Biography

Dr. Shang Cai  is currently the assistant professor in Westlake Institute of Advanced Studies.  He received his bachelor degree of biological science in Peking University in  2003. He then went abroad to the Biochemistry Department of Indiana University  for his PhD studies, working on the molecular mechanism of spindle assembly and  chromosome alignment. After getting his PhD degree in 2009, he pursued his  postdoc research in the Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine,  Stanford University, working on the mechanism of self-renewal and fate  specification of mammary stem cell and breastcancer stem cell. He was promoted  to research associate in 2015.

Research

Dr. Shang  Cai’s research focused on the role of mammary stem cell in the morphological and  functional integrity of the mammary gland during puberty, pregnancy and  lactation, as well as the role of breast cancer stem cells in cancer initiation,  evolution, drug resistance, relapse and metastasis.  Through single cell gene  expression analysis, he has successfully isolated a subset of mammary stem cells  in quiescence, which can long-term self-renewal and regenerate mammary gland. He  further identified a key transcription factor Bcl11b, which determines the  quiescent state, and elucidated the molecular mechanism.  In addition, his  research revealed that a subset of stromal cells, positive for Gli2 expression,  is responsible for the niche specification and mammary stem cell maintenance.  Abnormalities in the Gli2 positive niche can cause mammary phenotypes associated  with human disease of combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). This study  provides insights in the treatment of the mammary underdevelopment for the CPHD  patients.

Recent years,  stem cell researches have gained much attention due to its potential for  cellular therapy, organ repair and regeneration, but also are facing many  bottlenecks for clinical applications. Our lab’s research interests focus on  regenerative ability of stem cells, lineage specification and abnormalities of  stem cells in various diseases. In the next five years, we are particularly  interested in the following directions:

1. Lineage  hierarchy of mammary cells and their dynamic changes during various  developmental stages

2.  The  aberrant behaviors of stem cells in aging, hyperplasia and other  diseases

3.  The  mechanism of drug resistance and metastasis of cancer stemcells.

Representative  Publications

*These authors contribute equally

1. Aikun Fu,Bingqing Yao,Tingting Dong,Yongyi Chen,Jia Yao,Yu Liu,Hang Li,Huiru Bai,Xiaoqin Liu,Yue Zhang,Chunhui Wang,Yajing Guo,Nan Li,Shang Cai (2022)Tumor-resident intracellular microbiota promotes metastatic colonization in breast cancer.Cell185 (8), 1356-1372. e26.

2. A Fu, B Yao, T Dong, S Cai(2022)Emerging roles of intratumor microbiota in cancer metastasis.Trends in Cell BiologyTICB 1893 No. of Pages 11.

3. B Yao, T Dong, A Fu, H Li, C Jiang, N Li, S Cai(2022)Quantification and characterization of mouse and human tissue-resident microbiota by gPCR and 16S sequencing.STAR protocols3 (4),101765.

4. T Dong, A Fu, S Cai(2022)Protocols for genetic labeling and tracing of Staphylococcus xylosus during tumor progression.STAR protocols3 (4), 101624.

5. A Fu, B Yao, T Dong, S Cai(2022)Intracellular microbes empower cancer metastasis.Life Medicine1(2), 61-63.

6. H Bai, M Lin, Y Meng, H Bai, S Cai(2022)An improved CUT&RUN method for regulation network reconstruction of low abundance transcription factor.Cellular Signalling96,110361.

7. Chen Y, Li X, Zhang D, Wang C, Feng R, Li X, Wen Y, Xu H, Zhang XS, Yang X, Chen Y, Feng Y, Zhou B, Chen BC, Lei K,Cai S*, Jia JM*, Gao L* (2020) A Versatile Tiling Light Sheet Microscope for Imaging of Cleared Tissues.Cell Reports33(5):108349.

8. Chen Zhao*,Shang Cai*, Kunyoo Shin, Agnes Lim, Tomer Kalisky, Michael F. Clarke, Philip A. Beachy (2017)Stromal gli2 activity coordinates a niche signaling program for mammary epithelial stem cells.Science *cofirst authorVol 356 Issue 6335，eaal3485.

