Weiren Luo
Southern University of Science and Technology, China
- Orcid: 0000-0002-2762-6332
- Publications: 33
- Citations: 1436
- Keywords: Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, epithelial-mesenchymal transition,Cancer stem cells
Short Bio
- Weiren Luo, PhD, Director, Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for infectious diseases, Shenzhen, China. Dr. Luo got medical training and Ph.D. degree in Southern Medical University, China, and had been to University of California/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory(Mina Bissell’s lab), University of Miami and Harvard Medical School as visiting scholar. For the first time, we reported clinical pathology of critical COVID-19 that has pulmonary fibrosis, vascular changes including microthrombosis (https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202002.0407). Prof. Luo focuses on in the pathology and pathogenesis of malignant tumors especially nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Firstly, 1) To reveal the morphological characteristics of NPC cancer stem cells (CSCs), neoplastic spindle cells were the more aggressive subtype of NPC. Spindle cells and tumor budding can be used as valuable morphological markers for NPC recurrence and early invasion, individually. 2) EMT and CSCs related candidate markers were used to classify nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A novel molecule-morphology model of tumor progression was proposed. The model of spindle cells, which generates CSCs and EMT properties, is likely to account for the unique biological behavior of NPC which is different from other head and neck malignant tumors, that is, patients are prone to cervical lymph node metastasis in the early stage, and recurrence and distant metastasis after radiotherapy/chemotherapy. 3) Two histological forms of cell movement in NPC was pointed out. The concepts of "invasive front", "CSCs niche" and "migratory CSCs" were introduced in the research field of NPC, and we reveal that invasive front has EMT and stem cells-like characteristics, and vascular niche is related to the maintenance of NPC stemness. 4) ALDH1 (Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1), a functional marker for identifying cancer stem cells in NPC. The molecular factors and mechanism regulating EMT and CSCs in NPC was further clarified. 5) Computer-aided pathologic diagnosis of NPC based on deep learning. In clinical practice, the deep learning model can potentially assist pathologists by providing a second opinion on their NPC diagnoses. Prof. Luo severed as Bentham Science Publishers Ambassador，Front Med Associate editor, J Cell Mol Med Associate editor, J Oncol Editorial board, Front Cell Dev Biol Review editor, Front Oncol Review editor, World J Clin Oncol Editorial board, Chinese Journal of Oncology Young editor, Chinese Journal of Cancer Prevention and Treatment Young editor, and was active to review hundreds of papers sent by over 50 journals such as Cancer Communications, OncoImmunology, Int J Cancer, Cell Proliferation, Histopathology. Additionally, Prof. Luo was invited to take part in 2021 Times Higher Education China Subject Ratings and 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
