Biography: Dr. Zhenghe John Wang is currently Dale H. Cowan M.D. – Ruth Goodman Blum Professor of Cancer Research and vice chair for faculty development in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine. He is also a co-leader of the Cancer Genome and Epigenome Program at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. He obtained his PhD from the University of Virginia working on yeast genetics and trained as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Bert Vogelstein’s laboratory at Johns Hopkins University on cancer genetics. Since he became independent in August 2005 at Case Western Reserve University, he has developed a well-funded, internationally recognized research program in colorectal cancer with publications in high profile journals, including Science, Science Signaling, Cancer Cell, Nature Methods, Nature Communications, PNAS, Cancer Research, and J Natl Cancer Inst . He was named a co-leader of the Dream Team. He co-discovered PIK3CA oncogenic mutations in human cancer. His laboratory found that PIK3CA mutations render colorectal cancer dependent on glutamine. He has successfully translated these discoveries into active phase I/II clinical trials and another clinical trial that is expected to open late this year.

Topic: Targeting PIK3CA Mutant Colorectal Cancers: Translating Bench Discoveries into Clinical Trials

Abstract: Background: PIK3CA, encoding the p110α catalytic subunit of PI3K, is the most frequent mutated oncogene in human cancers. Although p110α inhibitor alpelisib in combination with fulvestrant has been approved to treat PIK3CA-mutant breast cancer patients, clinical trial results of alpelisib in other tumor types have been disappointing. Purpose: Dr. Wang’s lab aims to develop new treatment strategies for PIK3CA mutant colorectal cancer patients. Method: Dr. Wang’s group uses molecular biology approaches to uncover novel mechanisms by which PIK3CA mutations drive colorectal tumor development. His laboratory uses the knowledge gained from these mechanisms to design new therapies to be first tested in animal models. Treatments that induce tumor regression in the animal modes will be advanced into clinical trials in human patients. Results: First, his laboratory discovered that PIK3CA mutations render CRC dependent on glutamine. He translated this discovery into phase I and II clinical trials treating PIK3CA mutant CRC patients with a glutaminase inhibitor. The clinical trials have shown promising results. Second, he found that a subset of PIK3CA mutations stabilize EZH1/2 proteins, which prompted a clinical trial of a combination of p110 and EZH inhibitors that will be open soon.

Biography: Dr. Aihong Yang, graduated from Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, is now working at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The research focus of the group is screening and optimal design of active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine based on Coordination Chemistry theory, so as to achieve pharmacological effects such as effect-enhancing and toxicity-reducing or activity improvement. Meanwhile, crystal culture and structure analysis are carried out to facilitate more reliable structure-activity relationship analysis. The aim of this group is to provide theoretical and experimental support for the development and utilization of the active ingredients of Traditional Chinese medicine by using the theoretical knowledge of chemistry. Dr. Yang has completed 3 national Natural Science Foundation of China, and provincial and ministerial level projects and participated in a number of projects. She has published more than 20 SCI papers as the first author or corresponding author.

Topic: Study on the Structural Modification, Crystal Culture and Multi-target Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Activities Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compounds

Abstract: With the aging of the population intensifying, finding a cure or reasonable treatment for Alzheimer' disease (AD) has become an urgent priority. In view of the characteristics of multiple pathogenic factors of AD, the multi-target ligand strategy was adopted to screen the anti-AD active components, such as flavonoids, xanthone and anthraquinones, from the classical Traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of AD, such as polygala tenuifolia, fructus Alpiniae oxyphyllae and Radix Ophiopogonis etc., and reasonable structural modification was carried out to make them have multi-target anti-AD activities. Multiple series derivatives of traditional Chinese medicine active compounds were designed and synthesized, and the full characterization of their structures and multi-target anti-AD activities tests were carried out. The results showed that the screened active compounds could be used as good lead compounds for the development of promising anti-AD drugs.

Biography: Dr. Ronghai He is a professor, doctorate supervisor, executive vice dean of the Institute of Food Physical Processing, Jiangsu University, member of Food Equipment and Intelligent Manufacturing Branch of Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST). Dr. He mainly engages in the research of food physical processing technology and intelligent equipment. The main research directions are as follows: (1) physical strengthening technology and equipment on biological processing process, such as ultrasonic and low-frequency magnetic field technologies. (2) The design and manufacture of large-scale solid-state fermentation equipment. (3) The intelligent controlling technologies of bioengineering equipment. In recent years, he has presided more than 20 government-funded scientific research projects. He has won 4 first-class prizes, 4 second-class prizes at provincial and ministerial levels and 1 excellent prize of China Patent Award. He has published more than 170 papers, and more than 20 patents of him have been granted.

Topic: Ultrasonic Enhanced Food Fermentation: Effects, Techniques and Equipment

Abstract: At present, ultrasound has been widely used in many aspects. Since the 1990s, studies have shown that appropriate ultrasonic treatment can promote the process of fermentation. However, there are still some problems in the research in this field, such as the unstable effect of ultrasound, the unclear mechanism and the lack of special ultrasonic-assisted fermentation equipment. Therefore, the research team at Jiangsu University developed a series of ultrasonic-assisted fermentation equipments, and studied the promotion technology of ultrasonic radiation on the fermentation process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida tropicalis, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Aspergillus niger, and so on. Through a preliminary mechanism study, it was found that low-power ultrasound could change microbial cell membrane permeability, increase intracellular calcium concentration, and increase the expression of genes related to the cell cycle. The application of this technology is expected to greatly improve fermentation efficiency and has broad industrial application prospects.