Roger Leng, University of Alberta

Research

Ubiquitination Tumor Suppressor Breast Cancer Deubiquitination Oncogene P53 Usp7 Protein Stability

Latest papers

Targeting mutant p53 in cancer: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic strategies.
Cellular & molecular biology letters · 2026 · senior author
METTL3-Mediated N6-Methyladenosine Ferroptosis in Sepsis-Associated Acute Lung Injury - A Narrative Review.
Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition) · 2025
Targeting p53 for immune modulation: Exploring its functions in tumor immunity and inflammation.
Cancer letters · 2025 · senior author

All 15 publications

Latest funding

Deciphering the USP7-UBE4B-p53 Axis in Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Opportunities.
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$650,250
Role of USP7 and Potential Therapy in Human Cancers.
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$100,000
Molecular Basis of RING E3 Ligase Pirh2 and HECT E3 Ligase Itch Interaction.
NSERC · 2017 · Principal investigator
$140,000

All 5 grants and awards

15 publications.

01

Targeting mutant p53 in cancer: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic strategies.

Wu HH, Leng S, Eisenstat DD, Sergi C, Leng R

Cellular & molecular biology letters2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1186/s11658-026-00907-x PMID: 41917811

02

METTL3-Mediated N6-Methyladenosine Ferroptosis in Sepsis-Associated Acute Lung Injury - A Narrative Review.

Kumari R, Leng R, Chiu B, Sergi CM

Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)2025

DOI: 10.31083/fbl31279 PMID: 41504062

03

Targeting p53 for immune modulation: Exploring its functions in tumor immunity and inflammation.

Wu HH, Leng S, Eisenstat DD, Sergi C, Leng R

Cancer letters2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2025.217614 PMID: 40054656

04

Deciphering UBE4B phosphorylation dynamics: a key mechanism in p53 accumulation and cancer cell response to DNA damage.

Abuetabh Y, Wu HH, Al Yousef H, Persad S, Schlosser MP, Eisenstat DD, Sergi CM, Leng R

Cell death discovery2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41420-025-02441-9 PMID: 40175346

05

Digging Through the Complexities of Immunological Approaches in Emerging Osteosarcoma Therapeutics: A Comprehensive Narrative Review with Updated Clinical Trials.

Sergi CM, Burnett M, Jantuan E, Hakoum M, Beug ST, Leng R, Shen F

Biomedicines2025

DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13030664 PMID: 40149640

06

How MicroRNAs Command the Battle against Cancer.

Wu HH, Leng S, Sergi C, Leng R

International journal of molecular sciences2024Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115865 PMID: 38892054

07

The SWIB/MDM2 motif of UBE4B activates the p53 pathway.

Wu HH, Leng S, Abuetabh Y, Sergi C, Eisenstat DD, Leng R

Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.02.002 PMID: 36865087

08

DNA damage response revisited: the p53 family and its regulators provide endless cancer therapy opportunities.

Abuetabh Y, Wu HH, Chai C, Al Yousef H, Persad S, Sergi CM, Leng R

Experimental & molecular medicine2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00863-4 PMID: 36207426

09

The Role of N6-Methyladenosine in the Promotion of Hepatoblastoma: A Critical Review.

Auld FM, Sergi CM, Leng R, Shen F

Cells2022

DOI: 10.3390/cells11091516 PMID: 35563821

10

p63, a key regulator of Ago2, links to the microRNA-144 cluster.

Wang B, Wu HH, Abuetabh Y, Leng S, Davidge ST, Flores ER, Eisenstat DD, Leng R

Cell death & disease2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04854-1 PMID: 35459267

Deciphering the USP7-UBE4B-p53 Axis in Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Nominated PICIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Leng, Roger P

Keywords: Breast Cancer; Deubiquitination; Oncogene; P53; Tumor Suppressor; Ubiquitination; Usp7

$650,250

Role of USP7 and Potential Therapy in Human Cancers.

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant - PA: Breast Cancer Research

Principal investigators: Leng, Roger P

Keywords: Breast Cancer; Deubiquitination; Oncogene; P53; Protein Stability; Ube4b; Ubiquitination; Usp7

$100,000

Molecular Basis of RING E3 Ligase Pirh2 and HECT E3 Ligase Itch Interaction.

Principal investigatorNSERC2017Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Leng, Roger

$140,000

Regulation of the p53 Tumor Suppressor in Tumorigenesis.

Nominated PICIHR2015Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Leng, Roger P

Keywords: Cancer Biology; Oncogenes; Phosphorylation; Protein Degradation; Protein Expression; Tumor Suppressor; Ubiquitin E3 Ligases; Ubiquitination

$100,000

Molecular Characterization of UBE4B and Its Role in Cancer.

Nominated PICIHR2011Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Leng, Roger P

Keywords: Cancer Genetics; Disease; E3/E4 Ligase; Gene Expression; Gene Regulation; Oncogene; Tumor Suppressor Gene; Ubiquitination

$379,379

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Ubiquitination Dear Professor Leng, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Targeting mutant p53 in cancer: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic strategies." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Deciphering the USP7-UBE4B-p53 Axis in Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Opportunities." (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]