Chen Zhang
Ran the liver-specific Tsc1-knockout mouse study showing that non-canonical mTORC1–TFEB activation drives hepatocyte plasticity and aggressive liver cancer
PhD candidate · Wen-Xing Ding Lab – University of Kansas Medical Center
Chen Zhang is a PhD candidate in Wen-Xing Ding's laboratory at the University of Kansas Medical Center, studying alcohol-related liver disease, fatty liver disease and liver cancer. As first author on the 2026 J Clin Invest paper, he showed that knocking out TSC1 in mouse hepatocytes paradoxically drives TFEB (the lysosomal/autophagy master regulator) into the nucleus despite hyperactive mTORC1 — a 'non-canonical' activation that pushes hepatocytes toward a more plastic, biliary-like state and ultimately high-grade hepatocellular carcinoma.
Milestones in the Atlas
| Year | Evidence | Study |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | A | Non-canonical mTORC1-TFEB activation promotes hepatocyte plasticity and high-grade malignancy in hepatocellular carcinoma. ZHANG2026 First author; led the Tsc1-knockout mouse studies showing non-canonical mTORC1-TFEB activation drives hepatocyte plasticity and high-grade malignancy in HCC. |