Julia Cheng, Phd Email & Phone Number

United States

United States

As a member of the Medical Affairs team, I collaborate with internal members and cross-functional teams to continuously improve the contents of Caris's biomarker-directed clinical oncology patient report for solid tumors and liquid biopsies so it reflects the most current advances in precision medicine.

Tucson, Az

My doctoral research in Dr. Janet Funk’s laboratory at the UA’s Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary program was focused on elucidating the tumor-signaling pathways that drive estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer osteolytic bone metastasis within the bone microenvironment. The long-term goal of this research is to develop targeted therapeutics for clinical use and to improve the lives of patients. Our laboratory characterized preclinical murine models of ER+ breast cancer osteolytic bone metastasis and I utilized these models to assess the roles of tumoral transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and estrogen signaling within the bone microenvironment as separate and additive drivers of osteolytic progression.Publications: Cheng, JN, Frye JB, Whitman SA, Kunihiro AG, Paney R, and Funk JL. A role for TGFβ signaling in preclinical osteolytic estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer bone metastases progression. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021, 22(9), 4463. PMID: 33923316Cheng JN, Frye JB, Whitman SA, Kunihiro AG, Brickey JA, and Funk JL. Osteolytic effects of tumoral estrogen signaling in an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer bone metastasis model. Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment. 2021;7:17. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2021.27Cheng JN, Frye JB, Whitman SA, and Funk JL. Skeletal impact of 17β‐estradiol in T cell‐deficient mice: age‐dependent bone effects and osteosarcoma formation. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis. 2020, 37 (2) 269-81. PMID: 31863240

Along with managing Dr. Karen Anderson's lab of 15+ personnel at the Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics in daily administrative duties (eg. lab organization, safety training, point-of-contact for vendors and collaborators), I led the optimization of novel cost-effective and high-throughput magnetic multiplexing bead-based and plate-based immunoassays for diagnostic and prognostic serous biomarker detection of a variety of cancers, including oropharyngeal cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Our work on HPV-associated oropharyngeal biomarkers in collaboration with multiple research institutions cumulated in three publications in peer-reviewed journals and a presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research conference. Additionally, the effectiveness of the plate-based immunoassay was determined for the early detection of the measles virus, and resulted in a presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference. These immunoassay platforms and biomarkers are currently being evaluated in large multi-center clinical studies to be adapted into point-of-care detection of cancer and other infectious diseases.Publications: Please scroll down to Publications section.

Tempe, Az

I spent one semester in the laboratory of Dr. Shelley Haydel at the Center of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at ASU. Dr. Haydel studies the mechanisms required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis, with the goal of developing vaccines and therapeutics to supplement the ever-decreasing effectiveness of current antibiotics due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains. I worked closely with her laboratory technician to clone a component of one of these potential required mechanisms (called the prrAB two-component system) using a variety of genome manipulating tools such as custom plasmid design, PCR, and DNA blots. Dr. Haydel is currently investigating targeting the prrAB two-component system in cell culture and animal models. Working in Dr. Haydel’s lab, where she also studies the antibacterial properties of metal ions in clay, inspired my own research on alternative antibacterial agents for common and drug-resistant bacterial infections, and led to my undergraduate Honors thesis on developing in vivo studies to assess the efficacy of these agents.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Cancer Biology

Bachelor’S Degree, Microbiology, General

Activities and Societies: Asian Student Association: Member from 2008-2011; Vice-president from 2009-2010; President from 2010-2011.