Biographical Sketch
NAME_______________________________
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
POSITION/TITLE
Research Assistant Professor
Lee, Soo Ok
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other professional education, and
include postdoctoral training)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
YEAR(s)
FIELD OF STUDY
Yonsei University at Seoul, Korea
Yonsei Graduate School, Seoul,
Korea
Rutgers University, New Jersey
B.S.
M.S.
1978
1980
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Ph.D.
1989
Asan Life Science Research Center at
Korea
Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry
Postdoctoral Sep.1990 – Molecular and Cell Biology
work
Jul. 1993
A. Personal Statement
The goal of the proposed research is to re-evaluate effects of the currently used antiandrogen/androgen receptor (AR) drugs and provide a better therapeutic approach to block
prostate cancer (PCa) growth and metastasis simultaneously. In the preliminary studies, we
found that the currently used anti-androgen/AR drugs are successful in reducing PCa growth,
but may increase the metastatic ability of PCa cells with induced macrophage infiltration.
However, the new AR degradation enhancer, ASC-J9®, was shown to be effective in reducing
both tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, we propose that to develop new therapies
targeting both pathways either by using the new anti-AR drug, ASC-J9®, or by applying a
combinational therapy with Casodex®/MDV 3100® with anti-metastasis drugs to simultaneously
suppress both PCa growth and invasion. (This sounds strange)
I have been in PCa research more than ten years with extensive publications as a first author
and recently I started to have publications as a corresponding author. I have expertise in AR
and recently, ever since joining The University of Rochester Medical Center (Pathology
Department), I have extended my knowledge and experience in normal and PCa stem cells,
transgenic mice model studies, and recently started working on PCa metastasis. I have shown
that AR plays a suppressor role in expansion of PCa stem cells. Recently, I have started my
researches on AR role in each cell type comprising the tumor microenvironment. I will play key
roles in designing experiments, analyzing data, and supervising all project members’ work.
B. Positions and Honors
1993. 3 - 1996.6 Teaching instructor at Yonsei Univeristy (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology,
Metabolism, Enzymology) and at TaeGu University (Biochemistry)
1996.8 - 1999.11 Senior Scientist at Research Institute of BMS at Seoul, Korea
1999.12 - 2000.7 Senior Scientist at Asan Life Science Research Center at Seoul, Korea
2000.8 - 2001.6 Research Professor at Ajou Medical School at Korea (Department of
Pharmacology)
2001.7 -2002.8 Research Associate at Pittsburgh Medical Center (Department of Urology)
2002.9–2007,12 Affiliate Member at Roswell Park Cancer Institute at Buffalo, New York
(Department of Medicine)
2008,1-present
Research Assistant Professor at University of Rochester Medical Center
(Department of Pathology)
C. Selected peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press (in chronological order).
1. Tan, D.F., Hou, M., Lee, S.O., Lou, W, Wang, J., Trump, D.L. and Gao, A.C. Interleukin-6
polymorphism and risk of advanced prostate cancer. J. Urology 174, 753-756, (2005) PMID:
16006970
2. Lee, S.O., Nadiminty, N., Wu, X.X., Lou, W., Dong, Y, IP, C, Onate, S.A. and Gao, A.C.
Selenium disrupts estrogen signaling by altering estrogen receptor expression and ligand
binding in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res. 65, 3487-92 (2005) PMID: 15833885
3. Lee, S.O., Chun, J.Y., Nadiminty, N. and Gao, A.C. Monomethylated selenium inhibits
growth of LNCaP human prostate cancer xenograft accompanied by a decrease in the
expression of androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Prostate 66, 1070-1075
(2006) PMID: 16637076
4. Lee, S.O., Chun, J.Y., Nadiminty, N., Lou, W. and Gao, A.C. Interleukin-6 undergoes
transition from growth inhibitor associated with neuroendocrine differentiation to stimulator
accompanied by androgen receptor activation during LNCaP prostate cancer cell progression.
Prostate 67, 764-773 (2007) PMID: 17373716
5. Lee, S.O., Dutt, S.S., Nadiminty, N., Pinder, E., Liao, H and Gao A.C. Development of an
androgen- deprivation induced and androgen suppressed human prostate cancer cell line.
