Professor Huilin Huang is interested in the basic and translational research of RNA epigenetics. She has published 28 peer-reviewed articles in top international journals, such as Nature, Cell, Cancer Cell, Nature Cell Biology and Cell Stem Cell. These studies have uncovered the mechanism and function of RNA m6A modification and noncoding RNAs in tumorigenesis and caner development, which have been cited for more than 4000 times. Prof. Huang is supported by several research grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province.

The research of Prof. Huang’s group is focused on (1) investigation of the function of RNA modification and its regulators during tumorigenesis and cancer development, and (2) discovery of small molecular inhibitors of RNA modification and development of effective therapeutic strategies. 

Degrees
2012 Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
2006 B.S., Bioengineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

Fellowships
2015-2017 Postdoc Fellow, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA
2013-2015 Postdoc Fellow, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA

Professional experience
2020-present Professor, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
2018-2020 Assistant Research Professor, Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, USA
2017-2018 Staff Scientist, Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, USA

Selected publications

(1) Dong S, Wu Y, Liu Y, Weng H*, Huang H*. N6-methyladenosine Steers RNA Metabolism and Regulation in Cancer. Cancer Communications 2021, 41(7):538-559.

(2) Huang H#, Weng H#, Chen J*. m6A modification in coding and non-coding RNAs: roles and therapeutic implications in cancer. Cancer Cell 2021, 37(3): 270-288.

(3) Huang H#, Weng H#, Chen J*. The biogenesis and precise control of RNA m6A methylation. Trends in Genetics 2021, 36(1): 44-52.

(4) Huang H#, Weng H#, Zhou K#, Wu T#, Zhao BS#, Sun M, Chen Z, Deng X, Xiao G, Auer F, Klemm L, Wu H, Zuo Z, Qin X, Dong Y, Zhou Y, Qin H, Tao S, Du J, Liu J, Lu Z, Yin H, Mesquita A, Yuan CL, Hu Y-C, Sun W, Su R, Dong L, Shen C, Li C, Qing Y, Jiang X, Wu X, Sun M, Guan J-L, Qu L, Wei M, Muschen M, Huang G*, He C*, Yang J*, and Chen J*. Histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 36 guides m6A RNA modification co-transcriptionally. Nature 2019, 567:414-419. Highlighted by Nature Review Genetics (2019 20:254-255), Nature Chemical Biology (2019, 15:427), Cancer Research (2019, 79:2445-2446).

(5) Huang H#, Weng H#, Sun W#, Qin X#, Shi H#, Wu H, Zhao BS, Mesquita A, Liu C, Yuan CL, Hu YC, Hüttelmaier S, Skibbe J, Su R, Dong L, Sun M, Li C, Nachtergaele S, Wang Y, Hu C, Ferchen K, Greis KD, Jiang X, Wei M, Qu L, Guan JL, He C*, Yang J*, Chen J*. Recognition of RNA N6-methyadenosine by IGF2BP proteins Enhances mRNA Stability. Nature Cell Biology 2018, 20:285-295. Featured by Nature Cell Biology with a News & Views article (2018; 20:230–232). 

(6) Weng H#, Huang H#, Wu H#, Qin X#, Zhao BS#, Dong L#, Shi H, Skibbe J, Shen C, Hu C, Sheng Y, Wang Y, Wunderlich M, Zhang B, Dore LC, Su R, Deng X, Ferchen K, Li C, Sun M, Lu Z, Jiang X, Marcucci G, Mulloy JC, Yang J, Qian Z, Wei M*, He C*, and Chen J*. METTL14 Inhibits Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Differentiation and Promotes Leukemogenesis via mRNA m6A Modification. Cell Stem Cell 2018, 22: 191-205. Highlighted by Cell Stem Cell with a Preview article (2018; 22:(139–141).

(7) Huang H#, Zhang J#*, Harvey SE#, Hu X, Cheng C*. RNA G-quadruplex secondary structure promotes alternative splicing via the RNA-binding protein hnRNPF. Genes & Development. 2017, 31: 2296-2390.