Research Interest, Education & Publications

photo of Yunchao Su, MD, PhD

Yunchao Su, MD, PhD

  • Professor
  • Pharmacology & Toxicology

706-721-7641

Research & Education Building, CB 3524

Office phone icon: 706-721-7641
Lab CB-3501 phone icon: 706-721-3315

 


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

 

 

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography