While their main appointments are in other departments, joint faculty broaden and enhance the academic environment in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Return to Primary Faculty.
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/aagaardt.jpg)
Kjersti Aagaard-Tillery, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Underlying mechanisms by which key exposures during pregnancy impact fetal development and later in life disease
aagaardt@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/jamie-anastas.jpg)
Jamie Anastas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Brain tumors driven by histone mutations; Epigenetics of therapeutic resistance; CRISPR screening for cancer dependencies; WNT signaling in cancer
jamie.anastas@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/bajaj-110-110-20170718133947.jpg)
Mandeep Bajaj, M.D.
Professor
Understanding of the metabolic and molecular basis of insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes
bajaj@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2020-05/Ashok.jpg)
Ashok Balasubramanyam, M.D.
Professor
ashokb@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/sarah-blutt.jpg)
Sarah Blutt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
sb691007@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/bouchier.jpg)
Lisa Bouchier-Hayes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Caspase regulation in cancer; and caspase activation during inflammation
bouchier@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/jchen.jpg)
Changyi (Johnny) Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Basic science research projects that are highly relevant to clinical cardiovascular disease and pancreatic cancer
jchen@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/chonghui-cheng.png)
Chonghui Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
chonghui.cheng@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/tcooper.jpg)
Thomas Cooper, M.D.
Professor
tcooper@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/vdidenko.jpg)
Vladimir Didenko, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
vdidenko@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/larryd.jpg)
Lawrence Donehower, Ph.D.
Professor
Tumor Suppressor Genes in Cancer and Cancer Genomics
larryd@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/bingning-dong.jpg)
Bingning Dong, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
bingning.dong@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2020-12/gloria-echeverria.jpg)
Gloria Echeverria, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Molecular mechanisms of metabolic adaptations, therapy resistance, and metastasis in triple negative breast cancer
gloria.echeverria@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/xiaoyonf.jpg)
Xiaoyong Fu, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming in therapy-resistant breast cancer
xiaoyonf@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/loningf.jpg)
Loning Fu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
loningf@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/sfuqua.jpeg)
Suzanne Fuqua, Ph.D.
Professor
fuqua@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2022-10/xia-gao.jpg)
Xia Gao, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Understanding the interactions of nutrition, metabolism, and metabolic disease, particularly amino acid metabolism in cancer and obesity.
xia.gao@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2022-02/mcb_guan.jpeg)
Dongyin Guan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
The Guan lab explores the intra- and inter-organ communications of time signals modulating the physiological function in metabolic disorders and cancer. Our ultimate goal is optimizing timing for medication and meals.
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2020-05/sean-hartig.jpg)
Sean Hartig, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Cellular aspects of obesity and diabetes. Molecular and genetic regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism
hartig@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2022-10/mark-herman.jpg)
Mark Herman, M.D.
Associate Professor
Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
mark.herman@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/jankowsk.jpg)
Joanna Jankowsky, Ph.D.
Professor
jankowsk@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/dji.jpg)
Daoyun Ji, Ph.D.
Professor
dji@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/weeichil.jpg)
Weei-Chin Lin, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Novel targeted cancer therapy, cell cycle regulation, DNA damage, DNA repair, ATM/ATR, E3 ubiquitin ligase, Rb/E2F, mutant p53
weeichil@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/malovann.jpg)
Anna Malovannaya, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
malovann@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/marcelli-marco-thumbnail.jpg)
Marco Marcelli, M.D.
Professor and Interim Section Chief
marcelli@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-03/mills-jason.jpg)
Jason Mills, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Center Co-Director
Paligenosis: The shared cellular-molecular mechanisms differentiated cells use to become progenitor or stem-like in regeneration and tumorigenesis
Jason.Mills@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/mitsiades-nicholas.heme-onc1-110-110-20180405104905.jpg)
Nicholas Mitsiades, M.D.
Associate Professor
mitsiade@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-10/bhagavatula-moorthy.jpg)
Bhagavatula Moorthy, Ph.D.
Professor
bmoorthy@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/kosborne.jpg)
C Kent Osborne, M.D.
Professor
kosborne@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/spangas.jpg)
Stephanie Pangas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Female reproductive biology, including ovary development and function. Studies are based on the generation and analysis of mouse genetic models.
spangas@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/xinchun-pi.jpg)
Xinchun Pi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
xinchun.pi@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/rasband.jpg)
Matthew Rasband, Ph.D.
Professor and Vivian L Smith Endowed Chair in Neuroscience
rasband@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2020-01/Rosengart-110.jpg)
Todd Rosengart, M.D., FACS
Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery
Todd.Rosengart@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/rschiff.jpg)
Rachel Schiff, Ph.D.
Professor
Genomic and epigenomic underlying mechanisms of treatment resistance and metastasis in breast cancer and biomarkers for tailored therapeutics
rschiff@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/sheikh.jpg)
David Sheikh-Hamad, M.D.
Professor
The study of mitochondrial pathways for kidney protection from ischemic acute kidney injury, and the transition to CKD
sheikh@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/rsifers.jpg)
Richard Sifers, Ph.D.
Professor
Cell Biology; Protein quality control in the secretory pathway; Proteostasis; Genetic disease; Disease modifiers
rsifers@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/sundarat.jpg)
Sundararajah Thevananther, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Molecular characterization of liver injury (sepsis, sterile inflammation, fatty liver disease), liver regeneration and hepatocellular carcinoma
sundarat@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/ftsai.jpg)
Francis Tsai, DPhil
Professor
ftsai@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2023-05/vlad-sandulache.jpeg)
Vlad Sandulache, M.D. Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Primary clinical expertise is in the management of early and advanced-stage oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer, salivary gland neoplasms, and poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/wangj.jpg)
Jin Wang, Ph.D.
Michael E. DeBakey, MD, Professor in Pharmacology
Developing chemical biology tools to advance biological and biomedical research. Developing novel therapeutics to treat human diseases.
wangj@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/zhaow.png)
Zhao Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Nuclear Receptor; Membrane Proteins/Ion channel; Drug Efflux Pump;; cryo-EM/ET
zhaow@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/news-120914-westbrook-tamest.jpeg)
Thomas Westbrook, Ph.D.
Professor
thomasw@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/wootenke.jpg)
Clavia Ruth Wooton-Kee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Genetic liver diseases, such as Wilson's disease, as well as the impact of xenobiotic and endobiotic stress on the liver
wootenke@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/media/images/yong-xu-bcm-110-110-20170727155839.jpg)
Yong Xu, Ph.D.
Professor
yongx@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/yen.jpg)
Laising Yen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
yen@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/nlyoung.jpg)
Nicholas Young, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
nicolas.young@bcm.edu
![](https://cdn.bcm.edu/sites/default/files/2021-12/yulee.jpg)
Li-Yuan Yu-Lee, Ph.D.
Professor
yulee@bcm.edu