Ph. D., Fudan University, Shanghai, China

   

Office:     521A Life Sciences Building

Phone:   1-419-372-8007

Email:     wyang@bgsu.edu

   

Research:

Single molecule imaging and tracking, nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, cell cycle and nanotechnology

   

Yang Lab Home Page

   

 

   

Research Interests:

My research focuses on three major projects: nucleocytoplasmic trafficking mechanism, nuclear envelope disassembly and assembly mechanisms and application of quantum dots in biological systems. Methodologies and techniques in my lab include single molecule methods, biotechnology, advanced imaging methods and nanotechnology. The following are the brief introduction for each project.

In eukaryotic cells, nuclear pore complexes mediate bidirectional transport of proteins, RNAs, and ribonucleoprotein complexes across the double-membrane nuclear envelope. Dysfunction of transport or mutation of nuclear porins can result in numerous human diseases including leukemia, cancers, and primary biliary cirrhosis. However, the transport mechanism is still poorly understood though numerous models have been postulated. Single molecule methods we developed have been proven to be a powerful way to elucidate the problems. My primary focus is to continue exploring the transport mechanism.

During mitosis, a single nucleus gives rise to two nuclei that are identical to the parent nucleus. Mitosis consists of a continuous sequence of events that must be carried out once and only once. Two such important events are the disassembly of the nuclear envelope (also known as nuclear envelope breakdown) during the first stages of mitosis, and its accurate reassembly during the last stages of mitosis. These mechanisms have been described by various models but are still controversial. I expect our novel techniques to shed light on these problems.

Highly photostable fluorescent bio-probes can make a revolutionary progress for drug-delivery study and biomedical imaging. Quantum dots are such promising candidates which have many advantages over organic dyes people used. The quantum dots attached to specific drugs can be microinjected into living cell and small animals. Then the cyto-localization of quantum dots can be studied by combining fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy methods.

Selected Publications:

Sun, C., Yang, W., Tu, L.-C. and Musser, S. M. (2008) "Single Molecule Measurements of Importin Alpha/Cargo Complex Dissociation at the Nuclear Pore," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 105, 8613-8618.

Yang W. and Musser M. S. (2006) “Nuclear transport time and efficiency are dependent on importin ß concentrations” Journal of Cell Biology, 174, 951-961.

Yang W. and Musser M. S. (2006) “Visualizing single molecules transiting through nuclear pore complexes using narrow-field epifluorescence microscopy” Methods, 39, 316-328.

Yang W., Gelles J. and Musser M. S. (2004) “Imaging of single-molecule translocation through nuclear pore complexes” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101, 12887-12892.

Wang P. N., Yang W., et al. (2004) “Photoluminescence from High Purity InN and InGaN Nanoparticles Synthesized by Pulsed Discharge” in Focus on Nanotechnology Research, Eugene V. Dirote (Editor), Nova Science Publisher. Chapter 8, 155-172.

Yang W., Wang P.N., Li F.M. and Cheah K.W. (2002) "Synthesis of oxygen-free InN nanoparticles by pulse discharge". Nanotechnology, 13, 65-68.