Shile Huang

Dr. Huang's major research is in studying mTOR signaling in tumorigenesis, cell signlaing, and metastasis. mTOR functions as two complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, and regulates cell proliferation, growth (cell size), and survival. Dr Huang demonstrated that mTOR also regulates cell motility. Disruption of mTORC1 or mTORC2 by silencing the expression of raptor or rictor down-regulates cell motility, implicating critical roles of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in this cellular process. He is currently focusing on identifying the molecular mechanisms by which mTORC1 and mTORC2 regulate cell motility. In addition, the laboratory is investigating anticancer mechanisms of small molecules such as curcumin, cryptotanshinone, artemisinin, and ciclopirox olamine. Curcumin, cryptotanshinone, and artemisinin are natural products isolated from the plants Curcuma longa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Artemisia annua, respectively, whereas ciclopirox olamine is an off-patent synthetic fungicide. Notably, curcumin, artesunate (a water-soluble artemisinin derivative), and ciclopirox olamine are undergoing initial clinical trials as novel anticancer agents. However, the anticancer mechanisms of these compounds remain to be elucidated. Dr. Huang's recent studies indicate that they may execute their anticancer activities by inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing cell death, suppressing cell motility, or inhibiting angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis. Dr. Huang is currently elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects.