Dr Yi Cao is a professor and medical specialist in pathology. Since 2006, he has been the head of and a professor in the Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Pathology, Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.  His positions have included the following: 1999—2006, he served as a staff member at the German Cancer Research Center, Würzburg University and a biotechnology company; 1997—1999, he completed postdoctoral training at the German Cancer Research Center; 1993—1997, he worked towards his doctorate at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Humboldt University; 1984—1991 he was an assistant lecturer，and medical specialist of pathology at the School of Medicine, Tong-Ji University; 1979—1984, he studied medicine at the West China University of Medical Sciences.

1. Histopathology and Molecular pathology: common histological techniques, immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridisation, in-situ PCR, and in-situ immuno-PCR;
2. Cell biology: cell culture, primary cell culture, immunocytochemistry, cell isolation and selection, flow cytometry, adhesion assays, proliferation assays, apoptosis assays, and cell-ELISA;
3. Biochemistry: protein isolation, ELISA, affinity chromatography, immunoblotting, immunoprecipation, and immuno-PCR;
4. Molecular biology: DNA isolation, RNA isolation, PCR, real-time PCR, DNA-methylation analysis, gene cloning, siRNA, and loss of heterozygosity analysis;
5. Immunology: immunisation, hybridoma generation, antibody purification, antibody assays, lymphocytes transfer, and lymphocytes depletion;
6. Animal experiment and animal operation.

Patents:
Karsten U, Cao Y, Haase M, Kiefer M. Monoklonale Antikoerper gegen epitheliales Muzin  (MUC1). DE19534630 A1 (18.09.1995).
Karsten U, Cao Y, Butschak G, Haase M, Kiefer M. Monoklonale Antikoerper gegen das Thomsen-Friedenreich-Antigen, ihre Herstellung und ihre Verwendung zum Tumornachweis. DE 4329004A1 (28.08.1993).

Patents:
Karsten U, Cao Y, Haase M, Kiefer M. Monoklonale Antikoerper gegen epitheliales Muzin  (MUC1). DE19534630 A1 (18.09.1995).
Karsten U, Cao Y, Butschak G, Haase M, Kiefer M. Monoklonale Antikoerper gegen das Thomsen-Friedenreich-Antigen, ihre Herstellung und ihre Verwendung zum Tumornachweis. DE 4329004A1 (28.08.1993).
Seleted Publication：
Articles in Journals：
[1] Yi B, Zhang M, Schwartz-Albiez R, Cao Y: Mechanisms of the apoptosis induced by CD176 antibody on human leukemic cells. International Journal of Oncology (In press)

[2] Ding XJ, Liu MX , Ao L, Yi-Rong Liang YR, Cao Y: Frequent loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 12q in non-small-cell lung carcinomas. Virchows Archiv. (In press)

[3] Lin WM, Karsten U, Goletz S, Cheng RC, Cao Y: Expression of CD176 (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen) on lung, breast and liver cancer-initiating cells. International Journal of Experimental Pathology (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2613.2010.00747.x)

[4] Lin WM, Karsten U, Goletz S, Cheng RC, Cao Y: Coexpression of CD173 (H2) and CD174 (Lewis Y) with CD44 suggests that fucosylated histo-blood group antigens are markers of breast cancer-initiating cells. Virchows Archiv 456：403-409, 2010.

[5]Cao Y, Merling A, Karsten U, Goletz S, Punzel M, Kraft R, Butschak G, Schwartz-Albiez R: Expression of CD175 (Tn), CD175s (sialosyl-Tn) and CD176 (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen) on malignant human hematopoietic cells. Int J Cancer 2008, 123: 89-99.
[6]Na SY, Cao Y, Toben C, Nitschke L, Stadelmann C, Gold R, Schimpl A, Hünig T: Naive CD8 T-cells initiate spontaneous autoimmunity to a sequestered model antigen of the central nervous system. Brain 2008, 131: 2353-2365.
[7]Cao Y, Chang H, Li L, Cheng R-C, Fan X-N: Alteration of adhesion molecules expression and cellular polarity in hepatocellular carcinomas. Histopathology 2007, 51: 528-538.
[8]Cao Y, Toben C, Na SY, Stark K, Nitschke L, Peterson A, Gold R, Schimpl A, Hünig T: Induction of experimental antoimmune encephalomyelitis in transgenic mice expressing ovalbumin in oligodendrocytes. European Journal of Immunology  2006, 36: 207-215.
[9]Goletz S, Cao Y, Danielcyk A, Ravn P, Schoeber U, Karsten U, Thomsen- Friedenreich antigen: The ′hidden′ tumour antigen. Advances in Experimental. Medicine and Biology 2003, 535: 147-162.
[10]Cao Y, Merling A, Crocker PR, Schwartz-Albiez R: Differential Expression of beta-galactoside alpha 2,6 sialyltransferase (ST6Gal.I) and sialoglycans in normal and cirrhotic liver and hepatocellular carcinomas. Laboratory Investigation 2002, 82: 1515-1524.
[11]Cao Y, Merling A, Karsten U, Schwartz-Albiez R: The fucosylated histo-blood group antigens   H type 2 (blood group O, CD173) and Lewis Y (CD174) are expressed on CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors but absent on mature lymphocytes. Glycobiology 2001, 11: 677-683.
[12]Cao Y, Kopplow K, Liu G-Y: In-situ immuno-PCR to detect antigens. The Lancet 2000, 356: 1002-1003.

Articles in Books：
[1]Cao Y. 2002. In-situ immuno-PCR - a newly developed method for highly sensitive antigen detection in situ. In: Methods in Molecular Biology, RT-PCR Protocols (ed. J. O'Connell), Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, 191-196. 
[2]Cao Y, Merling A, Karsten U, Schwartz-Albiez R. 2002. The fucosylated histo-blood group antigens Lewis Y and H type 2 (blood group O) are expressed on CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors. In: Leucocyte Typing VII (eds. D. Mason et al.), Oxford University Press, Oxford, 199-201.
[3]Cao Y, Merling A, Karsten U, Schwartz-Albiez R. 2002. Expression of Thomsen-Friedenreich-related carbohydrate antigens on human leukemia cells. In: Leucocyte Typing VII (eds. D. Mason et al.), Oxford University Press, Oxford, 204-205.

1. Discovery of new biomarkers for cancer
Cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in China. Early detection, improved monitoring, and new treatments are of the utmost importance for saving cancer patients. Significant progress in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has been made through the application of biomarkers. Our main activities are focused on integrating biomarker research into basic and clinical studies of development (pathological mechanism), diagnosis (laboratory examination), and treatment (immunotherapy) of cancer. In addition to in vitro and ex vivo assays, animal experiments on rodents and primates are also performed in the laboratory. Our goals are to understand the origins of tumour-associated genetic and immunological alterations and to clarify the biological consequences of these changes. Findings from this work will help to improve strategies for the early detection, prognosis, and therapy of cancer.
2. Pathological services 
1) We have collaborated with biomedical companies and academic institutes in USA and EU, and provide the following services: (1) Toxicity of drugs and biological agents (e.g. humanized and chimeric antibody, cytokine, etc) in vivo in rhesus monkeys; (2) Biological reactivity of drugs and biological agents (e.g. humanized and chimeric antibody, cytokine, etc) in rhesus monkey; (3) Reactivity of biological agents (e.g. humanized and chimeric antibody, etc) with tissues and cells of rhesus monkey; (4) Reactivity of biological agents (e.g. humanized and chimeric antibody, etc) with normal human tissues and various human cancers; (5) Efficacy of drugs and biological agents (e.g. humanized and chimeric antibody, cytokine, etc) on primate models of human disease; (6) Generating new primate models of human disease to develop new methods of diagnosis and treatment as well as to study mechanisms of the human disease. We tested successfully two humanized antibodies for a German Bio-company. Our research reports have been accepted by U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

2) We also provide support in histological techniques and pathological diagnoses for other groups in the KIZ.