Fen Wang

Fen Wang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
CCSCB
Member of the GSBS Faculty

2121 W. Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone: 713-677-7520
Email: fwang@ibt.tamhsc.edu
Lab Webpage: http://www.ibt.tamhsc.edu/labs/ccscb/

Education and Post-Graduate Training

Fen Wang earned his B.S. degree in microbiology and M.S. degree in cell biology at Xiamen University in Fujian, China. He received a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry in 1994 in a joint program between Clarkson University, Postdam, New York, and the W. Alton Jones Cell Science Center, Lake Placid, New York. He was a postdoctoral fellow (1994 to 1996) and Assistant Research Scientist from 1997-1999 and promoted to Assistant Professor in 2000 in the Center for Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas. He was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2006. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center.

Teaching Interests

Graduate and Specialized Research Training in Transmembrane Tyrosine Kinase Signaling in Stem Cell and Cancer Biology

Research Interests

The laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular basis of cell signaling, and how aberrant cell signaling leads to birth defects and causes cancers. Using in vitro cell culture systems and in vivo mouse models, we study how the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activates its receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase, and how the activated FGFR transmits the signals to downstream targets and regulates proliferation, differentiation, homeostasis, and function of the cells, as well as in organogenesis and development, including prostate and cardiovascular system development. The laboratory also employs molecular biology, cell biology, and mouse genetic technologies to study how aberrant FGF signals promote tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. In addition, how environmental factors contribute to tumorigenesis and congenital birth defects by modulating FGF signal intensity and specificity is also under the scope of our research interests.

Selected Publications

Five Most Significant Publications prior to 2008

Jin, C., K. McKeehan, and F. Wang (2003) Transgenic mouse with high Cre recombinase activity in all prostate lobes, seminal vesicle, and ductus deferens. The Prostate 57:160-164.

Jin, C., K. McKeehan, W. Guo, S. Jauma, M. l. Ittmann, B. Foster, N. Greenberg, W. L. McKeehan, and F. Wang (2003) Cooperation between ectopic FGFR1 and depression of FGFR2 signaling in induction of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in mouse prostate. Cancer Res. 63: 8784-8790.

Zhang, Y., Y. Lin, Courtney Bowles, and F. Wang (2004). Direct cell cycle regulation by the FGFR kinase through phosphorylation-dependent release of Cks1 from FRS2. J. Biol. Chem. 279: 55348-55354.

Lin Y, G. Liu, Y. Zhang, Y-P. Hu, K. Yu, C. Lin, K. McKeehan, J. W. Xuan, D. Ornitz, M. M. Shen, N. Greenberg, W. L. McKeehan, and F. Wang. (2007). Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 tyrosine kinase is required for prostatic morphogenesis and acquisition of strict androgen dependency for adult tissue homeostasis. Development 134: 723-734. (Feature of the Issue).

Zhang, Y., K. McKeehan, Y. Lin, J. Zhang, and F. Wang (2007). FGFR1 tyrosine phosphorylation regulates binding of FRS2alpha but not FRS2beta to the receptor. Mol. Endo. 22:167-175

Publications 2008

Zhang, Y., J. Zhang, Y. Lin, Y. Lan, C. Lin, J.W. Xuan, M.M. Shen, W.L. McKeehan, N.M. Greenberg, and F. Wang (2008). Epithelial resident Fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2a-mediated signals in the prostate development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis. Development 135: 775-784 [Epub 2008 Jan 9].

Zhang, Y., K. McKeehan, Y. Lin, J. Zhang, and F. Wang (2008) FGFR1 tyrosine phosphorylation regulates binding of FRS2alpha but not FRS2beta to the receptor. Mol. Endo. 22:167-175 [Epub 2007 Sep 27].

Lan, Y., Y. Zhang, C. Lin, M. Ittmann, and F. Wang (2008) Aberrant expression of Cks1 and Cks2 contributes to prostate tumorigenesis by promoting proliferation and inhibiting cell death, respectively. International J. of Cancer 123: 543-551.

Sutherland, B.W., S.E. Knoblaugh, P.J. Kaplan-Lefko, F. Wang, M. Holzenberger, and N.M. Greenberg (2008) Conditional deletion of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in prostate epithelium. Cancer Res. 68:3495-3504.

