Molecular Biology Program

The Xiaolan Zhao Lab

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Research

Xiaolan Zhao
Xiaolan Zhao, PhD

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.

View Lab Overview

Zhao Lab

Featured News

Xiaolan Zhao
At Work: Molecular Biologist Xiaolan Zhao
Molecular biologist Xiaolan Zhao explores molecular mechanisms that will help scientists better understand how human cells work.
In the Lab
An illustration of proteins serving as bar-code-reading drones
“Molecular Origami” Enables Proteins to Serve as Specialized Delivery Vehicles, Study Finds
Scientists at the Sloan Kettering Institute have identified a fundamentally new type of protein-sorting system in cells.
In the News
a design of colored lines and dots
10 Remarkable Basic Science Breakthroughs from 2019
As 2019 comes to an end, take a moment to reflect on the science stories that made the year one to remember.

Publications Highlights

Selected Papers in the Past 5 years

2025

Zhao R, Wivagg A, Lackner RM, Salsman J, Dellaire G, Matunis MJ, Chenoweth DM, Zhao X, Zhang H. Telomeric SUMO level influences the choices of APB formation pathways and ALT efficiency. “J Cell Biol 2025 (in press)”

Wan B, Guan D, Li S, Chwat-Edelstein T, Zhao X. Mms22-Rtt107 axis attenuates the DNA damage checkpoint and the stability of the Rad9 checkpoint mediator. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 2;16:311.

2024

View All Publications

People

Xiaolan Zhao

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

Victoria Miller-Browne
Victoria Miller-Browne

Graduate Student (BCMB)

Tzippora Chwat-Edelstein

Graduate Student (BCMB)

Jian Zheng
Jian Zheng

Graduate Student (BCMB)

Cory Haluska
Cory Haluska

Research Fellow

Nicole Clerico-Benn
Nicole Clerico-Benn

Assistant to Chair

Jiayi Fan
Jiayi Fan

Research Associate

Shibai Li, PhD
Shibai Li

Senior Research Scientist

Zhongqing Ren
Zhongqing (Warren) Ren

Research Scholar

Sophia Park
Sophia Park

Graduate Student (GSK)

Sofya Ignatyeva

MSK Engage Scholar

Doston Karimov
Doston Karimov

Undergraduate Researcher

Lab Alumni
Gemma Regan-Mochrie
Gemma L. Regan-Mochrie

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Birmingham

Jake Bonner
Jake Bonner

Former Graduate Student

Xiao Peng
Xiao Peng

Former MD/PhD Student

Lei Wei
Lei Wei

Former Graduate Student

Koyi Choi

Former Graduate Student

Prabha Sarangi

Former Graduate Student

Lisa Hang

Former Graduate Student

Jeff Chen
Yu-Huang (Jeffrey) Chen

Former Graduate Student

Beccy Lever
Rebecca Lever

Research Fellow

Nalini Dhingra
Nalini Dhingra

Former Senior Research Scientist

Xiangzhou Meng
Xiangzhou Meng

Former Research Scholar

Bingbing Wan
Bingbing Wan

Former Research Associate

Inn Chung, PhD
Inn Chung

Former Research Fellow

Catherine
Catherine Cremona

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Shelly Lim
Shelly Lim

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Wei Tan
Wei Tan

Former Research Fellow

Milica
Milica Arneric

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Vladimir Yong-Gonzalez
Vladimir Yong-Gonzalez

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Xianpeng
Xianpeng Liu

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Thane Than
Thane Than

Former Research Fellow

Danying Guan
Danying Guan

Former Technician

Yan
Yan Yang

Former Technician

Sadia
Sadia Rahman

Former Technician

Jacqueline Arenz
Jacqueline Arenz

Former Technician

Fanfan
Fanfan Hao

Former Research Assistant

Sapphire Perera
Sapphire Perera

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Emily Chen
Emily Chen

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Vicki Yang
Vicki Yang

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Tammy Yang
Tammy Yang

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Silva Baburyan
Silva Baburyan

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Nisma Hussein
Nisma Hussein

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Jeannette
Jeannette Huaman

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Dennis Lysov
Dennis Lysov

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Yoona
Yoona Lee

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Daniel Liu
Daniel Liu

Former High School Researcher

Justin Li

Former High School Researcher

Emily Seto
Emily Seto

Former High School Researcher

Ryan
Ryan Zhang

Former High School Researcher

Jason Ding
Jason Ding

Former High School Researcher

Jennifer Guo
Jennifer Guo

Former High School Researcher

Owen Qiu
Owen Qiu

Former High School Researcher

Lab Affiliations

Achievements

  • Bressler Scholar, Alfred W. Bressler Scholar Endowment Fund
  • Research Scholar, American Cancer Society
  • Scholar, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • 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

Lab fun and activities

Accolades

Team Recognitions

  • Congratulations to Sophia for receiving the GSK Olayan Fellowship (2024)!
  • Cheers to Warren who received the SternBerg Thesis Award (2024)!
  • Kudos to Tzippora who was awarded an NIH F31 Fellowship (2024)!
  • Congratulations to Tzippora who was awarded the Kravis WiSE fellowship!
  • Congrats to Cory who was awarded an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship and Best Photo Award from Postdoc Association in 2023 & 2024!
  • Cheers to Tzippora! She received honorable mention for the NSF grant
  • Victoria won Faculty Choice for best poster award at the BCMB Retreat in 2023 and People's Choice in 2022! Great Job!
  • Congrats to our lab for being awarded the following grants: BRIA (2023), CER (2022), Geoffrey Beene (2021)

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.

Apply now

Get in Touch

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:

  • Fusion Conferences
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Gordon Research Conferences
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Keystone Symposia
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and 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, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). 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].


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