Yunchao Su, MD, PhD
Research Interest, Education & Publications
 |
Research & Education Building, CB 3524
Office phone icon: 706-721-7641 |
RESEARCH INTEREST
Dr. Su is a physician scientist with long-standing research interest in the regulatory mechanisms of pulmonary circulation. His laboratory has discovered the interaction of endothelial nitric oxide synthase to cytoskeletal protein actin in endothelial cells and the novel role of calpain and glycolytic enzyme PFKFB3 as important mediators in pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension and has clarified the ROS mechanism in tobacco smoke-related COPD and lung fibrosis. The current research interest of his laboratory has focused on metabolic mechanisms in lung vascular signaling, lung injury and repair and airway and pulmonary vascular remodeling in COPD. His laboratory uses multidisciplinary approaches at the levels of molecule, cell, organ, animal models and patient samples, to discover novel mechanisms, new therapeutic strategies and biomarkers for COPD, pulmonary hypertension and lung injury. His expertise in the areas of endothelial and smooth muscle biology, gene manipulation, and posttranslational protein modifications provides a multidisciplinary research team with the experience to excel in the field of lung biology.
EDUCATION & POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING
1999 Postdoctoral training Department of Medicine Pulmonary Division, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
1994 Postdoctoral training Department of Pharmacology, Wellcome Research Laboratories, London, UK
1991 PhD, Pathophysiology Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
1988 MS, Pathophysiology Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
1985 MD, Clinical Medicine Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
2014 - Present Research Scientist, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
2013 - Present Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
2013 - Present Professor, Department of Medicine
2013 - Present Professor, The Graduate School, Augusta University
EDITORIAL BOARDS
2019 - Present Editorial Board, Current Medical Science
2014 - Present Editorial Board, American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology
2014 - Present Academic editor, PLOS ONE
2012 - Present Editorial Board, Pulmonary Circulation
2012 - Present Editorial Board, Journal of Biomolecular Research and Therapeutics
GRANT REVIEW PANELS
2019 Reviewer, Department of Defense Peer Review Panel
2010 - Present Reviewer, NIH RIBT study section, Ad hoc
2009 - Present Reviewer, NIH Special Emphasis Panels
2007 - Present Reviewer, AHA Lung study section
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Kovacs L, Cao Y, Han W, Meadows L, Kovacs-Kasa A, Kondrikov D, Verin AD, Barman SA, Dong Z, Huo Y and Su Y. PFKFB3 in Smooth Muscle Promotes Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019;200:617-627. PMID: 30817168
Cao Y, Zhang X, Wang L, Yang Q, Ma Q, Xu J, Wang J, Kovacs L, Ayon RJ, Liu Z, Zhang M, Zhou Y, Zeng X, Xu Y, Wang Y, Fulton DJ, Weintraub NL, Lucas R, Dong Z, Yuan JX, Sullivan JC, Meadows L, Barman SA, Wu C, Quan J, Hong M, Su Y, Huo Y. PFKFB3-mediated endothelial glycolysis promotes pulmonary hypertension. Proceeding of National Academy of Science of USA 2019; 116(27):13394. PMCID: PMC6613097
Zhu J, Kovacs L, Han W, Liu G, Huo Y, Lucas R, Fulton D, Greer P, Su Y. ROS-Dependent Calpain Activation Contributes to Airway and Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in COPD. Antioxid Redox Signal . 2019; 31:804-818. PMCID:PMC31088299. Journal Cover highlight, Cover photo
Kovacs L, Han W, Rafikov R, Bagi Z, Offermanns S, Saido TC, Black SM, Su Y. Activation of calpain-2 by mediators in pulmonary vascular remodeling of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016;54(3):384-93. (Highlighted paper). PMCID: PMC4821035
Kondrikov D, Gross C, Black SM and Su Y. Novel peptide for attenuation of hyperoxia-induced disruption of lung endothelial barrier and pulmonary edema via modulating peroxynitrite formation. J Biol Chem. 2014; 289(48):33355-33363. PMCID: PMC4246092.
Ma W, Han W, Greer PA, Tuder RM, Toque HA, Wang KKW, Caldwell RW, Su Y. Calpain mediates pulmonary vascular remodeling in rodent models of pulmonary hypertension and its inhibition attenuates pathologic features of disease. J.Clin.Invest 2011; 121(11):4548-66. PMCID: PMC3204840.
Kondrikov D, Fonseca FV, Elms S, Fulton D, Black SM, Block ER, Su Y. β-actin association with endothelial NO synthase modulates NO and superoxide generation from the enzyme. J.Biol.Chem. 2010; 285(7):4319–4327. PMCID: PMC2836036
Su Y, Cui Z, Li Z, Block ER. Calpain-2 regulation of VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. FASEB Journal 2006, 20(9):1443-1451.
Su Y, Han W, Girado C, Li YD, Block ER. Effect of cigarette smoking extracts on NO synthase in pulmonary endothelial cells. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology 1998; 19(5):819-825.
Moro MA, Russell RJ, Cellek S, Lizasoain I, Su Y, Darley-Usmar VM, Radomski MW, Moncada S. cGMP mediates the vascular and platelet actions of nitric oxide: Confirmation using an inhibitor of the soluble guanylyl cyclase. Proceeding of National Academy of Science of USA 1996; 93:1480-1485. PMCID: PMC39965