Dr Chengcan Yao

Chengcan Yao's lab studies the roles of bioactive lipids in modulation of immunity and inflammatory diseases in barrier tissues.

Dr Chengcan Yao

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  • Centre for Inflammation Research

Contact details

Group Members

  • Fiona Cunningham - CSO Clinical Academic Training Fellowship
  • Jemma Milburn – Post-Doctoral Research Associate
  • Meenakshi Anilkumar – MSc student
  • Suxia Bao - Associate Chief Physician

Background

Barrier tissues, such as intestine, lung and skin, directly and continuously interact with the outside environment, thus require specialized immune cells to properly respond to external stimuli like injury and infections. During this process, cells at the barrier tissue produce various mediators including bioactive lipids such as eicosanoids, which play critical roles in modulating immune cell functions. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, which block biological synthesis of eicosanoids, are widely used to treat numerous conditions from inflammation (e.g., pain and fever) to cancers but can also lead to adverse effects in multiple organs including garstrointestinal bleeding and asthma exaerbation. This indicates that eicosanoids can have both harmful and beneficial functions in the barrier tissues.

Research Overview

Our research is aiming to illustrate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms for how lipid mediators modulate the barrier immune system, to develop improved treatments for complex degenerative and inflammatory conditions at the barrier sites. We are currently focusing on the classic inflammatory eicosanoid - prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).

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