Molecular Biology Program

The Xiaolan Zhao Lab

Research

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.

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Xiaolan Zhao Lab

Publications

People

Pictured: Xiaolan Zhao

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

Nalini Dhingra
Nalini Dhingra

Senior Research Scientist

Shibai Li, PhD
Shibai Li

Senior Research Scientist

Gemma Regan-Mochrie
Gemma Regan-Mochrie

Graduate Student (GSK)

Nicole Clerico
Nicole Clerico-Benn

SKI Senior Admin Assistant

Lauren Bednor
Lauren Bednor

Graduate Student (WCM)

Jiayi Fan
Jiayi Fan

Research Fellow

Danying Guan
Danying Guan

Research Technician

Cory Haluska

Research Fellow

Victoria Miller-Browne

Rotation Student (BCMB)

Hina Shah

Rotation Student (BCMB)

Tammy Yang
Tammy Yang

Undergraduate Researcher

Vicki Yang

Undergraduate Researcher

Lab Alumni
Yu-Huang (Jeffrey) Chen

Former Graduate Student

Koyi Choi

Former Graduate Student

Xiangzhou  Meng
Xiangzhou Meng

Former Research Scholar

Prabha Sarangi

Former Graduate Student

Lisa Hang

Former Graduate Student

Bingbing Wan
Bingbing Wan

Former Research Associate

Jaclyn Bonner
Jaclyn Bonner

Former Graduate Student

Xiao Peng
Xiao Peng

Former MD/PhD Student

Lei Wei
Lei Wei

Former Graduate Student

Catherine
Catherine Cremona

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Inn Chung, PhD
Inn Chung

Former Research 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 Liu

Former Postdoctoral Fellow

Sadia
Sadia Rahman

Former Technician

Yan
Yan Yang

Former Technician

Jacqueline Arenz
Jacqueline Arenz

Former Technician

Fanfan
Fanfan Hao

Former Research Assistant

Jeannette
Jeannette Huaman

Former Summer Research Intern

Yoona
Yoona Lee

Former Undergraduate Intern

Silva Baburyan
Silva Baburyan

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Nisma Hussein

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Dennis Lysov
Dennis Lysov

Former Undergraduate Researcher

Thane Than
Thane Than

Former Research Fellow

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

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!
Lab fun and activities

Open Positions

To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center

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:

No disclosures meeting criteria for time period


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, 2020 through disclosure submission in spring 2021). 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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