Description of Research Expertise
My research has focused on deciphering the key molecular mechanism that regulates vessel formation and tissue repair. My lab uses a multidisciplinary approach combining cell and molecular biology, genetics, and animal models to investigate: 1. The molecular mechanisms by which protease regulate stem cell function during tissue repair and regeneration; 2. The regulatory mechanism underlying new vessel formation in development and disease; 3 Endothelial plasticity in tumor and ischemia microenvironment leads to aberrant vascularity in tumor and heart disease.
Selected Publications
Huang M., Yang F., Zhang D., Lin M., Duan H. EI-Mayta R., Zhang L., Qin L., Shewale S., Pei L., Mitchell M., Rader D., Fan Y*., Gong Y*.: Endothelial plasticity drives aberrant vascularization and impedes cardiac repair after myocardial infarction Nature Cardiovasc. Res. : 2022.
Wang L. Yao L. Duan H. Yang F. Lin M. Zhang R. He, Z. Ahn J. Fan Y. Qin L*. Gong Y*.: Plasminogen Regulates Fracture Repair by Promoting the Functions of Periosteal Mesenchymal Progenitors Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 36 (11): 2021.
Yang F, He Z, Duan H, Zhang D, Li J, Yang H, Dorsey JF, Zou W, Nabavizadeh SA, Bagley SJ, Abdullah K, Brem S, Zhang L, Xu X, Byrne KT, Vonderheide RH*, Gong Y*, & Fan Y*.: Synergistic immunotherapy of glioblastoma by dual targeting of IL-6 and CD40. Nat. Commun. 12 (1): 2021.
Ma W., Wang Y., Zhang R., Yang F., Zhang D., Huang, M., Zhang L., Dorsey J., Binder Z., O'Rourke D., Fraietta J., Gong Y*., Fan Y*., : Targeting PAK4 to reprogram the vascular microenvironment and improve CAR-T immunotherapy for glioblastoma. Nature Cancer : 2020.
Duan H, He Z, Lin M, Wang Y, Yang F, Mitteer, R, Kim H, Yeo E, Han H, Qin L, Fan Y, and Gong Y.: Plasminogen regulates mesenchymal stem cellmediated
tissue repair after ischemia through cyr61 activation JCI insight 5 (15): 2020.
Tao L., Yang J., Cao F., Xie H., Zhang M., Gong Y.*, Zhang C.*: Mogroside IIIE, A novel anti-fibrotic compound, reduces pulmonary fibrosis through Toll like receptor 4 pathways. J Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 361 (2): 2017 .
Huang M., Liu T., Ma P., Mitteer A., Cai, P., Li C., Zhang L., Zhao B., Gong Y. Koumenis, C., Fan Y: c-Met-mediated endothelial plasticity drives aberrant vascularization and chemoresistance in glioblastoma. J. Clin. Invest. 126 (5) : 1801-14,2016.
Gong Y*, Zhao Y, Li Y, Fan Y, Hoover-Plow J: Plasminogen regulates cardiac repair after myocardial infarction through its noncanonical function in stem cell homing to the infarcted heart. J Am Coll Cardiol 63 (25): 2862-2872,2014 .
Gong Y*, Fan Y, Hoover-Plow J: Plasminogen regulates stromal cell-derived factor-1/CXCR4-mediated hematopoietic stem cell mobilization by activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 31 (9): 2035-43,2011 .
Gong Y, Hart E, Shchurin A, Hoover-Plow J: Inflammatory macrophage migration requires MMP-9 activation by plasminogen in mice.
J Clin Invest 118 (9): 3012-24,2008.
Academic Contact Information
Perelman School of Medicine at The University of Pennsylvania
Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics
Smilow Center for Translational Research, Room 8-155
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Pennsylvania,
PA
19104
Phone: 215-746-3510