Kevin Bunting, PhD

Research Program

Cell and Molecular Biology
Phone Number

404-778-4039
Email Address

kevin.bunting@emory.edu

Biography

Kevin Bunting, PhD, is a professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. He is a member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute.

Education

Dr. Bunting earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He then completed a fellowship in Experimental Hematology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Titles & Roles

Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology

Emory University School of Medicine
Aflac Field Force Cancer Innovative Therapy Chair

Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
Research Director, Leukemia and Lymphoma

Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Professional Memberships

Dr. Bunting is a member of the American Society of Hematology, American Association for Cancer Research and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Research

Dr. Bunting's research is focused on understanding the biology of the latent transcription factor STAT5, in particular its roles in normal hematopoietic stem cell function and its aberrant activation associated with a variety of hematologic malignancies. Activation of STAT5 by phosphorylation is required at tightly regulated levels for normal hematopoiesis but its persistent activation is prevalent in adult and pediatric leukemias. A major focus of the Bunting lab is to identify key STAT5 downstream target genes associated with both normal and leukemic hematopoietic cell function and to utilize this knowledge to develop novel approaches to manipulate STAT5 activity in a therapeutic setting. In leukemia therapy, the goal is to disengage leukemic cell survival and to facilitate leukemia cell sensitivity in combination with other targeted agents. In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the goal is to develop innovative forms of conditioning based on STAT5 signaling inhibition.

Grants

View Grants

Grant Number	Title
5R01HL152131-03	Modulation of protein methylation to improve hematopoietic stem cell engraftment

Publications

Dr. Bunting has authored/co-authored numerous publications, journal articles and journal abstracts.

