Yuechao Zhao, Ph. D.

zhaoyc@uiuc.edu · Urbana IL 61801

SUMMARY

Research scientist with 10-year experience in oncology, immunology and endocrinology

Successful translation of preclinical studies into drug discoveries in a biopharmaceutical setting

Major expertise: xenograft models for primary and metastatic tumors, syngeneic murine tumor models, preclinical models of inflammatory diseases, PK/PD studies, 20+ human and murine cancer cell line cultures, immune cell isolation and cultures, 2D/3D in vivo imaging

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (University of Illinois)

Research Scientist (2013-present), Dr. Benita Katzenellenbogen’s lab

Develop and use syngeneic murine tumor models to analyze breast cancer-associated immune cells and study interplay between endocrine therapy and immunotherapy (progressing)

Screen and validate small-molecule compounds in treating breast cancers with hit-to-lead optimization, cell cultures, PK/PD studies and human xenograft tumor models (progressing)

Successfully discovered new drugs in treating endometriosis, a common disorder associated with deregulated estrogen signaling and dysfunctional immunity, by developing in vivo models

Identified Estrogen Receptor coregulator protein REA as a novel therapeutic target of endometriosis via internal and external collaborations

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2008-2013), Dr. Milan Bagchi’s and Dr. Benita Katzenellenbogen’s labs

Developed and customized in vivo models to recapitulate chronic inflammation, dysfunctional immunity and deregulated estrogen signaling of endometriosis

Identified Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61)  as a biomarker of pathological estrogenic signaling in endometriosis with transgenic animal models

Established REA as a coordinator in uterine differentiation with concurrent embryo development for optimal fertility by genomic analysis and transgenic animal models

Identified and validated estrogen-controlled de novo cholesterol synthetic pathways in uterus during embryonic implantation by genomic analysis in primary endometrial stromal cells

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Basic Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China (2003-2008)

B.S., Biology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China (1999-2003)

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (7 of 13)

Zhao, Y. , Chen Y., Kuang Y., Bagchi M.K., Taylor R.N., Katzenellenbogen J.A., Katzenellenbogen B.S. Multiple Beneficial Roles of Repressor of Estrogen Receptor Activity (REA) in Suppressing the Progression of Endometriosis. Endocrinology: 157(2):900-12, 2016.

Zhao, Y. , Gong, P., Chen, Y., Nwachukwu, J.C., Srinivasan, S., Ko, C.M., Bagchi, M.K., Taylor, R.N., Korach, K.S., Nettles, K.W., Katzenellenbogen, J.A., and Katzenellenbogen, B.S. Dual Suppression of Estrogenic and Inflammatory Activities for Targeting of Endometriosis. Sci Transl Med: 7(271):271ra9, 2015.

Zhao,Y. , Li, Q., Katzenellenbogen, B.S., Lau, L.F., Taylor, R.N., and Bagchi, M.K. Estrogen-Induced CCN1 is Critical for Establishment of Endometriosis-like Lesions in Mice. Mol Endocrinol: 28(12):1934-47, 2014.

Zhao, Y. , Park, S., Bagchi, M.K., Taylor, R.N., and Katzenellenbogen, B.S. The Coregulator, Repressor of Estrogen Receptor Activity (REA), is Crucial in the Control of Human and Mouse Endometrial Stromal Cell Decidualization. Endocrinology: 154 (3): 1349-1360, 2013.

Zhao, Y. , Chi, Y.J., Yu, Y.S., Liu, J.L., Su, R.W., Ma, X.H., Shan, C.H., Yang, Z.M. Polyamines are essential in embryo implantation: expression and function of polyamine-related genes in mouse uterus during peri-implantation period. Endocrinology. 149:2325-32, 2008.

Srinivasan, S., Nwachukwu, J.C., Bruno, N.E., Goswami D., Kastrati I., Novick S., Cavett V., Nowak J., Zhou H.B., Frasor J., Boonmuen N., Zhao, Y., Katzenellenbogen B.S., Griffin P.R., Katzenellenbogen J.A., Nettles K.W. Full antagonism of the estrogen receptor without a prototypical ligand side chain. Nature Chem Biol. [Epub ahead of print] 2016.

Park, S., Zhao, Y., Yoon, S., Xu, J., Liao, L., Lydon, J., DeMayo, F., O’Malley, B.W. and Katzenellenbogen, B.S. Repressor of Estrogen Receptor Activity (REA) is Essential for Mammary Gland Morphogenesis and Functional Activities: Studies in Conditional Knockout Mice. Endocrinology. 152:4336-4349, 2011

TECHNICAL AND LABORATORY SKILLS

In vivo models : humanized tumor and metastasis model; syngeneic murine tumor models; in vivo preclinical models of endometriosis; rodent models of pregnancy and artificial decidualization.

Animal work skills : breeding, maintaining and genotyping transgenic mouse lines; ovariectomy; intravenous, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections; oral gavage administration; silastic capsule and pellet implantation; blood collection from artery, tail or facial vein; uterotrophic assay; IVIS 2D and 3D in vivo imaging.

Cell cultures : maintenance of 20+ human breast cancer cell line, therapy-resistant breast cancer cell lines, and murine breast cancer cell lines; isolation and maintenance of human and mouse primary cells and immune cells; multicolor flow cytometry; adeno virus transfection optimization; plasmid transfection; RNAi knockdowns.

Molecular Biology Techniques : agarose gel electrophoresis; DNA and RNA extraction, purification and quantification; PCR, RT-PCR, and Quantitative PCR; expression microarray using Affymetrix platform; western blot, ELISA, In-cell western.

Histology : paraffin and frozen tissue embedding and sectioning; immunohistochemistry with tissue sections and cells; in situ hybridization; confocal microscopy.

Computer Skills : Microsoft office, Adobe (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), EndNote, SAS statistical package, GraphPad

SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (8 of 25)

Oral Presentation (2017): ENDO 2017: The 99th Annual Meeting & Expo, Orlando, FL. Oral Presentation (2015): ENDO 2015: The 97th Annual Meeting & Expo, San Diego, CA. Invited Lecture (2015): Sub-forum for Translational Medicine of the East Lake International

Forum for Outstanding Overseas Young Scholars, Wuhan, China. Oral Presentation (2014): ICE/ENDO 2014: The 16th International Congress of Endocrinology,

Chicago, IL. Invited Lecture (2014): The 3rd State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology (SKLRB)

Symposium on Reproductive Biology, Beijing, China. Oral Presentation (2013): Specialized Cooperative Centers Program In Reproduction And

Infertility Research Meeting, Bethesda, MD. Poster Presentation (2012): ENDO 2012: The 94th Annual Meeting & Expo, Houston, TX. Oral Presentation (2010): 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction,

Milwaukee, WI, 2010.

AWARDS

Outstanding Abstract Award. ENDO 2017, Orlando, FL. Oral Abstract Award. ENDO 2015, San Diego, CA. Outstanding Abstract Award. ENDO 2013, San Francisco, CA.

MENTORING & SCIENTIFICE COMMUNITY SERVICE

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (2011-present)

Supervised and guided graduated and undergraduate students in molecular biology projects Served as reviewers of Development Biology, Endocrinology, Journal of Molecular

Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, Plos One