Welcome to the Yang Lab

Cells have evolved sophisticated stress response mechanisms to maintain organelle function and metabolic homeostasis under physiological and pathological conditions. Disruption of these adaptive responses contributes to the development of metabolic and inflammatory diseases, including obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disorders. Our laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which metabolic and inflammatory stress alter organelle function and cellular metabolism. We are particularly interested in understanding how the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, and lysosomes coordinate stress responses and how dysfunction of these organelles affects metabolic regulation at the cellular and organismal levels. Our research has established important links between ER stress, defective autophagy, aberrant protein S-nitrosylation, and insulin resistance. Building on these findings, we are investigating the roles of organelle stress signaling and inter-organ communication in liver metabolism, adipose tissue function, pancreatic β-cell biology, and cardiovascular disease. We are also exploring pancreatic biology using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived models and organoid systems to investigate diabetes. Our laboratory combines molecular and cellular biology, genetic models, metabolic phenotyping, and multi-omics approaches to address fundamental questions in cell biology and metabolic disease. Our long-term goal is to understand how organelle stress responses regulate metabolic homeostasis and identify molecular pathways that may be targeted to prevent or treat metabolic disease.