Yali Dou

Dr. Yali Dou is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. She is Marion and Harry Keiper Endowed Professor for cancer research. Dr. Dou is the Associate Director for Basic Science at Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Dou has received a number of prestigious awards including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar Award (2012), Stand Up to Cancer IRG Award (2011), AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award (2010) and Dean’s Award in Basic Science at University of Michigan (2014). Dr. Dou was selected to AAAS Fellow in 2025.

Research Interests
Cell fate decisions are controlled by transcription factors acting in concert with epigenetic regulators, which include enzymes that carry out histone post-translational modifications. Epigenetic mechanism underlies cell fate commitment and plasticity; its dysregulation emerges as a key characteristic of human malignancies. The Dou lab uses multidisciplinary approaches to study the establishment and maintenance of gene regulatory networks, focusing on how chromatin modifications exert temporal and spatial gene regulation via transcription factors and DNA regulatory elements. The lab is also interested in the interplays between chromatin modifications and other important cellular processes, including metabolic regulation, genome stability and higher order chromatin organization. In particular, Dou lab has extensive research on the MLL/KMT2 family of histone methyltransferases. MLL/KMT2 deposit histone H3 lysine 4 methylation, which prominently marks active gene promoters and distal enhancers. The MLL/KMT2 enzymes are frequently deleted, mutated or translocated in acute leukemia, solid tumors as well as a wide spectrum of human developmental syndromes. The study will not only advance understanding of the fundamental roles of epigenetic modulators in development and diseases, but also provide critical insights into designing novel target-based therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment and regenerative medicine.

• AAAS Fellow, 2025
• Co-organizer, FASEB conference on Biology of Acetylation in Human Diseases, 2024
• 2023
   -: Chair, NIH Cancer Genetics (CG) study section, 2023
   – 2025
• Marion and Harry Keiper Chair in Cancer Research, 2021
• Dean’s Award in Basic Science, University of Michigan, 2014
• UMMS League of Research Excellence, University of Michigan, 2014
• 2012
   -: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar Award, 2012
   – 2017
• Stand Up to Cancer IRG Award, 2011
• American Cancer Society RSG Award, 2010
• AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award, 2010
• Biomedical Science Scholar, University of Michigan, 2007
• 2004
   -: The Irvington Institute for Immunological Research Fellowship, 2004
   – 2007

• Defining the role of RNA binding by the MLL1 (KMT2A) complex in leukemia
  NIH · R01CA310146 · Jul 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2031 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator
• Reversible Biological Acetylation in Health and Disease
  NIH · R13CA290701 · Aug 1, 2024 – Jul 31, 2025 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Non-canonical function of transcription cofactor MLL1 in cancer
  NIH · R01CA287625 · Feb 1, 2024 – Jan 31, 2029 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Structural insights into the MLL core complexes
  NIH · R01CA250329 · Aug 25, 2020 – May 31, 2025 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Enhancer Dysregulation in AML
  NIH · R01CA232263 · Mar 1, 2019 – Feb 28, 2025 · Role: Principal Investigator
• PRDM16 function in neural development
  NIH · R01NS100156 · Sep 1, 2016 – Aug 31, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Chromatin replication control by protein ubiquitylation
  NIH · R21CA190911 · Aug 7, 2015 – Jul 31, 2017 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Targeting MLL3 histone methyltransferase
  NIH · R01CA187004 · Apr 15, 2015 – Mar 31, 2018 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Cytokine-induced epigenetic changes during chronic lung disease
  NIH · R01HL112897 · Jun 15, 2013 – May 31, 2017 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator
• Targeting the MLL-WDR5 protein-protein interaction
  NIH · R01CA177307 · Apr 9, 2013 – Mar 31, 2018 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator
• Function of MLL in transcription regulation
  NIH · R01GM082856 · Apr 1, 2009 – Apr 30, 2025 · Role: Principal Investigator

• 7 USC professors join prestigious ranks of AAAS fellows (03/27/2025)
• AAAS elects Keck School of Medicine of USC molecular biologist Yali Dou as 2025 fellow (03/27/2025)

• An, Woojin
• Rice, Judd
• Farnham, Peggy
• Sha, Liang
• Lin, Dechen
• Alonzo, Todd