Yahan Liu, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Co-PI

Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences,

Peking University Health Science Center

Contact Information

Phone: +86-13811659602

E-mail: lyhcnc@bjmu.edu.cn

Personal Profile

Dr. Yahan Liu received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the eight-year program in Basic Medicine at Peking University Health Science Center, during which she also undertook joint training at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She subsequently completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Pathophysiology at Peking University. Since 2014, she has been an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University, and from 2018 to 2020 she conducted visiting research at the Department of Bioengineering, University of California.

Her research focuses on the mechanisms and therapeutic targets of vascular pathological remodeling and dysfunction, with particular emphasis on the heterogeneity of micro-arteries in multiple organs (heart, brain, lung, kidney). She seeks to define its molecular basis in vascular homeostasis and pathological transformation, and to develop strategies for precision diagnosis and targeted therapy in organ-specific vascular diseases.

She has published 24 peer-reviewed articles, including 10 research papers and 3 reviews as first or corresponding author (including co-first/co-corresponding), in journals such as  Nature Communications ,  Hypertension ,  Cardiovascular Research ,  British Journal of Pharmacology ,  Redox Biology , and  Acta Pharmacologica Sinica . As PI, she has led eight research grants—including three from the National Natural Science Foundation of China—and holds one authorized invention patent. Dr. Liu currently serves as a Youth Member and Secretary of the Receptor and Signal Transduction Committee of the Chinese Association for Pathophysiology, and as a Youth Member of the Lipid and Lipoprotein Committee of the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is also an invited Guest Editor for the  Journal of Visualized Experiments (JOVE)  vascular research methods issue, and has been invited to give an oral presentation at the Keystone Symposia “Frontiers of Serotonin Research.”

Education

2004.9 – 2009.7 M.D. in Basic Medicine, Peking University Health Science Center

2009.9 – 2012.7 Ph.D. in Physiology, Peking University Health Science Center

Supervisor: Prof. Nanping Wang

2010.9 – 2011.6 Joint Ph.D. Training, School of Biomedical Sciences,

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Supervisor: Prof. Yu Huang

Professional Experience

2012.7 – 2014.7 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking University Health Science Center

Supervisor: Prof. Liling Wu

2014.7 – present Assistant Professor, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center

l 2018.9 – 2020.10 Visiting Scholar (CSC Fellowship), Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego

Supervisor: Prof. Yingxiao Wang

Academic Appointments & Memberships

l Youth Member & Secretary, Receptor and Signal Transduction Committee, Chinese Association for Pathophysiology

l Youth Member, Lipid and Lipoprotein Committee, Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

l Member, Chinese Association for Physiological Society

l Member, American Physiological Society

Publications

First and Corresponding Author Articles

1. Xuya Kang^#, Yingjia Li^#, Junxia Zhang, Xinying Wang, Lin Yao*, Yan Zhang*, Yahan Liu*. Multilevel Microdissection and Functional-Structural Profiling of Human Renal Arterial Branches.  J. Vis. Exp.  2025 (223), e68579, doi:10.3791/68579.

2. Junxia Zhang^#, Jingli Yang^#, Xuya Kang, Zeyuan Wang, Yusi Chen, Xinying Wang, Lin Yao, Yan Zhang*, Yahan Liu*, Erdan Dong*. Renal Artery Function and Histopathology Linked to Plasma and Fecal Metabolites in Heart Failure Patients.  J. Vis. Exp.  2025, e68583, In-press.

3. Yiqian Wu^#*, Ziliang Huang^#, Yahan Liu^#, Peixiang He^#, Yuxuan Wang, Liyanran Yan, Xinhui Wang, Shanzi Gao, Xintao Zhou, Chi Woo Yoon, Kun Sun, Yinglin Situ, Phuong Ho, Yushun Zeng, Zhou Yuan, Linshan Zhu, Qifa Zhou, Yunde Zhao, Thomas Liu, Gabriel A Kwong, Shu Chien, Longwei Liu*, Yingxiao Wang*. Ultrasound Control of Genomic Regulatory Toolboxes for Cancer Immunotherapy.  Nature Communications.  2024 Dec 1;15(1):10444.

4. Yahan Liu*, Zhipeng Wang, Li Fang, Yaohua Xu, Beilei Zhao, Xuya Kang, Yanqing Zhao, Jintao Han, Yan Zhang, Erdan Dong, Nanping Wang*. Deficiency of 5-HT2B receptors alleviates atherosclerosis by regulating macrophage phenotype through inhibiting interferon signalling.  Br J Pharmacol . 2024 Sep 4. Online ahead of print.

5. Yahan Liu, Yan Liu, Xu Zhang, Li Fang, Beilei Zhao, Nanping Wang*. Activation of Endocannabinoid System Mediates Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced by Rosiglitazone.  Acta Pharmacologica Sinica . 2022 Sep;43(9):2302-2312.

6. Mo Wang, Lei Qian, Jing Li, Hao Ming, Li Fang, Yingjia Li, Man Zhang, Yaohua Xu, Yiqian Ban, Weizhen Zhang, Youyi Zhang, Yahan Liu*, Nanping Wang*. GHSR Deficiency Exacerbates Cardiac Fibrosis: Role in Macrophage Inflammasome Activation and Myofibroblast Differentiation.  Cardiovasc Res . 2020 Nov 1;116(13):2091-2102.

7. Yiqian Ban^#, Yahan Liu^#, Yazi Li, Yuying Zhang, Lei Xiao, Yue Gu, Shaoliang Chen, Beilei Zhao, Chang Chen*, Nanping Wang*. S-nitrosation impairs KLF4 activity and instigates endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension.  Redox Biol . 2019 Feb;21:101099.

8. Yahan Liu^#, Zhipeng Wang^#, Jing Li, Yiqian Ban, Guangmei Mao, Man Zhang, Mo Wang, Yan Liu, Beilei Zhao, Qiang Shen, Qingbo Xu, Nanping Wang*. Inhibition of 5-HT2BR Reduced Vascular Restenosis and Mitigated β-arrestin2-mTOR/p70S6K Pathway.  J Am Heart Assoc . 2018 Jan 30;7(3).

9. Yahan Liu, Xiao Yu Tian, Yu Huang, Nanping Wang*. Rosiglitazone attenuated endothelin-1-induced vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries in the rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension via differential regulation of ET-1 receptors.  PPAR Res . 2014;2014:374075.

10. Yahan Liu, Xiao Yu Tian, Guangmei Mao, Xi Fang, Man Lung Fung, John Y.-J. Shyy, Yu Huang*, Nanping Wang*. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Ameliorates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Inhibiting 5-Hydroxytryptamine 2B Receptor.  Hypertension . 2012 Dec;60(6):1471-8.

Co-author Articles

1. Wenjia Zhang^#, Junxia Zhang^#, Zeyuan Wang^#, Ting Li^#, Liu Changyun, Xuya Kang, Xiaomeng Cui, Jingli Yang, Huilin Qu, Jiaxin Duanmu, Ying Peng, Kai Wang, Li Jin, Peng Xie, Wen Zheng, Haibao Shang, Yahan Liu, Zhuang Tian, Zhenyu Liu, Ye Jin, Yingjia, Nan Li, Xiaozhen Zhuo, Yue Wu, Xiaolu Shi, Runhao Ma, Yueshen Sun, Kai Zhang, Xiangming Fang, Xiaomin Hu*, Erdan Dong*, Shuyang Zhang*, Yan Zhang. Extracellular RIPK3 Acts as a Danger-Associated Molecular Pattern to Exaggerate Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.  Circulation . 2024 Nov 26;150(22):1791-1811.

2. Qin Peng*^#, Ziliang Huang^#, Kun Sun, Yahan Liu, Chi Woo Yoon, Reed E. S. Harrison, Danielle L. Schmitt, Linshan Zhu, Yiqian Wu, Ipek Tasan, Huimin Zhao, Jin Zhang, Sheng Zhong, Shu Chien & Yingxiao Wang*. Engineering inducible biomolecular assemblies for genome imaging and manipulation in living cells. Nat Commun. 2022 Dec 24;13(1):7933.

3. Haohsiang Wu, Siamak Amirfakhri, Hsin-Hung Lin, Hannah Hollandsworth, Filemoni Filemoni, Yahan Liu, Yiqian Wu, Julie Y. S. Li, Hongquan Xu, Shu Chien*, Michael Bouvet*, Yingxiao Wang*. Monocytes engineered with iSNAP inhibit human B-lymphoma progression.  Bioengineering & Translational Medicine . 2022 May;7(2): e10285.

4. Yiqian Wu, Yahan Liu, Ziliang Huang, Xin Wang, Zhen Jin, Jiayi Li, Praopim Limsakul, Linshan Zhu, Molly Allen, Yijia Pan, Robert Bussell, Aaron Jacobson, Thomas Liu, Shu Chien*, Yingxiao Wang*. Control of the activity of CAR-T cells within tumours via focused ultrasound.  Nat Biomed Eng . 2021 Nov;5(11):1336-1347..

5. Jing Li, Man Zhang, Mo Wang, Zhipeng Wang, Yahan Liu, Weizhen Zhang, Nanping Wang*. GHSR deficiency suppresses neointimal formation in injured mouse arteries.  Biochem Biophys Res Commun . 2016 Oct 14;479(2):125-131.

6. Guangmei Mao, Yan Liu, Xi Fang, Yahan Liu, Li Fang, Lianjun Lin, Xinmin Liu, Nanping Wang*, Tumor-derived microRNA-494 promotes angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer.  Angiogenesis . 2015, 18(3):373-82.

7. Yazi Huang, Beilei Zhao, Yahan Liu, Nanping Wang*. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Regulates the Expression of Lipid Phosphate Phosphohydrolase 1 in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells.  PPAR Res . 2014;2014:740121.

8. Yan Liu, Beilei Zhao, Guangmei Mao, Xi Fang, Yahan Liu, Yu Huang, Nanping Wang*, Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, A Green Tea Polyphenol, Induces Expression of Pim-1 Kinase via PPARg in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells.  Cardiovascular Toxicology . 2013, 13(4):391-5.

