I was born in Ji’nan, the capital of Shandong Province, China. I came to U.S. in 2003 to pursue a Ph.D. degree after getting a Bachelor and a master degree in Biology in China. I feel it was a great opportunity to study in the University of Kansas Medical Center. I enjoyed a lot of the friendly environment here at KUMC. As a student I not only learned the knowledge from the textbooks inside the classroom, but also got hands-on trainings in the laboratory. In addition, campus-wide actively ongoing academic events including several series of seminars in every semester were also very beneficial to me, where I was exposed to basic, translational, and clinical research in various fields. I would cherish the study experience in the department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, and I enjoy the life in Kansas City.
Research Interests
Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a subject that has interested me for several years. Cells undergo apoptosis (suicide) during normal embryonic development and in order to maintain tissue homeostasis in the adult organism. Consequently, if cells refuse to obey such orders or if there is something wrong with the execution or regulation of the apoptosis pathway, then cancer, autoimmune disorders, or neurodegenerative disease may happen. Despite investigators’ best efforts, many fundamental questions about apoptosis remain unresolved.
Some examples are: What constitutes a death signal? How do cells sense DNA damage in the nucleus and then conduct suicide? What is the molecular and biochemical connection between DNA damage and the activation of cell death pathways? Apart from such general questions, my research project is specifically geared toward determining the role that the caspase-2 enzyme plays during the early response to DNA damage. Overall, if we can find the answers to these types of questions, we will be better able to understand how apoptosis is regulated, and this may provide a foundation for further clinical application.
Pengli Bu
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics
The University of Kansas Medical Center
MS1018
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160
Phone: (913) 588-7140
Fax: (913) 588-7501
E-Mail: pbu@kumc.edu
Updated 9/5/08
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The University of Kansas Medical Center