Dr. Vuong is an immunologist who studies the mechanisms that regulate immunoglobulin gene diversification and genomic instability. His research examines molecular and cellular processes that promote antibody-mediated immunity and lymphomagenesis. He is also one of the Principal Investigators for the CCNY-MSK Partnership for Cancer Research, Research Education, and Community Outreach.

PhD, Columbia University
MPhil, Columbia University
MA, Columbia University
BS, Cornell University

Our lab seeks to understand the processes that promote antibody diversification. We use molecular, biochemical, cellular, genetic, and immunological approaches to understand how B cells modify the DNA coding sequence of the antibody. Although the primary function of antibody diversification is to mount the most effective immune response, aberrant DNA modifications can activate genes that can cause cancer. These studies are critical in understanding how we can manipulate antibody diversity to drive more effective immune responses and how specific proteins are redirected towards permitting cancerous cell growth rather than immunity.

1. Mary Attaway, Tzippora Chwat-Edelstein, Bao Q. Vuong. Regulatory Non-coding RNAs Modulate Transcriptional Activation during B cell Development. Frontiers in Genetics. 2021; 12:2020. 
2. Alec J. Wishnie, Tzippora Chwat-Edelstein, Mary Attaway, Bao Q. Vuong. BCR Affinity Influences T-B Interactions and B Cell Development in Secondary Lymphoid Organs. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021;12:2947.
3. Simin Zheng, Allysia J Matthews, Numa Rahman, Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds, Jee Eun Choi, Emily Sible, Yan Kee Ng, Daniela Rhodes, Stephen J Elledge, Bao Q Vuong. The uncharacterized SANT and BTB domain-containing protein SANBR inhibits class switch recombination. J Biol Chem. Jan-Jun 2021;296:100625. doi:10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100625. 
4. Emily Sible, Simin Zheng, Jee Eun Choi, Bao Q Vuong. Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches. J Vis Exp. 2021 Apr 20;(170). doi:10.3791/61551.
5. Jee Eun Choi, Allysia J Matthews, Genesis Michel, Bao Q Vuong. AID phosphorylation regulates mismatch repair-dependent class switch recombination and affinity maturation. J Immunol. 2020 Jan 1; 204(1):13-22.
6. Laura Nicolas, Montserrat Cols, Ryan Smolkin, Keith C. Fernandez, William T. Yewdell, Wei-Feng Yen, Shan Zha, Bao Q. Vuong, Jayanta Chaudhuri. Cutting Edge: ATM Influences Germinal Center Integrity. J Immunol. 2019 Jun 1; 202(11):3137-3142.
7. Simin Zheng, Anthony Kusnadi, Jee Eun Choi, Bao Q. Vuong, Daniela Rhodes, Jayanta Chaudhuri. NME proteins regulate class switch recombination. FEBS Lett. 2019 Jan;593(1):80-87.
8. Laura Nicolas, Montserrat Cols, Jee Eun Choi, Jayanta Chaudhuri, Bao Vuong. Generating and repairing genetically programmed DNA breaks during immunoglobulin class switch recombination. F1000Research. 2018, 7(F1000 Faculty Rev):458.
9. Pilar M. Dominguez, Matt Teater, Nyasha Chambwe, Matthias Kormaksson, David Redmond, Jennifer Ishii, Bao Vuong, Jayanta Chaudhuri, Ari Melnick, Aparna Vasanthakumar, Lucy A. Godley, F. Nina Papavasiliou, Olivier Elemento, Rita Shaknovich. DNA Methylation Dynamics of Germinal Center B Cells Are Mediated by AID. Cell Rep. 2015 Sep 29; 12(12):2086-98.
10. Simin Zheng, Bao Q. Vuong, Bharat Vaidyanathan, Jia-Yu Lin, Feng-Ting Huang, and Jayanta Chaudhuri. RNA-mediated targeting of AID to DNA during class switch recombination. Cell. 2015 May 7;161(4):762-73.
11. James A. Dowdle, Monika Mehta, Elizabeth M. Kass, Bao Q. Vuong, Akiko Inagaki, Dieter Egli, Maria Jasin, and Scott Keeney. Mouse BAZ1A (ACF1) is dispensable for double-strand break repair but is essential for averting improper gene expression during spermatogenesis. PLoS Genet. 2013 Nov;9(11):e1003945.
12. Bao Q. Vuong, Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds, Bharat Vaidyanathan, Joseph Pucella, Anna J. Ucher, Nina Donghia, Xiwen Gu, Laura Nicolas, Urszula Nowak, Numa Rahman, Matthew P. Strout, Kevin Mills, Janet Stavnezer, and Jayanta Chaudhuri. A DNA break- and phosphorylation-dependent positive feedback loop promotes immunoglobulin class switch recombination. Nat Immunol. 2013 Nov;14(11):1183–9.
    • News and Views, “You break it, you fix it: functions for AID downstream of deamination”, Nat Immunol. 2013 Nov;14(11):1112–4
13. Bao Q. Vuong and Jayanta Chaudhuri. Combinatorial Mechanisms Regulating AID-Dependent DNA deamination: Interacting Proteins and Post-translational Modifications. Semin Immunol. 2012 Aug;24(4):264-72.
14. Bao Q. Vuong, Mieun Lee, Shaheen Kabir, Cristina Irimia, Stephania Macchiarulo, G. Stanley McKnight, and Jayanta Chaudhuri. Specific recruitment of protein kinase A to the immunoglobulin locus regulates class-switch recombination. Nat Immunol. 2009 Apr;10(4):420-6. 
    • News and Views, “AID and RPA: PKA makes the connection local”, Nat Immunol. 2009 Apr;10(4):367-9
15. Hwei-Ling Cheng, Bao Q. Vuong, Uttiya Basu, Andrew Franklin, Bjoern Schwer, Jillian Astarita, Ryan T. Phan, Abhishek Datta, John Manis, Frederick W. Alt, and Jayanta Chaudhuri. Integrity of the AID serine-38 phosphorylation site is critical for class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Feb 24;106(8):2717-22.
16. Jayanta Chaudhuri, Uttiya Basu, Ali Zarrin, Catherine Yan, Sonia Franco, Thomas Perlot, Bao Vuong, Jing Wang, Ryan T. Phan, Abhishek Datta, John Manis, and Frederick W. Alt. Evolution of the Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Class Switch Recombination Mechanism. Adv Immunology. 2007;94:157-214.
17. Bao Q. Vuong, Lisa McKeag, Julie A. Losman, Jianze Le, Alexander S. Banks, Scott Fay, Peter Chen, and Paul Rothman. Regulation of Cytokine Signaling. Cell Signaling in Vascular Inflammation. Ed. Jahar Bhattacharya. Humana Press, 2005.
18. Bao Q. Vuong, Teresita Arenzana, Brian M. Showalter, Julie A. Losman, X. Peter Chen, Justin Mostecki, Alexander S. Banks, Andre Limnander, Neil Fernandez, and Paul B. Rothman. SOCS-1 localizes to the Microtubule Organizing Complex-associated 20S proteasome. Mol Cell Biol. 2004 Oct; 24(20):9092-101.
19. Julie A. Losman, X. Peter Chen, Bao Q. Vuong, Scott Fay, and Paul B. Rothman. PP2A regulates the stability of Pim protein kinases. J Biol Chem. 2003 Feb 14; 278(7):4800-5.
20. Feng Cong, Jean Tang, Byung J. Hwang, Bao Q. Vuong, Gilbert Chu, and Stephen P. Goff. Interaction between UV-DDB proteins and the c-Abl tyrosine kinase. J Biol Chem. 2002 Sept 20; 277(38):34870-8.
21. X. Peter Chen, Julie A. Losman, Simone Cowan, Elizabeth Donahue, Scott Fay, Bao Q. Vuong, Martijn C. Nawijn, Danielle Capece, Victoria L. Cohan, and Paul Rothman. Pim serine/threonine kinases regulate the stability of Socs-1 protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Feb 19; 99(4):2175-80.
22. Hong Jiang, Kristina Foltenyi, Masaki Kashiwada, Liz Donahue, Bao Vuong, Boyd Hehn, and Paul Rothman. Fes mediates the IL-4 activation of insulin receptor substrate-2 and cellular proliferation. J Immunol. 2001 Feb 15; 166(4):2627-34.
23. Min Zhou, Matthew J. Pugmire, Bao Q. Vuong, and Steven E. Ealick. Cloning, Expression and Crystallization of Pyrimidine Nucleoside Phosphorylase from Bacillus Stearothermophilus. Acta Crystallographica. Section D, Biological Crystallography Jan 1999; 55(Pt 1):287-90.
24. Ladislau C. Kovari, Cory A. Momany, Faith Miyagi, Sukyeong Lee, Stephen Campbell, Bao Vuong, Volker M. Vogt, and Michael G. Rossman. Crystals of Rous Sarcoma Virus Capsid Protein Show a Helical Arrangement of Protein Subunits. Virology 1997 Nov 10; 238(1):79-84.

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ccnymsk-partnership.ccny.cuny.edu/