9. Yan Liu, Xing Yan, Guangmei Mao, Li Fang, Beilei Zhao, Yahan Liu, Huiru Tang*, Nanping Wang*, Metabonomic Profiling Revealed an Alteration in Purine Nucleotide Metabolism Associated with Cardiac Hypertrophy in Rats Treated with Thiazolidinediones.  J Proteome Res . 2013, 12(12):5634-41.

10. Xiao Yu Tian, Wing Tak Wong, Nanping Wang, Ye Lu, Wai San Cheang, Jian Liu, Limei Liu, Yahan Liu, Susanna Sau-Tuen Lee, Zhen Yu Chen, John P. Cooke, Xiaoqiang Yao, Yu Huang*, PPARδ Activation Protects Endothelial Function in Diabetic Mice.  Diabetes . 2012, 61(12):3285-93.

Reviews

1. Siqi Wang, Haocheng Lin, Yan Zhang*, Yahan Liu*, Current management of erectile dysfunction.  International Journal of Drug Discovery and Pharmacology.  2025, 4 (3), 100013.

2. Mingqi Chen, Xuya Kang, Yan Zhang*, Yahan Liu*. Trained immunity: A link between risk factors and cardiovascular disease.  Br J Pharmacol . 2024 Jun 2. Online ahead of print.

3. Xuya Kang, Ran Fang, Yan Zhang, Yahan Liu*, Erdan Dong. Pulmonary lymphatic function and its research progress in pulmonary diseases. Biomedical Transformation. 2023 Jun; 4(2).

4. Lei Xiao, Yahan Liu, Nanping Wang*. New Paradigms in Inflammatory Signaling in Vascular Endothelial Cells.  AJP-Heart and Circulatory Physiology . 2014 Feb;306(3):H317-25.

Patent

Title: Application of substances that reduce the content and inhibit the activity of 5-HT2BR in the preparation of products for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis

Inventors: Nanping Wang, Yahan Liu, Zhipeng Wang

Patent No.: ZL 2016 1 0049371.8

Publication No.: CN 105561313 B

Date of Authorization: December 25, 2018

Research Grants (as PI)

1. Beijing Natural Science Foundation, General Program

Grant No.: 7232096

Title: Immunoregulatory mechanisms of serotonin and its role in the development of atherosclerosis

Period: 2023.01 – 2025.12

Status: Ongoing

Role: Principal Investigator

2. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program

Grant No.: 82170422

Title: Regulation of macrophage trained immunity by 5-HT receptors and its role in vascular pathological remodeling

Period: 2022.01 – 2025.12

Status: Ongoing

Role: Principal Investigator

3. Peking University Health Science Center, Interdisciplinary Seed Fund for Young Investigators

Grant No.: BMU2022MX013

Title: Immunoregulatory mechanisms of serotonin and its role in the development of atherosclerosis

Period: 2022.01 – 2022.12

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

4. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program

Grant No.: 81670408

Title: Pro-atherogenic role and mechanisms of 5-HT2B receptors

Period: 2017.01 – 2020.12

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

5. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Young Investigator Program

Grant No.: 81300189

Title: Transcriptional regulation of 5-HT2B receptors by nuclear receptor HNF4α in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells

Period: 2014.01 – 2016.12

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

6. Peking University Health Science Center, Young Investigator Mentorship Program

Period: 2014.12 – 2016.12

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

7. China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, 54th Batch (First-class Award)

Title: Role and mechanisms of 5-HT in atherosclerotic plaque formation

Period: 2013.06 – 2014.08

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

8. Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellowship

Period: 2013.10 – 2014.08

Status: Completed

Role: Principal Investigator

Awards & Honors

2024.08 Outstanding Poster Award, International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences

2023.10 Excellent Oral Presentation Award, 17th Zhang Xijun Fund National Youth Symposium, Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences

2021.12 Peking University Academic Innovation Award, Peking University Health Science Center

2021.10 Excellent Poster Award, 16th Zhang Xijun Fund National Youth Symposium, Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences

2018.05 Youth Post Excellence Award, Peking University Health Science Center

2017.11 Invited Oral Presentation, Keystone Symposia “Frontiers of Serotonin Beyond the Brain”

2017.10 First Prize, Poster Presentation, Annual Meeting of the Receptor Committee, Chinese Association for Pathophysiology (Dalian, China)

2017.09 First Prize, Oral Presentation, 2nd Academic Symposium on Vascular Medicine, Chinese Association for Pathophysiology

2015 Highly Cited Paper Award, Peking University Health Science Center

2015.03 Best Group Presentation Award, 7th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureates, Japan

2013.12 Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow, Peking University

2013.12 Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow, Peking University Health Science Center

2012.11 Excellent Poster Award, 11th ISHRC China Meeting & 14th Cardiovascular and 9th Receptor Committee Meeting, Chinese Association for Pathophysiology

2012.10 First Prize, Poster Presentation, The Fifth Scientific Meeting of the Asian Society for Vascular Biology

2012.09 Third Prize, Oral Presentation, National Doctoral Forum on Translational Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases

2012.07 Outstanding Graduate Award, Peking University