Research Groups

Cancer Genomics

Group Leader

Luiz Zerbini

International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Wernher and Beit Building (South)
Anzio Road, Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa

E-mail: luiz.zerbini@uct.ac.za
Tel.: +27-21-650-7627
Fax: +27-21-406-6060

Education

University of Sao Paulo (USP),Molecular Virology, São Paulo, Brazil, PhD, 1999
Federal University of Sao Paulo, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil, Master in Science, 1993
Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil, BSc in Biomedical Sciences, 1989

Career History

Since 2009, Group Leader Cancer Genomics Group, International Centre for Genetic engineer and Biotechnology, Cape Town, South Africa
2004-2009, Faculty Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
2004-2009, Associate Director, Research Proteomics, BIDMC Genomics Center and DFHC Proteomics Core, Boston, USA
2003-2004, Senior Research Scientist, BIDMC Genomics Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
1999-2003, Postdoctoral Fellow, BIDMC Genomics Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
1994-1995, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil

Teaching Activity

2005-2009, Scientific Advisor, Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE), Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston USA
2004-2006, Scientific Advisor, Project Success, Office of Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
2002, Lecturer, CBAB Course, Brazilian-Argentinean Biotechnology Center/Partnership, São Paulo, Brazil
1996-1999, Lecturer, Biological Science Course, Campinas State University, São Paulo, Brazil
1994-1995, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil
1992-1993, Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences Course, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil

Scientific Activity

The overall goals of the laboratory are to utilize genomics and proteomics tools and signal transduction resources to accelerate comparative analysis of aberrant gene expression in carcinogenesis and to study alterations in signal transduction pathways during development of cancers. Areas of research include: regulation of gene expression by transcription factors, the role of receptor tyrosine kinases in cancer malignancies, aberrant gene expression in carcinogenesis and alterations in signal transduction pathways and gene translocations.

Selected publications

Ijiri, K., Zerbini, L.F., Peng, H., Out, H.H., Tsuchimochi, K., Otero, M., Dragomir, C., Walsh, N., Bierbaum, B.E., Mattingly, D., Flandern, G., Komiya, S., Aigner, T., Libermann, T.A., Goldring, M.B. 2008. A Differential expression of GADD45β in normal and osteoarthritic cartilage: Potential role in homeostasis of articular chondrocytes. Arthritis and Rheumatims. 58, 2075-2087

Gu, X., Zerbini, L.F., Otu, H., Joseph, M.G., Grall, F., Correa, R.G., Libermann, T.A. 2007. Reduced PDEF expression leads to an increase in cell motility, invasion and expression of mesenchymal genes in prostate cancer cells. Cancer Research 67, 4219-4226

Zerbini, L.F. 2007.Oncogenic Transcription Factors: Target Genes. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. Review

Zerbini, L.F., Czibere, A., Wang, Y., Correa, R.G., Out, H., Joseph, M., Takayasu, Y., Silver, M., Gu, X., Li, L., Sarkar, D., Zhou, J.R., Fisher, P.B., Libermann, T.A. 2006. A novel pathway involving MDA-7/IL-24 mediates NSAID induced apoptosis of cancer cells. Cancer Research 66, 11922-11931

Libermann, T.A., Zerbini, L.F. 2006. Targeting Transcription factors for Cancer Gene Therapy. Review. Current Gene Therapy 6, 17-33

Ijiri, K., Zerbini, L.F., Peng, H., Correa, R.G., Lu, B., Walsh, N., Zhao, Y., Taniguchi, N., Huang, X.L., Otu, H., Wang, H., Wang, J.F., Komiya, S., Ducy, P., Rahman, M.U., Flavell, R.A., Gravallese, E.M., Oettgen, P., Libermann, T.A., Goldring, M.B. 2005. A novel role for GADD45beta as a mediator of MMP-13 gene expression during chondrocyte terminal differentiation. J Biol Chem. 280, 38544-38555

Zerbini, L.F., Libermann, T.A. 2005. GADD45 deregulation in cancer: frequently methylated tumor suppressors and potential therapeutic targets. Clinical Cancer Research 11, 6409-6413

Zerbini, L.F., Wang, Y., Correa, R.G., Cho, J.Y., Libermann, T.A. 2005. Blockage of NF-κB induced serine 15 phosphorylation of mutant p53 by JNK kinase in prostate cancer cells. Cell Cycle 4, 1247-1252

Zerbini, L.F., Wang, Y., Czibere, A., Correa, R.G., Cho, J.Y., Ijiri, K., Wei, W., Joseph, M., Gu, X., Grall, F., Goldring, M.B., Zhou, J.R., Libermann, T.A. 2004. NF-κB mediated repression of GADD45α and γ is essential for cancer cell survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101, 13618-13623

Zerbini, L.F., Libermann, T.A. 2005. Life and Death in Cancer: GADD45α and γare critical regulators of NF-κB-mediated escape from programmed cell death. Cell Cycle 4, 18-20

Zerbini, L.F., Wang, Y., Cho, J.Y., Libermann, T.A. 2003. Constitutive activation of NF-κB P50/P65 and FRA-1 and JUND is essential for deregulated IL-6 expression in prostate cancer. Cancer Research 63, 2206-2215