Zhang J, Lin Y, Zhang Y, Lan Y, Lin C, Moon AM, Schwartz RJ, Martin JF, Wang F. Frs2{alpha}-deficiency in cardiac progenitors disrupts a subset of FGF signals required for outflow tract morphogenesis. Development. 135:3611-3622 [EPub 2008 Oct 2].

Lin, Y., Y-S L. Cheng, C. Qin, C. Lin, R. D’Souza, and F. Wang, (2008) FGFR2 in the dental epithelium is essential for development and maintenance of the maxillary cervical loop, a stem cell niche in mouse incisors. Dev. Dyn 238:324-330.

Publications 2009

Sims-Lucas S., V, Eswarakumar, D. Hains, K. Kish, B. Becknell, J. Zhang, F. Wang, and C. Bates (2009) Deletion of Frs2α from the ureteric epithelium causes renal hypoplasia. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol., 297(5):F1208-1219. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19741018

Cai, Z., Z. Shi, A. Sanchez, T. Zhang, M. Liu, J. Yang, F. Wang, and D. Zhang (2009). Transcriptional regulation of TLR11 gene expression in epithelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. 284(48):33088-33096 [Epub ahead of print Oct. 2, 2009], PMID:19801549,

Huang, X., C. Yang, C. Jin, Y. Luo, F. Wang and W.L. McKeehan (2009) Resident hepatocyte fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 limits hepatocarcinogenesis. Mol. Carcinog. 48: 553-562 [Epub 2008 Nov. 13]

Lin, Y., Y-S L. Cheng, C. Qin, C. Lin, R. D'Souza, and F. Wang, (2009) FGFR2 in the dental epithelium is essential for development and maintenance of the maxillary cervical loop, a stem cell niche in mouse incisors. Dev. Dyn. 238:324-330.

Lin, Y., Chen, L., Lin, C., Luo, Y., Tsai, R.YL., and Wang, F. (2009) Neuron-derived FGF9 is essential for scaffold formation of Bergmann radial fibers and migration of granule neurons in the cerebellum. Dev Biol. 329:44-54 [EPub 2009 Feb 20].

Luo, Y., Yang, C., Jin, C., Wang, F. and McKeehan, W.L. (2009) Novel phosphotyrosine targets of FGFR2IIIb signaling. Cellular Signalling 21: 1379-1378 [Epub 2009 May 4].

Xuan, J.W., Bygrave, M., Valiyeva, F., Moussa, M., Izawa, J.I., Bauman, G., Klibanov, A., Wang, F., Greenberg, N.M., and A. Fenster (2009) Molecular targeted enhanced ultrasound imaging of Flk1 reveals diagnosis and prognosis potential in genetically engineered mouse prostate cancer model. Molecular Imaging. 8:209-220.

Sims-Lucas, S., Eswarakumar, V., Hains, D., Kish, K., Becknell, B., Zhang, J., Wang, F. and C. Bates (2009) Deletion of Frs2α from the ureteric epithelium causes renal hypoplasia. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. [Epub 2009 Sep 9]

Cai, Z., Shi, Z., Sanchez, A., Zhang, T., Liu, M., Yang, J., Wang, F. and D. Zhang (2009) Transcriptional regulation of TLR11 gene expression in epithelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. [Epub 2009 Oct 2].

McKeehan, W.L., Wang, F. and Luo, Y (2009) The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling complex. In: R. A. Bradshaw and E. A. Dennis, eds., Handbook of Cell Signaling 2nd Edition, Oxford Academic Press, Vol. I, Ch. 38: 253-259.

Publications 2010

Haling, J.R., F. Wang, and M. H. Ginsberg (2010) Phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes 15 kDa (PEA-15) reprograms growth factor signaling by inhibiting threonine phosphorylation of fibroblast receptor substrate 2alpha. Mol Biol Cell. 21: 664-673. [Epub 2009 Dec 23] PMID: 20032303

Shen, D.Y., Z.X. Fang, P. You, P.G. Liu, F. Wang, C.L. Huang, X.B. Yao, Z.X. Chen, Z.Y. Zhang (2010) Clinical significance and expression of Cks1 and Cks2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver International. 30: 119-125. PMID 19845855

Texas A&M Health Science Center - Institute of Biomedical Sciences