Feng Shao-01

Feng Shao

National Institute of Biological Sciences
China

Dr. Feng Shao is an investigator and deputy director at National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, China. He was a chemistry undergraduate of Peking University (1991-1996) and obtained his PhD from University of Michigan in 2003. Prior to returning to China to become a faculty member at NIBS in 2005, he was a Damon Runyon Postdoc Fellow at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Shao’s research spans from bacterial pathogenesis to innate immunity and to pyroptotic cell death. His group has identified several cytosolic pattern recognition receptors for major bacterial molecules, including caspase-11/4/5 for LPS. He also identified Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) whose cleavage by caspase-1/4/5/11 determines pyroptosis, which is critical for septic shock. Dr. Shao’s research further establishes a Gasdermin family of pore-forming factors, thereby re-defining pyroptosis as Gasdermin-mediated programmed necrosis. Among the family, Gasdermin-E (GSDME) is activated by caspase-3, playing important contributions to the adverse effect of chemotherapy drugs. Dr. Shao‘s work has been well recognized by numerous awards including the HHMI International Early Career Award and the Irving Sigal Young Investigator Award from the Protein Society. He is an elected member of the Chinese Academy of Science, an associate member of EMBO, and a fellow of American Academy of Microbiology.