Mickie Cheng, MD

Associate Professor

My research interests have been guided by my foundational training in genetics and developmental biology and evolved over the course of my subsequent fellowship training at UCSF to include expertise in basic immunology and immune tolerance. This background has driven my research activities in the areas of autoimmunity and mechanisms of T cell tolerance, specifically applied to reproductive biology and especially to endocrine autoimmunity.

During my career development award, my research centered on the study of autoimmune ovarian disease, utilizing a novel mouse model of spontaneous autoimmune disease, the Aire knockout mouse. These studies focused on identification of a disease-specific ovarian antigen and mechanisms of antigen-specific tolerance induction with the ultimate goal of translating antigenic targets from the animal model to improve diagnostic testing and identify therapeutic targets in human ovarian failure and infertility.

Over time, my research interests have grown to include the application of advanced genomics and next generation sequencing in the characterization of autoimmune endocrine disorders leading to a shift towards more clinical care, clinical research and translationally-oriented research.

My expertise includes:
• Advanced genetics background with experience in human genetics and next generation sequencing analyses
• Basic immunology training with focus on immune tolerance and T cell tolerance as well as experience in autoantigen and autoantibody approaches in human immunology.
• Collaborative, translational research efforts resulting in publication of novel insights into autoimmune endocrinopathies as well as other autoimmune and inflammatory disorders in the lung, pancreas and other systems.
Education
Fellowship, 06/2008 - Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of California San Francisco
MD, PhD, 06/2002 - School of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern
BA, 06/1994 - Molecular Biology, Princeton University
Publications
  1. Vazquez SE, Ferré EM, Scheel DW, Sunshine S, Miao B, Mandel-Brehm C, Quandt Z, Chan AY, Cheng M, German M, Lionakis M, DeRisi JL, Anderson MS. Identification of novel, clinically correlated autoantigens in the monogenic autoimmune syndrome APS1 by proteome-wide PhIP-Seq. eLife 2020. PMID: 32410729


  2. Moore PC, Cortez JT, Chamberlain CE, Alba D, Berger AC, Quandt Z, Chan A, Cheng MH, Bautista JL, Peng J, German MS, Anderson M, Oakes SA. Elastase 3B mutation links to familial pancreatitis with diabetes and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The Journal of clinical investigation 2019. PMID: 31369399


  3. Cheng M, Anderson MS. Thymic tolerance as a key brake on autoimmunity. 2018. PMID: 29925986


  4. Bluestone JA, Bour-Jordan H, Cheng M, Anderson M. T cells in the control of organ-specific autoimmunity. Volume 125 of Issue 6. The Journal of clinical investigation 2015. PMID: 25985270


  5. Watkin LB, Jessen B, Wiszniewski W, Vece TJ, Jan M, Sha Y, Thamsen M, Santos-Cortez RL, Lee K, Gambin T, Forbes LR, Law CS, Stray-Pedersen A, Cheng MH, Mace EM, Anderson MS, Liu D, Tang LF, Nicholas SK, Nahmod K, Makedonas G, Canter DL, Kwok PY, Hicks J, Jones KD, Penney S, Jhangiani SN, Rosenblum MD, Dell SD, Waterfield MR, Papa FR, Muzny DM, Zaitlen N, Leal SM, Gonzaga-Jauregui C. COPA mutations impair ER-Golgi transport and cause hereditary autoimmune-mediated lung disease and arthritis. Volume 47 of Issue 6. 2015. PMID: 25894502


  6. Price JV, Haddon DJ, Kemmer D, Delepine G, Mandelbaum G, Jarrell JA, Gupta R, Balboni I, Chakravarty EF, Sokolove J, Shum AK, Anderson MS, Cheng MH, Robinson WH, Browne SK, Holland SM, Baechler EC, Utz PJ. Protein microarray analysis reveals BAFF-binding autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. Volume 123 of Issue 12. The Journal of clinical investigation 2013. PMID: 24270423


  7. Shum AK, Alimohammadi M, Tan CL, Cheng MH, Metzger TC, Law CS, Lwin W, Perheentupa J, Bour-Jordan H, Carel JC, Husebye ES, De Luca F, Janson C, Sargur R, Dubois N, Kajosaari M, Wolters PJ, Chapman HA, Kämpe O, Anderson MS. BPIFB1 is a lung-specific autoantigen associated with interstitial lung disease. Volume 5 of Issue 206. Science translational medicine 2013. PMID: 24107778


  8. Cheng MH, Anderson MS. Insights into type 1 diabetes from the autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes. Volume 20 of Issue 4. 2013. PMID: 23770732


  9. Mickie H. Cheng. Sleepless and Diabetic. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2012. PMID:


  10. Mickie Cheng. Feeling SNP-y? Better Analysis Is the Cure. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2012. PMID:


  11. Cheng MH, Anderson MS. Monogenic autoimmunity. Volume 30. 2012. PMID: 22224765


  12. Mickie Cheng. Cushing’s Disease Escapes the Knife. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  13. Mickie H. Cheng. Suicide Genes Breathe New Life into Cell Therapies. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  14. Mickie Cheng. ARRESTINg Obesity. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  15. Cheng MH, Nelson LM. Mechanisms and models of immune tolerance breakdown in the ovary. Volume 29 of Issue 4. 2011. PMID: 21969265


  16. Mickie Cheng. Model Remodeling-Osteocytes Take Center Stage. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  17. Mickie H. Cheng. PTPN22: A Risky Business. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  18. Mickie H. Cheng. Bioinformatics Is “HIP” in the Islets. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  19. Mickie H. Cheng. The Nerve of Those ß Cells. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  20. Mickie H. Cheng. DPP4 Joins Weight Watchers. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  21. Mickie H. Cheng. Fat Fans the Flames. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  22. Mickie H. Cheng. Starve Now, Gain Later. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  23. Otsuka N, Tong ZB, Vanevski K, Tu W, Cheng MH, Nelson LM. Autoimmune oophoritis with multiple molecular targets mitigated by transgenic expression of mater. Volume 152 of Issue 6. 2011. PMID: 21447630


  24. Mickie H. Cheng. Bones Break the News on Reproduction. AACE Clinical Case Reports 2011. PMID:


  25. M.H. Cheng, U. Fan, N. Grewal, K. Johannes, K. Austgen, S.A. Oakes, M.S. Anderson. Translating AIRE-dependent tolerance to autoimmune ovarian disease. Journal of Reproductive Immunology 2010. PMID:


  26. Cheng MH, Fan U, Grewal N, Barnes M, Mehta A, Taylor S, Husebye ES, Murphy EJ, Anderson MS. Acquired autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, thymoma, and an AIRE defect. Volume 362 of Issue 8. The New England journal of medicine 2010. PMID: 20181983


  27. Mickie Cheng, Michael Barnes, Anand Mehta, Steven Taylor, Elizabeth Murphy, Li Zhang, Eystein Husebye, George Eisenbarth, Mark Anderson. F.127. Loss of AIRE Expression in Thymoma Tissue Associated with Multiple Endocrine Autoimmunity: A Novel Case of APS1. Clinical Immunology 2009. PMID:


  28. Mickie Cheng, Kellsey Johannes, Wen Lu, Mark Anderson. F.129. The Search for Autoantigens in a Novel Model of Spontaneous Autoimmune Ovarian Disease. Clinical Immunology 2009. PMID:


  29. Zhang L, Barker JM, Babu S, Su M, Stenerson M, Cheng M, Shum A, Zamir E, Badolato R, Law A, Eisenbarth GS, Anderson MS. A robust immunoassay for anti-interferon autoantibodies that is highly specific for patients with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1. Volume 125 of Issue 2. 2007. PMID: 17825626


  30. Cheng MH, Shum AK, Anderson MS. What's new in the Aire? Volume 28 of Issue 7. 2007. PMID: 17556019


  31. Li Zhang, Raffaele Badolato, Jennifer Barker, Maureen Su Pra, Sunanda Babu, Mickie Cheng, Tony Shum, Ehud Zamir, Adam Law, George Eisenbarth, Mark Anderson. A High Specificity Competitive Europium Based Assay for Autoantibodies of APS1 Patients Reacting with Interferon Alpha. Clinical Immunology 2007. PMID:


  32. Mickie Cheng, Kellsey Johannes, Wen Lu, Mark Anderson. Antigen Identification in a Novel Model of Spontaneous Autoimmune Ovarian Disease. Clinical Immunology 2007. PMID: