Biography

Binghui Shen, Ph.D., joined City of Hope in 1996 as an assistant professor. He rose to associate professor in 2000 and was appointed director of the Division of Radiation Biology in 2003. In 2012, he was appointed chair of the Department of Radiation Biology. He was promoted to full professor in 2004. In 2009, he was appointed associate chair of the Department of Cancer Biology.

Dr. Shen’s studies focus on the biochemistry and genetics of enzymes called nucleases that are involved in DNA replication and repair. These nucleases are responsible for the removal of fragments of genetic molecules, including DNA damaged by radiation and other factors, as the cell creates copies of its DNA. Defects in these enzymes contribute to an increase in the number of mutations and can lead to cancer. Recently, Dr. Shen’s group established several mouse cancer etiological models based on functional deficiency of flap endonuclease-1, and enzyme he has been studying for the last 15 years.

After graduating from Zhejiang University in the People’s Republic of China, Dr. Shen obtained his doctorate at Kansas State University. He completed his first post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of California, Irvine, and another in the Life Sciences Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

Dr. Shen’s memberships include the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Radiation Research, the Radiation Study Section of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense’s 2002 Breast Cancer Research Program panel. He has published more than 75 peer-reviewed journal articles and, since joining City of Hope, has been awarded eight NIH grants.

Professional Memberships

American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Society of Radiation Research

Radiation Study Section of the National Institutes of Health

Department of Defense’s 2002 Breast Cancer Research Program panel

Cancer Etiology Study Section of the National Institutes of Health (2008-)

Executive Council, Chinese Biological Investigators Society (www.cbisociety.org)