Cheng-Kui Qu, MD, PhD

Research Program

Cell and Molecular Biology
Phone Number

404-727-5037
Email Address

cheng-kui.qu@emory.edu

Biography

Cheng-Kui Qu, MD, PhD is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Qu is a member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

Education

Dr. Qu received his Medical Degree from Anhui Medical University in China. He then earned his PhD in Experimental Hematology from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in China. He completed his fellowship in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Walther Oncology Center, Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Titles & Roles

Professor, Department of Pediatrics

Emory University School of Medicine

Research

Grants

View Grants

Grant Number	Title
1R01CA275964-01	Targeting leukemic stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia
1R21CA282579-01	Eradicating leukemic stem cells in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
2R01HL130995-05A1	Germline mutations of PTPN11 (SHP2) in the stem cell microenvironment
5R01CA275964-02	Targeting leukemic stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia
5R01CA275964-03	Targeting leukemic stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia
5R01HL130995-06	Germline mutations of PTPN11 (SHP2) in the stem cell microenvironment
5R01HL130995-07	Germline mutations of PTPN11 (SHP2) in the stem cell microenvironment
5R01HL130995-08	Germline mutations of PTPN11 (SHP2) in the stem cell microenvironment
5R21CA282579-02	Eradicating leukemic stem cells in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

Publications

Dr. Qu has been published in numerous scientific peer-reviewed journals. He serves on the editorial board of Blood Advances.

Title/Journal	Authors	Publication Date
Enhanced engraftment of human haematopoietic stem cells via mechanical remodelling mediated by the corticotropin-releasing hormone. Nature biomedical engineering	M Wu, H Yang, S Liu, L Jiang, T Liang, Y Wang, M Zhu, X Song, H Liu, J Shen, S Wang, X Zhu, CK Qu, L Cheng, H Jiang, F Ni	05/01/2025
Prototypical innate immune mechanism hijacked by leukemia-initiating mutant stem cells for selective advantage and immune evasion in Ptpn11-associated juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Research square	H Zheng, P Zhao, Z Tan, WM Yu, J Werner, E Stieglitz, C Porter, S Chandrakasan, D Wechsler, S Mendez-Ferrer, CK Qu	08/02/2024
SHP2 as a primordial epigenetic enzyme expunges histone H3 pTyr-54 to amend androgen receptor homeostasis. Nature communications	S Chouhan, D Sridaran, C Weimholt, J Luo, T Li, MC Hodgson, LN Santos, S Le Sommer, B Fang, JM Koomen, M Seeliger, CK Qu, A Yart, MI Kontaridis, K Mahajan, NP Mahajan	07/04/2024
Mitochondrial metabolic flexibility is critical for CD8⁺ T cell antitumor immunity. Science advances	C Chen, H Zheng, EM Horwitz, S Ando, K Araki, P Zhao, Z Li, ML Ford, R Ahmed, CK Qu	12/08/2023
AMPK activator-treated human cardiac spheres enhance maturation and enable pathological modeling. Stem cell research & therapy	D Li, LC Armand, F Sun, H Hwang, D Wolfson, A Rampoldi, R Liu, P Forghani, X Hu, WM Yu, CK Qu, DP Jones, R Wu, HC Cho, JT Maxwell, C Xu	11/08/2023
Loss of Ptpmt1 limits mitochondrial utilization of carbohydrates and leads to muscle atrophy and heart failure in tissue-specific knockout mice. eLife	H Zheng, Q Li, S Li, Z Li, M Brotto, D Weiss, D Prosdocimo, C Xu, A Reddy, M Puchowicz, X Zhao, MN Weitzmann, MK Jain, CK Qu	09/06/2023
Extracellular arginine is required but the arginine transporter CAT3 (Slc7a3) is dispensable for mouse normal and malignant hematopoiesis. Scientific reports	Y Yan, C Chen, Z Li, J Zhang, N Park, CK Qu	12/17/2022
Cellular signals converge at the NOX2-SHP-2 axis to induce reductive carboxylation in cancer cells. Cell chemical biology	R Zhang, D Chen, H Fan, R Wu, J Tu, FQ Zhang, M Wang, H Zheng, CK Qu, SE Elf, B Faubert, YY He, MB Bissonnette, X Gao, RJ DeBerardinis, J Chen	07/21/2022
JMML tumor cells disrupt normal hematopoietic stem cells by imposing inflammatory stress through overproduction of IL-1β. Blood advances	Y Yan, L Dong, C Chen, KD Bunting, Q Li, E Stieglitz, ML Loh, CK Qu	01/11/2022
Methylation of dual-specificity phosphatase 4 controls cell differentiation. Cell reports	H Su, M Jiang, C Senevirathne, S Aluri, T Zhang, H Guo, J Xavier-Ferrucio, S Jin, NT Tran, SM Liu, CW Sun, Y Zhu, Q Zhao, Y Chen, L Cable, Y Shen, J Liu, CK Qu, X Han, CA Klug, R Bhatia, Y Chen, SD Nimer, YG Zheng, C Iancu-Rubin, J Jin, H Deng, DS Krause, J Xiang, A Verma, M Luo, X Zhao	07/27/2021
Decreased cell stiffness enhances leukemia development and progression. Leukemia	L Hu, F Ni, X Wang, ME Fay, KM Young, WA Lam, TA Sulchek, CK Qu	09/01/2020
Germline mutations: many roles in leukemogenesis. Current opinion in hematology	KZ Chen, R Kazi, CC Porter, CK Qu	07/01/2020
Targeting HIF-1α in combination with PPARα activation and postnatal factors promotes the metabolic maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology	C Gentillon, D Li, M Duan, WM Yu, MK Preininger, R Jha, A Rampoldi, A Saraf, GC Gibson, CK Qu, LA Brown, C Xu	07/01/2019
Ptpn21 Controls Hematopoietic Stem Cell Homeostasis and Biomechanics. Cell stem cell	F Ni, WM Yu, X Wang, ME Fay, KM Young, Y Qiu, WA Lam, TA Sulchek, T Cheng, DT Scadden, CK Qu	04/04/2019
Critical role of ASCT2-mediated amino acid metabolism in promoting leukaemia development and progression. Nature metabolism	F Ni, WM Yu, Z Li, DK Graham, L Jin, S Kang, MR Rossi, S Li, HE Broxmeyer, CK Qu	03/01/2019
Small Molecule Inhibitor that Stabilizes the Autoinhibited Conformation of the Oncogenic Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP2. Journal of medicinal chemistry	X Wu, G Xu, X Li, W Xu, Q Li, W Liu, KA Kirby, ML Loh, J Li, SG Sarafianos, CK Qu	02/14/2019
The tyrosine phosphatase Shp-2 confers resistance to colonic inflammation by driving goblet cell function and crypt regeneration. The Journal of pathology	J Gagné-Sansfacon, A Langlois, MJ Langlois, G Coulombe, S Tremblay, V Vaillancourt-Lavigueur, CK Qu, A Menendez, N Rivard	01/01/2019
Pathobiological Pseudohypoxia as a Putative Mechanism Underlying Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Cancer discovery	Y Hayashi, Y Zhang, A Yokota, X Yan, J Liu, K Choi, B Li, G Sashida, Y Peng, Z Xu, R Huang, L Zhang, GM Freudiger, J Wang, Y Dong, Y Zhou, J Wang, L Wu, J Bu, A Chen, X Zhao, X Sun, K Chetal, A Olsson, M Watanabe, LE Romick-Rosendale, H Harada, LY Shih, W Tse, JP Bridges, MA Caligiuri, T Huang, Y Zheng, DP Witte, QF Wang, CK Qu, N Salomonis, HL Grimes, SD Nimer, Z Xiao, G Huang	11/01/2018
