Research Expertise
The gastrointestinal epithelium is the fastest renewing tissue in an adult mammal and maintained by tissue specific stem cells. Cell-intrinsic programs and environmental cues regulate intestinal homeostasis and regeneration following injury via coordinated actions of stem cell activation, proliferation, lineage specification to perform highly specialized and vital functions such absorption, secretion and barrier against non-self. Mounting evidence indicates that intestinal stem cell (ISC) dysfunction plays a key role in GI pathology ranging from inflammation, cancer to aging-associated diseases. Research in Yu lab elucidates cancer driver-dependent regulation of stress and cell death mechanisms, with the long term goal to identify druggable targets and novel agents to combat GI pathology, including selective protection of normal intestinal stem cells and killing of cancer cells. Approaches employed include molecular and cell biology, mouse models, 3D primary intestinal cultures, drug discovery and clinical samples.
Awards and Honors
2001 Michael A. Shanoff Research Excellence Award (The top honor in thesis research), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
2003 Young Clinical Scientist Award, The Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute
2004 The Hillman Fellow of Innovative Cancer Research
2005 The Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy Young Investigator Award
2008 University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Junior Scholar Award
2010 American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award
2011 University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award