Faculty
SELF-INTRODUCTION：
Dr. Yuliang Feng is an Associate Professor and Ph.D supervisor at the Department of Pharmacology in Southern University of Science and Technology. Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on dissecting transcription regulation in human disease using state-of-the-art 3D genomics, epigenomics, and computational approaches. Dr. Feng has participated in large 3D genome and epigenome consortia, such as ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements), 4DN (4D Nucleome), and BLUEPRINT. He has published over 30 papers in high-impact journals, including Circulation, Gastroenterology, Advanced Genetics, Nature Communications, Nucleic Acids Research, Science Advances, Journal of Medical Virology, Theranostics, Basic Research in Cardiology, Protein & Cell, and Stem Cells.Dr. Feng currently serves as a reviewer for over 20 SCI journals including Nucleic Acids Research, Advanced Science, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B (APSB), Redox Biology, Aging and Disease, Pharmacological Research, and iScience. He is also a junior editorial board member for eGastroenterology (BMJ journal) and a guest editor for 5 journals including Cells, Frontiers in Pharmacology, Frontiers in Immunology, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, and Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences.
EDUCATION:
2019.10-2022.11 Doctor of Philosophy (Cellular and Molecular Medicine), University of Oxford (UK)
2008.09-2014.06 Doctorate of Medicine (Cardiovascular pharmacology), Joint program of Southern Medical University and University of Cincinnati
2003.09-2008.06 Bachelor of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, China?
WOKRING EXPERIENCE:
2022.11- present: Associate professor, Dept. of Pharmacology, Southern University of Science and Technology
2017.03-2019.07: Postdoc, Dept. of Genomic Sciences, Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, USA
2014.10-2016.06: Researcher, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, The Netherlands
2010.01-2014.02: Visiting scholar (postdoc), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Dept. of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, USA
HONORS AND AWARDS:
Distinguished Young Scholars of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Overseas),2023
Guangdong Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar,2023
Shenzhen Pengcheng Peacock Programs (Specially Appointed Positions, C),2023
Invited speaker at the Gordon Research Conference,2023
Richard J Bing Award for Young Investigator (ISHR)(Finalist), Germany, 2022
Best Poster Award, Botnar Research Centre Student Symposium, University of Oxford, 2021
Winkler Oxford Award in Medicine or Psychology, 2019
Clarendon Scholar (University of Oxford), 2019-2022
Travel Award, ISHR World Congress, Argentina, 2016
Young Investigator Award, ISHR (Chinese Society), China, 2014
Travel Award, ISHR World Congress, USA, 2013
Young Investigator Award, Guangdong Pharmacology Society, China, 2013
Young Investigator Award, ISHR (Chinese Section), China, 2012
Travel Award, ISHR (International Society of Heart Research) World Congress, Japan, 2010
RESEARCH:
My research is focused on understanding how 3D genome organization contributes to gene regulation and cellular function in human disease. Specifically, I am interested in investigating how enhancer-promoter interactions and chromatin topology play a role in shaping gene expression patterns in the context of heart disease and cancer.
Using advanced techniques such as In-situ ChIA-PET, HiChIP, Hi-C and computational approaches, I aim to map the 3D structure of the genome and identify key regulatory elements and transcription factors involved in gene regulation. By studying the changes in 3D genome organization in response to different stimuli, such as differentiation signals or environmental stressors, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that control gene expression in the development of progression of human disease. This could lead to the development of new diagnostic tools and targeted therapies for heart disease and cancer.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:
The Vice Chairperson of the Pan-Vascular Committee of the Guangdong Medical Education Association (2024-)
Secretary of the Cardiovascular Specialty Committee of the Chinese Society of Pathophysiology (2016-2018)
Member of the Youth Committee of the Secretary of the Cardiovascular Specialty Committee of the Chinese Society of Pathophysiology (2016-2018)
Member of the Second Committee of the China Translational Medicine Working Committee of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR) (2016-2018)
Member of the American Heart Association (AHA)
Member of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR)
PUBLICATIONS(#Co-first author; *Co-corresponding author; ? Lead Contact)：
1. Cai L, Qiao J, Zhou R, Wang X, Li Y, Jiang L, Zhou Q*, Li G*, Xu T*, Feng Y*. EXPRESSO: a multi-omics database to explore multi-layered 3D genomic organization. Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Nov 5:gkae999. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae999. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39498488.
