Gangning Liang, MD, PhD

Dr. Gangning Liang is a Professor of Department of Urology and Director of Epigenetic Translational Research of USC Institute of Urology at Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. He obtained his MD degree from Shanghai Second Medical School in 1985 and received PhD degree from Department of Pharmaceutical Science in University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1995. He was appointed Assistant Professor in 1998, Associate Professor in 2008, and Professor in 2016 in USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. He completed a postdoctoral training in Epigenetics with Dr. Peter A. Jones 1995-1998 at USC. His research interests include investigating epigenome structures, epigenomic alterations during tumorigenesis, and epigenetic alterations induced by drug treatment in cancer therapies. As PI, multiple-PI, and co-Investigator over 10 NIH-funded grants, his research has laid the groundwork for the proposed research project including the roles of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and microRNAs during tumorigenesis and novel methods of characterizing epigenetic changes and monitoring these changes in patients. In this regard, he has identified epigenetic alterations in urine sediments for bladder cancer-based diagnostic and prognostic purposes, more recently he also is also developing similar assay in kidney and prostate cancer, as well as introducing epigenetic therapy for cancer treatment in preclinical models. He is currently using these techniques and models, which he developed, to not only to further study the role of epigenetic regulation during tumorigenesis, but also to establish new translational projects that directly address clinical questions. He is focusing on his translational research to use epigenetic alteration as foundation to identify drug targets in a selective and predictable way for precision cancer medicine and to improve in patient survival and quality of life. He published extensively in journals including Cell, Cancer Cell, Molecular Cell, Genome Research, Hepatology, Nature Communications, Genome Biology, PNAS, Cancer Research, and Oncogene with over 100 peer reviewed articles.

• DNA Methylation Markers for early detection and monitoring the trajectory of tumor burden in Bladder Cancer
  NIH · R21CA296470 · Aug 15, 2025 – Jul 31, 2027 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Using DNA Methylation Markers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
  NIH · R21CA288920 · Apr 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator
• SETD2 Deficiency is a Therapeutic Target to Upregulate Viral Mimicry in Treating Aggressive Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients
  Department of Defense (DOD) · Sep 30, 2023 – Sep 29, 2026 · Role: PI
• Validation of an aqueous humor liquid biopsy for molecular prognostication and monitoring of children with retinoblastoma.
  NIH · R01CA282759 · Aug 1, 2023 – Jul 31, 2028 · Role: Co-Investigator
• Establishing and Interpreting Abnormal DNA Methylation in Cancer
  NIH · R35CA209859 · Jan 1, 2017 – Jun 30, 2030 · Role: Co-Investigator
• Using DNA methylation markers to improve the predictive accuracy and utility of needle biopsiesfor determining prostate cancer aggressiveness
  NIH · R21CA201865 · Jul 1, 2016 – Jun 30, 2019 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Identification of a sensitive and specific panel of DNA methylated markers to imp
  NIH · R21CA167367 · Jul 10, 2012 – Jun 30, 2015 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Determining the mechanistic and therapeutic roles of microRNAs in bladder cancer
  NIH · R01CA138794 · Aug 9, 2010 – Jun 30, 2015 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Epigentic Alterations in Pre-malignant Tissue of the Bladder
  NIH · R01CA124518 · Sep 24, 2008 – Jul 31, 2014 · Role: Principal Investigator
• De Novo DNA Methylation in Bladder Cancer
  NIH · R01CA083867 · Mar 1, 2000 – Apr 30, 2016 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Daneshmand, Siamak
• Gill, Inderbir
• Lenz, Heinz-Josef
• Farnham, Peggy
• Djaladat, Hooman
• Peters, Anne