Dr. Jun Dai

Biography

Jun Dai is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison within the School of Pharmacy. His research interests focus on the mechanisms of skin homeostasis, specifically the regulation of gene expression by transcription factors and signaling molecules. Utilizing mouse models and cellular assays, he investigates how transcriptional networks, particularly those involving nuclear orphan receptors (RORs), influence keratinocyte growth, differentiation, and epidermal barrier functions. His lab evaluates the potential of endogenous and synthetic ROR ligands in treating inflammatory skin diseases linked to impaired epidermal barrier functions. Additionally, he is dedicated to elucidating the functions and mechanisms of the mitotic kinase haspin in controlling cell cycle progression and antitumor potential. Dai has identified haspin as a crucial protein kinase required for the mitosis-specific phosphorylation of histone H3 at Threonine 3. His previous work includes gene silencing of haspin, resulting in chromosome misalignment and mitotic arrest. Dai is also keen on exploring the role of haspin in cancer development and the therapeutic implications of haspin inhibitors in treating certain skin cancers. He obtained his B.S. in Biochemistry from Nankai University in Tianjin and earned his Ph.D. in Anatomy from Tulane University in New Orleans. He holds a postdoctoral fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, and he was previously an instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Research Interests

Experience