Jian Feng, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physiology & Biophysics

State University of New York at Buffalo
jianfeng@buffalo.edu

Dr. Feng has been working with mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells for over ten years to generate various genetic changes in mice to model human diseases. Current research at Dr. Feng’s laboratory is focused on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease. His work on parkin has revealed many novel insights into the cellular function of the protein and its impact on the survival of nigral dopaminergic neurons, whose death causes the locomotor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. His research utilizes mouse ES cells for the generation of animal models of Parkinson’s disease.

In addition, Dr. Feng is generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to study both familial and idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. By using patient-specific iPSC-derived midbrain dopaminergic neurons, Dr. Feng hopes to study genetic and environmental factors associated with Parkinson’s disease in the cells that are most significantly damaged in the disease. His long-term goals are to redefine and study Parkinson’s disease in more molecular and cellular terms and identify novel therapeutic strategies based on mechanistic studies.

Select Publications

Ren Y, Jiang H, Yang F, Nakaso K, Feng J. Parkin protects dopaminergic neurons against microtubule-depolymerizing toxins by attenuating microtubule-associated protein kinase activation. J Biol Chem. 2009 Feb 6;284(6):4009-17.

Jiang Q, Ren Y, Feng J. Direct binding with histone deacetylase 6 mediates the reversible recruitment of parkin to the centrosome. J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 26;28(48):12993-3002.

Y. Ren and J. Feng (2007) Rotenone Selectively Kills Serotonergic Neurons through a Microtubule-dependent Mechanism. J. Neurochem. 103:303-311.

J. Feng (2006). Microtubule: a Common Target for Parkin and Parkinson's Disease Toxins. Neuroscientist. 12:469-476.

Jiang Q, Yan Z, Feng J. Neurotrophic factors stabilize microtubules and protect against rotenone toxicity on dopaminergic neurons. J Biol Chem. 2006 Sep 29;281(39):29391-400.

Jiang Q, Yan Z, Feng J. Activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors attenuates rotenone toxicity on dopaminergic neurons through a microtubule-dependent mechanism. J Neurosci. 2006 Apr 19;26(16):4318-28.

Jiang H, Jiang Q, Liu W, Feng J. Parkin suppresses the expression of monoamine oxidases. J Biol Chem. 2006 Mar 31;281(13):8591-9.

Ren Y, Liu W, Jiang H, Jiang Q, Feng J. Selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons to microtubule depolymerization. J Biol Chem. 2005 Oct 7;280(40):34105-12.

Yang F, Jiang Q, Zhao J, Ren Y, Sutton MD, Feng J. Parkin stabilizes microtubules through strong binding mediated by three independent domains. J Biol Chem. 2005 Apr 29;280(17):17154-62.

Jiang H, Jiang Q, Feng J. Parkin increases dopamine uptake by enhancing the cell surface expression of dopamine transporter. J Biol Chem. 2004 Dec 24;279(52):54380-6.

Jiang H, Ren Y, Zhao J, Feng J. Parkin protects human dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells against dopamine-induced apoptosis. Hum Mol Genet. 2004 Aug 15;13(16):1745-54.

Ren Y, Zhao J, Feng J. Parkin binds to alpha/beta tubulin and increases their ubiquitination and degradation. J Neurosci. 2003 Apr 15;23(8):3316-24.