DDr. Lu received a medical bachelor degree (US MD equivalent) from Jiangxi Medical College, China in 1983; a master of science degree from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing in 1986; and a PhD degree from Rutgers University/UMDNJ in 1993. After completing his postdoctoral research at Princeton University, he was appointed as a tenure-track assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in 1997 and was promoted to a tenured associate professor there in 2003. He joined Indiana University as a full professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Daniel and Lori Efryomson Chair Professor of Oncology in 2007 before joining Tulane University School of Medicine in January 2012.

Dr. Lu has expertise in the fields of protein chemistry; molecular biology; cancer mechanisms involving p53, the most important tumor suppressor, and c-Myc, one of the important oncoproteins; and translational cancer research. His research has led to the identification of several important protein regulators of p53 and its homologs as well as c-Myc and provides insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer formation. One of his major contributions has been to uncover the previously under-appreciated ribosomal stress-p53 signaling pathway together with two other scientists. Part of his work will be useful for anti-cancer drug development. Recently his lab has identified a novel small molecule called Inauhzin that can suppress tumor growth by activating the p53 pathway as a potential anti-cancer drug candidate. His work has resulted in approximately 110 high-quality publications in scientific journals, such as Nature, Molecular Cell, Cancer Cell, EMBO J, PNAS, EMBO Reports, EMBO Molecular Medicine, MCB, JBC, Cancer Research, Cell Death and Differentiation, Oncogene, eLIFE, etc.

Published 110 papers in domestic and foreign. Representative and Recent Publications:
1. Cao B, Wang KB, He MF, Liao JM, Zhou X, Liao P, Zeng SX, Chen LZ, He YL, Li W, and Lu H. (2015) p53 inactivates oncogenic cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase 4D via miR-139-5p. eLIFE. In revision.
2. Qi YF, Zhou W, Zeng H, Fan Y, Li D, Zabaleta J, Chen Y, Chen L, Saifudeen Z, Morris G, Liu Y, Demma M, Barton MC, Rowan BG, Zhang H, Lu H, and Dong Y. (2015) Methylseleninic Acid Rescues Mutant p53 by Cysteine Modification. Nature Communication. In revision.
3. Zhang Q, Zeng SX, and Lu H (2015) Determination of Maximum Tolerated Dose and Toxicity of Inauhzin in Mice. Toxicology Reports. In press.
4. Jung JH, Liao JM, Zhang Q, Zeng SX, Nguyen D, Hao Q, Zhou X, Cao B, Kim SH, and Lu H (2015) Inauhzin(c) Inactivates c-Myc Independently of p53. Cancer Biology & Therapy. In press.
5. Zhou X, Liao JM, Liao P, and Lu H (2015) Ribosomal proteins: Functions beyond ribosome.
(review article). J Mol Cell Biol (Nature Press). In press.
6. Lo D, Zhang YW, Dai MS, Zeng SX, Sun XX, and Lu H. (2015) Regulation of ARF
stability by nucleostemin. Oncogene. 34, 1688-97.
7. Zhou X, Hao Q, Zhang Q, Liao JM, Ke JW, Liao P, Cao B, and Lu H. (2015) Ribosomal proteins L11 and L5 activate TAp73 by overcoming MDM2 inhibition. Cell Death & Differentiation. 22, 755-66.
8. Parajuli KR, Zhang QY, Liu S, Patel NK, Lu H, Zeng SX, Wang G, Zhang C, and You ZB (2014) Methoxyacetic Acid Suppresses Prostate Cancer Cell Growth by Inducing Growth Arrest and Apoptosis. American J Clinical and Experimental Urology. 2, 300-12.
9. Zhang YW, Zhang X, and Lu H (2014) Aberrant activation of p53 due to loss of MDM2 or
MDMX causes early lens dysmorphogenesis. Developmental Biology. 396, 19-30.
10. Zhang Q, Zhou X, Wu RZ, Mosley A, Zeng, SX, Xing Z, and Lu H. (2014) The role of
IMPDH2 in Inauhzin induced ribosomal stress. eLIFE. Oct 27; 3. doi: 10.7554/eLife.03077.
11. Nakhoul H, Ke JW, Zhou X, Liao WJ, and Lu H. (2014) Ribosomopathies: Mechanisms
of Diseases and Treatment. Clinical Medicine Insights: Blood Disorders (review). 7, 7-16.
