Li Xin, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology

Dr. Xin received the award for his concentration on the initiation of prostate cancer as it is affected by inflammation that alters prostate lineage differentiation. His work has identified the dual nature of the Notch protein in prostate disease – suppressing proliferation of the prostate basal cell while inducing luminal cell hyperproliferation, thus showing how this critical protein affects prostate cancer initiation. Dr. Xin’s work provides a critical insight into the nature of prostate cancer in an area that has been understudied, and his future work promises to bring new clarity to prostate stem cell biology and the metastasis of this difficult disease.

Dr. Xin's nomination was based on the following publications:

Choi N, Zhang B, Zhang L, Ittmann M, Xin L. Adult murine prostate basal and luminal cells are self-sustained lineages that can both serve as targets for prostate cancer initiation. Cancer Cell. 2012 Feb 14;21(2):253-65. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.01.005. PubMed PMID: 22340597; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3285423.

Valdez JM, Zhang L, Su Q, Dakhova O, Zhang Y, Shahi P, Spencer DM, Creighton CJ, Ittmann MM, Xin L. Notch and TGFβ form a reciprocal positive regulatory loop that suppresses murine prostate basal stem/progenitor cell activity. Cell Stem Cell. 2012 Nov 2;11(5):676-88. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2012.07.003. PubMed PMID: 23122291; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3490134.

Kwon OJ, Zhang L, Ittmann MM, Xin L. Prostatic inflammation enhances basal-to-luminal differentiation and accelerates initiation of prostate cancer with a basal cell origin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Feb 4;111(5):E592-600. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1318157111. Epub 2013 Dec 23. PubMed PMID: 24367088; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3918789.