Y. Whitney Yin

Y. Whitney Yin is an Associate Professor and Assistant Graduate Program Director at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. His research focuses on the structural and functional mechanisms of human mitochondrial DNA polymerase (Pol γ) and its role in antiviral drug toxicity, particularly for HIV and HCV treatments. He also investigates mitochondrial DNA repair processes in the context of oxidative damage.

• Education: MD from Tianjin Medical College, Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Yin’s work has revealed key insights into Pol γ’s interactions with nucleoside analogs, explaining discrepancies between drug efficacy and toxicity. His lab determined the first crystal structures of Pol γ holoenzyme and ternary complexes with antiviral agents like zalcitabine, lamivudine, and emtricitabine.

Recent research trends in his publications include structural biology approaches to understanding mitochondrial DNA replication, drug toxicity mechanisms, and DNA repair pathways. His studies on Pol γ mutations have broader implications for multisystem disorders and clinical applications.

Dr. Yin’s laboratory is currently exploring the structural and functional roles of mitochondrial DNA repair complex components, aiming to determine the entire mitochondrial DNA repairsome structure through long-term investigations.