 Dr. Tsai Office Tel. 7136777690 Lab Tel. 7136777531 Email: rtsai@ibt.tamhsc.edu Stem Cell Biology Neurobiology & Cancer
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Neuro-regeneration Neurocell Culture Neurocell Transplantation
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Robert Yu-Lin Tsai
Biography
Education:
1981-1987 National Taiwan University School of Medicine (M.D.)
1987-1988 National Taiwan University Hospital (Internship)
1991-1996: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Ph.D. in Neuroscience Program)
Thesis title: Cloning and Functional Analysis of Roaz: a Zn Finger Protein that Regulates Olfactory Gene Expression (Dr. Randall R. Reed)
Professional Experience:
1988-1991 Medical Resident in Neurology; National Taiwan University Hospital
1996-1997 Howard Hughes Associate, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
1997-2003 Research Fellow; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health
2003-present Assistant Professor; Center for Cancer Biology and Nutrition, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center
Research
The research interest of my laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanism that drives the self-renewing proliferation of stem cells, with the hope that we can use this knowledge to enhance the endogenous regenerative process to repair damaged tissues caused by diseases or injuries, particularly in the central nervous system, and, on the flip side, to reduce the uncontrolled proliferation seen in metastatic and high-grade tumors. The biological systems we use are ES, primary neural stem cell culture, and cancer cell lines, as well as mouse genetic models. The molecular target of our present studies is a family of nucleolar GTPases, one of which, nucleostemin (NS), confers a unique nucleolar state in the stem cells. NS was previously identified as enriched in the stem cell population, and shown to play important roles in keeping the neural stem cells and cancer cells in the cell cycle. The activity of NS is regulated by a small molecule in the cells (GTP) that serves as a molecular switch controlling the on and off states. Our work suggests a model in which continuously dividing cells use NS as a sensor to control their rate of division in response to changes that take place in their microenvironment. The mechanism by which NS and NS-related genes control tissue homeostasis in adult animals is being addressed in the following directions: 1) defining the unique nucleolar state in stem cells; 2) determining the signaling pathway that regulates the expression and activity of nucleostemin (NS) in stem cells and during adult tissue regeneration; and 3) establishing the role of NS-expressing cells in the tumorigenic process, with an emphasis on the brain, breast, and prostate tumors.
Five Most Significant Publications Prior to 2004
Tsai, R.Y.L. and Reed, R.R. (1997) Cloning and Functional Characterization of Roaz, a Zinc Finger Protein that Interacts with O/E-1 to Regulates Gene Expression: Implications for Olfactory Neuronal Development. J. Neurosci. 17: 4159-4169.
Tsai, R.Y.L. and Reed, R.R. (1998) Identification of DNA Recognition Sequences and Protein Interaction Domains of the Multiple-Zn-Finger Protein, Roaz. Mol. Cell. Biol. 18:6447-6456.
Tsai, R.Y.L. and McKay, R.D.G (2000) Cell Contact Regulates Fate Choice by Cortical Stem Cells. J. Neurosci. 20:3725-3735.
Tsai, R.Y.L. and McKay, R.D.G (2002) A Nucleolar Mechanism Controlling Cell Proliferation in Stem Cells and Cancer Cells. Genes Dev.: 16:2991-3003.
Tsai, R.Y.L., Kittappa, R. and McKay, R.D.G (2002) Plasticity, Niches, and the Use of Stem Cells. Dev Cell. 2:707-712.
Publications 2004
Wu J.C., Leender M., Cooperman S., Meyron-Holtz E., Smith S., Land W., Tsai R Y.L, Berger U.V., Sheng Z., Rouault T.A.(2004) Expression of the Iron Transporter Ferroportin in Synaptic Vesicles and Blood Brain Barrier. Brain Res, 1001:108-117.
Tsai, RY.L (2004) A Molecular View of Stem Cell and Cancer Cell Self-Renewal. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 36:684-694.
Publications 2005
Tsai, R.YL. and McKay R.DG (2005) A Multistep, GTP-driven Mechanism Controlling the Dynamic Cycling of Nucleostemin. J. Cell Biol. 168:179-184.
Tsai, R. YL. and Kim, S. (2005) FGF2 Negatively Regulates the Induction of Neuronal Progenitors from Neural Stem Cells. J. Neurosci. Res. 82:149-159.
Publications 2006
Zhu Q., Yasumoto H., and Tsai R. YL. (2006) Nucleostemin Delays Cellular Senescence and Negatively Regulates TRF1 Protein Stability. Mol. Cell. Biol. [Sep 25 Epub ahead of print].
Meng L., Yasumoto H., and Tsai R.YL. (2006) Multiple Controls Regulate Nucleostemin Partitioning between Nucleolus and Nucleoplasm. J. Cell. Sci. (in press).
