Assistant Research Professor, Department of Public Health
zhous@iupui.edu

Ph.D., Toxicology, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 2001
M.S., Environmental Risk Assessment, Chiang Mai University,Thailand,1996
B.S., Preventive Medicine, Tongji Medical University, China, 1990

Reseach Interests

My research interests are focused on molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress and mitochondria in cancer. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is believed to play an important role in tumor development. Since mitochondria are major source of cellular ROS, we are particularly interested in dissecting the relationship between mitochondrial alteration (bioenergetics and biogenesis) and ROS production in cancer development and progression. Using mouse liver cancer models we will investigate molecular events in oxidative stress signaling pathways. Specifically we will identify genes that are under regulation of oxidative species and define their roles in the pathological development of liver cancer. The ultimate goal is to design therapeutic agents to selectively kill cancer cells, and develop antioxidant strategy for prevention of human cancers.

Exposure to many of environmental agents causes cytotoxicity and tissue injury. One of my interests is to investigate role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial malfunction in those agents induced toxicity. Current study is focused on toxicities of tobacco use and acrylonitrile.

Selected Publications

Full PubMed Listing

1. Mithani, S, Smith, I, Zhou, S, Gray, A, Koch, W, Maitra, M., and Califano, J.A. (2007). Mitochondrial resequencing arrays detect tumor-specific mutations in salivary rinses of patients with head and neck cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 13(15), 7335-7340.

2. Zhou, S, Kachhap, S., Sun, W, Wu, G, Chuang, A, Poeta, L, Grumbine, L, Mithani, S., Chatterjee, A., Koch, W, Westra, W., Maitra, A, Glazer, C, Carducci, M., Sidransky, D, Mcfate, T, Verma, A, Califano, JA. (2007). Frequency and phenotypic implications of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. PNAS, 104 (18), 7540-7545.

3. Mithani, S., Taube, J.M., Zhou, S., Smith, I.M, Koch, W., Westra., W, Califano, J.A. (2007). Mitochondrial Mutations Are Late Event in the Progression of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research, 13(15), 4331-4335.

4. Liu, C., Zhou, S., Begum, S., Sidransky, D., Westra, W.H., Califano, J. Increased Expression and Activity of a Repair Gene TDP1 and Expression Patterns of Its Putative Partners XPF and MUS81 in Human Lung Cancers. Lung Cancer. 55(3):303-311.

5. Carvalho, A, Chuang, A, Jiang, W, Lee, J, Begum, S., Poeta, L., Zhao, M, Jerónimo, C, Henrique, R., Nayak, C.S, Park, H.L, Brait, M, Liu, C, Zhou, S, Koch, W., Fazio, V.M, Ratovitski, E, Trink, B, Westra, W, Sidransky, D, Moon, C and Califano, J. (2006) Deleted in Colorectal Cancer is a Putative Conditional Tumor-suppressor Gene Inactivated by Promoter Hypermethylation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Research, 66(19): 9401-9407.