Qiuhua Yang

Qiuhua Yang is a Tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at Stony Brook University, where she began her appointment in July 2025. Her research program investigates the metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms underlying retinal degenerative diseases, aging-related pathologies, and ocular fibrosis, with a focus on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Dr. Yang's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Chemical Genomics, Peking University, Beijing, China (2013-2019)
• B.S. in Biotechnology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China (2009-2013)

Her research centers on the interplay between metabolism, inflammation, and epigenetics in retinal cells, particularly retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, immune cells, and endothelial cells. Using advanced techniques including spatial transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing, her lab aims to identify novel therapeutic targets for vision loss and understand systemic connections through the eye-gut, eye-cardiovascular, and eye-kidney axes.

Dr. Yang has received numerous awards, including:

• K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Eye Institute, NIH (2023)
• ARVO Foundation Travel Grant (2025)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from the American Heart Association (2021)
• Multiple awards for excellence in postdoctoral research at the Medical College of Georgia (2020-2024)
• Graduate and undergraduate scholarships from Peking University and Yunnan University

Her research is funded by the NIH/NEI, the Renaissance School of Medicine, and Stony Brook University. She mentors a diverse team of undergraduate students, graduate students, MD/PhD trainees, and postdoctoral fellows in a collaborative lab environment focused on translational vision science.

Dr. Yang's laboratory utilizes cutting-edge technologies such as spatial metabolomics, optical and photoacoustic imaging, and cell-cell interaction profiling to dissect molecular pathways in retinal diseases. The lab emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and offers trainees opportunities to engage in innovative research with clinical implications.