Wan Seok Yang

Wan Seok Yang is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at St. John's University, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biological Sciences from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). His research focuses on chemical genetics approaches to study cell death pathways, particularly ferroptosis—a form of regulated cell death he helped characterize through identifying small molecules like GPX4 inhibitors. Yang discovered ferroptosis's central regulator, GPX4, during his tenure as an Associate Research Scientist at Columbia University.

His work bridges cancer therapy and neuroprotection, aiming to selectively eliminate cancer cells or protect neurons from degeneration. Key contributions include defining ferroptosis mechanisms, lipid peroxidation dynamics, and small-molecule probes for cellular analysis. Yang has published widely on ferroptosis regulation, autophagy interactions, and therapeutic applications in oncology and neuroscience.

Notable achievements include developing carbonyl erastin analogs and RAS-selective lethal compounds. His research also explores motor neuron vulnerability to ferroptosis and employs stem cell models to study neurodegenerative diseases. Yang’s work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining biochemistry, pharmacology, and systems biology to advance understanding of cell death mechanisms.