Dr. Peng's research interests are multifunctional extracellular matrix protein hensin, which plays an important role in adaptation of intercalated cells during metabolic acidosis. Hensin have also been associated with epithelial differentiation, and tumor suppression. Although hensin was founded ten years ago, full-length hensin cloning and expression is still not available. So far, hensin can only be obtained from natural source such as , cell medium, cell lysates, etc. Recombinant expression and purification of hensin is an essential and key step for systematic investigating its structure, function, signal transduction pathway and towards the evaluation of its therapeutically potential.

Dr. Peng's some research aims are as follows:
1) Cloning, sequencing, and expression full-lenth hensin gene as well as its different domains, such as SRCR, Zp, and CUB domain.
2) Structural and functional analysis of hensin. Investigating the mechanisms of hensin polymerizing in ECM and determining other proteins interacting with hensin such as cyclophilins, galectin-3, integrins and so on.
3) Investigating hensin signaling pathway.

• Peng H, Vijayakumar S, Schiene-Fischer C, Li H, Purkerson JM, Malesevic M, Liebscher J, Al-Awqati Q, Schwartz GJ. Secreted cyclophilin A, a peptidylprolyl cis-trans isomerase, mediates matrix assembly of hensin, a protein implicated in epithelial differentiation. J Biol Chem. 2009 Mar 6; 284(10):6465-75.
  View in: PubMed
• Sahni A, Khorana AA, Baggs RB, Peng H, Francis CW. FGF-2 binding to fibrin(ogen) is required for augmented angiogenesis. Blood. 2006 Jan 1; 107(1):126-31.
  View in: PubMed
• Peng H, Sahni A, Fay P, Bellum S, Prudovsky I, Maciag T, Francis CW. Identification of a binding site on human FGF-2 for fibrinogen. Blood. 2004 Mar 15; 103(6):2114-20.
  View in: PubMed
• Peng H, Myers J, Fang X, Stachowiak EK, Maher PA, Martins GG, Popescu G, Berezney R, Stachowiak MK. Integrative nuclear FGFR1 signaling (INFS) pathway mediates activation of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene by angiotensin II, depolarization and protein kinase C. J Neurochem. 2002 May; 81(3):506-24.
  View in: PubMed
• Peng H, Moffett J, Myers J, Fang X, Stachowiak EK, Maher P, Kratz E, Hines J, Fluharty SJ, Mizukoshi E, Bloom DC, Stachowiak MK. Novel nuclear signaling pathway mediates activation of fibroblast growth factor-2 gene by type 1 and type 2 angiotensin II receptors. Mol Biol Cell. 2001 Feb; 12(2):449-62.
  View in: PubMed