Song-Yu Yang, M.D., Ph.D.

JAD profile

Affiliation(s): 

NYS Institute for Basic Resarch in Developmental Disabilities

Areas of Interest: 

Biochemistry, brain metabolism, neurosteroids, neuroscience, neurodegeneration

Biography & Research: 

Senior Research Scientist, NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Head, Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of the City University of New York Editor, Journal of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, OMICS, USA Editor, SRL Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, SciRes Literature, USA Editor, EC Endocrinology and Metabolic Research, E-Cronico Open Access, UK Tel. +1-7184945317 Fax +1-7186987916 Email: songyu.yang@csi.cuny.edu song-yu.yang@opwdd.ny.gov Education: 1984 Ph.D. Biochemistry, The City University of New York, New York 1960 M.D. Medical Diploma, Peking Medical College (Beijing University Medical Center), Beijing Professional Experience: 2017 Editor, EC Endocrinology and Metabolic Research, E-Cronico Open Access, UK 2015 Editor, Journal of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, OMICS, USA Editor, SRL Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, SciRes Literature, USA 2007 Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of the City University of New York 1994 Head, Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities 1991 Investigator, American Heart Association 1988 Research Scientist, NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities 1984 Research Associate, Research Foundation of the City University of New York 1981 Teaching Assistant, The City College of the City University of New York 1980 Assistant Professor, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Science 1964 Instructor, Peking Medical College (Beijing University Medical Center) Research Interest: The goal of my research laboratory is to unravel the pathophysiological mechanism of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 (17β-HSD10) deficiency and Alzheimer's disease for the development of effective treatments of neurodegenerative disorders. The research scope is an expansion of our previous 20 years of research focus on the HSD17B10 gene and the gene product 17β-HSD10. My research group first cloned this gene from human brain, decoded the HSD17B10 gene structure, and characterized 17β-HSD10, which is a homotetrameric mitochondrial multifunctional enzyme. We found 17β-HSD10 playing a critical part in the metabolism of isoleucine and neuroactive steroids. We discovered its unique role in the oxidative inactivation of allopregnanolone (ALLOP), 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol (5α-Adiol) and the biosynthesis of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Based upon our findings we proposed a revised molecular switch theory. The maintenance of homeostasis of 17β-HSD10 is critical to the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, and 17β-HSD10 deficienccy, an intellectual developmental disability. My research group also have comprehensive research experience in the elucidation of molecular mechanism of fatty acid oxidation especially the HADH gene and the gene product, L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase.