News & Media

June 5, 2025
Our manuscript "Disulfidptosis meets antitumour immunity" is published in Nautre Cell Biology. 

May 21, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "In vivo CRISPR activation screen identifies acyl-CoA–binding protein as a driver of bone metastasis" is published in Science Translantional Medicine. 

May 20, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "Histone methyltransferase ASH1L primes metastases and metabolic reprogramming of macrophages in the bone niche" is published in Nature Communcations. 

May 13, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "CHD1 loss reprograms SREBP2-driven cholesterol synthesis to fuel androgen-responsive growth and castration resistance in SPOP-mutated prostate tumors" is published in Nature Cancer. 

May 8, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "Sickle cell disease induces chromatin introversion and ferroptosis in CD8+ T cells to suppress anti-tumor immunity" is published in Immunity. 

April 7, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "Radiotherapy promotes cuproptosis and synergizes with cuproptosis inducers to overcome tumor radioresistance" is published in Cancer Cell.

April 7, 2025
Our manuscript "Disulfidptosis" is published in Current Biology.

March 4, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "PRMT5-mediated arginine methylation stabilizes GPX4 to suppress ferroptosis in cancer" is published in Nature Cell Bio.

March 3, 2025
Our collaborative manuscript "Cancer cells avoid ferroptosis induced by immune cells via fatty acid binding proteins" is published in Molecular Cancer. 

February 21, 2025
Congratulations to Dr. Gan for receiving the FY25 Distinguished Research Faculty Mentor Award from the Academic Mentoring Council of MD Anderson!

December 20, 2024
Our publication on GPX4 and PARP co-inhibition is highlighted in "11 new research advances from the past year" by MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

November 8, 2024
Congratulations to Guang for receiving the 2024 Boot Walk Faculty Seed Award for the research project "Targeting Cuproptosis to Overcome Tumor Resistance."

November 6, 2024
Congratulations to Chao for launching his independent career at Nanjing University!

November 5, 2024
Our manuscript “GPR56: GPCR as a guardian against ferroptosis” is published in Cell Metabolism.

October 17, 2024
Congratulations to Guang for being selected as a 2024 STAT Wunderkind, an award that recognizes the work of early-career scientists and clinicians. He is the second member from our lab to receive this recognition (after Chao)! Read the article.

October 7, 2024
Our manuscript “The story behind the emergence of different forms of cell death” is published in Developmental Cell.

August 13, 2024
Our manuscript “Rewiring cancer cell death: LPCAT1 shapes lipid composition and ferroptosis resistance” is published in Cell Death
and Differentiations.

June 3, 2024
Congratulations to Yuelong for receiving the Jeffrey Lee Cousins Fellowship in Lung Cancer Research!

May 16, 2024
Our manuscript "Unraveling ETC complex I function in ferroptosis reveals a potential ferroptosis-inducing therapeutic strategy for LKB1-deficient cancers" is published in Molecular Cell.

May 15, 2024
Our collaborative manuscript "IRE1α determines ferroptosis sensitivity through regulation of glutathione synthesis" is published in Nature Communications.

May 8, 2024
Our News & Views article "Dodging death" is published in Nature Chemical Biology.

April 18, 2024
Congratulations to Boyi for being elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science! 

April 8, 2024
Our review article "The roles of ferroptosis in cancer: Tumor suppression, tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic interventions" is published in Cancer Cell.

April 5, 2024
Our collaborative manuscript "DePARylation is critical for S phase progression and cell survival" is published in eLife.

April 1, 2024
Our article "Exploring Ferroptosis-Inducing Therapies for Cancer Treatment: Challenges and Opportunities" is published in Cancer Research.

March 28, 2024
Our manuscript "BRCA1-mediated dual regulation of ferroptosis exposes a vulnerability to GPX4 and PARP co-inhibition in BRCA1-deficient cancers" is published in Cancer Discovery.

March 19, 2024
Our collaborative manuscript "Polyamine-mediated ferroptosis amplification acts as a targetable vulnerability in cancer" is published in Nature Communications.

March 2, 2024
Our manuscript "Proteomic analysis of ferroptosis pathways reveals a role of CEPT1 in suppressing ferroptosis" is published in Protein & Cell.

March 1, 2024
Our review article "Metabolic cell death in cancer: Ferroptosis, cuproptosis, disulfidptosis, and beyond" is published in Protein & Cell.

February 29, 2024
Our collaborative manuscript "A guideline on the molecular ecosystem regulating ferroptosis" is published in Nature Cell Biology.

February 15, 2024
Our preview "SLC25A39 links mitochondrial GSH sensing with iron metabolism" is published in Molecular Cell.

January 2, 2024
Our manuscript "Cell cycle arrest induces lipid droplet formation and confers ferroptosis resistance" is published in Nature Communications.

December 21, 2023
Our publication on disulfidptosis is highlighted by MD Anderson as one of the notable MD Anderson research highlights from 2023.
Read the highlight

November 18, 2023
Our journal article "Hyperoxidized PRDX3 as a specific ferroptosis marker" is published in Life Metabolism.

October 30, 2023
Congratulations to Xiaoguang for launching his independent career at Zhejiang University!

October 13, 2023
Our collaborative manuscript "The deubiquitinase ZRANB1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for SLC7A11 and regulates ferroptotic resistance" is published in Journal of Cell Biology.

September 22, 2023
Our collaborative Letter to the Editor "FSP1 oxidizes NADPH to suppress ferroptosis" is published in Cell Research.

September 8, 2023
Congratulations to Boyi, who is one of seven Lombardi 7 Blocks of Granite Champions awardees of the Rotary Club of Houston Lombardi Committee. This award recognizes seven Houstonians who were nominated by their peers and have made significant contributions to cancer research.

August 28, 2023
Our commentary "Unleashing ferroptosis for cancer therapy with warfarin" is published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.

August 17, 2023
Our commentary "The pyrimidinosome: Orchestrating pyrimidine biosynthesis and ferroptosis defense" is published in Molecular Cell.

August 12, 2023
Our review "Disulfidptosis: disulfide stress–induced cell death" is published in Trends in Cell Biology.

August 3, 2023
Our collaborative manuscript "The DUBA-SLC7A11-c-Myc axis is critical for stemness and ferroptosis" is published in Oncogene.

July 24, 2023
Our commentary "Uncovering the IL-1β-PCAF-NNT axis: A new player in ferroptosis and tumor immune evasion" is published in Cancer Communications.

June 21, 2023
Our manuscript "SLC7A11 expression level dictates differential responses to oxidative stress in cancer cells" is published in Nature Communications.

June 12, 2023
Our collaborative manuscript "Molecular mechanisms of snoRNA-IL-15 crosstalk in adipocyte lipolysis and NK cell rejuvenation" is published in Cell Metabolism.

May 15, 2023
Our collaborative manuscript "Retinol saturase mediates retinoid metabolism to impair a ferroptosis defense system in cancer cells" is published in Cancer Research.

May 10, 2023
Our review article "Ferroptosis vulnerability in FLT3-mutant leukemia" is published in Trends in Cancer.

May 1, 2023
Boyi received the N.G. and Helen T. Hawkins Distinguished Professorship for Cancer Research.

March 17, 2023
Our commentary "Ferroptosis hijacking by Mycobacterium tuberculosis" is published in Nature Communications.

March 16, 2023
Our commentary "How erastin assassinates cells by ferroptosis revealed" is published in Protein & Cell.

February 6, 2023
Our manuscript "Actin cytoskeleton vulnerability to disulfide stress mediates disulfidptosis" is published in Nature Cell Biology.
Mentions in news and blogs:

• Nature: Cell death discovery adds fresh angle to attack cancer
• MD Anderson Newsroom: New cell death mechanism could offer novel cancer treatment strategies
• ScienMag: New cell death mechanism could offer novel cancer treatment strategies
• Newswise: New cell death mechanism could offer novel cancer treatment strategies
• Sciencenewsnet.in: New cell death mechanism could offer novel cancer treatment strategies
• Psychreg: New Cell Death Mechanism Could Offer Novel Cancer Treatment Strategies
• The Medical News: Study reveals mechanism of a previously unexplained type of cell death
• Nouvelles du monde: Une étude révèle le mécanisme d’un type de mort cellulaire jusque-là inexpliqué
• Latestly: Study Finds New Cell Death Mechanism Helps to Treat Cancer
  
• Devdiscourse: Study finds new cell death mechanism helps to treat cancer
• news-medical.net: Study reveals mechanism of a previously unexplained type of cell death
• Science Blog: New Way That Cells Die Opens Door To Cancer Treatments

December 2, 2022
Congratulations to Chao for being selected as a 2022 STAT Wunderkind, an award that recognizes the work of early-career scientists and clinicians. Read the article

Our commentary article "A Time and Place for Inhibiting Autophagy" is published in Cancer Research.

October 27, 2022
Our collaborative manuscript "USP7 substrates identified by proteomics analysis reveal the specificity of USP7" is published in Genes & Development.

September 15, 2022
Our preview article "Ferroptosis execution: Is it all about ACSL4?" is published in Cell Chemical Biology.

August 8, 2022
Our commentary article "Navigating ferroptosis via an NADPH sensor" is published in Nature Cell Biology.

July 31, 2022
Our commentary article "Ferroptosis vulnerability in MYCN-driven neuroblastomas" is published in Clinical and Translational Medicine.

June 25, 2022
Our article "Assessment of lipid peroxidation in irradiated cells" is published in Methods in Cell Biology.

June 24, 2022
Our manuscript "A ferroptosis defense mechanism mediated by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2 in mitochondria" is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

June 8, 2022
Our commentary article "PKCβII–ACSL4 pathway mediating ferroptosis execution and anti-tumor immunity" is published in Cancer Communications.

April 22, 2022
Our commentary article "ACSL4, PUFA, and ferroptosis: new arsenal in anti-tumor immunity" is published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.

April 22, 2022
Our manuscript "A targetable CoQ-FSP1 axis drives ferroptosis- and radiation-resistance in KEAP1 inactive lung cancers" is published in Nature Communications.

March 31, 2022
Congratulations to Chao for receiving the Harter Prize from MD Anderson Cancer Center and for winning the Oral Competition Award on trainee research day!

March 25, 2022
Our review article "Targeting ferroptosis as a vulnerability in cancer" is published in Nature Reviews Cancer.

March 9, 2022
Our review article "Iron out KRAS-driven cancer" is published in Journal of Experimental Medicine.

January 27, 2022
Congratulations to Chao for receiving the 2022 Outstanding Research Publication Award from MD Anderson!

January 5, 2022
Congratulations to Chao! His Nature article is selected to be highlighted in the Wall of Science at MD Anderson.

December 17, 2021
Our collaborative manuscript "A targetable LIFR−NF-κB−LCN2 axis controls liver tumorigenesis and vulnerability to ferroptosis" is published in Nature Communications.

December 8, 2021
Our manuscript "Thiol profiling in cancer cell lines by HPLC-mass spectrometry" is published in Star Protocols.

November 26, 2021
Our manuscript "Ferroptosis as an important driver of lupus" is published in Protein & Cell.

November 11, 2021
Our publication "Ferroptosis, radiotherapy, and combination therapeutic strategies" is selected as the cover image in the November 2021 issue of Protein & Cell.

November 6, 2021
The Gan lab participated in the annual Boot Walk to End Cancer! See lab photo

October 17, 2021
Our manuscript "Phospholipase iPLA2β acts as a guardian against ferroptosis" is published in Cancer Communications.

September 2, 2021
Congratulations to Pranavi on the successful defense of her thesis titled “Investigating therapeutic strategies to target metabolic vulnerabilities of NSCLC tumors with mutant KEAP1 Gene”! See lab photo

September 1, 2021
Boyi is promoted to professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

August 27, 2021
Boyi Received The Dallas/Fort Worth Living Legend Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Research.

August 23, 2021
Our research is highlighted in the homepage of the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Genetics & Epigenetics (G&E) Program.

July 30, 2021
Our review article "Mitochondrial regulation of ferroptosis" is published in Journal of Cell Biology.

June 14, 2021
Our manuscript "mTORC1 and ferroptosis: regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic potential" is published in BioEssays.

June 1, 2021
Our manuscript “Ether phospholipids govern ferroptosis” is published in Journal of Genetics and Genomics.

May 25, 2021
Our manuscript “KEAP1 deficiency drives glucose dependency and sensitizes lung cancer cells and tumors to GLUT inhibition” is published in iScience.

May 13, 2021
Congratulations to Xiaoguang! His Nature Cell Biology article is selected to be highlighted in the Wall of Science at MD Anderson. Read the article

May 12, 2021
Our manuscript “DHODH-mediated ferroptosis defence is a targetable vulnerability in cancer” is published in Nature.
Mentions in news and blogs:

