Burton Yang

M.Sc., PhD
Senior scientist
byang@sri.utoronto.ca
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Phone: 416-480-6100 ext. 67609

Research Assistant:

Melanie Suttar
Phone: 416-480-6100 Ext: 63537
Email: melanie.suttar@sunnybrook.ca

Tissue homeostasis refers to the structural and functional maintenance of cell, tissue and organ systems. Perturbations in these systems occur during developmental or pathological processes, coordinating multiple signaling pathways and biological responses. Dr. Yang’s group is studying the roles of circular RNAs, a subclass of non-coding RNAs, in mediating cell activities associated with tissue remodeling and repair. The group has developed unique tools to study circular RNA functions and mechanisms. With these approaches, Dr. Yang’s group has found that tissues from hearts of aged mice expressed increased levels of circ-Foxo3 relative to cardiac tissue from young mice. Their studies show that ectopic expression of circ-Foxo3 inhibited cell cycle progression by binding to p21 and CDK2. They also found that ectopic expression of circ-Foxo3 induced cardiac fibroblast senescence. The group is also studying the roles of circular RNAs in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis.

Education

  • B.Sc., 1982, plant pathology, South China Agricultural University, China
  • M.Sc., 1985, biochemistry of plant virology, South China Agricultural University, China
  • PhD, 1991, microbiology, University of Manitoba, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Senior scientist, Biological Sciences, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
  • Professor, laboratory medicine and pathobiology, faculty of medicine, University of Toronto
  • Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cardiac Remodeling

Research Foci

  • The role of circular RNAs in tissue remodeling

Publications

Affiliated Labs & Programs

Selected Publications

  1. Du WW, Yang W, Chen Y, Wu ZK, Foster FS, Yang Z, Li X, and Yang BB (2017). Foxo3 circular RNA regulates senescence by modulating multiple factors associated with stress and senescence responses. European Heart J, 38(18):1402-1412.

  2. Wu N, Yuan Z, Du KY, Fang L, Lyu J, Zhang C, He A, Eshaghi E, Zeng K, Ma J, Du WW, and Yang BB (2019) Translation of Yes-associated Protein (YAP) was antagonized by its circular RNA via suppressing the assembly of the translation initiation machinery. Cell Death and Differentiation, 26(12):2758-2773.

  3. Li F, Yang Q, He AT, Yang BB (2020) Circular RNAs in cancer: limitations in functional studies and diagnostic potential, Seminar in Cancer Biology, Oct 6:S1044-579X(20)30207-8.

  4. He AT, Liu J, Li F, Yang BB (2021) Targeting circular RNA as a therapeutic approach: current strategies and challenges, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2021 May 21;6(1):185.

  5. Du WW, Xu J, Yang W, Wu N, Li F, Zhou L, Wang S, Li X, He AT, Du KY, Zeng K, Ma J, Lyu J, Zhang C, Zhou C, Maksimovic K, Yang BB (2021) A Neuroligin Isoform Translated by circNlgn Contributes to Cardiac Remodeling, Circulation Research, 129(5):568-582

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