Hsing-Jien Kung

• 1969 B.S. in Chemistry; National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
• 1975 Ph.D. in Molecular Biology; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California (Dr. N. Davidson's lab)
• 1976.01-1978.03 Research Associate; University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California (Drs. M. J. Bishop and H.E. Varmus)

• 2018- Chair Professor, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
• 2017.02-2017.09 Acting Director of Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
• 2012-2017 Distinguished Investigator, Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
• 2012-2015 President, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
• 2008- Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, U. C. Davis, Medical School
• 1998-2012 Deputy Director and Director of Basic Research, U. C. Davis Cancer Center
• 1998-2008 Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, U. C. Davis, Medical School
• 1997-1998 Director of Division of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, ROC
• 1990-1998 Associate Director of Case Western Reserve University Cancer Center
• 1989-1998 Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine
• 1988.07-1998.09 Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine
• 1987-1988 Visiting Professor of Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, ROC
• 1984.06-1988.07 Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine
• 1982.07-1984.06 Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Michigan State University
• 1978.03-1982.06 Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, March
• 1976.01-1978.02 Postdoctoral Fellow of University of California at San Francisco Medical School

• Distinguished Chair Professor, National Chiao Tung University, 2013-present
• NIH Norman Salzman Lectureship, 2012
• Distinguished Chair Professor of Taiwan Medical University, 2011-present
• Distinguished Chair Professor of National Tsing-Hua University, 2010-present
• Distinguished Chair Professor of Translational Medicine and Integrated Lab, Taipei, Medical University, 2010-present
• Distinguished Chair Professor of College of Life Science, National Tsing-Hua University, 2009-present
• Honorary Distinguished Fellow, National Health Research Institute, Taiwan, 2008-present
• Auburn Community Cancer Endowed Chair in Basic Science, 2007
• Joan Oettinger Memorial Award in Lung and Cancer Research, 2006
• Society of American Asian Scientists in Cancer Research (SAASCR), recipient of annual award, 2006
• UC Davis School of Medicine Faculty Research Award, 2005
• CaP CURE Research Award, 1999
• Academician, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, ROC, since 1998
• Goodman-Blum Professor in Cancer Research, Case Western Reserve University, 1997
• NCI MERIT Award, CA46613, 1993-2002
• NCI MERIT Award, CA39207, 1991-2000
• American Cancer Society Faculty Research Development Award, 1983-1988
• Faculty Research Award, American Cancer Society, 1983-1987
• Fellow of Leukemia Society of America, 1976-1977 

• Cancer Virology
• Genetics
• Epigenetics
• Therapeutics

Dr.Kung’s lab has a long standing interest in tyrosine kinases, histone demethylases and androgen receptor regulation. His lab was credited for the original discovery of erbB/EGFR as a target gene for retroviral insertion, establishing this locus as a protooncogene, initial cloning of human c-src gene and demonstrating oncogenecity of v-src DNA. In the area of prostate cancer, his lab was the first to establish: a tyrosine kinase profile, IL-6 induced neuroendocrine differentiation, the involvement of Src/Etk/FAK trio-kinase complex in androgen-independent growth. More recently, his lab contributed to the identification of the origin of the newest human retrovirus, XMRV and dispelled its direct relationship to prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome.

His current research specifically focuses on the identification of genetic and epigenetic factors contributing to the development of human malignancies including prostate cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi’s sarcoma is caused by Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesviruses (KSHV). The lab discovered that KSHV encodes a SUMO-E3 ligase and a SUMO-targeting Ubiquitin ligase (STUbL).  Under investigations are posttranslational modifiers of signal molecules and chromatins, which include kinases, E3 SUMO ligases and histone demethylases. In collaborative studies, the lab is also involved in developing inhibitors or therapeutic agents which target these oncogenes, resulting in specific and enhanced killing of tumor cells. More recent work has been directed toward the understanding of autophagy (self-eating) as a modulator of apoptosis (self-killing). Efforts are being made to develop effective means to measure autophagy and to modulate this process.