• MD Anderson News Release: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• Nature: A mitochondrial gatekeeper that helps cells escape death by ferroptosis
• GEN News: Novel Cancer Therapeutic Target Found in Mitochondrial Enzyme
• Mirage News: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• MedicalXpress: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• EurekAlert! Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• ScienMag: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• Bioengineer.org: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• Infosurhoy: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy
• ecancer: Mitochondrial enzyme found to block cell death pathway points to new cancer treatment strategy 
• Ebiotrade: 甘波谊Nature发文：线粒体酶可以阻断细胞死亡途径，为新的癌症治疗指明了方向
• Science 2.0 Blogs: Mitochondrial Enzyme DHODH, Ferroptosis, And Maybe A New Cancer Treatment Strategy 
• Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy: DHODH tangoing with GPX4 on the ferroptotic stage

April 30, 2021
Xiaoguang Liu and Chao Mao received Jeffrey Lee Cousins Fellowship in Lung Cancer Research from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

April 29, 2021
Our manuscript "Ferroptosis as a mechanism to mediate p53 function in tumor radiosensitivity" is published in Oncogene.

April 27, 2021
Our manuscript "A mTORC1-mediated cyst(e)ine sensing mechanism governing GPX4 synthesis and ferroptosis" is published in Molecular & Cellular Oncology.

April 23, 2021
Our review article "Ferroptosis, radiotherapy, and combination therapeutic strategies" is published in Protein & Cell.

March 11, 2021
Our manuscript "mTORC1 couples cyst(e)ine availability with GPX4 protein synthesis and ferroptosis regulation" is published in Nature Communications.

February 08, 2021
Our collaborative manuscript "Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)" is published in Autophagy.

February 04, 2021
Our manuscript "Cytochrome P450 reductase (POR) as a ferroptosis fuel" is published in Protein & Cell.

January 24, 2021
Our collaborative manuscript "Targeting cancer stem cells with a pan-BCL-2 inhibitor in preclinical and clinical settings in patients with gastroesophageal carcinoma" is published in Gut.

January 20, 2021
Congratulations to Yilei for his new independent position at Xi’an Jiaotong University!

January 01, 2021
The Gan lab is featured in the MD Anderson Radiation Oncology Division's Annual Research and Education Newsletter. Read the article, page 7

December 17, 2020
Our collaborative manuscript "A Surge of DNA Damage Links Transcriptional Reprogramming and Hematopoietic Deficit in Fanconi Anemia" is published in Molecular Cell.

December 07, 2020
Hyemin Lee received Annual Recognition and Awards from Radiation Division, MD Anderson Cancer Center.

November 18, 2020
Our manuscript "NADPH debt drives redox bankruptcy: SLC7A11/xCT-mediated cystine uptake as a double-edge sword in cellular redox regulation" is published in Genes & Diseases.

October 01, 2020
Our manuscript "Cystine transporter SLC7A11/xCT in cancer: ferroptosis, nutrient dependency, and cancer therapy" is published in Protein & Cell. 

August 21, 2020
Boyi received 2020 Faculty Honoree Award in Research Excellence from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

August 2020
Xiaoguang Liu received Jeffrey Lee Cousins Fellowship in Lung Cancer Research from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

July 23, 2020
Pranavi received the 2020 G&E Student Service Award from the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

May 21, 2020
Our manuscript "Energy stress inhibits ferroptosis via AMPK" is published in Molecular and Cellular Oncology.

April 09, 2020
Our manuscript "H2A Monoubiquitination Links Glucose Availability to Epigenetic Regulation of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response and Cancer Cell Death" is published in Cancer Research.

March 30, 2020
Our manuscript "Cystine transporter regulation of pentose phosphate pathway dependency and disulfide stress exposes a targetable metabolic vulnerability in cancer" is published in Nature Cell Biology.

Mentions in News and Blogs:
Sciencenewsnet.in: New therapeutic strategies proposed for some lung and kidney cancers
Newswise: New therapeutic strategies proposed for some lung and kidney cancers
MedicalXpress: Study shows cancers with high levels of the SLC7A11 gene may respond to glucose transporter inhibitor treatment
ecancer: New therapeutic strategies proposed for some lung and kidney cancers
Gilmer Mirror: New therapeutic strategies proposed for some lung and kidney cancers
The Medical News: Weakness in lung and kidney cancer cells could serve as therapeutic target

February 18, 2020
Our manuscript "Spatial control of AMPK signaling at subcellular compartments" is published in Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Feb 6, 2020
Our manuscript “Energy stress-mediated AMPK activation inhibits ferroptosis” is published in Nature Cell Biology.

Jan 16, 2020
Our manuscript “The role of ferroptosis in ionizing radiation-induced cell death and tumor suppression” is published in Cell Research.

November 27, 2019
Our manuscript “The Role of Ferroptosis in Ionizing Radiation–Induced Cell Death and Tumor Suppression” is accepted by Cell Research.

