Jane B Lian

Jane B Lian serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation at UMass Chan Medical School, with additional affiliations in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology. Her research spans skeletal biology, cancer metastasis to bone, and epigenetic regulation of bone formation.

Education:

• BS in Chemistry from Fordham University
• MS in Biophysics from University of Rochester
• PhD in Biochemistry from Boston University School of Medicine

Dr. Lian's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms regulating skeletal development and metastasis of cancer cells to bone. Her laboratory investigates combinatorial control mechanisms for skeletal development, tissue-specific gene regulatory mechanisms, cancer cell biology in the bone microenvironment, and gene therapy for skeletal diseases. Current investigations include how bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family, Wnt signaling pathway, and Hox homeodomain factors integrate for tissue-specific gene expression, with particular focus on the transcription factor Runx2/Cbfa1 essential for skeletal development.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on epigenetic regulation in bone biology, particularly the role of long non-coding RNAs in osteoblast differentiation and stem cell fate determination. Her work increasingly connects skeletal development pathways with cancer metastasis mechanisms, especially how Runx2 activity influences breast and prostate cancer progression in bone. Emerging research directions include microRNA approaches to cancer risk assessment and the role of chromatin organization in cell cycle regulation during cancer progression.

Dr. Lian mentors graduate and MD/PhD students through research projects investigating molecular mechanisms of bone formation and cancer metastasis. Her laboratory employs diverse approaches including cell culture models for chondrocyte and osteoblast differentiation, gene regulation studies, and characterization of mouse phenotypes. Current grant-supported work focuses on understanding the epigenetic regulation of bone formation and developing targeted therapies for skeletal diseases and bone metastasis.

Her research team operates at the intersection of skeletal biology and cancer research, with particular expertise in the Runx2 transcription factor network. The laboratory utilizes advanced techniques including chromatin immunoprecipitation, enforced expression and siRNA knockdown studies, transgenic mouse models, and in vivo imaging of tumor growth. Current projects aim to develop tissue engineering approaches for skeletal diseases and identify novel therapeutic targets for preventing cancer metastasis to bone.