2. Jun Qiao, Qian Wang, Yuhui Zhao, Minjing Chang, Liuyang Cai, Feng Liu, Kaixin Yao, Leilei Zheng, Ning Tan, Pengcheng He, Anil G. Jegga, Siim Pauklin*, Lei Jiang*, Yining Yang*, Yuliang Feng*. Contribution of leukocyte telomere length to major cardiovascular diseases onset: phenotypic and genetic insights from a large-scale genome-wide cross-trait analysis. medRxiv. 2024.05.20.24307614; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.20.24307614
3. Zhuo Z, Guo K, Luo Y, Yang Q, Wu H, Zeng R, Jiang R, Li J, Wei R, Lian Q*, Sha W*, Feng Y*, Chen H*. Targeted modulation of intestinal epithelial regeneration and immune response in ulcerative colitis using dual-targeting bilirubin nanoparticles. Theranostics. 2024 Jan 1;14(2):528-546. doi: 10.7150/thno.87739. PMID: 38169633; PMCID: PMC10758062.
4. Feng Y＃, Cai L＃, Pook M＃, Liu F, Chang CH, Mouti MA, Nibhani R, Militi S, Dunford J, Philpott M, Fan Y, Fan GC, Liu Q, Qi J, Wang C, Hong W, Morgan H, Wang M, Sadayappan S, Jegga AG, Oppermann U, Wang Y*, Huang W*, Jiang L*, Pauklin S*. BRD9-SMAD2/3 orchestrates stemness and tumorigenesis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterology. 2023 Sep 20:S0016-5085(23)05012-6. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.09.021.
5. Jun Qiao, Liuyang Cai, Minjing Chang, Can Wang, Rong Zhao, Shan Song, Ning Tan, Pengcheng He*, Siim Pauklin*, Lei Jiang*, Yuliang Feng*. Shared Genetic Architecture Contributes to Risk of Major Cardiovascular Diseases, 18 September 2023, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3261702/v1]
6. Xie J＃, Feng Y＃, Newby D, Zheng B, Feng Q, Prats-Uribe A, Li C, Wareham NJ, Paredes R, Prieto-Alhambra D*. Genetic risk, adherence to healthy lifestyle and acute cardiovascular and thromboembolic complications following SARS-COV-2 infection. Nat Commun. 2023 Aug 3;14(1):4659. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-40310-0.
7. Meng M, Wu Y, Sha W, Zeng R, Luo D, Jiang R, Wu H, Zhuo Z, Yang Q, Li J, Leung FW*, Duan C*, Feng Y*, Chen H*. Associations of habitual glucosamine use with SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospital admission and death with COVID-19: Evidence from a large population based cohort study. J Med Virol. 2023 Apr;95(4):e28720. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28720. PMID: 37185863.
8. Madrigal P, Deng S, Feng Y, Militi S, Goh KJ, Nibhani R, Grandy R, Osnato A, Ortmann D, Brown S, Pauklin S*. Epigenetic and transcriptional regulations prime cell fate before division during human pluripotent stem cell differentiation. Nat Commun. 2023 Jan 25;14(1):405.
9. Feng Y*＃, Cai L＃, Hong W＃, Zhang C＃, Tan N, Wang M, Wang C, Liu F, Wang X, Ma J, Gao C, Kumar N, Mo Y, Geng Q, Luo C, Lin Y, Chen H, Wang S, Watson M, Jegga A, Pedersen R, Fu J, Wang Z, Fan G, Sadayappan S, Wang Y, Pauklin S*, Huang F*, Huang W*, Jiang L*. Rewiring of 3D Chromatin Topology Orchestrates Transcriptional Reprogramming and the Development of Human Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 2022 May 31;145(22):1663-1683. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.055781.
10. Feng Y＃, Wang P＃, Cai L＃, Zhan M＃, He F, Wang J, Li Y, Gega E, Li S, Zhang W, Zhao W, Xin Y, He X, Chen X*, Ruan Y, Lu L*. 3D-Epigenomic Regulation of Gene Transcription in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Adv Genet. 2022 Jun 29;3(4):2100010. doi: 10.1002/ggn2.202100010. eCollection 2022 Dec.
11. Deng S, Feng Y, Pauklin S*. 3D chromatin architecture and transcription regulation in cancer. J Hematol Oncol. 2022 May 4;15(1):49.
12. Wen Z＃, He K＃, Zhan M＃, Li Y, Liu F, He X, Wei Y, Zhao W, Zhang Y, Xue Y, Xia Y, Lian Y, Xia Z, Xin Y, Wu Y, Duan X, Xiao J, Shen F*, Feng Y*, Xiang G*, Lu L*. EZH2 and JARID2 shift their binding profiles on RNAs and DNAs between hepatocellular carcinoma and normal liver cells. Front Oncol. 2022 Dec 9;12:904633.
13. Feng Y＃, Huang W＃, Paul C, Liu X, Sadayappan S, Wang Y*, Pauklin S*. Mitochondrial nucleoid in cardiac homeostasis: bidirectional signaling of mitochondria and nucleus in cardiac diseases. Basic Res Cardiol. 2021 Aug 14;116(1):49.
14. Lin Z, Ding Q, Li X, Feng Y, He H, Huang C, Zhu Y*. Targeting Epigenetic Mechanisms in Vascular Aging. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jan 4;8:806988.
15. He K＃, Feng Y＃, An S＃, Liu F, Xiang G*. Integrative epigenomic profiling reveal AP-1 is a key regulator in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Genomics. 2021 Dec 20;114(1):241-252.
16. Wang P, Feng Y, Zhu K, Chai H, Chang YT, Liu X, Shen C, Gega E, Li B, Kim M, Ruan X, Ruan Y*. In Situ Chromatin Interaction Analysis Using Paired‐End Tag Sequencing. Curr Protoc. 2021 Aug;1(8):e174.
17. Jie M, Feng T, Huang W, Zhang M, Feng Y*＃, Jiang H*, Wen Z*. Subcellular Localization of miRNAs and Implications in Cellular Homeostasis. Genes (Basel). 2021 Jun 2;12(6):856.
18. Wen Z*, Feng Y, Jiang L. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in Men with Stable Coronary Artery Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021 Jul 20;78(3):294-295.
19. Feng Y, Mouti M and Pauklin S*. PAF1 regulates the stemness of pancreatic cancer stem cells. Gastroenterology. 2021 May;160(6):2224-2225.
20. Wen Z*＃, Feng Y＃ and Yan X. Similar risk of hepatocellular carcinoma during long-term entecavir or tenofovir therapy in Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis B. J Hepatol. 2021;74:245-246.
21. Feng Y, Liu X and Pauklin S*. 3D chromatin architecture and epigenetic regulation in cancer stem cells. Protein Cell. 2021 Jun;12(6):440-454.
22. Lee B, Wang J, Cai L, Kim M, Namburi S, Tjong H, Feng Y, Wang P, Tang Z, Abbas A, Wei CL*, Ruan Y* and Li S*. ChIA-PIPE: A fully automated pipeline for comprehensive ChIA-PET data analysis and visualization. Sci Adv. 2020;6:eaay2078.
23. French R＃, Feng Y＃ and Pauklin S*. Targeting TGFbeta Signalling in Cancer: Toward Context-Specific Strategies. Trends Cancer. 2020;6:538-540.
24. Feng Y and Pauklin S*. Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Roles of Transforming Growth Factor-beta in Colorectal Carcinogenesis. Gastroenterology. 2020;159:397-398.
25. Feng Y and Pauklin S*. Demystifying Cancer Etiology via 3D Genome Mapping. Trends Genet. 2020;36:634-637.
26. Feng Y and Pauklin S*. Revisiting 3D chromatin architecture in cancer development and progression. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020;48:10632-10647.
