Medical College of Wisconsin
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CURRICULUM VITAE

Yang Xiao
Assistant Professor
Department of Physiology

OFFICE ADDRESS:
8701 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI 53226

EDUCATION:
09/01/2003 - 07/01/2008 MBBS, Peking University, Beijing, China
09/01/2008 - 07/01/2010 M.S., Peking University, Beijing, China
09/01/2010 - 12/15/2017 Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AND FELLOWSHIP APPOINTMENTS:
06/01/2018 - 06/01/2023 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
07/01/2023 - 08/01/2026 Research Associate, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS:
09/01/2026 - Present Assistant Professor, Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

AWARDS AND HONORS:
2003 - 2008 Honors of Outstanding Students, Peking University
2003 - 2008 Distinguished Medical Student Scholarship, Peking University
2005 Excellent Summer Investigation Award: Medical Insurance of Low-Income People in Beijing, Peking University
2007 Excellent Clinical Intern Award, Peking University 9th Hospital
2008 - 2009 Guang Hua Scholarship, Peking University
2013 Student Travel Award, Texas A&M University Health Science Center
2014 Oral Presentation Award, IBT Student Symposium, Texas A&M Health Science Center
2016 Best Student Poster, Cardiovascular Research Institute Symposium, Baylor College of Medicine
2020 Keystone Symposia Scholarship: Obesity and NAFLD: Mechanisms and Therapeutics, Keystone Symposia
2020 Life Science Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Finalist, Life Science Research Foundation
2021 - 2023 Postdoctoral Fellowship, American Heart Association
2023 Abstract Award, Penn Obesity Symposium
2023 Best Poster Award, Chinese American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting
2025 Best Poster Award, UPenn Digestive and Liver Center 25th Annual Symposium

MEMBERSHIPS IN HONORARY AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
2011 - Present American Heart Association (Member)

EDITORSHIPS/EDITORIAL BOARDS/JOURNAL REVIEWS:
Editorial Board
Frontiers in Immunology - Inflammation
Ad-Hoc Reviewer
Nature Communications
PLOS ONE
Frontiers in Immunology
Cell and Bioscience
IUBMB Life
Nature

LOCAL/REGIONAL APPOINTED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
2011 - 2012 President, Graduate Student Organization, Texas A&M Health Science Center
2012 Organizer, Distinguished Lecture featuring Dr. Frederick Alt, Texas A&M Health Science Center
2012 Organizer, Graduate Student Symposium featuring Dr. Hong Wu, Texas A&M Health Science Center
2018 Poster Judge, Penn Postdoc Symposium, University of Pennsylvania

NATIONAL ELECTED/APPOINTED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
2021 Reviewer, Grant Review: Reviewer-in-Training Program, American Heart Association
2023 Judge, Young Investigator Award, Academy of Cardiovascular Research Excellence

RESEARCH GRANTS/AWARDS/CONTRACTS/PROJECTS:
Active
Peer Review
Title:
Functional identification of non-coding variants associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
Source:
NIDDK K01
Role & Effort:
Principal Investigator
PI:
Yang Xiao
Dates:
2025 - 2029
Direct Funds:
$726,850
  
Title:
Cross-species epigenomic profiling of hepatic chromatin dynamics in metabolic stress
Source:
Pilot Award
Role & Effort:
Principal Investigator
PI:
Yang Xiao
Dates:
2026 - 2027
Direct Funds:
$10,000
  
Title:
Nutrient-stimulated transcriptional regulation in metabolic liver disease
Source:
UPenn NIDDK Digestive and Liver Center Pilot and Feasibility Award
Role & Effort:
Principal Investigator
PI:
Yang Xiao
Dates:
2026 - 2027
Direct Funds:
$40,000
  
Prior
Peer Review
Title:
Functional single-cell interrogation of progression of NASH, a growing risk for cardiovascular diseases
Source:
American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship
Role & Effort:
Principal Investigator
PI:
Yang Xiao
Dates:
2021 - 2023
Direct Funds:
$140,752
  
Non-Peer Review
Title:
Evaluating EphB2 as a therapeutic target for treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Source:
Pfizer
Role & Effort:
Principal Investigator
PI:
Mitchell A. Lazar / Yang Xiao
Dates:
2021 - 2022
Direct Funds:
$100,000
  

INVITED LECTURES/WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
International
Yang Xiao, Leducq Foundation Meeting, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2016
 
National
Yang Xiao, JPB Foundation Meeting, Virtual, 2022
Yang Xiao, Invited talk (declined), Rising Stars in Metabolism Symposium, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2026
 
Regional
Yang Xiao, Gulf Coast Consortia Cluster for Regenerative Medicine, Houston, Texas, 2014
 
Local
Yang Xiao, Penn Obesity Symposium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2023
Yang Xiao, P30 Liver Biology Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2024
Yang Xiao, P30 Liver Biology Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2025
 

