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YabingChen_

Yabing Chen PhD

VA Research Career Scientist , Birmingham VA Health Care System Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

VA Birmingham health care

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Personal Statement

My research programs are focused on studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and their contributions to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, diabetic vasculopathy, and major vascular complications during aging. I have 16 years of experience in vascular biology and have expertise in using primary cell culture, ex vivo organ culture, and genetically modified mouse models to study cardiovascular diseases. Over the years, we have generated several unique mouse models with tissue-specific gene ablation; and accumulate experience using cutting-edge technologies to evaluate vascular cells and their functions during development and in the pathogenesis of vascular disease.

Our work in the last decade has determined a definitive role of SMC-specific Runx2 in regulating vascular calcification and stiffness in animal models of human cardiovascular disease. Runx2 is a key osteogenic factor and well known for its function in the skeletal development and remodeling. Using SMC-specific deletion of Runx2, including SM22Cre- and inducible SMMHC-Cre-mediated Runx2 deletion mouse models, we have uncovered a novel function of Runx2 upregulation in the pathogenesis of vascular disease and defined the molecular mechanisms underlying Runx2 upregulation in the vasculature.

Education

  • BSc, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
  • PhD, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
  • MBA, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

 Research Interests

  • Essential role of oxidative stress-induced Runx2 in regulating vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation and vascular calcification in atherosclerosis
  • Novel mechanisms underlying vascular osteoclasts in atherosclerotic vascular calcification
  • Role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in regulating vascular calcification in diabetes

 Recent Publications

  • Yang Y, Sun Y, Chen J, Bradley WE, Dell'Italia LJ, Wu H and Chen Y. AKT-independent activation of p38 MAP kinase promotes vascular calcification. Redox Biol. (2018), 16:97-103. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.02.009. PMID: 29495001. PMCID: PMC5952999
  • Chen Y, Zhao X, Wu H. Metabolic Stress and Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus: The Role of Protein O-GlcNAc Modification. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. (2019) Aug 29:ATVBAHA119312192. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.312192. PMID: 31462094
  • Sun Y*, Byon CH*, Yang Y, Bradley WE, Dell'Italia LJ, Sanders PW, Agarwal A, Wu H and Chen Y. Dietary potassium regulates vascular calcification and arterial stiffness. JCI Insight. (2017) 5;2(19). pii: 94920. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.94920. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28978809 PMCID:PMC5841863 (published as An Editor’s pick, A top read paper in JCI Insight with a total view over 11,500 in the first week of its publication; Highlighted in JCI This Month in November 2017; Highlighted in over 60 news outlets, including ScienceDaily, Newsweek, USA Today, NIH Research Matters and many others)
  • Yang Y, Sun Y, Chen J, Bradley WE, Dell'Italia LJ, Wu H and Chen Y. AKT-independent activation of p38 MAP kinase promotes vascular calcification. Redox Biol. (2018), 16:97-103. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.02.009. PMID: 29495001. PMCID: PMC5952999
  • Chen Y, Zhao X, Wu H. Arterial Stiffness: A Focus on Vascular Calcification and Its Link to Bone Mineralization. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. (2020), 40(5):1078-1093. doi: 10.1161/ ATVBAHA.120.313131. PMID: 32237904

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