Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center
Dean's Faculty Recruit
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine, Vascular Biology Center
Dean's Faculty Recruit
Specialties: Inflammation, atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
Education:
M.D., Jining Medical School, China, 1990
M.S., Qingdao University, China, 1995
Ph.D., Beijing Medical University, China, 1998
PostDoc., University of Virginia, USA. 2002
Research Interests: Atherosclerosis develops and progresses through inflammatory processes involving adhesion molecules and chemokines. We have developed a variety of models including in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo to investigate these pathological processes. Using epifluoresence intravital microscopy, we can directly observe the interactions of circulating blood cells with mouse atherosclerotic arteries. The molecular mechanisms involved in these interactions are being studied using blocking antibodies and knockout mice. A few adhesion molecules such as P-selectin, PSGL-1, VCAM-1, VLA-4 and the chemokines RANTES and KC have been identified as crucial molecules in monocyte recruitment to atherosclerotic lesions.
In addition to determining the roles of adhesion molecules/chemokines in atherosclerosis and thrombosis, we are also interested in finding the molecules and pathways which interfere with these pathological processes. Currently, we are assessing the involvement of fatty acids (FAs), FA-derived compounds, nuclear receptor PPARs, adenosine and its receptors in inflammation, atherosclerosis and thrombosis. These studies are expected to augment the basic understanding of the inflammatory process involved in atherosclerosis and develop anti-inflammatory/atherogenic/thrombotic therapies for future clinical use in patients.
Main List - 2004-2005 Scholars