One of The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota’s highest achieving scientists, Dr. Yibin Deng, will be promoted to full professor effective July 1.

Deng is leader of the Cell Death and Cancer Genetics lab.

Recruited from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center following the 2008 expansion, Deng joined The Hormel Institute as an assistant professor in 2009.  He is actively supported by National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health, and has brought over $5.5 million in research funding to The Hormel Institute UMN. His most recent funding of $2 million in grants over the next five years was awarded by NCI/NIH in November 2018.

Interim Executive Director Dr. Ann M. Bode recommended the promotion. Dr. Deng joins five other full professors out of the 19 research sections.

“Dr. Deng’s research accomplishments are impressive, and it is clear that his work in tumorigenesis and prostate cancer prevention has had widespread impact,” Bode said.

The Cell Death and Cancer Genetics lab led by Deng researches prostate cancer and the ways genetic changes in patients can affect cancer. Current projects include looking for specific and effective ways to target currently incurable castration-resistant prostate cancer.

“I am honored to receive this professorship and become an even stronger leader of research at The Hormel Institute,” Deng said. “Speaking for my lab and all our labs, our goal is to find answers to effectively treat cancer as fast as we possibly can.  I thank the University of Minnesota, The Hormel Institute, The Hormel Foundation and our community for such generous support.”

Deng’s research through collaboration has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Genes & Development, PNAS, EMBO J, Nature Reviews Cancer, Nature, Cell, Cell Reports, EBioMedicine, Nature Communications, and Nature Cell Biology.