Focus On Research With Jiajie Diao, PhD

Jiajie Diao, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Cancer Biology, had to really think about what he does in his spare time—because he doesn’t have much of it between developing a type of single-molecule microscope to detect early stage cancer and his work with alpha-synuclein, a protein that is abundant in the human brain, and its role in both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. "I stay very busy,” he says, "but I do like to travel, and I often use national and international conferences as a chance to see other parts of the world.” Diao made the move to Cincinnati this fall from Stanford University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), where he was a research specialist. He received his PhD in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010 and his Master’s of Arts in Physics from George Washington University in 2005. 

What brought you to the University of Cincinnati?

"I actually met Dr. (Jun-Lin) Guan (director of the Cancer Biology Department) at the seventh International Symposium on Autophagy, and he began telling me about the Cancer Biology Department at UC and the talent here, and I was very excited to continue my career here. I’ve already begun collaborating with researchers in the department, like Jianjun Chen for single-molecule study of genomics, as well as colleagues in hematology oncology and on the main campus in the College of Engineering and Applied Science and hope to continue forming relationships and working together.”

Explain your research projects. 

"One of my main projects is on the physiological function of alpha-synuclein, a protein, and the damage it causes when there are mutations, or misfolds, in it. I’ve found that interruptions in signaling from the protein’s synapse, a structure that permits a nerve cell to pass an electrical or chemical signal, to the nucleus plays a major role in the development of Parkinson’s disease. The protein also plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, I was given startup money to develop a single-molecule technology to help with earlier detection of cancer. This technology is a sort of microscope that can look closely at the cells and components of DNA and find epigenetic modifications that could lead to the development of cancer. We will use a chemical process involving fluorescence to label the molecules in the DNA and will then look at each one of them and determine modifications within them that could cause cancer development. Right now, we’re collecting samples from brain, lung and breast cancer patients to specifically examine modifications in the DNA of these cancer types. I hope to also use this technology to look for the same modifications in RNA molecules. Additionally, I’m involved in research projects surrounding the detection of antigens on cancer cells and the use of antibody-based drugs as therapies, and more specifically the use of a nano-based technology to detect specific cancer antigens. I’m always working on grants to help fund these projects that could greatly impact health care.”

What are some other goals you hope to accomplish while here at UC?

"When I was at Stanford, I formed a partnership with Peking University and Beijing Institute of Technology in China, and I’d love to not only continue these relationships but also to foster similar relationships with other international institutions. I also hope to continue to form collaborations with my colleagues at UC and as well as with researchers at Stanford to move our research forward and to help patients with both neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.”