Title/Journal	Authors	Publication Date
Stromal STAT5-Mediated Trophic Activity Regulates Hematopoietic Niche Factors. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio)	Z Wang, G Emmel, HS Lim, W Zhu, A Kosters, EEB Ghosn, P Qiu, KD Bunting	10/08/2023
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
Pimozide and Imipramine Blue Exploit Mitochondrial Vulnerabilities and Reactive Oxygen Species to Cooperatively Target High Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)	Z Wang, T Mi, HL Bradley, J Metts, H Sabnis, W Zhu, J Arbiser, KD Bunting	06/15/2021
Gab2 and Gab3 Redundantly Suppress Colitis by Modulating Macrophage and CD8⁺ T-Cell Activation. Frontiers in immunology	Z Wang, TY Vaughan, W Zhu, Y Chen, G Fu, M Medrzycki, H Nishio, ST Bunting, PA Hankey-Giblin, A Nusrat, CA Parkos, D Wang, R Wen, KD Bunting	01/01/2019
The Cooperative Relationship between STAT5 and Reactive Oxygen Species in Leukemia: Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential. Cancers	T Mi, Z Wang, KD Bunting	09/27/2018
Global loss of leucine carboxyl methyltransferase-1 causes severe defects in fetal liver hematopoiesis. The Journal of biological chemistry	JA Lee, Z Wang, D Sambo, KD Bunting, DC Pallas	06/22/2018
Imipramine blue sensitively and selectively targets FLT3-ITD positive acute myeloid leukemia cells. Scientific reports	J Metts, HL Bradley, Z Wang, NP Shah, R Kapur, JL Arbiser, KD Bunting	06/30/2017
Oncogenic STAT5 signaling promotes oxidative stress in chronic myeloid leukemia cells by repressing antioxidant defenses. Oncotarget	J Bourgeais, N Ishac, M Medrzycki, M Brachet-Botineau, L Desbourdes, V Gouilleux-Gruart, E Pecnard, F Rouleux-Bonnin, E Gyan, J Domenech, F Mazurier, R Moriggl, KD Bunting, O Herault, F Gouilleux	06/27/2017
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
Stat5 deficiency decreases transcriptional heterogeneity and supports emergence of hematopoietic sub-populations. Oncotarget	Z Wang, KD Bunting	04/04/2017
Targeting MYC Dependence by Metabolic Inhibitors in Cancer. Genes	HS Sabnis, RR Somasagara, KD Bunting	03/31/2017
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
MLLT11/AF1q boosts oncogenic STAT3 activity through Src-PDGFR tyrosine kinase signaling. Oncotarget	J Park, S Kim, J Joh, SC Remick, DM Miller, J Yan, Z Kanaan, JH Chao, MM Krem, SK Basu, S Hagiwara, L Kenner, R Moriggl, KD Bunting, W Tse	07/12/2016
STAT5 activation in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: damned if you do, damned if you don't. Cancer cell & microenvironment	Z Wang, KD Bunting	01/01/2016
Stat5-deficient hematopoiesis is permissive for Myc-induced B-cell leukemogenesis. Oncotarget	Z Wang, M Medrzycki, ST Bunting, KD Bunting	10/06/2015
AF1q is a novel TCF7 co-factor which activates CD44 and promotes breast cancer metastasis. Oncotarget	J Park, M Schlederer, M Schreiber, R Ice, O Merkel, M Bilban, S Hofbauer, S Kim, J Addison, J Zou, C Ji, ST Bunting, Z Wang, M Shoham, G Huang, Z Bago-Horvath, LF Gibson, Y Rojanasakul, S Remick, A Ivanov, E Pugacheva, KD Bunting, R Moriggl, L Kenner, W Tse	08/21/2015
A novel IL-25 signaling pathway through STAT5. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)	L Wu, JA Zepp, W Qian, BN Martin, W Ouyang, W Yin, KD Bunting, M Aronica, S Erzurum, X Li	05/01/2015
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
Regulation of Stat5 by FAK and PAK1 in Oncogenic FLT3- and KIT-Driven Leukemogenesis. Cell reports	A Chatterjee, J Ghosh, B Ramdas, RS Mali, H Martin, M Kobayashi, S Vemula, VH Canela, ER Waskow, V Visconte, RV Tiu, CC Smith, N Shah, KD Bunting, HS Boswell, Y Liu, RJ Chan, R Kapur	11/20/2014
Capillary nano-immunoassay for Akt 1/2/3 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation in acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of translational medicine	H Sabnis, HL Bradley, ST Bunting, TM Cooper, KD Bunting	06/12/2014
STAT5 N-domain deleted isoforms are naturally occurring hypomorphs partially rescued in hematopoiesis by transgenic Bcl-2 expression. American journal of blood research	Z Wang, G Li, KD Bunting	01/01/2014
Nanoproteomic assays on hematopoietic stem cells. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	HL Bradley, H Sabnis, D Pritchett, KD Bunting	01/01/2014
The hematopoietic stem cell landscape. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	KD Bunting, CK Qu	01/01/2014
Genotype-dependent effects of TGF-β1 on mast cell function: targeting the Stat5 pathway. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)	J Fernando, TW Faber, NA Pullen, YT Falanga, EM Kolawole, CA Oskeritzian, BO Barnstein, G Bandara, G Li, LB Schwartz, S Spiegel, DB Straus, DH Conrad, KD Bunting, JJ Ryan	11/01/2013
STAT5 in hematopoietic stem cell biology and transplantation. JAK-STAT	Z Wang, KD Bunting	10/01/2013
The psoriasis-associated D10N variant of the adaptor Act1 with impaired regulation by the molecular chaperone hsp90. Nature immunology	C Wang, L Wu, K Bulek, BN Martin, JA Zepp, Z Kang, C Liu, T Herjan, S Misra, JA Carman, J Gao, A Dongre, S Han, KD Bunting, JS Ko, H Xiao, VK Kuchroo, W Ouyang, X Li	01/01/2013
Role of SHP2 phosphatase in KIT-induced transformation: identification of SHP2 as a druggable target in diseases involving oncogenic KIT. Blood	RS Mali, P Ma, LF Zeng, H Martin, B Ramdas, Y He, E Sims, S Nabinger, J Ghosh, N Sharma, V Munugalavadla, A Chatterjee, S Li, G Sandusky, AW Craig, KD Bunting, GS Feng, RJ Chan, ZY Zhang, R Kapur	09/27/2012
Mutation of STAT1/3 binding sites in gp130(FXXQ) knock-in mice does not alter hematopoietic stem cell repopulation or self-renewal potential. American journal of stem cells	Z Wang, Z Kang, Y Zhang, W Tse, KD Bunting	06/30/2012
Th17 related cytokines in acute myeloid leukemia. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)	P Li, M Ji, J Park, KD Bunting, C Ji, W Tse	06/01/2012
