Yihong Wan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Dr. Yihong Wan obtained her Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Genetics at the University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver. Upon graduation, she conducted postdoctoral research with Dr. Ron Evans at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California. Dr. Wan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, and a faculty member in the Green Center for Reproductive Biology, the Integrative Biology Program, the Cancer Biology Program, and the MSTP Program at UTSW. She is also an adjunct faculty at Texas A&M Health Science Center. Her research is supported by several fundings including NIH, DOD, March of Dimes, Welch Foundation and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

Dr. Wan’s research focuses on the differentiation of osteoclasts and osteoblasts from hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells in the context of skeletal physiology and bone regeneration, with the goal of a better prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and bone metastasis of cancers. Her investigations reveal how hormones, transcription factors, miRNAs and pharmacological agents impact bone health.

Another aspect of Dr. Wan’s research focuses on the metabolic regulation of breast milk and neonatal inflammation.  Her investigations reveal that genetic or dietary defects in the mothers can turn the good milk bad that triggers systemic inflammation in the nursing newborns. These findings will illuminate new knowledge for infantile disorders and inflammatory diseases. 

Graduate School

University of Colorado Denver (2002), Molecular Biology

• Bone Homeostasis and Regeneration
• Bone Metastasis of Cancers
• Inflammation
• Metabolism
• Nuclear Receptors
• Stem Cells
• Transcription

Featured Publications

mTOR Inhibition Subdues Milk Disorder Caused by Maternal VLDLR Loss.

Huynh H, Wei W, Wan Y Cell Rep 2017 Jun 19 10 2014-2025

Gpr132 sensing of lactate mediates tumor-macrophage interplay to promote breast cancer metastasis.

Chen P, Zuo H, Xiong H, Kolar MJ, Chu Q, Saghatelian A, Siegwart DJ, Wan Y Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2017 Jan

Macrophage PPAR? inhibits Gpr132 to mediate the anti-tumor effects of rosiglitazone.

Cheng WY, Huynh H, Chen P, Peña-Llopis S, Wan Y Elife 2016 Oct 5

Ligand Activation of ERRa by Cholesterol Mediates Statin and Bisphosphonate Effects.

Wei W, Schwaid AG, Wang X, Wang X, Chen S, Chu Q, Saghatelian A, Wan Y Cell Metab. 2016 Jan

A Liver-Bone Endocrine Relay by IGFBP1 Promotes Osteoclastogenesis and Mediates FGF21-Induced Bone Resorption.

Wang X, Wei W, Krzeszinski JY, Wang Y, Wan Y Cell Metab. 2015 Oct

Nur77 prevents excessive osteoclastogenesis by inducing ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b to mediate NFATc1 self-limitation.

Li X, Wei W, Huynh H, Zuo H, Wang X, Wan Y Elife 2015 4

Mitochondrial Complex I Activity Suppresses Inflammation and Enhances Bone Resorption by Shifting Macrophage-Osteoclast Polarization.

Jin Z, Wei W, Yang M, Du Y, Wan Y Cell Metab. 2014 Aug

miR-34a blocks osteoporosis and bone metastasis by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and Tgif2.

Krzeszinski JY, Wei W, Huynh H, Jin Z, Wang X, Chang TC, Xie XJ, He L, Mangala LS, Lopez-Berestein G, Sood AK, Mendell JT, Wan Y Nature 2014 Jun

Orexin Regulates Bone Remodeling via a Dominant Positive Central Action and a Subordinate Negative Peripheral Action.

Wei W, Motoike T, Krzeszinski JY, Jin Z, Xie XJ, Dechow PC, Yanagisawa M, Wan Y Cell Metab. 2014 Apr

Macrophage VLDL receptor promotes PAFAH secretion in mother's milk and suppresses systemic inflammation in nursing neonates.

Du Y, Yang M, Wei W, Huynh HD, Herz J, Saghatelian A, Wan Y Nat Commun 2012 Aug 3 1008

 Featured Books

Regulation of Bone Resoprtion by PPAR-gamma. In Translational Endocrinology of Bone: Reproduction, Metabolism, and the Central Nervous System.

Wei W and Wan Y (2013). Elsevier

• Protégé of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas
  TAMEST (2012)
• Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award
  March of Dimes (2010)
• John Haddad Young Investigator Award
  American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2009)
• Virginia Murchison Linthicum Scholar in Medical Research
  UTSW Endowed Scholar (2008)
• BD Research Grant Award
  Becton Dickinson Biosciences (2007)

• American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
• European Calcified Tissue Society
• The Endocrine Society