Zongbing You, MD, PhD

Professor, Structural & Cellular Biology

Vice Chair for Research
School of Medicine
Zongbing You, PhD

Biography

Biography

Dr. You received his M.D. in 1989 and Ph.D. in 1994 from the West China University of Medical Sciences. From 1994 to 1998, Dr. You was a postdoctoral fellow and then a faculty member at the Beijing Medical University. In 1998, Dr. You joined the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, as a research scientist. In 2000, he moved to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as a research fellow. In 2003, Dr. You joined the faculty of the University of California Davis as an adjunct instructor and then an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. In 2008, Dr. You joined the faculty of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center as an assistant professor in the Department of Structural and Cellular Biology. Dr. You was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2014 and to full professor with tenure in 2019.

Teaching Interests:

Gross Anatomy (Lecture on Pelvis and Perineum; Laboratory Director for Block II);
Molecular Medicine (T Cell Lineages);
Aging Studies Proseminar (Osteoarthritis and Other Cartilage Changes during Aging);
Cancer Biology and Pathology (Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy);
Anatomy Research Seminars II (Course Director).

Other Academic Affiliations:

Adjunct Associate Professor in Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Program Member of Tulane Cancer Center, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium
Faculty Member of Tulane Center for Aging
Faculty Member of Tulane Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine

Research

Interleukin-17 in Prostate Cancer. A major focus of our research program is to understand the role of inflammation in cancer initiation, promotion, and progression. Our target molecule in inflammation is interleukin-17 (IL-17). IL-17 is a key cytokine in many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We are using in-vitro and in-vivo (transgenic and knockout mice) approaches to determine the role of IL-17 signaling in initiation, promotion, and progression of prostate cancer. The long-term goals of these studies are to identify the molecular mechanisms of IL-17 signaling pathways, to develop new methods targeting IL-17 signaling, and to apply these methods in prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.

Doublecortin in Articular Joint Development. This research program is to understand the role of doublecortin (DCX) in development of articular joint. DCX was originally identified in migrating and differentiating neurons by other investigators. We were the first group to identify DCX in articular chondrocytes. Our current studies are to identify the molecular mechanisms of DCX’s function and to determine the role of DCX in differentiation of stem cells into articular chondrocytes. The long-term goals are to design new approaches in tissue engineering and regeneration of articular joint by manipulating DCX expression.

Research

Interleukin-17 in Prostate Cancer. A major focus of our research program is to understand the role of inflammation in cancer initiation, promotion, and progression. Our target molecule in inflammation is interleukin-17 (IL-17). IL-17 is a key cytokine in many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We are using in-vitro and in-vivo (transgenic and knockout mice) approaches to determine the role of IL-17 signaling in initiation, promotion, and progression of prostate cancer. The long-term goals of these studies are to identify the molecular mechanisms of IL-17 signaling pathways, to develop new methods targeting IL-17 signaling, and to apply these methods in prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.

Doublecortin in Articular Joint Development. This research program is to understand the role of doublecortin (DCX) in development of articular joint. DCX was originally identified in migrating and differentiating neurons by other investigators. We were the first group to identify DCX in articular chondrocytes. Our current studies are to identify the molecular mechanisms of DCX’s function and to determine the role of DCX in differentiation of stem cells into articular chondrocytes. The long-term goals are to design new approaches in tissue engineering and regeneration of articular joint by manipulating DCX expression.

Publications

Yi Zhang, James A. Ryan, Paul E. Di Cesare, Judy Liu, Christopher A. Walsh, and Zongbing You. Doublecortin is expressed in articular chondrocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 363 (2007) 694-700.  

Q. Zhang, A.D. Cigan, L. Marrero, C. Lopreore, S. Liu, D. Ge, F.H. Savoie, and Z. You, Expression of doublecortin reveals articular chondrocyte lineage in mouse embryonic limbs. Genesis 49 (2011) 75-82. PMID: 21162077.

Ge D, Zhang QS, Zabaleta J, Zhang Q, Liu S, Reiser B, Bunnell BA, Braun SE, O'Brien MJ, Savoie FH, You Z. Doublecortin may play a role in defining chondrocyte phenotype. Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Apr 22;15(4):6941-60. doi: 10.3390/ijms15046941. PMID: 24758934; PMCID: PMC4013671

You, Z., Shi, X.B., DuRaine, G., Haudenschild, D., Tepper, C.G., Lo, S.H., Gandour-Edwards, R., deVere White, R.W., and Reddi, A.H. Interleukin-17 Receptor-like gene is a novel antiapoptotic gene highly expressed in androgen  independent prostate cancer. Cancer Res 66 (1):175-83.

Qiuyang Zhang, Sen Liu, Dongxia Ge, Qingsong Zhang, Yun Xue, Zhenggang Xiong, Asim B. Abdel−Mageed, Leann Myers, Steven M. Hill, Brian G. Rowan, Oliver Sartor, Jonathan Melamed, Zhenbang Chen, and Zongbing You. Interleulin-17 Promotes Formation and Growth of Prostate Adenocarcinoma in Mouse Models. Cancer Research, 72 (10):2589-99, 2012– featured on the cover of the May 15, 2012 issue of Cancer Res.

Qiuyang Zhang, Sen Liu, Keshab R. Parajuli, Zhongfu Mo, Jing Liu, Zhiquan Chen, Shijie Yang, Alun R. Wang, Leann Myers, and Zongbing You. Interleukin-17 promotes prostate cancer via MMP7-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Oncogene 36:687-699, 2017. PMID: 27375020; PMCID: PMC521319

  • Inflammation and cancer
  • Molecular and cellular biology of cancer
  • Aging and prostate cancer
  • Developmental biology of articular joint
  • Tissue regeneration and repair for articular cartilage damage, aging, and osteoarthritis