Jian Wu

Title: The Innovative Contributions of Jian Wu

Introduction

Jian Wu is a prominent inventor based in Baltimore, MD (US), known for his significant contributions to the field of molecular biology. With a total of 4 patents, his work focuses on the enrichment of nucleic acids and the detection of mutations in pancreatic neoplasms.

Latest Patents

One of Jian Wu's latest patents is titled "Enrichment of nucleic acids by complementary capture." This innovative assay can be utilized to detect mutations found in neoplasms of the pancreas, as well as for other neoplasms and various applications. The method allows for the capture of nucleic acids from body fluids, such as cyst fluids. Thousands of oligonucleotides can be synthesized in parallel, amplified, and ligated together. The ligated products can be further amplified, and these amplified, ligated products are used to capture complementary DNA sequences, which can then be analyzed through massively parallel sequencing.

Another significant patent addresses "Mutations in pancreatic neoplasms." In this research, Jian Wu and his team purified DNA from Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN) cyst fluids from 19 patients and searched for mutations in 169 genes commonly altered in human cancers. They identified recurrent mutations at codon 201 of GNAS, finding that GNAS mutations were present in 66% of IPMNs. Furthermore, either KRAS or GNAS mutations could be identified in 96% of cases. In eight instances, invasive adenocarcinomas developed in association with IPMNs containing GNAS mutations, with seven of these cases showing that the GNAS mutations present in the IPMNs were also found in the invasive lesions. Notably, GNAS mutations were not detected in other types of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas or in invasive adenocarcinomas not associated with IPMNs. These findings suggest that GNAS mutations can significantly inform the diagnosis and management of patients with cystic pancreatic lesions.

Career Highlights

Jian Wu is affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University, where he continues to advance research in molecular biology and cancer genetics. His work has had a profound impact on understanding pancreatic neoplasms and their associated mutations.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Jian Wu has collaborated with esteemed colleagues, including Bert Vogelstein and Kenneth W. K