12. Li Y, and Lu H (2014) Non-coding RNAs: “Our turn” to join the p53 network. J Mol Cell Biol (Nature press). Invited editorial essay. 6, 179-80.
13. Liao JM, Cao B, Zhou X, and Lu H. (2014) New insights into p53 functions through its target micro-RNAs. J of Molecular and Cellular Biology (Nature press). Invited review. 6, 206-13.
14. He GF, Zhang YW, Lee JH, Zeng SX, Wang V, Luo ZJ, Dong XC, Viollet B, Wahl GM, and Lu H. (2014) AMP-activated kinase induces p53 by phosphorylating MDMX and inhibiting its activity. Mol Cell Biol. 34, 148-87.
15. Liao JM, Zhou X, Gatignol A, and Lu H. (2014) Ribosomal proteins L5 and L11 cooperatively inactivate c-Myc via RNA-induced silencing complex. Oncogene. 33, 4916-23.
16. Zhang Q, Zeng SX, and Lu H. (2014) Targeting p53-MDM2-MDMX loop for cancer therapy. Cancer and p53. Subcell Biochem (a book chapter). 85, 281-319.
17. Zhan Y, Cao B, Qi Y, Liu S, Zhang Q, Xu D, Lu H, Sartor O, Kong W, Zhang H and Dong Y.
(2013) Methylselenol prodrug enhances MDV3100 efficacy for treatment of castration-resistant
prostate cancer. International Journal of Cancer. 133, 2225-33.
18. Zhou X, Hao Q, Liao JM, and Lu H. (2013) Ribosomal protein S14 negatively regulates c-Myc activity. JBC. 288, 21793-801.
19. Zhang YW, Zhang Q, Zeng SX, Hao Q, and Lu H. (2013) Inauhzin Sensitizes p53-dependent cytotoxicity and tumor suppression of chemotherapeutic agents. Neoplasia. 15, 523-34.
20. Liao JM, Zhang Y, Liao WJ, Zeng SX, and Lu H. (2013) IKK phosphorylation of TAp63 leads to inhibition of its transcriptional activity. JBC. 288, 18184-93.
21. Zhang Q, and Lu H. (2013) Identification of small molecules affecting p53-MDM2/MDMX
interaction by fluorescence polarization. Methodology Mol Biol. 962, 95-111.
22. Liao JM and Lu H. (2013) Chromatin-immunoprecipitation of p53 responsive promoters. Methodology Mol Biol. 962, 201-10.
23. Zhou X, Hao Q, Liao JM, Zhang Q, and Lu H. (2013) Ribosomal protein S14 regulates the
MDM2-p53 loop upon ribosomal stress. Oncogene. 32, 388-96.
24. Liao, JM, Zeng SX, and Lu H. (2012) Global effect of Inauhzin on p53 responsive transcriptome. Plos One. 7, e52172.
25. Zhou X, Liao JM, Jiao WJ, and Lu H. (2012) Fission of the MDM2-p53 loop by ribosomal proteins. Genes & Cancer (invited review). 3, 298-310.
26. Liao JM, Zhou X, Zhang Y, and Lu H. (2012) miR-1246: A new link of the p53 family with cancer and Down syndrome. Cell Cycle. 11, 2426-30.
27. Lee JH, Jin YT, He GF, Zeng SX, Wang V., Wahl GM., and Lu H. (2012) Hypoxia activates tumorsuppressor p53 by inducing ATR-Chk1 kinase cascade-mediated phosphorylation and 14-3-3 inactivation of MDMX. JBC. 287, 20898-903.
28. Zhang YW, Zhang Q, Zeng SX, Mayo L, and Lu H. (2012) Inauhzin and Nutlin-3 Synergistically Activate p53 and Suppress Tumor Growth. Cancer Biology & Therapy. 13, 915-24.
29. Zhang Q, Ding DR, Zeng SX, Ye QZ, and Lu H. (2012) Structure-activity analysis of Inauhzin analogs as novel anti-tumor compounds that induce p53 expression and acetylation. Plos One. 7, e46294.
30. Lo D, Dai MS, Sun X, Zeng SX, and Lu H. (2012) Ubiquitin- and MDM2-independent proteasomal turnover of nucleostemin in response to GTP depletion. JBC. 287,10013-20.
31. Zhang Q, Zeng, SX, Zhang Y, Zhang YW, Ding DR, Ye QZ, Meroueh S, and Lu H. (2012) A small molecule Inauhzin inhibits SIRT1 activity and suppresses tumor growth through activation p53. EMBO Mol Med. 4, 298-312.
