Research Associate
yuan.lin@cchmc.org
I did my graduate studies in biochemistry and molecular biology at the Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD). After graduation, I did two short postdoctoral trainings at Duke University (Durham, NC) and the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) before I joined the Zheng Lab in 2012. Trained as a structural biologist, I am interested in the structural and functional characterization of RhoA mutations recently identified in various types of cancer. Understanding of how these mutations affect RhoA function will better clarify the roles of RhoA in tumorigenesis. Meanwhile, I am also working on revealing the structural basis of several small inhibitors developed in the lab that target the Rho GTPase signaling pathways at different levels. By obtaining the atomic 3D structure of these inhibitors binding to their targets using X-ray crystallography, we will be able to further optimize these inhibitors for better specificity and efficacy, and ultimately develop them into drug candidates for future cancer therapy.