Research Areas
Our research is centered on the mechanisms by which epigenetic regulation controls tumor cell fate and remodels the tumor microenvironment. We are particularly interested in cellular plasticity, a fundamental driver of tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance, and metastasis. This includes lineage-specific differentiation, transdifferentiation, dedifferentiation, malignant transformation of stem cells, and the dynamic interconversion between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) during tumor progression and dissemination. We also study tumor phenotypic evolution at the tissue level, including the progression of indolent tumors and the regulation of metastatic dormancy and reactivation.
With a focus on clinically important challenges in prostate cancer and colorectal cancer, we seek to define how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to metastasis and treatment resistance, and to translate these insights into new therapeutic strategies. In parallel, we investigate how neural signaling (central nervous system and peripheral neural signaling), metabolic cues, and therapy-related stress shape the fate and function of tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment.

Brief Biography
2017 - Present: Professor, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS
2014 - 2016: Professor, Principal Investigator, Institute of Health Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
2012-2014: Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
2005-2012: Postdoctoral Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine
2000-2005: Ph.D., Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Selected Publications (*Corresponding Author)

1. Wang X#, Pan Q#, Li Y#, Li N, Guo J, Gu Y, Zhang G, Lian Y, Liu H, Cao L, Zhang W, Lin N, Xu B, Jin Z, Zeng X, Zang Y, Cheng X, Xiao H, Chen S, Lin M*, Wang G*, Peng J*, Xiao Y*, Qin J*. Chemotherapy triggers immune evasion by fostering LEPR+ Kupffer cell differentiation in liver metastases. Cancer Cell 2026;44(3):658-675
2. Zhao W#, Zhao L#, Lian Y#, Liu Z#, Li Y#, Wang X#, Zhang M, Li N, Guo J, Shen D, Mo S, Li J, Zhai L, Ni J, Lee S, Liu B, Li J, Wang F, Peng J*, Qin J*, Tan M*. Proteogenomic Characterization Reveals Metabolic Vulnerabilities and Aberrant Phosphorylation in Colorectal Metastasis to Liver. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2026;13(4):e11744
3. Guo J#, Li N#,*, Liu Q#, Hao Z, Zhu G, Wang X, Wang H, Pan Q, Xu B, Han Y, Zhang G, Lian Y, Zhang W, Gu Y, Lin N, Zeng X, Jin Z, Lan W, Jiang J, Gao D, Dong L*, Yuan H*, Liang C*, Qin J*. KMT2C Deficiency Drives the Transdifferentiation of Double-Negative Prostate Cancer and Confer Resistance to AR-Targeted Therapy. Cancer Cell 2025;43(7):1261-1278
4. Zhu Q#, Zhang G#, Cao M#, Huang H#, He D, Xing J, Zhan M, Pei S, Deng X, Xu J, Zheng M, Liu C*, Qin J*, Xiao Y*. Microbiota-shaped neutrophil senescence imparts the sexual difference in bladder cancer. Nature Immunology 2025;26(5):722-736
5. Zhang G#, Lian Y#, Li Q#, Zhou S#, Zhang L, Chen L, Tang J, Liu H, Li N, Pan Q, Gu Y, Lin Nai, Wang H, Wang X, Guo J, Zhang W, Jin Z, Xu B, Su X*, Lin M*, Han Q*, Qin J*. Vagal pathway activation links chronic stress to decline in intestinal stem cell function. Cell Stem Cell 2025;32(5):778-794
6. Teng M#, Guo J#, Xu X#, Ci X, Mo Y, Kohen Y, Ni Z, Chen S, Guo W, Bakht M, Ku S, Sigouros M, Luo W, Macarios CM, Xia Z, Chen M, Haq SU, Yang W, Berlin A, Kwast T, Ellis L, Zoubeidi A, Zheng G, Ming J, Wang Y, Cui H, Lok BH, Raught B, Beltran H*, Qin J*, He H*. Circular RMST cooperates with lineage-driving transcription factors to govern neuroendocrine transdifferentiation. Cancer Cell 2025;43(5):891-904
