, Devbhandari S, Zhang T, Xiang J, Remus D, Zhao X. DNA polymerase ε relies on a unique domain for efficient replisome assembly and strand synthesis. Nat Commun. 2020 May 15;11(1):2437. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16095-x. PubMed PMID: 32415104.

Wan B, Wu J, Meng X, Lei M, Zhao X.(2019) Molecular basis for control of diverse genome stability factors by the multi-BRCT scaffold Rtt107. Molecular Cell 75, 238-251.

Peng XP, Lim S, Li, S, Marjavaara L, Chabes A, Zhao X (2018) Acute Smc5/6 depletion reveals its primary role in rDNA replication by restraining recombination at fork pausing sites PLoS Genet 14: e1007129

Bonner, J.N., Choi ,K., Xue, X., Torres, N.T., Szakal, B., Wei, L., Wan, B., Arter, M., Matos, J., Sung, P., Brown, P.W., Branzei, D. and Zhao, X. (2016) Smc5/6 mediated sumoylation of the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 complex promotes removal of recombination intermediates. Cell Reports 16, 368-378.

Wei, L., and Zhao, X. (2016). A new MCM modification cycle regulates DNA replication initiation. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 23, 209–216.

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People

Xiaolan Zhao, PhD

Molecular biologist Xiaolan Zhao studies chromosomal organization, genome integrity, DNA replication and repair, dynamic protein modification.
PhD, Columbia University

zhaox1@mskcc.org: Email Address
212-639-5582: Office Phone

Members

Shibai Li, PhD — Shibai Li
Research Scholar

Nicole Clerico
Administrative Assistant II

Tammy Yang

Undergraduate Researcher

Lab Alumni

Yu-Huang (Jeffrey) Chen
Former Graduate Student

Catherine Cremona
Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Inn Chung, PhD — Inn Chung
Former Research Fellow

Milica Arneric
Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Vladimir Yong-Gonzalez
Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Xianpeng Liu

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Jeannette Huaman
Former Undergraduate Researcher

Silva Baburyan
Former Undergraduate Researcher

Dennis Lysov
Former Undergraduate Researcher

Lab Affilations

Achievements

Bressler Scholar, Alfred W. Bressler Scholar Endowment Fund (2007-2010)
Research Scholar, American Cancer Society (2012-2016)
Scholar, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2013-2018)
Discovery of the extensive SUMO-based DNA damage response
Discovery of the connection between the nuclear pore complex and desumoylation

Discovery of the Smc5/6 complex in budding yeast
Discovery of the essential function of the DNA replication and damage checkpoint

Open Positions

Postdoctoral, Graduate Student, & Technician Positions

Positions are available for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and technicians in the research group of Dr.

Apply now

Get in Touch

zhaox1@mskcc.org

Lab Head Email
212-639-5582

Office Phone
212-639-5579

Lab Phone
646-422-2062

Lab Fax

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Xiaolan Zhao discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

Gordon Research Conference
Provision of Services

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2019 through disclosure submission in spring 2020). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at ecoi@mskcc.org.

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