Shu-Yuan Cheng

Shu-Yuan
Cheng

Professor

Phone number
646.557.4637
Room number
05.61.09NB

Areas of expertise

Most requested topics by media

  • Cancer Research
  • Opioids / Controlled Substances

Faculty Expertise: topics/keywords

Areas of expertise include: Toxicology, Pharmacology, Molecular Biology, and Neuroscience.

C.V.

View C.V.

Education

Post doc   New York University, School of Medicine 
(Psychiatry and Pharmacology)
Post doc    New York Medical College 
(Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
PhD          St. John's University, New York (Toxicology)
MS            St. John's University, New York (Toxicology)
BS             Taipei Medical College, Taiwan (Pharmacy)

Bio

  • To study the roles that environmental toxins (dithiocarbamate compounds) play in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, particularly regarding how they alter protein-protein interactions (e.g., involving $\alpha$-synuclein and the dopamine transporter).
  • To identify the target genes and signaling pathways (such as NF-$\kappa$B and Akt/mTOR) that are affected by these environmental toxins.
  • To elucidate whether antioxidants (such as green tea extracts, curcumin, and thymoquinone) can reverse dithiocarbamate-triggered toxic responses.
  • To elucidate the pharmacological mechanisms of the anticancer drug Mitomycin C and its analogs.
  • To unveil potential cellular pathways regulated by Mitomycin C and its analogs based on proteomic analysis of MCF-7 and K562 cells.
  • To unveil the cell death mechanisms of newly synthesized indium- and iron-terpyridine complexes in breast cancer cell lines.
  • To understand the role that the dopamine transporter plays in marijuana exposure.
  • To investigate the in vitro toxicity and molecular pharmacological mechanisms of newly synthesized anticancer compounds.
  • To monitor substances of abuse in New York City wastewater using LC-MS/MS.
  • To investigate the cytotoxicity of e-cigarette aerosol containing THC, CBD, or synthetic cannabinoids.
     

 

JJC Affiliations

Society of Toxicology (SOT); Mid-Atlantic Society of Toxicology (MASOT)

Courses Taught

BIO375/376 Human Anatomy and Physiology I/II

BIO 412/413 Molecular Biology I/II

FOS 726 Forensic Toxicology

TOX 313 Environmental and Industrial Agents

TOX338 Cellular and Molecular Toxicology

TOX 415 Forensic Pharmacology

TOX 416 Analytical Toxicology

SCI210 Toxin or Not

 

 

 

 

Scholarly Work

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/shu-yuan.cheng.1/bibliography/public/

Research Summary

My research operates at the intersection of molecular toxicology, cancer therapeutics, and public health tracking:

  • Neurotoxicology & Antioxidant Protection: I investigate how dithiocarbamate compounds alter protein-protein interactions ($\alpha$-synuclein, dopamine transporter) and signaling pathways (NF-$\kappa$B, Akt/mTOR) in neurodegenerative diseases, and evaluate whether antioxidants (green tea extracts, curcumin, thymoquinone) can reverse these toxic outcomes.
  • Oncology & Drug Discovery: I explore the molecular pharmacology, cellular pathway alterations, and cell death mechanisms of novel anticancer agents—including synthesized indium- and iron-terpyridine complexes in breast cancer cells—and Mitomycin C analogs via proteomic analysis in MCF-7 and K562 cells.
  • Environmental Health & Substance Exposure: I assess the cytotoxicity of e-cigarette aerosols containing THC, CBD, or synthetic cannabinoids, investigate dopamine transporter involvement in marijuana exposure, and monitor substances of abuse in municipal wastewater using LC-MS/MS.