Brian J. North, PhD

Associate Professor

Biomedical Sciences

B North

Contact

BrianNorth@creighton.edu
School of Medicine
Biomedical Sciences
Graduate School
Biomedical Sciences (Doctorate)
Biomedical Sciences (Master of Science)
Translational Hearing
CRISS II - Criss 2 - 404

Brian J. North, PhD

Associate Professor

Biomedical Sciences

Brian J. North is an Assistant Professor in the Biomedical Sciences Department. After receiving his B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College, he completed his Ph.D. from the University of California San Francisco with Dr. Eric Verdin. He then went on to his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School with Dr. David Sinclair, and subsequently was a Research Assistant Professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where he worked closely with the lab of Dr. Wenyi Wei. His main research focus is to understand the molecular and cellular pathways involved in regulating the process of aging, and how changes in these pathways contribute to the development of age-related diseases, with a primary interest in tumorigenesis.

Learn more about Dr. North's research.

Cancer Research Focus

The North lab studies the interrelationship between aging and cancer. We are particularly interested in the the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in targeting tumor suppressors and oncogenes in an age-dependent manner. 

Cancer Research Area(s)
  • Colon Cancer
  • Skin Cancer
  • Age Related Cancer Mechanisms

 

Research Focus

Molecular basis for aging and its impact on age-related disease susceptibility; Understanding the roles of E3 ubiquitin ligases in tumorigenesis; Regulation and function of NAD+-dependent deacetylases