32. Dai MS, Challagundla KB, Sun XX, Palam, LR, Zeng, SX, Wek RC, and Lu H. (2012) Physical and functional interaction between ARF and ribosomal protein L11 in regulating the p53-MDM2 feedback loop. JBC. 287,17120-9.
33. Zhang Q, Xiao H, Chai S, Hoang Q, and Lu H. (2011) Hydrophilic residues are crucial for RPL11 interaction with the Zinc finger domain of MDM2 and p53 activation. JBC. 286, 38264-74.
34. Liao JM and Lu H. (2011) Autoregulatory suppression of c-Myc by miR-185-3p. JBC. 286, 33901-9.
35. Lu H. (2011) A ribosomal tactic to halt cancer. Nature Medicine (News & Views). 17, 930-931.
36. Lee JH and Lu H. (2011) Chimeric p53 as an alternative therapy for hypoxic tumors.” Cancer Biology & Therapy. 11, 108-10.
37. Zhang Y, Liao JM, Zeng SX, and Lu H. (2011). p53 downregulates Down syndrome associated DYRK1A through miR-1246. EMBO Reports. 12, 811-7.
38. Lee JH, Zhang Q, Jo S, Chai SC, Im W, Lu H*, and Lim HS*. (2011) Small molecule alpha-helix mimetics that disrupt the p53 interactions with MDMX and MDM2. JACS. 133, 676-9 (corresponding authors).
39. Lee JH, and Lu H. (2011) 14-3-3gamma inhibition of MDMX-mediated p21 turnover independently of p53. JBC. 286, 5136-42.
40. Yu W, Qiu Z, Gao N, Wang L, Cui H, Qian Y, Luo J, Yi Z, Lu H, Li D, and Liu M. (2011) PAK1IP1 regulates cell proliferation via the p53-MDM2 loop. Nucleic Acids Research. 39, 223-48.
41. Mo P, Wang H, Lu H, Boyd DD, and Yan C. (2010) MDM2 mediates ubiquitination and degradation of activating transcription factor 3. JBC. 285. 26908-15.
42. Zhang Q and Lu H. (2010) Nutlin-3’s Two Roads to Apoptosis. Cancer Biology & Therapy. 10. 579-81.
43. Lo D, and Lu H. (2010) Nucleostemin: Another nucleolar twister in the p53-MDM2 loop. Cell Cycle. 9, 3227-32.
44. Dai MS, Sun XX, and Lu H. (2010) Ribosomal protein RPL11 associates with c-Myc at 5S rRNA and tRNA genes and regulates their expression. JBC. 285, 12587-94.
45. Xue B, Hsu WL, Lee JH, Lu H, Dunker KA, and Uversky VN. (2010) SPA: Short peptide analyzer of intrinsic disorder status of short peptides. Genes To Cells. 15, 635-46.
46. Zeng SX, Li YP, Jin YT, Zhang Q, Keller DM, McQuaw CM, Barklis E, Stone S, Hoatlin M, Zhao YM, and Lu H (2010) SSRP1 facilitates microtubule growth and bundling required for mitosis. MCB. 30, 935-47.

03/09-present: Guest Professor, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
2006 Appreciation award in recognition to the promotion of science education and dedication to mentoring our next generation of scientists by the President of OHSU.
07/04-present: Guest Professor, Nanchang University School of Medicine, Jiangxi, China.
2003 Teaching excellence award in graduate education recognized by graduate students and issued by the dean office of School of Medicine, OHSU.
2003 Appreciation award in recognition to the promotion of science education and dedication to mentoring our next generation of scientists by the President of OHSU.
1999. Wong Kuen Cheng Travel Award to Institute of Biophysics, CAS, Beijing, China.
1996: The New Jersey Cancer Research Award for Scientific Excellence by New
Jersey State Commission of Cancer Research.
1993-1996: Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Postdoctoral Fellowship, New York.
1991-1993: Schering Corporation Fellowship for outstanding performance in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway.
1989: First Invention Prize (Shared with G.T. Liu et al) for Pharmacological study on nine dibenzo(a,c)cyclooctene lignans isolated from Fructus schizandrae. National Health Department, China.
1986: Best Research Paper of Young Chinese Pharmacologists-2nd Prize
Chinese Society of Pharmacy, Beijing, China.
1979-1982: The outstanding student award, Jiangxi Medical College, China.