27. Huang W＃, Liang J＃, Feng Y＃, Jia Z, Jiang L, Cai W, Paul C, Gu JG, Stambrook PJ, Millard RW, Zhu XL, Zhu P* and Wang Y*. Heterogeneity of adult masseter muscle satellite cells with cardiomyocyte differentiation potential. Exp Cell Res. 2018;371:20-30.
28. Huang W＃, Feng Y＃, Liang J＃, Yu H, Wang C, Wang B, Wang M, Jiang L, Meng W, Cai W, Medvedovic M, Chen J, Paul C, Davidson WS, Sadayappan S, Stambrook PJ, Yu XY* and Wang Y*. Loss of microRNA-128 promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation and heart regeneration. Nat Commun. 2018;9:700.
29. Meng W, Tai Y, Zhao H, Fu B, Zhang T, Liu W, Li H, Yang Y, Zhang Q, Feng Y*and Chen G*. Downregulation of miR-33a-5p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Possible Mechanism for Chemotherapy Resistance. Med Sci Monit. 2017;23:1295-1304.
30. Jiang XY, Feng YL, Ye LT, Li XH, Feng J, Zhang MZ, Shelat HS, Wassler M, Li Y, Geng YJ* and Yu XY*. Inhibition of Gata4 and Tbx5 by Nicotine-Mediated DNA Methylation in Myocardial Differentiation. Stem Cell Reports. 2017;8:290-304.
31. Li XH, Li Q, Jiang L, Deng C, Liu Z, Fu Y, Zhang M, Tan H, Feng Y, Shan Z, Wang J* and Yu XY*. Generation of Functional Human Cardiac Progenitor Cells by High-Efficiency Protein Transduction. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2015;4:1415-24.
32. Cai WF, Kang K, Huang W, Liang JL, Feng YL, Liu GS, Chang DH, Wen ZL, Paul C, Xu M, Millard RW and Wang Y*. CXCR4 attenuates cardiomyocytes mitochondrial dysfunction to resist ischaemia-reperfusion injury. J Cell Mol Med. 2015;19:1825-35.
33. Wen Z, Huang W, Feng Y, Cai W, Wang Y, Wang X, Liang J, Wani M, Chen J, Zhu P, Chen JM, Millard RW, Fan GC and Wang Y*. MicroRNA-377 regulates mesenchymal stem cell-induced angiogenesis in ischemic hearts by targeting VEGF. PLoS One. 2014;9:e104666.
34. Feng Y, Huang W, Wani M, Yu X* and Ashraf M*. Ischemic preconditioning potentiates the protective effect of stem cells through secretion of exosomes by targeting Mecp2 via miR-22. PLoS One. 2014;9:e88685. (ESI高被引論文)
35. Feng Y＃, Huang W＃, Meng W, Jegga AG, Wang Y, Cai W, Kim HW, Pasha Z, Wen Z, Rao F, Modi RM, Yu X* and Ashraf M*. Heat shock improves Sca-1+ stem cell survival and directs ischemic cardiomyocytes toward a prosurvival phenotype via exosomal transfer: a critical role for HSF1/miR-34a/HSP70 pathway. Stem Cells. 2014;32:462-72.
36. Wang L, Pasha Z, Wang S, Li N, Feng Y, Lu G, Millard RW and Ashraf M*. Protein kinase G1 alpha overexpression increases stem cell survival and cardiac function after myocardial infarction. PLoS One. 2013;8:e60087.
37. Feng Y, Yu XY and Wang Y. Recent concepts for the roles of progenitor/stem cell niche in heart repair. Am J Cardiovasc Dis. 2012;2:75-83.
38. Feng Y, Wang Y, Cao N, Yang H and Wang Y*. Progenitor/stem cell transplantation for repair of myocardial infarction: Hype or hope? Ann Palliat Med. 2012;1:65-77.
39. Feng Y and Yu X*. Cardinal roles of miRNA in cardiac development and disease. Sci China Life Sci. 2011;54:1113-20.
40. Haider H*, Mustafa A, Feng Y and Ashraf M. Genetic modification of stem cells for improved therapy of the infarcted myocardium. Mol Pharm. 2011;8:1446-57.