Germline mutations in the bone marrow microenvironment and dysregulated hematopoiesis. Experimental hematology	LH Miller, CK Qu, M Pauly	10/01/2018
Mitochondrial oxidation of the carbohydrate fuel is required for neural precursor/stem cell function and postnatal cerebellar development. Science advances	H Zheng, WM Yu, J Shen, S Kang, D Hambardzumyan, JY Li, Y Shen, AM Kenney, J Chen, CK Qu	10/01/2018
MAST1 Drives Cisplatin Resistance in Human Cancers by Rewiring cRaf-Independent MEK Activation. Cancer cell	L Jin, J Chun, C Pan, D Li, R Lin, GN Alesi, X Wang, HB Kang, L Song, D Wang, G Zhang, J Fan, TJ Boggon, L Zhou, J Kowalski, CK Qu, CE Steuer, GZ Chen, NF Saba, LH Boise, TK Owonikoko, FR Khuri, KR Magliocca, DM Shin, S Lonial, S Kang	08/13/2018
Hematopoietic-restricted Ptpn11E76K reveals indolent MPN progression in mice. Oncotarget	SP Tarnawsky, WM Yu, CK Qu, RJ Chan, MC Yoder	04/24/2018
Gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 induce hydrocephalus in a catalytically dependent manner. Science signaling	H Zheng, WM Yu, RR Waclaw, MI Kontaridis, BG Neel, CK Qu	03/20/2018
The PLAG1-GDH1 Axis Promotes Anoikis Resistance and Tumor Metastasis through CamKK2-AMPK Signaling in LKB1-Deficient Lung Cancer. Molecular cell	L Jin, J Chun, C Pan, A Kumar, G Zhang, Y Ha, D Li, GN Alesi, Y Kang, L Zhou, WM Yu, KR Magliocca, FR Khuri, CK Qu, C Metallo, TK Owonikoko, S Kang	01/04/2018
DPP4 truncated GM-CSF and IL-3 manifest distinct receptor-binding and regulatory functions compared with their full-length forms. Leukemia	HA O'Leary, M Capitano, S Cooper, C Mantel, HS Boswell, R Kapur, B Ramdas, R Chan, L Deng, CK Qu, HE Broxmeyer	11/01/2017
CCL3 is a key mediator for the leukemogenic effect of Ptpn11-activating mutations in the stem-cell microenvironment. Blood	L Dong, H Zheng, CK Qu	09/21/2017
Inhibition of the Gab2/PI3K/mTOR signaling ameliorates myeloid malignancy caused by Ptpn11 (Shp2) gain-of-function mutations. Leukemia	W Liu, WM Yu, J Zhang, RJ Chan, ML Loh, Z Zhang, KD Bunting, CK Qu	06/01/2017
Leukaemogenic effects of Ptpn11 activating mutations in the stem cell microenvironment. Nature	L Dong, WM Yu, H Zheng, ML Loh, ST Bunting, M Pauly, G Huang, M Zhou, HE Broxmeyer, DT Scadden, CK Qu	11/10/2016
Synergistic cell death in FLT3-ITD positive acute myeloid leukemia by combined treatment with metformin and 6-benzylthioinosine. Leukemia research	HS Sabnis, HL Bradley, S Tripathi, WM Yu, W Tse, CK Qu, KD Bunting	11/01/2016
Discovery of Dual Inhibitors of MDM2 and XIAP for Cancer Treatment. Cancer cell	L Gu, H Zhang, T Liu, S Zhou, Y Du, J Xiong, S Yi, CK Qu, H Fu, M Zhou	10/10/2016
SHP-2 phosphatase contributes to KRAS-driven intestinal oncogenesis but prevents colitis-associated cancer development. Oncotarget	J Gagné-Sansfaçon, G Coulombe, MJ Langlois, A Langlois, M Paquet, J Carrier, GS Feng, CK Qu, N Rivard	10/04/2016
A metabolic stress-induced cell cycle checkpoint in stem cells. Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)	F Ni, CK Qu	10/01/2016
Microenvironmental regulation of hematopoietic stem cells and its implications in leukemogenesis. Current opinion in hematology	M Seshadri, CK Qu	07/01/2016
Gain-of-function mutations of Ptpn11 (Shp2) cause aberrant mitosis and increase susceptibility to DNA damage-induced malignancies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America	X Liu, H Zheng, X Li, S Wang, HJ Meyerson, W Yang, BG Neel, CK Qu	01/26/2016
Maintenance of mouse hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo by reprogramming cellular metabolism. Blood	X Liu, H Zheng, WM Yu, TM Cooper, KD Bunting, CK Qu	03/05/2015
Flow cytometric analysis of signaling and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem cells. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	L Dong, CK Qu	01/01/2014
The hematopoietic stem cell landscape. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	KD Bunting, CK Qu	01/01/2014
Molecular targets for the treatment of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Advances in hematology	X Liu, H Sabnis, KD Bunting, CK Qu	01/01/2012
Molecular-targeted therapies for hematologic malignancies. Advances in hematology	KD Bunting, CK Qu, MH Tomasson	01/01/2012
A germline gain-of-function mutation in Ptpn11 (Shp-2) phosphatase induces myeloproliferative disease by aberrant activation of hematopoietic stem cells. Blood	D Xu, S Wang, WM Yu, G Chan, T Araki, KD Bunting, BG Neel, CK Qu	11/04/2010

Awards

Dr. Qu has earned the following awards and honors:

Researcher Appreciation Day Recognition, Emory University School of Medicine, 2017, 2018
Best Scientific Publication of the Year Award, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, 2016
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Research Scholar designation, 2015
Emory 1% Award, Emory University, 2015