9. Shang Cai, Tomer Kalisky, Debashis Sahoo, Piero Dalerba, Shaheen S. Sikandar, Neethan A. Lobo, Maider Zabala, Weiguo Feng, Yuan Lin, Angela Kong, Jeffrey Yu, Flora Wang, Elizabeth Y. Chen, Ferenc A. Scheeren, Angera H. Kuo,   Shigeo Hisamori, Linda Jacqueline van Weele, Diane Heiser, Sopheak Sim, Jessica Lam, Dalong Qian, Stephen Quake and Michael F. Clarke (2016) A quiescent Bcl11b high stem cell population is required for maintenance of the mammary gland. Cell Stem CellVolume 20, Issue 2, p247–260.e5.

10. Scheeren FA, Kuo AH, van Weele LJ,Cai S, Glykofridis I, Sikandar SS, Zabala M, Qian D, Lam JS, Johnston D, Volkmer JP, Sahoo D, van de Rijn M, Dirbas FM, Somlo G, Kalisky T, Rothenberg ME, Quake SR, Clarke MF(2014) A cell-intrinsic role for TLR2-MYD88 in intestinal and breast epithelia and oncogenesis.Nat. Cell Biol. 16, 1238-48.

11. Isobe T, Hisamori S, Hogan DJ, Zabala M, Hendrickson DG, Dalerba P,Cai S, Scheeren F, Kuo AH, Sikandar SS, Lam JS, Qian D, Dirbas FM, Somlo G, Lao K, Brown PO, Clarke MF (2014)Shimono Y miR-142 regulates the tumorigenicity of human breast cancer stem cells through the canonical WNT signaling pathway.Elife 3.

12. Feng W, Gentles A, Nair RV, Huang M, Lin Y, Lee CY,Cai S,Scheeren FA, Kuo AH,Diehn M (2014)Targeting unique metabolic properties of breast tumor initiating cells.Stem CellsJul;32(7):1734-45.

13. Stephanie C. Ems-McClung, Sarah G. Hainline, Jenna Devare, Hailing Zong,Shang Cai, Stephanie K. Lamb, Sid L. Shaw, Claire E. Walczak(2013)Aurora B inhibits MCAK activity through a phospho-conformational switch that regulates MT association.Curr. Biol. 23, 2491-9.

14. Cai S, Weaver LN, Ems-McClung SC, Walczak CE.(2010)Proper Organization of microtubule minus ends is needed for the midzone stability and cytokinesis.Curr Biol.May 11;20(9):880-5.

15. Cai, S., O’Connell, C. B., Khodjakov, A. and Walczak, C.E.(2009)Chromosome congression in the absence of kinetochore fibres.Nat.Cell Biol Jul; 11(7):832-8.

16. Walczak CE,Cai S, Khodjakov A.(2010)Mechanisms of chromosome behaviour during mitosis.Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. Feb;11(2):91-102.

17. Cai. S.,Weaver, L.N., Ems-McClung, S.C. and Walczak, C.E.(2009)Kinesin-14 family proteins HSET/XCTK2 control spindle length by cross-linking and sliding microtubules.  Mol. Biol. Cell. Mar;20(5):1348-59. PMID: 19116309.

18. Cai S, Walczak CE.(2009)The road less travelled to the spindle equator.Cell Cycle. Dec;8(23):3791-3.  

19. Cai, S., and Walczak, C.E. (2008) Kinetochore attachment:  how the Hec can a cell do it?Curr. Biol. 18(23):1093-1096.

20. Ma, Y.,Cai, S., Lv, Q., Lv, X., Jiang, Q., Zhou, J. and Zhang, C.(2008)Inhibition of protein deacetylation by trichostatin A impairs microtubule-kinetochore attachment.  Cell Mol. Life Sci. 65(19): 3100-3109.

21. Ma, Y.,Cai, S., Lv, Q., Jiang, Q., Zhang, Q, Sodmergen, Zhai, Z. and Zhang, C.(2007)  Lamin B receptor plays a role in stimulating nuclear envelope production and targeting membrane vesicles to chromatin during nuclear envelope assembly through direct interaction with importin beta.J. Cell Sci.120(3):520-530.

22. Chen, Z.,Cai, S.,Jiang, Q., Zhang, C. & Tang, X.(2005)Roles for microtubule and microfilament cytoskeletons in animal cell cytokinesis.Chinese Science Bulletin ; 50(3):229-235.

Contact Information

Our lab is  currently recruiting multiple levels of researchers from all over the world. If  you are interested, send your CV to: caishang@wias.org.cn