HIF-1α deletion partially rescues defects of hematopoietic stem cell quiescence caused by Cited2 deficiency. Blood	J Du, Y Chen, Q Li, X Han, C Cheng, Z Wang, D Danielpour, SL Dunwoodie, KD Bunting, YC Yang	03/22/2012
Novel mechanism for Fc{epsilon}RI-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) tyrosine phosphorylation and the selective influence of STAT5B over mast cell cytokine production. The Journal of biological chemistry	NA Pullen, BO Barnstein, YT Falanga, Z Wang, R Suzuki, TD Tamang, MC Khurana, EA Harry, P Draber, KD Bunting, K Mizuno, BS Wilson, JJ Ryan	01/13/2012
Gab adapter proteins as therapeutic targets for hematologic disease. Advances in hematology	S Verma, T Vaughan, KD Bunting	01/01/2012
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
Launching of american journal of stem cells. American journal of stem cells	KD Bunting, I Slukvin, P Wu, JW McDonald, D Wang	01/01/2012
Multiple apoptotic defects in hematopoietic cells from mice lacking lipocalin 24p3. The Journal of biological chemistry	Z Liu, A Yang, Z Wang, KD Bunting, G Davuluri, MR Green, LR Devireddy	06/10/2011
MIR29B regulates expression of MLLT11 (AF1Q), an MLL fusion partner, and low MIR29B expression associates with adverse cytogenetics and poor overall survival in AML. British journal of haematology	Y Xiong, Z Li, M Ji, AC Tan, J Bemis, JV Tse, G Huang, J Park, C Ji, J Chen, LT Bemis, KD Bunting, W Tse	06/01/2011
Serine phosphorylation of the Stat5a C-terminus is a driving force for transformation. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)	K Friedbichler, A Hoelbl, G Li, KD Bunting, V Sexl, F Gouilleux, R Moriggl	06/01/2011
Grb2-associated binding (Gab) proteins in hematopoietic and immune cell biology. American journal of blood research	TY Vaughan, S Verma, KD Bunting	01/01/2011
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
Stat5a serine 725 and 779 phosphorylation is a prerequisite for hematopoietic transformation. Blood	K Friedbichler, MA Kerenyi, B Kovacic, G Li, A Hoelbl, S Yahiaoui, V Sexl, EW Müllner, S Fajmann, S Cerny-Reiterer, P Valent, H Beug, F Gouilleux, KD Bunting, R Moriggl	09/02/2010
Another Lnk to STAT activation. Blood	KD Bunting	08/12/2010
Effective targeting of STAT5-mediated survival in myeloproliferative neoplasms using ABT-737 combined with rapamycin. Leukemia	G Li, KL Miskimen, Z Wang, XY Xie, W Tse, F Gouilleux, R Moriggl, KD Bunting	08/01/2010
Direct and differential suppression of myeloid-derived suppressor cell subsets by sunitinib is compartmentally constrained. Cancer research	JS Ko, P Rayman, J Ireland, S Swaidani, G Li, KD Bunting, B Rini, JH Finke, PA Cohen	05/01/2010
STAT5 requires the N-domain for suppression of miR15/16, induction of bcl-2, and survival signaling in myeloproliferative disease. Blood	G Li, KL Miskimen, Z Wang, XY Xie, J Brenzovich, JJ Ryan, W Tse, R Moriggl, KD Bunting	02/18/2010
Gab2 promotes hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and self-renewal synergistically with STAT5. PloS one	G Li, Z Wang, KL Miskimen, Y Zhang, W Tse, KD Bunting	02/10/2010
Conditional deletion of STAT5 in adult mouse hematopoietic stem cells causes loss of quiescence and permits efficient nonablative stem cell replacement. Blood	Z Wang, G Li, W Tse, KD Bunting	05/14/2009
Elevated AF1q expression is a poor prognostic marker for adult acute myeloid leukemia patients with normal cytogenetics. American journal of hematology	CJ Strunk, U Platzbecker, C Thiede, M Schaich, T Illmer, Z Kang, P Leahy, C Li, X Xie, MJ Laughlin, HM Lazarus, SL Gerson, KD Bunting, G Ehninger, W Tse	05/01/2009
IL-3 induces basophil expansion in vivo by directing granulocyte-monocyte progenitors to differentiate into basophil lineage-restricted progenitors in the bone marrow and by increasing the number of basophil/mast cell progenitors in the spleen. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)	K Ohmori, Y Luo, Y Jia, J Nishida, Z Wang, KD Bunting, D Wang, H Huang	03/01/2009
An ENU-induced recessive mutation in Mpl leads to thrombocytopenia with overdominance. Experimental hematology	ER Chan, H Lavender, G Li, P Haviernik, KD Bunting, MD Adams	02/01/2009
CLPs find their inner T-cell potential. Blood	KD Bunting	01/22/2009
STAT3- and STAT5-dependent pathways competitively regulate the pan-differentiation of CD34pos cells into tumor-competent dendritic cells. Blood	PA Cohen, GK Koski, BJ Czerniecki, KD Bunting, XY Fu, Z Wang, WJ Zhang, CS Carter, M Awad, CA Distel, H Nagem, CC Paustian, TD Johnson, JF Tisdale, S Shu	09/01/2008
New insights into cord blood stem cell transplantation. Current opinion in hematology	W Tse, KD Bunting, MJ Laughlin	07/01/2008
Identification of 6-benzylthioinosine as a myeloid leukemia differentiation-inducing compound. Cancer research	DN Wald, HM Vermaat, S Zang, A Lavik, Z Kang, G Peleg, SL Gerson, KD Bunting, ML Agarwal, BL Roth, W Tse	06/01/2008
Umbilical cord blood transplantation in adult myeloid leukemia. Bone marrow transplantation	WW Tse, SL Zang, KD Bunting, MJ Laughlin	03/01/2008
Hematopoiesis in mice is extremely resilient to wide variation in TIMP/MMP balance. Blood cells, molecules & diseases	P Haviernik, MT Diaz, E Haviernikova, W Tse, WG Stetler-Stevenson, KD Bunting	01/01/2008
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant into non-myeloablated W/Wv mice to detect steady-state engraftment defects. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	Z Wang, KD Bunting	01/01/2008
Retroviral transduction of murine hematopoietic stem cells. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	P Haviernik, Y Zhang, KD Bunting	01/01/2008
The expanding tool kit for hematopoietic stem cell research. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)	W Tse, KD Bunting	01/01/2008

Awards

In 2013, Dr. Bunting received the Emory Millipub Club for having published one or more individual papers throughout his career that have garnered more than 1,000 citations.