May 2, 2019
Pranavi’s CPRIT Graduate Student Award is renewed. 

April 15, 2019
Our manuscript “DUBbing Ferroptosis in Cancer Cells” is published in Cancer Research.

April 5, 2019
Yilei received The Harold C. and Mary L. Daily Endowment Fellowship from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

March 24, 2019
Our manuscript “Regulation of H2A ubiquitination and SLC7A11 expression by BAP1 and PRC” is published in Cell Cycle.

Dec. 12, 2018
Pranavi received Steve Lasher and Janiece Longoria Graduate Student Research Award in Cancer Biology from the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Nov. 13, 2018
Our Author’s Views article “BAP1 suppresses tumor development by inducing ferroptosis upon SLC7A11 repression” is published in Molecular & Cellular Oncology. Read the article

Oct. 18, 2018
Our manuscript "STIM2 interacts with AMPK and regulates calcium-induced AMPK activation" is published in the FASEB Journal. Read the article

Sept. 22, 2018
Pranavi awarded second-place poster at G&E Retreat.

Sept. 10, 2018
Our manuscript, "BAP1 links metabolic regulation of ferroptosis to tumour suppression" is published in Nature Cell Biology.
Read accompanying preview

Our research is highlighted in media release.

Aug. 31, 2018
Pranavi received Dr. John J. Kopchick Research Award from the MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Aug. 9, 2018
Boyi received Faculty Scholar Award at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

July 26, 2018
Our manuscript "BAP1 links metabolic regulation of ferroptosis to tumor suppression" is accepted in Nature Cell Biology.

April 25, 2018
Our review article “Amino acid transporter SLC7A11/xCT at the crossroads of regulating redox homeostasis and nutrient dependency of cancer” is published in Cancer Communications. Read the article

April 6, 2018
Pranavi received CPRIT Graduate Student Award. 

Jan. 8, 2018
Our review article “FoxO transcription factors in cancer metabolism” is published in Seminars in Cancer Biology. Read the article

Oct. 4, 2017
Our study “Energy stress-induced lncRNA FILNC1 represses c-Myc-mediated energy metabolism and inhibits renal tumor development” is published in Nature Communications. Read the article

Sept. 21, 2017
Boyi talked about his research to fight cancer in the Research Spotlight of the Center for Energy Balance at MD Anderson newsletter. Read the spotlight story

Sept. 18, 2017
Pranavi Koppula, a second-year graduate student from MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, was selected as the Center of Cancer Epigenetics (CCE) Scholar at MD Anderson. Pravani recently published a first-author paper from our lab that discovered that glutamate/cystine antiporter SLC7A11/xCT regulates nutrient dependency in cancer cells. Read the article

June 19, 2017
Our publication “The glutamate/cystine antiporter SLC7A11/xCT enhances cancer cell dependency on glucose by exporting glutamate” is published in J. Biol. Chem. Read the article

June 1, 2017
Boyi is promoted to Associate Professor at MD Anderson.

May 8, 2017
Boyi was selected as the Andrew Sabin Family Fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

March 8, 2017
Our study “BAP1 inhibits the ER stress gene regulatory network and modulates metabolic stress response” is published in Proc Natl Acad Sci. Read the article

Dec. 16, 2016
Our study “lncRNA NBR2 modulates cancer cell sensitivity to phenformin through GLUT1” is published in Cell Cycle.
Read the article
Read accompanying preview

Nov. 29, 2016
Boyi received Anna Fuller Award to support our research in long non-coding RNA in cancer metabolism.

Aug. 1, 2016
Read our reviews to discuss long non-coding RNAs in cancer metabolism:
Long non-coding RNAs in cancer metabolism
An lncRNA switch for AMPK activation
NBR2: A former junk gene emerges as key player in tumor suppression

May 2, 2016
Yilei Zhang, a postdoctoral fellow from our lab, was selected as the Center of Cancer Epigenetics (CCE) Scholar at MD Anderson.

April 13, 2016
Our research is highlighted in Cancer Frontline. Read the story

April 12, 2016
Our study “BAF180 regulates cellular senescence and hematopoietic stem cell homeostasis through p21” was published in Oncotarget.

March 31, 2016
Our research is highlighted by Department of Defense-Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.

March 21, 2016
Our manuscript “lncRNA NBR2 engages a metabolic checkpoint by regulating AMPK under energy stress” is published in Nature Cell Biology. Read the article