21607-Lu, Tao

Tao T. Lu, PhD

Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Adjunct Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Adjunct Associate Professor of Medical & Molecular Genetics

Showalter Scholar

Chair, Trainee Award Committee

Associate Editor, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Member, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases

Phone
(317) 278-0520
Address
635 Barnhill Drive, MS-A521 PHTX
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, IN 46202
PubMed:

Bio

Dr. Tao Lu’s research focuses on epigenetics, cell signaling pathways (e.g., NF-κB), and drug discovery. She was mentored by the world-renowned Nobel Prize nominee Dr. George Stark, a distinguished member of both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society in the U.K.

Dr. Lu’s lab has led pioneering work in the field of epigenetics in cancer, diabetes, neovascular macular degeneration, and neurodegeneration. Her discovery of novel small molecule inhibitors targeting protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), along with her work in drug repurposing for cancer treatment, has earned her two prestigious U.S. patents. She is also a founder of a startup company and is deeply committed to translating basic scientific discoveries into clinical applications.

In recognition of her research excellence, Dr. Lu has been named a "Showalter Scholar." She is also the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the "Trustees' Teaching Award", the "Faculty of the Year Award", the "Outstanding Community Engagement Award" from Indiana University School of Medicine, and the "Seymour and Vivian Milstein Young Investigator Award" and "First Place Young Investigator Award" at International Cytokine and Interferon Society (ICIS).

Dr. Lu serves as an associate editor or editorial board member for multiple scientific journals and is a standing member of both National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Cancer Society (ACS) study sections. She has authored near 100 publications and has been invited to serve as a chair or keynote speaker at numerous international conferences. In addition, she currently serves as Chair of the Trainee Award Committee. 

In her spare time, Dr. Lu leads community outreach by hosting health seminars for the public and mentoring student teams recognized at national science competitions, fostering the next generation of scientists. She also enjoys outdoor jogging and has a passion for journal design.

US Patents Granted:

  1. Lu, T, Prabhu, L, Martin, M. (2025). Repurposing FDA-approved drugs as a novel cancer therapeutic avenue through inhibition of PRMT5. US Patent #12,409,173, US Patent and Trademark Office, granted on September 9, 2025
  2. Lu, T and Prabhu, L. Small molecule protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) inhibitors and methods of treatment. US Patent #11,034,689, US Patent and Trademark Office, granted on June 15, 2021

Key Publications

Selected from near 100 publications, Complete list of published work can be found at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/48581694/?sort=date&direction=descending

  1. Han W, Motolani A, Nephew K, Jiang G, Alipourgivi F, Sun S, He T-C, Huang X, Opyrchal M, Sandusky G, Habboub R, Liu Y, and Lu, T*. Forward genetics identifies HN1L/JPT2 as a novel carboplatin resistance gene in ovarian cancer. Genes Dis.13,101720, 2025.*Corresponding author.
  2. Motolani, A, Martin, M, Wang, B, Jiang, G, Alipourgivi, F, Huang, X, Safa, A,  Liu, Y, and Lu, T*.(2023). Critical role of novel O-GlcNAcylation of S550 and S551 on the p65 Subunit of NF-κB in pancreatic cancer. Cancers 15,4742, 2023. *Corresponding author
  3. Martin, M, Motolani, A, Kim, HG, Collins, AM, Alipourgivi, F, Jin, J, Wei, H, Wood, BA, Ma, YY, Dong, XC, Mirmira, RG, Lu, T*. KDM2A deficiency in the liver promotes abnormal liver function and potential liver damage. Biomolecules 13, 1457, 2023. *Corresponding author.
  4. Prabhu, L, Martin, M, Chen, L, Demir, Ö, Jin, J, Huang, X, Motolani, A, Sun, M, Jiang, G, Nakshatri, H, Fishel, ML, Sun, S, Safa, A, Amaro, RE, Kelley, MR, Liu, Y, Zhang, Z, and Lu, T*. Inhibition of PRMT5 by Market Drugs as a Novel Cancer Therapeutic Avenue. Genes Dis. 10:267-283, 2023. *Corresponding author.
  5. Prabhu, L, Wei, H, Chen, L, Ozlem, D, Amero, A, Sandusky, G, Sun, E, Wang, J, Mo, J, Safa, A, Korc, M, Zhang, Z, and Lu, T*. Innovative AlphaLISA discovers a novel small-molecule inhibitor targeting PRMT5 in pancreatic and colon cancers. Oncotarget 8(25): 39963-39977, 2017. * Corresponding author. - 1) Featured Journal Cover, 2) Honorable Mention Award, Cancer Research Day, 3) Honorable Mention, Erica M. Daniel Kepner Award for Scientific Achievement
  6. Martin, M, Hua, L, Wang, B, Wei, H, Prabhu, L, Hartley, AV, Jiang, G, Liu, Y, and Lu, T*. Novel serine 176 phosphorylation of YBX1 activates NF-kB in colon cancer. J Biol Chem 292 (8): 3433-3444, 2017. * Corresponding author
  7. Wang, B, Wei, H, Prabhu, L, Zhao, W, Martin, M, Hartley, A, and Lu, T*. Role of novel serine 316 phosphorylation of the p65 subunit of NF-kB in differential gene regulation. J Biol Chem 290 (33): 20336-20347, 2015 * Corresponding author - Donald Bowman Award
  8. Lu, T* and Stark, GR*. NF-kB, regulation by methylation. Cancer Res 75 (18): 3692-3695, 2015. * Corresponding authors
  9. Wei, H, Wang, B, She, Y, Gopalan, B, Miyagi, M, Stark, GR, and Lu, T*. PRMT5 dimethylates R30 of the p65 subunit to activate NF-kB. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110:13516-13521, 2013. *Corresponding Author. -1) Featured on F1000 Prime, 2) Hal Broxymeyer & Victoria Champion Outstanding Publication Award, 3) 2nd Place Award, Cancer Research Day
  10. Lu, T*, Yang, M, Huang, D, Ghosh, G, and Stark GR. Role of lysine methyaltion of NF-kB in differential gene regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110: 13510-13515, 2013. *Corresponding author -  Featured on F1000 Prime
  11. Zhang, T, Park, KA, Li, Y, Byun, HS, Jeon, J, Lee, Y, Hong, JH, Kim, JM, Huang, SM, Choi, SW, Kim, SH, Sohn, KC, Ro, H, Lee, JH, Lu, T, Stark, GR, Shen, HM, Liu, ZG, Park, J, and Hur, GM. PHF20 regulates NF-κB signalling by disrupting recruitment of PP2A to p65. Nat Commun 4:2062-2074, 2013.
  12. Stark, GR, Wang, Y, and Lu, T. Lysine methylation of promoter-bound transcription factors and relevance to cancer. Cell Res 21(3):375-380, 2011.
  13. Lu, T*, Jackson, MW, Wang, B, Yang, M, Chance, M, Miyagi, M, Gudkov, AV, and Stark, GR*. Regulation of NF-kB by NSD1/FBXL11-dependent reversible lysine methyaltion of p65. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107: 46-51, 2010 *Corresponding authors
  14. Lu, T and Stark, GR. Use of forward genetics to discover novel regulators of NF-kB. Book Chapter in Book "NF-kB". Editors: Michael Karin and Lou Staudt, Cold Spring Harbor Press, p253-264, 2010.

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