Ph.D., Associate Professor
Research Areas:
Cancer Biology, Pharmacology and Toxicology
Education & Positions:
Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Associate Professor, 2009-
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Postdoctoral Fellow, 2004-2008
Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D., 2000-2003
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, M. Sc., 1997-2000
Sichuan Institute of Science and Technology, B.E., 1992-1996
Faculty Accolades:
Outstanding Faculty, Peking University Health Science Center, 2013
Outstanding Award in Laboratory Works, Peking University (Medicine group), 2016
Excellence in Teaching Award, for the course of Introduction to Chemical Biology, 2017
Research Interests:
The researches of Yu’s group focus on the initiation, progression, prevention and therapies of cancers and related disorders such as hepatitis and colitis, with special interests in the roles of stress response signaling network in regulation of cellular energetic/xenobiotic metabolism and tumor/tissue microenvironment. Specifically, the physiological, pharmacological and toxicological roles of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1/2 (Nrf1/2) have been the major topics in our lab.
We established novel nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular mouse models based on inducible liver-specific Nrf1 knockout mice, and revealed the underlying molecular mechanisms. We identified the roles of Nrf2 in resistance and toxicities of chemotherapeutic agents, and collaborated with clinicians and pathologists to translate the knowledge into clinic practice. We established various cellular high-throughput screening models, together with various mouse models such as xenograft, chemical- or gene modification-induced disease models, to discover and validate natural or synthetic chemicals as potential chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agents, and to reveal the molecular and cellular mechanisms.
Grants and funding:
1. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), The roles of transcription factor Nrf2 in the personalized prediction and prevention of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, 2013.1-2016.12, ￥700,000, Principal Investigator.
2. NSFC, Intervention of colorectal carcinogenesis by licorice-derived phytochemicals and the underlying mechanisms, 2015.1-2018.12, ￥720,000, Principal Investigator.
3. CMC of P. R. China, Integrated visible in vivo human performance monitoring system, 2017.7-2019.1, ￥1,400,000, Principal Investigator.
4. NSFC, Study on the roles and mechanisms of thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase in hepatocellular carcinogenesis early precaution and chemoprevention, 2014.1-2017.12, ￥750,000, co-Principal investigator.
5. NSFC, Mechanistic studies on regulation and reprogramming of metabolic signal-gene expression network during the progression of NASH to hepatocellular carcinoma, 2015.1-2017.12, ￥2,000,000, co-Principal Investigator.
Selected Publications:
1. Cao M, Wang H, Guo L, Yang S, Liu C, Khor TO, Yu S*, Kong AN*. Dibenzoylmethane Protects Against CCl4-Induced Acute Liver Injury by Activating Nrf2 via JNK, AMPK, and Calcium Signaling. AAPS J. 2017;19(6):1703-1714
2. Ji L, Yang S, Li S, Liu S, Tang S, Liu Z, Meng X*, Yu S*, A novel triazolonaphthalimide induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth by targeting DNA and DNA-associated processes, Oncotarget, 2017;8(23):37394-37408
3. Ji S, Tang S, Li K, Li Z, Liang W, Qiao X, Wang Q, Yu S*, Ye M*, Licoricidin inhibits the growth of SW480 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo by inducing cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy, Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 2017;326:25-33
4. Que L, He L, Yu C, Yin W, Ma L, Cao B*, Yu S*, Activation of Nrf2-ARE signaling mitigates cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression, Toxicol Lett, 2016; 262:17-26
5. Ji S, Li Z, Song W, Wang Y, Liang W, Li K, Tang S, Wang Q, Qiao X, Zhou D, Yu S*, Ye M*. Bioactive Constituents of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice): Discovery of the Effective Components of a Traditional Herbal Medicine. J Nat Prod. 2016; 79(2):281-292 (high citations)
