Yao Liang Tang, M.D., PhD.

Yao Liang Tang, M.D., PhD.

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine

Phone: (706) 721-8467
Fax: (706) 721-9799
Email: YAOTANG@augusta.edu
Office: CB-3303A / Lab: CB-3302, CB-3303

Research Interests

My primary research goals are to identify the molecular mechanisms of stem cell mediated cardiovascular protection and regeneration. More specifically, we are interested in (1) cross talking between HIF-1α and Notch signaling in homing, survival, and differentiation of stem cells; (2) exosomes-mediated survival signaling in stem cell mediated cardio protection; (3) the regulation of small non-coding RNA (microRNA) and long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) in stem cells; (4) cardiac differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells; (4) role of HDAC11 in cardiovascular disease. We found that hypoxic preconditioning enhances paracrine effects of CPC transplantation and improves heart function via angiogenesis and cardiovascular lineage differentiation. I have 10-year’s interdisciplinary research experience in mouse model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, mouse cardiovascular physiology, mouse vascular injury model, stem cell biology, molecular biology and histology.Stem cell mediated functional angiogenesis

Honors/ Awards

  • 2012-present - American Heart Association, Western States Innovative Award Committee
  • 2012-present - American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Abstract Reviewer
  • 2012-present - Ad hoc NIH/NIEHS Stem Cell Research Study Section
  • 2009-present - American Heart Association, Genetics and Epigenetics study section
  • 2009-present - Ad hoc NHLBI GO TRIP Study Section
  • 2009-present - American Heart Association/Western Affiliate Peer Review Committee
  • 2009-2010 - American Heart Association/Western Affiliate Peer Review Committee
  • 2008 - Research Project Grant, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
  • 2007-2008 - Annual Faculty Research Award, Keck Graduate Institute
  • 2007 - Beginning Grant in Aid, American Heart Association (Western Affiliate)
  • 2004 - Melvin L. Marcus Award (Finalist), American Heart Association Scientific
  • Sessions
  • 2004 - Dr. Jeff Isner Young Investigator Award (First place), Massachusetts General Hospital, Cardiovascular Cell and Gene Therapy Conference II
  • 2004 - Young Investigator Award (Finalist), Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Category, American College of  Cardiology Foundation
  • 2003 - Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, American Heart Association
  • 2003 - Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow Research Award, American Heart Association

Education & Training

University of South Florida, Tampa: Postdoctoral Training, 2003-2004 Pediatrics

University of Florida, Gainesville: Postdoctoral Training, 2002-2003 Physiology and Functional Genomics

Fudan University (formerly Shanghai Medical University), Shanghai, China: PhD. 2002 Surgery

JiaoTong University (formerly Shanghai 2nd Medical University), Shanghai, China: M.D. 1993 Clinical Medicine

Research Experience & Academic Appointments

Core Faculty, Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University (2013-present)

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University (2013-present)

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati(2009-2013)

Associate Professor (Research), Keck Graduate Institute(2008-2009)

Assistant Professor (Research), Keck Graduate Institute(2006-2008)

Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of South Florida(2004-2006)

Doctor Attending, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, P.R. China (1997-2002)

Resident/Chief Resident, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Hua Dong Hospital, P.R. China (1993-1997)

Service

Review Activity

Editor, Mesenchymal Stem Cell derived Exosomes (Elsevier) (2013-present )

Academic Editor, PLoS One (2012-present)

Editor, Genetics of Stem Cells (Elsevier) (2012-present)

Editorial Advisory Board, Current Angiogenesis (2011-present)

Editorial Advisory Board, Current Cardiology Reviews (2010-present)

Laboratory

Lan Zhang

Lan Zhang, Visiting Scientist