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Position

Associate Professor

Articles

  • Nature Cell Biology
    Gao, Y, Acetylation-dependent regulation of PD-L1 nuclear translocation dictates the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy
    22, p. 1064-1075 2020
  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer
    Ji Cheng, Jianping Guo, Brian J. North, Bin Wang, Chun-Ping Cui, Hongsheng Li, Kaixiong Tao, Lingqiang Zhang and Wenyi Wei. Functional analysis of deubiquitylating enzymes in tumorigenesis and development
    1872, p. 188-312 2019
  • Molecular Oncology
    Ying Ma, Danrui Cui, Xiufang Xiong, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Wenyi Wei, Yi Sun, Brian J. North,# and Yongchao Zhao#. SCFβ-TrCP ubiquitinates CHK1 in an AMPK-dependent manner in response to glucose deprivation
    13, p. 307-321 2019
  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer
    Ji Cheng, Jianping Guo, Brian J. North, Kaixiong Tao, Pengbo Zhou, and Wenyi Wei. The emerging role for Cullin 4 family of E3 ligases in tumorigenesis
    1871, p. 138-159 2019
  • Aging Cell
    Ji Cheng, Brian J. North, Tao Zhang, Xiangpeng Dai, Kaixiong Tao, Jianping Guo, and Wenyi Wei. The Emerging Roles of Protein Homeostasis Governing Pathways in Alzheimer's Disease
    17(5), p. e12801 2018
  • Protein & Cell
    Yanpeng Ci, Xiaoning Li, Maorong Chen, Jiateng Zhong, Brian J. North, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Xi He, Yu Li, Jianping Guo, and Xiangpeng Dai. SCFβ-TRCP E3 ubiquitin ligase targets the tumor suppressor ZNRF3 for ubiquitination and degradation
    9, p. 879-889 2018
  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer
    Ji Cheng, Jianping Guo, Zhiwei Wang, Brian J. North, Kaixiong Tao, Xiangpeng Dai, and Wenyi Wei. Functional analysis of Cullin 3 E3 ligases in tumorigenesis
    1869, p. 11-28 2018
  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
    Jianping Guo, Ji Cheng,  Brian J. North, and Wenyi Wei. Functional analysis of major cancer-related signaling pathways in Alzheimer’s disease etiology
    1868, p. 341-358 2017
  • Oncotarget
    Yuyong Tan, Yanpeng Ci, Xiangpeng Dai, Wenjian Gan, Fei Wu, Jianping Guo, Deliang Liu, Brian J. North#, Jirong Huo#, and Jinfang Zhang#. Cullin 3SPOP ubiquitin E3 ligase promotes the poly-ubiquitination and degradation of HDAC6
    8, p. 47890-47901 2017
  • Nature
    Bin Wang, Zuliang Jie, Donghyun Joo, Alban Ordureau, Pengda Liu, Jianping Guo, Wenjian Gan, Jinfang Zhang, Xiangpeng Dai, Brian J. North, Yuhan Chen, Xuhong Cheng, Xiuwu Bian, Lingqiang Zhang, J. Wade Harper, Shao-Cong Sun, and Wenyi Wei. TRAF2 and OTUD7B govern a ubiquitin-dependent switch that regulates mTORC2 signalling
    545, p. 365-369 2017
  • PLoS One
    Brian J. North, Ingrid Almeciga-Pinto, David Tamang, Min Yang, Simon S. Jones, and Steven N. Quayle. Enhancement of pomalidomide anti-tumor response with ACY-241, a selective HDAC6 inhibitor
    12, p. e0173507 2017
  • Science Signaling
    Naoe Taira Nihira, Kohei Ogura, Kouhei Shimizu, Brian J. North, Jinfang Zhang, Daming Gao, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, and Wenyi Wei. Acetylation-dependent regulation of Mdm2 oncogenic function
    10, 466, p. eaai8026 2017
  • Science Signaling
    Kouhei Shimizu, Hidefumi Fukushima, Kohei Ogura, Evan C. Lien, Naoe Taira Nihira, Jinfang Zhang, Brian J. North, Ailan Guo, Katsuyuki Nagashima, Tadashi Nakagawa, Seria Hoshikawa, Asami Watahiki, Koji Okabe, Aya Yamada, Alex Toker, John M. Asara, Satoshi Fukumoto, Keiichi I. Nakayama, Keiko Nakayama, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, and Wenyi Wei. The SCFbeta-TRCP E3 ubiquitin ligase complex targets Lipin1 for ubiquitination and degradation to promote hepatic lipogenesis.
    10, 460, p. eaah4117 2017
  • Oncotarget
    Li X,, Li X, Dai X, Wan L, Inuzuka H, Sun L, North BJ. Smurf1 regulation of DAB2IP controls cell proliferation and migration. Oncotarget. 2016 May 3;7(18):26057-69. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8424. PMID: 27036023; PMCID: PMC5041964. 2016
  • The Embo Journal
    North BJ, , North BJ, Rosenberg MA, Jeganathan KB, Hafner AV, Michan S, Dai J, Baker DJ, Cen Y, Wu LE, Sauve AA, van Deursen JM, Rosenzweig A, Sinclair DA. SIRT2 induces the checkpoint kinase BubR1 to increase lifespan. EMBO J. 2014 Jul 1;33(13):1438-53. doi: 10.15252/embj.201386907. Epub 2014 May 12. PMID: 24825348; PMCID: PMC4194088. 2014
  • Neoplasia
    Bonezzi K,, Bonezzi K, Belotti D, North BJ, Ghilardi C, Borsotti P, Resovi A, Ubezio P, Riva A, Giavazzi R, Verdin E, Taraboletti G. Inhibition of SIRT2 potentiates the anti-motility activity of taxanes: implications for antineoplastic combination therapies. Neoplasia. 2012 Sep;14(9):846-54. doi: 10.1593/neo.12728. PMID: 23019416; PMCID: PMC3459280. 2012
  • Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
    Beirowski B,, Beirowski B, Gustin J, Armour SM, Yamamoto H, Viader A, North BJ, Michán S, Baloh RH, Golden JP, Schmidt RE, Sinclair DA, Auwerx J, Milbrandt J. Sir-two-homolog 2 (Sirt2) modulates peripheral myelination through polarity protein Par-3/atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Oct 25;108(43):E952-61. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1104969108. Epub 2011 Sep 26. PMID: 21949390; PMCID: PMC3203793. 2011
  • J Biol Chem
    North BJ,, North BJ, Verdin E. Mitotic regulation of SIRT2 by cyclin-dependent kinase 1-dependent phosphorylation. J Biol Chem. 2007 Jul 6;282(27):19546-55. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M702990200. Epub 2007 May 8. PMID: 17488717. 2007
  • PLoS Biology
    Pagans S, , Pagans S, Pedal A, North BJ, Kaehlcke K, Marshall BL, Dorr A, Hetzer-Egger C, Henklein P, Frye R, McBurney MW, Hruby H, Jung M, Verdin E, Ott M. SIRT1 regulates HIV transcription via Tat deacetylation. PLoS Biol. 2005 Feb;3(2):e41. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030041. Epub 2005 Feb 8. PMID: 15719057; PMCID: PMC546329. 2005
  • Molecular Cell
    Kouhei Shimizu, Brian J. North, Satoshi Fukumoto, Wenyi Wei, Hiroyuki Inuzuka. Interplay between protein acetylation and ubiquitination controls MCL1 protein stability
  • Nature
    Yang Gao, Naoe T. Nihira, Xia Bu, Jinfang Zhang, Chen Chu, Yizeng Fan, Leina Ma,Aleksandra Kolodziejczyk, Jing Liu, Dong Wang, Xiaoming Dai, Huadong Liu, Masaya Ono, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Brian J. North, Yu-Han Huang, Samanta Sharma, Geng Yan, Lei Li,Yoshio Miki, Piotr Sicinski, Gordon J. Freeman, Wenyi Wei. Acetylation-dependent regulation of PD-L1 nuclear translocation dictates the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapyAcetylation-dependent regulation of PD-L1 nuclear translocation dictates the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy
  • Jianfeng Shu, Haibo Li, Brian J. North, and Ying Ma. Regulation of Topoisomerase II stability and activity by ubiquitination and SUMOylation：Clinical implications for cancer chemotherapy 

Awards

  • National Institutes of Health K01 Career Development Award
    National Institutes of Health K01 Career Development Award (NIH/NIA AG052627)
  • Gustavus Adolphus College Decade Award
    Gustavus Adolphus College Decade Award
  • BIDMC/National Institutes of Aging T32 Translational Research in Aging Award
    BIDMC/National Institutes of Aging T32 Translational Research in Aging Award