Molecular Biology Program
The Xiaolan Zhao Lab
Research

DNA replication, repair, and damage response, collectively called the 3Rs, support genome stability and faithful genetic inheritance. Proteins involved in the 3Rs are genome guardians that prevent a broad spectrum of diseases, ranging from cancers, immunological and neurodegenerative diseases, to developmental disorders such as diabetes and premature aging. Our lab investigates 3R mechanisms, 3R protein functions and structures, and their links to human disease. Our main research interests include:
- Mechanisms of genome duplication during growth and under stress conditions that mimics carcinogenic exposure or chemotherapeutic treatment.
- DNA repair processes that restore genetic information perturbed by a variety of DNA lesions arising from genotoxic exposures.
- The DNA damage response systems that monitor genome lesion burdens and deploy signaling pathways to induce multi-faceted physiological changes, ranging from metabolic and epigenetic changes, cell cycle delays, to chromosomal organization and maintenance adjustments.
To illuminate 3R processes and genome guardian functions, we have implemented cutting-edge and multi-disciplinary approaches, including genetic, biochemical, cell biological, structural, and genomic strategies. Our broad research scope and approaches provide lab members ample opportunities to explore and discover new biological principles. Our lab also offers a nurturing and supportive environment with tailored mentoring and training to advance lab members’ abilities in research, writing, presentation, and leadership.

Featured News



Publications
Yu Y, Li S, Ser Z, Kuang H, Than T, Guan D, Zhao X*, Patel DJ. (*co-corresponding author) (2022). Cryo-EM structure of DNA-bound Smc5/6 reveals DNA clamping enabled by multi-subunit conformational changes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jun 7;119(23):e2202799119. Epub 2022 Jun 1. PubMed PMID: 35648833.
People

Xiaolan Zhao, PhD
- Molecular biologist Xiaolan Zhao studies chromosomal organization, genome integrity, DNA replication and repair, dynamic protein modification.
- PhD, Columbia University
- [email protected]
- Email Address
- 212-639-5582
- Office Phone
Members

- BS, Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York

- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, PhD

- Florida State University, PhD

- University of Nottingham, PhD

- BS, Northeastern University

Senior Research Scientist

SKI Senior Admin Assistant

Graduate Student (BCMB)

Research Associate

Research Fellow

Research Fellow

Graduate Student (BCMB)

- BS in Biology, University of California, Berkeley
- PhD Student, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University

- BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Johns Hopkins University
- PhD Student, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University

- B. Tech, Indian Institute of Technology
- PhD Student, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University

- BA in Biology/Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca
- PhD Student, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University

- BA, Smith College

- 2010 - Fudan University, China, PhD

- BS in Chemistry-Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

- BS in Chemistry, California Institute of Technology
- MD/PhD Student, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University

- Diploma in Biology, Justus-Liebig University, Germany
- Ph.D with Dr Karsten Rippe, Graduate Summa cum laude, German Cancer Research Center.

- The University of Sheffield, PhD
Lab Alumni

Former Graduate Student

Former Senior Research Scientist

Former Graduate Student

Former Research Scholar

Former Graduate Student

Former Graduate Student

Research Fellow at University of Birmingham in Birmingham, UK

Former Research Associate

Former Graduate Student

Former MD/PhD Student

Former Graduate Student

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Former Research Fellow

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Former Research Fellow

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Former Postdoctoral Fellow
Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Former Technician

Former Technician

Former Technician

Former Research Assistant

Former Summer Research Intern

Former Undergraduate Intern

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Former Research Technician
Former Undergraduate Researcher
Former Undergraduate Researcher
Former Summer Research Intern

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Former Research Fellow

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Former Undergraduate Researcher
Lab Affiliations
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
Read more
- Discovery of the Smc5/6 complex in budding yeast
- Discovery of the essential function of the DNA replication and damage checkpoint
Lab News & Events
Upcoming event
Understanding and Exploiting Cancer Genome Instability
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Zuckerman Research Center
417 East 68th Street
Room ZRC-105
New York, NY 10065
Accolades
Team Recognitions
-
Shibai and Jake’s paper on the functions of a sumoylation cofactor is out in Genes Dev (2021).
-
Bingbing started his own lab at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
-
Michael’s new lab is not far from Bingbing’s lab in the same University!
-
Congrats to Michael and Wei for their work on POLe that synthesizes half of our body’s DNA (Nat Commun 2020).
-
We welcome new Research Scholars, Jiayi and Thane.
-
Congrats to Nalini for winning 2020 Kravis Women in Science Endeavor grant!
-
A shout out to Danying who won best Oral Presentation at 2020 ABRC conference.
-
Bingbing’s structural paper on a genome maintenance hub is out in Mol Cell, 2019.
-
Read up our reviews on SUMO-based controls in Genes Dev, 2019 and Mol Cell. 2018.
-
Congrats to Silva for winning the 2021 Jonas E Salk Scholarship!
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Postdoctoral, Graduate Student, & Technician Positions
Positions are available for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and technicians in the research group of Dr. Xiaolan Zhao.
Get in Touch
-
Lab Head Email
-
Office Phone
-
Lab Phone
-
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:
-
Cold Spring Harbor Asia
Provision of Services (uncompensated)
-
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Provision of Services (uncompensated)
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, 2021 through disclosure submission in spring 2022). 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 [email protected].