Cecelia C. Yates

Dr. Cecelia C. Yates is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Nursing. She directs a cellular/molecular laboratory researching chemokine-matrix interactions in fibrosis (Systemic Sclerosis, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis) and develops small-molecule/cellular therapies for tissue remodeling. She teaches graduate Pathophysiology and undergraduate Anatomy & Physiology labs, mentors pre-doctoral/undergraduate researchers, and participates in the Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (URMP).

Her research explores:

• Chemokine/extracellular matrix dynamics in fibrotic diseases
• Genomic regulation of fibrosis progression
• Biomimetic therapeutics (e.g., FibroKine peptides)
• Stem cell applications in scar minimization

Publications emphasize fibrosis mechanisms, wound healing, and therapeutic innovations, with recent focus on COVID-19/fibrosis convergence and macrophage polarization. Awarded:

• Prestigious Early Career Award
• NAI Senior Member recognition

She secured a $250,000 CSL Behring grant (2020) for FibroKine development and a patent for anti-fibrotic technologies. Her lab collaborates nationally on projects like glaucoma fibrosis therapy and cardiac remodeling.