Jinming Yang

Jinming Yang, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology at the University of Kentucky. He holds a joint faculty appointment in Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences. His research focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of cancer drug resistance, metabolic reprogramming in cancer, and the role of autophagy in tumor progression. Yang's work spans molecular biology, pharmacology, and translational research, with contributions to drug discovery and novel therapeutic strategies.

Research Interests: Dr. Yang's interests include (1) molecular determinants of tumor progression and therapeutic resistance, (2) signaling pathways regulating multidrug resistance proteins like P-glycoprotein and MRP1, (3) microRNA regulation of drug resistance and autophagy, and (4) metabolic pathways influencing cancer immunotherapy efficacy. His lab employs cutting-edge techniques including RNAi, CRISPR, and in vivo models to study these processes.

Key Findings: Pioneering studies revealed phospholipase C's role in MDR1 regulation via the Raf-MAPK pathway, identified microRNA regulation of beclin 1 (autophagy), and demonstrated NAC1's role in tumor immune evasion. Recent work explores metabolic fitness of tumor-associated regulatory T cells and CD8+ T cell exhaustion mechanisms.

Collaborations: Maintains interdisciplinary collaborations with immunologists, bioengineers, and clinicians to translate discoveries into therapies. Active in developing live attenuated bacterial therapies to enhance CAR-T efficacy and counteract tumor microenvironment resistance.