Research Interests
The adaptability of tumors to the harsh environmental factors, and the intrinsic changes in tumor metabolism are the core theme of tumor research. The Hua Fang group's current research area is inflammation and metabolic changes in the regulation of tumor intrinsic properties (oncogenic gene expression, stemness etc.) and anti-tumor immune response, as well as the crosstalk between each other. Particularly, they pay attention to aberrant protein quality control (UPS and autophagy) in the regulation of these processes. The group focuses on:
1) How the inflammatory and metabolic changes in the microenvironment are converted into the intrinsic "cancer-promoting signals" of cancer cells;
2) How the inflammatory and metabolic changes in the microenvironment are converted into tumor "defensive or evasive signals" from therapeutic interventions or immune systems;
3) How cancer cells gain growth advantage or avoid immune system killing by changing their own metabolic modes;
4）What is the mechanisms for the progression of cancer based on acute or chronic inflammation in tissues;
5）Identifying novel drug targets and developing the innovative drugs based on the elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and cancer progression.
