Hui Zhang

Hui Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), affiliated with the Solar Energy Initiative and the Chemical Biology & Proteomics program group. His SEB Lab (702-895-0197) focuses on molecular mechanisms linking protein modifications to disease.

Research spans cancer biology, epigenetics, and proteomics, emphasizing ubiquitin-proteasome regulation, histone modifications, and DNA replication control. Key interests include EZH2/SOX2 stability networks, MET receptor signaling, and stem cell factor regulation through methylation-phosphorylation switches. Work integrates chemical biology to dissect pathways in embryonic carcinomas and teratocarcinomas.

Recent publications (2016-2024) reveal consistent themes: ubiquitin ligases (CRL4, SCF) regulate stem cell proteins via methylation-dependent proteolysis, while LSD1 inhibitors selectively target pluripotent cancer cells. Studies connect histone modifiers (MLL complex) to DNA replication licensing and chromosomal instability, with therapeutic implications for cancer.

Dr. Zhang's laboratory within UNLV's Solar Energy Initiative employs proteomic and biochemical approaches to investigate post-translational modification crosstalk in disease mechanisms, particularly cancer progression and stem cell dysregulation.