DR. YANG YANG

B.Sc. (Beijing Normal University), Ph.D. (Shanghai Academia Sinica) - Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Research Scientist, Julia McFarlane Diabetes Research Centre.

Research Interests

For last a few years, Dr. Yang's research has been focused on immune regulation mediated by NKT cells, and pathogenic mechanisms of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Using functional genetic analysis, he showed that T1D susceptibility genes expressed in T cell lineage result in deficient development of NKT cells in NOD mice, and these genes are localized near MHC locus. His recent works demonstrated that NKT cells are potentiated by DC-specific lipid antigens, and the activation-induced anergic NKT cells suppress autoimmune inflammation through an antigen specific regulatory mechanism via the induction of tolerogenic DCs. He has also identified a unique regulatory mechanism through CD28/PD-1 signaling axis that control cytokine secretion but not gene transcription in NKT cells. His current focus is to develop nanoparticle based approaches to deliver antigen specific signals for immune regulation and novel therapies for autoimmune diseases in collaboration with different groups.   

 

Personnel:

Lu Cheng, M.Sc.	Graduate Student:
Suzanne Cho	Research Assistant::
Sheng Hou	Research Assistant::
Hiroko Nakano	Research Assistant::
Valerie Crosby	Administrative Assistant

 

 

 

 

 

 

View Pub Med for Recent publications & abstracts

Recent Publications:

• Cheng L., Wang J., Santamaria P. and Yang Y. CD28 engagement releases antigen-activated iNKT cells from the inhibitory effects of PD-1. Cutting Edge: J. Immunol. (2009) 182: 6644-6647. 

• Ueno A., Wang J., Cheng L., Im J., Porcelli S. and Yang Y. Enhanced early expansion and maturation of iNKT cells inhibited autoimmune pathogenesis in congenic NOD mice. J. Immunol. (2008) 181: 6789-6796
   

• Wang J., Ueno A., Cho S., Cheng L., Xu B., Desrosiers  M., Shi Y. and Yang Y. A ligand dependent induction of non-inflammatory DCs by anergic iNKT cells minimizes autoimmune inflammation J. Immunol. (2008) 181: 2438-2445.

   

• Ueno A., Cho S., Cheng L., Hou S., Nakano H., Santamaria P. and Yang Y. Transient upregulation of IDO in dendritic cells by human chorionic gonadotropin downregulates autoimmune diabetes. Diabetes (2007) 56: 1686-1693.

   

• Cheng L., Ueno A., Cho S., Im J., Golby S., Hou S., Porcelli SA. and Yang Y. Efficient Activation of V14 iNKT cells by Foreign Lipid Antigen is Associated with Concurrent Dendritic Cell Specific Self Recognition. J. Immunol. (2007) 178: 2755-2762.

  Contact Information:
  University of Calgary,
  Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
  Room B701C Health Sciences Centre,
  3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta
  Canada T2N 4N1.
  Phone: (403) 210-8505
  E-mail: yyang [at] ucalgary [dot] ca