Yufang Shi, Ph.D.
Professor, Director of Institute of Translational Medicine, Soochow University
Vice President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
Education
1977-1982 B.S. Degree in Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, China
1983-1984 Advanced studies, Department of Zoology, Shandong University, China
1984-1985 Advanced study in English, Bell Educational Trust, Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery, China
1985-1988 M.Sc., Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
1988-1992 Ph.D., Department of Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Major Academic Appointments
1982-1985: Teaching staff, Fundamentals in Zoology course, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, China
1986-1989: Teaching Assistant, first year Zoology course and the Physiology course, Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Canada
1992-1995: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1995-1999: Scientist I (Assistant Professor), Department of Immunology, Holland Laboratory of the American Red Cross, USA
1996-1999: Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Student Supervisor for the Programs of Immunology, Biochemistry, and Oncology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, George Washington University, USA
1999-2001: Associate Professor (with 20% effort) with Tenure and Ph.D. Student Supervisor for the Programs of Immunology, Biochemistry, and Oncology, Department of Immunology, George Washington University, USA
1999-2001: Scientist II (Tenured Associate Professor), Department of Immunology, Holland Laboratory of the American Red Cross, USA
2001-2003: Associate Professor with Tenure and a University Professor title. Department of Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA
2003-present: Full Professor with Tenure and a University Professor title, Department of Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA
2001-present: Member of Cancer Institute of New Jersey, USA
2001-present: Member, Team of Infection, Immunology and Hematology, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, NASA, USA
2004-present: Joint Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA
2008-present: Director, Institute of Health Sciences, SIBS, CAS/SJTUSM, China
Honors, Certificates, and Academic Society
2008, Featured in Cell Stem Cell, NatureReviews Immunology, and Cell, about a publication in Cell Stem Cell (2:141);
2008, Interviewed by Science Now, about stem cell research;
2006, Feature in Immunity, Nature Reviews Immunology about a paper published in Immunity (25:237);
2005, Community Service Excellence Award, Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professional Association;
1999, Featured in Nature, Science Now, The Scientist, British Journal of Medicine and BBC about a publication in Nature (397:218);
1992-1995, Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Canada;
1992, Postdoctoral Fellowship-Medical Research Council of Canada, Canada;
1992, Cover Illustration, Science, Vol 257, July 10;
1988-1992, Studentship, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
1985-1987, Scholarship for Graduate Studies in Canada, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery, China.
Editorial Responsibilities
1996 to 2010: Editorial Board, Regional Editor, Associate Editor-in Chief and Editor: Cell Research
1999 to 2003: Associate Editor: Journal of Immunology
2004 to present: Member of Editorial Board: Cellular & Molecular Immunology
2008 to present: Member of Editorial Board: Journal of Biological Chemistry
2008 to present: Member of Editorial board: Journal of Molecular Cell Biology
2009 to present: Member of Editorial Board: American Journal of Translational Research
2009 to present: Member of Editorial Board: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
2010 to present: Member of Editorial Board: Cell & Biosciences
2010 to present: Member of Editorial Board: Stem Cell Research & Therapy
2010 to present: Editor: Cell Death and Diseases
2008 to present: Receiving Editor: Oncogene
2010 to 2012: Editor: Cell Death & Disease
2011 to Present: Member of Editorial Board: Stem Cells Translational Medicine
2013: Editor-in-Chief: Cell Death & Disease
Professional Organizations
2010 to present: Member of the MSCs Committee of International Society of Cell Therapy
2012: Member of Board of directors of Chinese Society for Immunology
2012: Member of Stem Cell Engineering Committee of Chinese Biomedical Engineering Society
Major Research Achievement
Dr. Shi was one of the major researchers in establishing the concept of AICD, a term that is commonly cited in the field of immunology. He also found the critical role of c-myc in the regulation of T cell apoptosis. His early investigation provided the foundation of using rapamycin as an adjuvant for chemotherapy, which lead to clinical trials in various centers. Dr. Shi’s laboratory proved that CD4+ T cells are responsible for asthma development. In recent studies, his team is investigating the mechanism of immunosuppression mediated by mesenchymal stem cells, a key research area for proper application of stem cells in clinical settings. Dr. Shi’s group is currently working on the following aspects:
1. Immunoregulation of mesenchymal stem cells;
2. Tumor stroma and tumor immunology;
3. Molecular mechanisms of activation-induced cell death in T cell subpopulations.