EXTRAMURAL STUDENTS, FACULTY, RESIDENTS, AND CLINICAL/RESEARCH FELLOWS MENTORED:
Undergraduate Students
2016 Mayowa Akinwale, Baylor College of Medicine
2021 - 2023 Eric Yang, Research Mentor, University of Pennsylvania
2022 - 2023 Kaan Oral, Research Mentor, University of Pennsylvania
2023 - 2024 Rayan Rai Jawa, University of Pennsylvania
 
Graduate Students
Students Advised
2017 Hali Long, Baylor College of Medicine
MS Students Advised
2023 - 2026 Jiayu Zhang, University of Pennsylvania
 

OTHER MENTORING ACTIVITIES:
2020 Research mentor for Mindy Kim, Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
2021 - 2022 Research mentor for Alexander Y. Tom, Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
2022 - 2024 Research mentor for Yifan Liu, Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
2024 - 2026 Research mentor for Abigail Holland, Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
2026 Research mentor for Isaac Celwyn, Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
 


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. Biying Zhu*, Na He*, Yang Xiao*#, Bing Chen*, Chen Li*, Yifan Liu, Jiayu Zhang, Fulong Yu, Marijana Vujkovic, Daniel J. Rader, Mitchell A. Lazar#, Wenxiang Hu#. Integrative functional genomics reveals transcriptional regulatory function of risk alleles for metabolic liver disease. Nature Genetics. 2026;58(6):1280-1294. *Co-first authors; #co-corresponding authors.
2. Xiaobo Wang, Mary P. Moore, Hongxue Shi, Yang Xiao, Jiayu Zhang, Shareef Khalid, Danish Saleheen, Tatiana Kisseleva, Dwayne G. Stupack, Mitchell A. Lazar, Ira Tabas. A non-apoptotic Caspase-8-Meteorin pathway in hepatocytes promotes MASH fibrosis. Nature Metabolism. 2025;7(10):2067-2082. doi:10.1038/s42255-025-01355-1.
3. Kun Zhu, Isaac J. Celwyn, Dongyin Guan, Yang Xiao, Xiang Wang, Wenxiang Hu, Chunjie Jiang, Lan Cheng, Rafael Casellas, Mitchell A. Lazar. An intrinsically disordered region controlling condensation of a circadian clock component and rhythmic transcription in the liver. Molecular Cell. 2023;83(19):3457-3469.e7.
4. Tsunehisa Yamamoto, Kirill Batmanov, Elizabeth Pruzinsky, Santosh Maurya, Yang Xiao, Sarah Sulon, Tomoya Sakamoto, Yang Wang, Ling Lai, Kendra McDaid, Swapnil V. Shewale, Teresa Leone, Timothy Koves, Deborah M. Muoio, Pieterjan Dierickx, Mitchell A. Lazar, E. Lewandowski, Daniel Kelly. Receptor interacting protein 140 (Nrip1) controls cardiac fuel metabolism and function. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2023;133(9):e162309.
5. Dongyin Guan, Hosung Bae, Dishu Zhou, Ying Chen, Chunjie Jiang, Cam La, Yang Xiao, Kun Zhu, Wenxiang Hu, Trang Trinh, Panpan Liu, Ying Xiong, Bishuang Cai, Cholsoon Jang, Mitchell A. Lazar. Hepatocyte SREBP signaling mediates clock communication within the liver. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2023;133(8):e163018.
6. Yang Xiao, Kirill Batmanov, Wenxiang Hu, Kun Zhu, Alexander Y. Tom, Dongyin Guan, Chunjie Jiang, Lan Cheng, Sam J. McCright, Eric C. Yang, Matthew R. Lanza, Yifan Liu, David A. Hill, Mitchell A. Lazar. Hepatocytes demarcated by EphB2 contribute to the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Science Translational Medicine. 2023;15(682):eadc9653.
7. Wenxiang Hu, Chunjie Jiang, Mindy Kim, Yang Xiao, Hannah J. Richter, Dongyin Guan, Kun Zhu, Brianna M. Krusen, Arielle N. Roberts, Jessica Miller, David J. Steger, Mitchell A. Lazar. Isoform-specific functions of PPARgamma in gene regulation and metabolism. Genes & Development. 2022;36(5-6):300-312.
8. Pieterjan Dierickx, Kun Zhu, Bryce J. Carpenter, Chunjie Jiang, Marit W. Vermunt, Yang Xiao, Timothy S. Luongo, Tsunehisa Yamamoto, Ingrid Marti-Pamies, Sobuj Mia, Mary Latimer, Abhinav Diwan, Juanjuan Zhao, Amy K. Hauck, Brianna Krusen, Hoang C. B. Nguyen, Gerd A. Blobel, Daniel P. Kelly, Liming Pei, Joseph A. Baur, Martin E. Young, Mitchell A. Lazar. Circadian REV-ERBs repress E4bp4 to activate NAMPT-dependent NAD+ biosynthesis and sustain cardiac function. Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2022;1(1):45-58.
9. Wenxiang Hu, Chunjie Jiang, Mindy Kim, Wenjian Yang, Kun Zhu, Dongyin Guan, Wenjian Lv, Yang Xiao, Jessica R. Wilson, Daniel J. Rader, Ching-Hon Pui, Mary V. Relling, Mitchell A. Lazar. Individual-specific functional epigenomics reveals genetic determinants of adverse metabolic effects of glucocorticoids. Cell Metabolism. 2021;33(8):1592-1609.e7.
10. Yang Xiao, Mindy Kim, Mitchell A. Lazar. Nuclear receptors and transcriptional regulation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Molecular Metabolism. 2021;50:101119. Review article.
11. Dongyin Guan, Ying Xiong, Trang Minh Trinh, Yang Xiao, Wenxiang Hu, Chunjie Jiang, Pieterjan Dierickx, Cholsoon Jang, Joshua D. Rabinowitz, Mitchell A. Lazar. The hepatocyte clock and feeding control chronophysiology of multiple liver cell types. Science. 2020;369(6509):1388-1394.
12. Yang Xiao*, Matthew C. Hill*, Lele Li, Vaibhav Deshmukh, Thomas J. Martin, Jun Wang, James F. Martin. Hippo pathway deletion in adult resting cardiac fibroblasts initiates a cell state transition with spontaneous and self-sustaining fibrosis. Genes & Development. 2019;33(21-22):1491-1505. *Co-first authors.
13. Shaohai Fang, Jia Li, Yang Xiao, Minjung Lee, Lei Guo, Wei Han, Tingting Li, Matthew C. Hill, Tingting Hong, William Mo, Rang Xu, Ping Zhang, Fen Wang, Jiang Chang, Yubin Zhou, Deqiang Sun, James F. Martin, Yun Huang. Tet inactivation disrupts YY1 binding and long-range chromatin interactions during embryonic heart development. Nature Communications. 2019;10(1):4297.
14. Yang Xiao, Matthew C. Hill, Min Zhang, Thomas J. Martin, Yuka Morikawa, Suya Wang, Alexander R. Moise, Joshua D. Wythe, James F. Martin. Hippo signaling plays an essential role in cell state transitions during cardiac fibroblast development. Developmental Cell. 2018;45(2):153-169.e6.
15. Yuka Morikawa, Todd Heallen, John Leach, Yang Xiao, James F. Martin. Dystrophin-glycoprotein complex sequesters Yap to inhibit cardiomyocyte proliferation. Nature. 2017;547(7662):227-231.
16. Yang Xiao, John Leach, Jun Wang, James F. Martin. Hippo/Yap signaling in cardiac development and regeneration. Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2016;18(6):38. Review article.
17. Jun Wang, Yang Xiao, Chih-Wei Hsu, Idaliz M. Martinez-Traverso, Min Zhang, Yan Bai, Mamoru Ishii, Robert E. Maxson, Eric N. Olson, Mary E. Dickinson, Joshua D. Wythe, James F. Martin. Yap and Taz play a crucial role in neural crest-derived craniofacial development. Development. 2016;143(3):504-515.
18. Yuka Morikawa, Min Zhang, Todd Heallen, John Leach, Ge Tao, Yang Xiao, Yan Bai, Wei Li, James T. Willerson, James F. Martin. Actin cytoskeletal remodeling with protrusion formation is essential for heart regeneration in Hippo-deficient mice. Science Signaling. 2015;8(375):ra41.
19. Yang Xiao, Ran Liu, Lina Xing, Yajun Xu, Lanqin Shang, Weidong Hao. Combined developmental toxicity of bisphenol A and genistein in micromass cultures of rat embryonic limb bud and midbrain cells. Toxicology in Vitro. 2011;25(1):153-159.
20. Lina Xing, Yajun Xu, Yang Xiao, Lanqin Shang, Ran Liu, Xuetao Wei, Jianjun Jiang, Weidong Hao. Combined effects of bisphenol A and genistein on postimplantation rat embryos cultured in vitro. Toxicological Sciences. 2010;115(2):577-588.
21. Xiao Y, Liu R, Xing L, Shang L, Hao W. Developmental toxicity of genistein in micromass cultures. Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis and Mutagenesis. 2010;22(4):271-275.
 
Books, Chapters, and Reviews
1. Heallen T, Morikawa Y, Leach J, Zhang M, Xiao Y, Martin JF. Hippo Signaling in Heart Development. In: The Hippo Signaling Pathway and Cancer. Springer Science+Business Media, New York; 2013.
 
Non-Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. Elsaid S, Meesala P, Choi Y, Yu L, Xiao Y, Lazar MA, Perez-Matute P, List EO, Faccioli LAP, Sun Y, Florentino RM, Pichel JG, Berryman DE, Mayer D, Kopchick JJ, Tee SS. Hepatic fructose metabolism is antagonized by growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor signaling via regulation of ketohexokinase expression. bioRxiv. 2025. doi:10.1101/2025.01.01.630846.