Prostate 67, 1293-1300 (2007) PMID: 17626246
6. Lee, S.O., Chun J.Y., Hu Y., Pinder, E., Lou W., and Gao A.C. Interleukin-4 stimulates
androgen- independent growth in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells Prostate 68, 85-91
(2008) PMID: 18008330
7. Lee, S.O., Chun, J.Y., Nadiminty, N., Lou, W., Feng, S. and Gao, A.C. Interleukin-4
activates androgen receptor through CBP/p300. Prostate, 69, 126-132 (2009) PMID: 18819102,
PMCID: PMC3035998, NIHMS75325
8. Soo Ok Lee, Kuo-Pao Lai, Shuyuan Yeh, and Chawnshang Chang. Differential functions
of stromal and epithelial androgen receptor in prostate cancer before and after castration
resistant stage. (2012) Springer Book Review. Chapter 9
9. Soo Ok Lee*, Jing Tian, Chiung-Kuei Huang, Zhifang Ma, Kuo-Pao Lai, Hsimin Hsiao,
Ming Jiang, Shuyuan Yeh, and Chawnshang Chang. Suppressor role of androgen receptor in
proliferation of prostate basal epithelial and progenitor cells. (2012) J Endo 213: 173-182
(*Corresponding author) PMID: 22393245 PMC-In progress.
10. Soo Ok Lee, Zhifang Ma, Chiuan-Ren Yeh, Jie Luo, Tzu-Hua Lin, Kuo-Pao Lai, Shinichi
Yamashita, Liang Liang, Jing Tian, Lei Li, Qi Jiang, Chiung-Kuei Huang, Shuyuan Yeh, and
Chawnshang Chang. New therapy targeting differential androgen receptor signaling in prostate
cancer stem/progenitor vs non-stem/progenitor cells. (2012) J Mol Cell Biol (in press). PMID:
22831834, PMC-In progress.
11. Jing Tian, Soo Ok Lee*, Liang Liang, Jie Luo, Chiung-Kuei Huang, Lei Li, Yunjie Niu,
and Chawnshang Chang. Targeting the unique methylation pattern of AR promoter in prostate
stem/progenitor cells with 5-AZA leads to suppressed prostate tumorigenesis. (2012) J Biol
Chem 287:39954-39966 (*Co-first author). PMID: 23012352, PMCID: PMC3501037.
12. Chiung-Kuei Huang, Soo Ok Lee*, Kuo-Pao Lai, Wen-Lung Ma, Tzu-Hua Lin, Meng-Yin
Tsai, Jie Luo, and Chawnshang Chang. Targeting androgen receptor in bone marrow
mesenchymal stem cells leads to better transplantation therapy efficacy in liver cirrhosis. (2012)
Hapatology (in press) (*Co-first author). PMID:23150236 PMC-In progress.
13. Li. L, Xie H, Liang L, Gao Y, Zhang D, Fang L, Lee SO, Luo J, Chen X, Wang X, Chang
LS, Yeh S, Wang Y, He D, Chang C. Increased PrLZ-mediated androgen receptor
transactivation promotes prostate cancer growth at castration-resistant stage. (2012)
Carcinogenesis (in press). PMID: 23104178
14. Lai KP, Huang CK, Chang YJ, Chung CY, Yamashita S, Li L, Lee SO, Yeh S, Chang C.
New Therapeutic Approach to Suppress Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Using ASC-J9
via Targeting Androgen Receptor in Selective Prostate Cells. (2012) Am J Pathol (in press).
PMID:23219429
15. Chiung-Kuei Huang, Meng-Yin Tsai, Jie Luo, Soo Ok Lee*, and Chawnshang Chang,*.
Suppression of Androgen Receptor, A Key Factor in Male Sexual Phenotype, Enhances the Selfrenewal of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through Elevated Expression of EGFR. (2012) BBA (in press)
(*Co-corresponding author).
C. Research Support
Active:
Departmental Support.
Pending:
1. NY stem cells (50%), IIRP, 3yrs, role: PI (main PI of the multiple PI plan with Dr. Chawnshang
Chang) 09/01/2013-8/31/2016
Title: Targeting differential androgen receptor suppressor/proliferator roles in stem/progenitor vs
non-stem/progenitor cells to battle prostate cancer. Goal of this study is to develop a new effective
combination therapy targeting PCa-stem/progenitor and non-stem/progenitor cells to block PCa.
2. NY stem cells (50%), IIRP, 3yrs, role: co-PI (multiple PI plan with Dr. Chawnshang Chang)
09/01/2013-08/31/2016
Title: Targeting androgen receptor enhances transplantation efficacy of bone marrow derived
mesenchymal stem cells in liver cirrhosis. Goal ot this study is to combine AR knockout strategy to
the conventional BM-MSCs transplantation method to improve transplantation efficiency to cure
liver cirrhosis.