Zhijian Qian Lab

Research Lab Overview

The Qian Laboratory is dedicated to uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive the initiation and progression of myeloid malignancies, with a primary focus on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These disorders develop from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that acquire genetic and epigenetic alterations, ultimately disrupting normal hematopoiesis and promoting leukemic transformation. Our overarching goal is to define the molecular complexity underlying this process and to identify novel regulatory networks that control hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fate decisions, leukemic stem cell (LSC) maintenance and disease evolution.

Our research integrates multiple disciplines — cancer stem cell biology, RNA biology and the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of gene expression — to provide a systems-level understanding of leukemia pathogenesis. We are particularly interested in how transcriptional, epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms converge to reprogram HSCs during malignant transformation. Using state-of-the-art genomic, transcriptomic and functional approaches in both mouse models and patient-derived samples, we aim to dissect the interplay between oncogenic signaling, RNA modification pathways and chromatin regulation that sustains the self-renewal and therapy resistance of LSCs.

Beyond blood cancers, we are expanding our research to explore whether similar mechanisms operate in solid tumors, aiming to uncover shared principles of cancer stem cell regulation. By translating these discoveries into new therapeutic strategies, our long-term vision is to develop targeted treatments that selectively eliminate cancer stem cells while preserving normal stem cell function — ultimately improving outcomes for patients with cancer.

Principle Investigator: Zhijian Qian, Ph.D.

Zhijian Qian, Ph.D., joined the Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope^® as a professor and vice chair of the Department of Systems Biology in August 2025.  His research spans various tumor types, including acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and lung cancer, and is currently supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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