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Spotlight on Dr. Xinhua Ji
Dr. Ji heads the Biomolecular Structure Section at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), which is a part of the Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, headed by Dr. Alexander Wlodawer. According to Dr. Ji, his research “addresses the structure and function of biomolecular systems of anticancer and/or antimicrobial significance and explores the feasibility of structure-based drug design, targeting such biomolecules. In collaboration with Dr. Larry Keefer here at NCI-Frederick, and Dr. Shivendra Singh of the University of Pittsburgh, we have been able to develop a new family of anticancer pro-drug molecules.” These new pro-drugs are activated by an enzyme inside cancer cells, which releases nitric oxide to kill the cells or inhibit their growth without damaging healthy cells. A patent for this research was granted in Australia in 2001, in the United States in 2003, and just this year in Europe. The patent on Dr. Ji and his collaborators’ invention means that further work on developing a drug using this breakthrough will be done by a drug company. “This is where we draw the line,” said Dr. Ji. “Drug development for this will be fascinating. It’s still probably 8 to 10 years away, but it will be a good therapy, with no side effects. It won’t be a poison; that’s why it’s called a pro-drug. We may still do some structure work to aid and improve the design of the drug, but essentially, my work is done there.” “We are a basic research laboratory,” explained Dr. Ji. “And, good things definitely come from basic research. It’s the foundation on which cancer therapy is based, and without it, there would be no breakthroughs in the ongoing search for good cancer drugs. We continue to use the knowledge we’ve gained and apply it to come up with new discoveries. In science, one has to continue learning all the time. It’s important that when we learn something new, have a new finding, we convey these new ideas to colleagues. Everyone should do what he or she does best. In the modern world, nobody can do everything, but through collaborations, each person makes a contribution, and that’s when good things happen,” he said. Of course, Dr. Ji and his group have a number of other structure-function–based research projects ongoing in the lab. He has joined forces with other scientists both from inside the NIH/NCI and from the extramural community to study the structure and function of ribonuclease III, RNA polymerase-associated transcription factors, biosynthetic pathway enzymes essential for microorganisms but absent from humans, and novel cross-reactive HIV-1–neutralizing Fab molecules. Although their effort are primarily devoted to basic research, Dr. Ji and his group are seeking opportunities to initiate or participate in translational research.
“And, that’s the advice I give to students today. It’s never too late (to choose a career), but you must always continue to study and learn. A researcher has to give equal attention to discovery and communication. You can learn and discover new things, but you must be able to communicate the results both orally and in writing.” Dr. Ji earned his Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma in 1990 and became a research assistant professor at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute before joining the National Cancer Institute at Frederick in 1995. He admits, in his soft-spoken way, but with a laugh that is infectious to anyone around him, that he makes time for other activities important to him. Included in those is a good game or two of ping-pong, which he and his wife enjoy almost daily. “We bought a house recently, and the main stipulation was that we had to have a room we could designate for the ping-pong table. We used to keep it in the garage, and never parked a car there. I have to say, my wife is the real pro, but we try to play as much as we can.” He stopped short of admitting who wins the most games in the household. In his research, his enthusiasm is contagious to those who work with him, and to those who just observe. “I enjoy what I have here, and what I have access to,” he says. “There are wonderful people at NCI and the science going on here is such a treasure.” To read more about Dr. Ji’s research, visit http://mcl1.ncifcrf.gov/ji.html . Here you will find more detailed information about Dr. Ji’s ongoing projects on folate pathway enzymes and RNA-processing proteins.
Maritta Grau, Editor Photography Department Jim Miller, Web Graphics and Development |
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Xinhua Ji began his career taking care of the basic medical needs of a small village in Northeast China. With only a high school education and a basic knowledge of chemistry, which he had gleaned from his classes, he became responsible for the health care of 1,000 people who lived in the small town. What started out in China as a career in medicine has led Dr. Ji to a quest, one that searches out cancer cells in the human body, and then seeks ways to kill those cells, leaving the healthy ones to thrive.
“I began my research career later in life than most of my peers,” Dr. Ji continues. “But what I was doing early, led me to science and research, and I learned early, the value of collaborations and good contacts in the field you choose. When I was asked to serve in that small village in China as their only medical doctor, I had no experience. But remember that, years ago, doctors were chemists, and so, because I had taken some high school chemistry, I became their choice as a doctor. I relied on past teachers and people I knew who could advise me. I stayed there for three years, and then became eligible for a job in the schools. I had about two months of extensive training, and then taught chemistry in middle school, high school, and teachers’ training school. At the same time, I was a licensed school doctor. I attended the National Teachers’ College of Inner Mongolia, where I was a chemistry major, and then received one year of intensive training in structural chemistry at the Nankai University in China. I knew by then what I wanted to do. And, that was to become a researcher. My education wasn’t continuous, but maybe that was good. Sometimes that makes you know exactly what you want,” he continued.