Areas of Focus
- Mechanism of action of small molecule anti-tumor drugs
- Development of novel targeted drugs
Work Experience
- 2011-2015 - University of Colorado Cancer Center - Postdoctoral Research
- 2016-present - Nanjing University - Professor of Pharmacology, Doctoral Supervisor
Academic Background & Achievements
- 2003 - Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry: Nanjing University
- 2011 - Ph.D. in Toxicology: University of Colorado
- Published research in Nature and Molecular Pharmacology
- Holds a U.S. patent
Publications
- Drugging the Ral GTPase, Yan C, Jones D, Theodorescu D, 2015
- One step closer to targeting RAS, Yan C, Theodorescu D, 2015
- Discovery and characterization of small molecules that target the GTPase Ral, Yan C, Liu D, Li L, Wempe MF, Guin S, Khanna M, Meier J, Hoffman B, Owens C, Wysoczynski CL, Nitz MD, Knabe EW, Brautigan DL, Paschal BM, Schwartz MA, Jones DN, Ross D, Meroueh SO, Theodorescu D, 2014
- Antitumour indolequinones: synthesis and activity against human pancreatic cancer cells, Inman M, Visconti A, Yan C, Siegel D, Ross D, Moody CJ, 2014
- NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in the sensitivity and resistance to antitumor quinones, Siegel D, Yan C, Ross D, 2012
- Antitumor indolequinones induced apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells via inhibition of thioredoxin teductase and activation of redox signaling, Yan C, Siegel D, Newsome J, Chilloux A, Moody CJ, Ross D, 2012
- Indolequinone inhibitors of NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2). Characterization of mechanism of inhibition in both cell-free and cellular systems, Yan C, Dufour M, Siegel D, Reigan P, Gomez J, Shieh B, Moody CJ, and Ross D, 2011
- Mechanism-based inhibition of quinone reductase 2 (NQO2). Selectivity for NQO2 over NQO1 and structural basis for inhibition, Dufour M, Yan C (co-first author), Colucci MA, Jenner M, Oldham NJ, Gomez J, Reigan P, Siegel D, Li Y, De Matteis CI, Ross D, and Moody CJ, 2011
- Role for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase in 17-(Allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin-induced heat shock protein 90 inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells, Siegel D, Shieh B, Yan C, Kepa JK, and Ross D, 2011
- Potent activity of indolequinones against human pancreatic cancer: identification of thioredoxin reductase as a potential target, Yan C, Shieh B, Reigan P, Zhang Z, Colucci MA, Chilloux A, Newsome JJ, Siegel D, Chan D, Moody CJ, and Ross D, 2009
- Dissecting the role of multiple reductases in bioactivation and cytotoxicity of the antitumor agent 2,5-diaziridinyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (RH1), Yan C, Kepa JK, Siegel D, Stratford IJ, and Ross D, 2008
Awards
- 2011 - Best Doctoral Thesis Award, University of Colorado
- 2011 - National Outstanding Self-financed Student Scholarship
- 2011 - Carl Smith Award, Society of Toxicology, USA
- 2011 - Student Travel Award for the 50th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology
- 2010 - Best Poster Award at the Annual University of Colorado Student Research Forum
- 2010 - Outstanding Student Poster Presentation (1st Place) at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Mountain West Chapter of the Society of Toxicology
- 2010 - Student Travel Award for the 28th Annual Meeting of the Mountain West Chapter of the Society of Toxicology
- 2008 - Best Oral Presentation at the University of Colorado Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual Retreat
- 2007 - Best Poster Award at the University of Colorado Cancer Center Retreat
- 2003 - National Scholarship Second Prize
