Xin Yuan Fu Ph. D
Founding Director of Tsinghua Institute of Genome Research (TIGR), Tsinghua University, Beijing China
Associate Professor in Immunology and pathology
Yale Medical School
New Haven, CT, USA
Dr. Xin Yuan Fu’s research work focus on the STAT pathway, which is an essential signaling pathway of cytokines for control of gene expression and of cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. The STAT proteins were identified first in the interferon system. Then the first two members of STAT gene family were cloned. His laboratory was the first to show the mechanism of STAT activation (Cell, 70, 323, 1992), showing it is a major pathway of many growth factors and during evolution (Cell, 74, 1135; Science, 285 167). His team is the first to show that STATs regulate cell growth and survival (Science, 272, 719). The STAT activation may be responsible for a number of human diseases (Nature, 386, 288). In particular, His work has shown that STAT protein is immediately activated during T cell receptor (TCR) signaling, and plays an essential role in T-cell proliferation and initiation of immune responses (Science, 283, 222-225). Professor Fu received his Ph. D from Columbia University in 1988. After his post doctoral research at Rockefeller University and assistant professor at Mt. Sinai, he joined the faculty in Yale as a assistant professor in Pathology in 1994, where he is now an associated professor in Immunology nad Pathology. In 1999, Dr. Fu founded the Tsinghua Institute of Genome Research where is the director. Professor Fu has received numerous awards including Cancer Res. Institute Fellowship Award, Markey Research Fellow, NIH Career Development Award. His is a permanent member of NIH Heme1 Study Session.
Since the term of STAT was first given in 1994, there are over 3000 papers published that are related to the STAT signaling pathway (according to the recent Medline search). The regulation of STAT function can be one of the most important steps in control of immune and inflammatory responses that are the basis for human defense against pathogens. Disordered STAT function is a major cause of cancer and a number of common immune disorders (such as asthma and arthritis and other acute inflammatory responses).
With the scientific discoveries of molecular mechanism of cell biology and pathology, it has opened vast opportunities for development of new therapeutics and medicines for human diseases. Almost all major pharmaceutical and biotech companies in USA have research programs related to STAT functions. To use and expand our research achievement, we have further started bio-informatics program, new gene discovery initiatives, and a new platform technology for screening novel drugs in the academic laboratories at Yale and Tsinghua, and taken initiatives to set up innovative Bio-Pharmaceutical companies in China. The combination of basic and applied research with entrepreneurship is a key for promoting progress of bio-sciences and biotechnology in China as well as in USA.