7. Long X#, Zhang S#, Wang Y#, Chen J#, Lu Y#, Hou H#, Lin B#, Li Q, Shen C, Yang R, Zhu H, Cui R, Cao D, Chen G, Wang D, Chen Y, Zhai S, Zeng Z, Wu S, Lou M, Chen J, Zou J, Zheng M*, Qin J*, Wang X*. Targeting JMJD1C to selectively disrupt tumor Treg fitness enhances anti-tumor immunity. Nature Immunology 2024;25,525–536
8. Wang H#, Li N#, #, Liu Q#, Guo J, Pan Q, Cheng B, Xu J, Dong B, Yang G, Bin Yang B, Xuege Wang X, Gu Y, Zhang G, Lian Y, Zhang W, Zhang M, Li T, Zang Y, Tan M, Li Q, Wang W, Yu Z, Jiang J*, Huang H*, Qin J*. Antiandrogen treatment induces stromal cell reprogramming to promote castration resistance in prostate cancer. Cancer Cell 2023;41,1345–1362
9. Chen M#, Wang K#, Han Y#, Yan S#, Yuan H, Liu Q, Li L, Li N, Zhu H, Lu D, Wang K, Fen Liu F, Luo D, Zhang Y, Jiang J, Li D, Zhang L, Ji H, Hu Zhou, Chen Y*, Qin J*, Gao D*. Identification of XAF1 as an endogenous AKT inhibitor. Cell Rep 2023;42(7):112690
10. Peng S#, Wang Z#, Tang P#, Wang S#, Huang Y, Xie Q, Wang Y, Tan X, Tang T, Yan X, Xu J, Lan W, Wang L, Zhang D, Wang B, Pan T, Qin J*, Jiang J*, Liu Q*. PHF8-GLUL axis in lipid deposition and tumor growth of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Sci Adv 2023;9(31):eadf3566
11. Ren J#, Li N#, Pei S#, Lian Y, Li L, Peng Y, Liu Q, Guo J, Wang X, Han Y, Zhang G, Wang H, Li Y, Jiang J, Li Q, Tan M, Peng J, Hu G, Xiao Y, Li X*, Lin M*, Qin J*. Histone methyltransferase WHSC1 loss dampens MHC-I antigen presentation pathway to impair IFN-γ-stimulated antitumor immunity. J Clin Invest 2022;132(8):e153167
12. Pan Q#, Zhong S#, Wang H#, Wang X, Li N, Li Y, Zhang G, Yuan H, Lian Y, Chen Q, Han Y, Guo J, Liu Q, Qiu T, Jiang J, Li Q, Tan M, Yin H, Peng J*, Xiao Y*, Qin J*. The ZMYND8-regulated Mevalonate Pathway Endows YAP-High Intestinal Cancer with Metabolic Vulnerability. Molecular Cell 2021;81(13):2736-2751
13. Qi X, Qiu J, Chang J, Ji Y, Yang Q, Cui G, Sun L, Chai Q, Qin J*, Qiu J*. Brg1 Restrains the Pro-Inflammatory Properties of ILC3s and Modulates Intestinal Immunity. Mucosal Immunol 2021;14(1):38-52
14. Yuan H#, Han Y#, Wang X#, Li N, Liu Q, Yin Y, Wang H, Pan L, Li L, Song K, Qiu T, Pan Q, Chen Q, Zhang G, Zang Y, Tan M, Zhang J, Li Q, Wang X*, Jiang J*, Qin J*. SETD2 Restricts Prostate Cancer Metastasis by Integrating EZH2 and AMPK Signaling Pathways. Cancer Cell 2020;38(3):350-365
15. Yu T#, Gan S#, Zhu Q#, Dai D, Hou D, Wang Y, Pan Q, Xu J, Zhang X, Liu J, Pei S, Luo X, Peng C, Wu P, Romano S, Mao C, Huang M, Zhu X, Qin J*, Xiao Y*. Modulation of M2 macrophage polarization by the crosstalk between Stat6 and Trim24. Nat Commun 2019;10(1):4353
16. Chen J, Li N, Yin Y, Zheng N, Min M, Lin B, Zhang L, Long X, Zhang Y, Cai Z, Zhai S, Qin J*, Wang X*. Methyltransferase Nsd2 Ensures Germinal Center Selection by Promoting Adhesive Interactions between B Cells and Follicular Dendritic Cells. Cell Rep 2018;25(12):3393-3404
17. Zhang X, Wang Y, Yuan J, Li N, Pei S, Xu J, Luo X, Mao C, Liu J, Yu T, Gan S, Zheng Q, Liang Y, Guo W, Qiu J, Constantin G, Jin J, Qin J*, Xiao Y*. Macrophage/microglial Ezh2 facilitates autoimmune inflammation through inhibition of Socs3. J Exp Med 2018;215(5):1365-1382
18. Yuan H#, Li N#, Fu D#, Ren J, Hui J, Peng J, Liu Y, Qiu T, Jiang M, Pan Q, Han Y, Wang X, Li Q, Qin J*. Histone methyltransferase SETD2 modulates alternative splicing to inhibit intestinal tumorigenesis. J Clin Invest 2017;127(9):3375-3391
19. Liu Y#, Peng J#, Sun T#, Li N, Zhang L, Ren J, Yuan H, Kan S, Pan Q, Li X, Ding Y, Jiang M, Cong X, Tan M, Ma Y, Fu D, Cai S, Xiaog Y, Wang X, Qin J*. Epithelial EZH2 serves as an epigenetic determinant in experimental colitis by inhibiting TNF-mediated inflammation and apoptosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017;114(19):E3796-E3805
20. Li N#, Xue W#, Yuan H#, Dong B, Ding Y, Liu Y, Jiang M, Kan S, Sun T, Ren J, Pan Q, Li X, Zhang P, Hu G, Wang Y, Wang X, Li Q, Qin J*. AKT-mediated stabilization of histone methyltransferase WHSC1 promotes prostate cancer metastasis. J Clin Invest 2017;127(4):1284-1302