Research Interests

Our laboratory utilizes both computational and experimental biology to identify and characterize previously unknown genes, especially long non-coding RNA genes which drive metabolic disorders including but not limited to fatty liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and hepatocellular carcinoma. We are applying bioinformatics, genetics, genomics, biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular biology, and CRISPR-mediated genome engineering to explore the complex regulatory networks of metabolic disorders, and to translate our findings into novel therapeutics that target RNAs, proteins, or the interactions between RNAs and proteins to treat metabolic diseases.

Current Projects:

1) Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) in metabolic diseases

The lncRNAs are an emerging and rapidly-growing class of functional genomic elements, and a number have been shown to regulate fundamental biological processes, but the scope of their influence in metabolic disorders remains unclear. Identifying and characterizing metabolically-relevant lncRNAs will be crucial to obtaining a better understanding the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases.

2) RNA or RNA targeted therapies to treat metabolic diseases

Our current therapeutic options for metabolic diseases such as fatty liver disease, obesity, and diabetes are very limited, partly due to the gaps in our understanding of metabolism and metabolic pathophysiology. The lncRNA metabolic regulators characterized in our laboratory will provide novel therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.

3) Multi-Omics approach to dissect the pathological process of metabolic diseases

Recent advances in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and computational biology have made the 21st century a golden age for bioscience research. With the rapid growth of biological data, our laboratory applies both computational and experimental approaches to understand the complex metabolic network of human health and diseases.

View PubMed Publications

Yang L., Li P., Yang W., Ruan X., Zhu J., Cao H. Integrative Transcriptome Analyses of Metabolic Responses in Mice Define Pivotal LncRNA Metabolic Regulators. (Cell Metabolism 2016; 24(4):627-639)

Ruan X., Li P., Cangelosi A., Yang L., Cao H. A Fasting-induced Long Non-coding RNA Regulates Hepatic Glucokinase Expression and Glycogen Storage. (Cell Reports 2016; 14(8):1867-75)

Li P.*, Ruan X.*, Yang L.*, Kiesewetter K., Zhao Y., Luo H., Chen Y., Gucek M., Zhu J., Cao H. A Liver-Enriched Long Non-Coding RNA, lncLSTR, Regulates Systemic Lipid Metabolism in Mice. *equal contribution. (Cell Metabolism 2015; 21(3):455-67)

Yang L., Zhang Y., Wang L., Fan F., Zhu L., Li Z., Ruan X., Huang H., Wang Z., Huang Z., Huang Y., Yan X., Chen Y. Amelioration of high fat diet induced liver lipogenesis and hepatic steatosis by interleukin-22. (Journal of Hepatology 2010; 53(2): 339-347)

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Ling Yang, PhD | Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple ...