Professor Bin Yang

Dr Bin Yang is an Honorary Professor of Renal Medical Research in the University of Leicester and a Chief Investigator for a number of research projects in the University Hospitals of Leicester, NHS Trust. She has led a research team with awarded project and fellowship funding in UK and also in collaboration with Chinese universities, focused on acute kidney injury and its chronic progression. A series of biological models have established including a clinic grade isolated kidney perfusion system, rodent and porcine models, kidney cell culture models, and also used human kidney biopsy and blood samples.  
The mechanisms of kidney diseases, with focuses on cell injury (cell death, inflammation and immunity), repair (remodelling) and recovery or fibrosis, have been investigated in both native and transplant kidneys to define potential biomarkers and validate translational interventions. More recently, Prof Yang is leading AKI-related clinical studies to further validate identified biomarkers including SERPINA3 and SILP1 in biological samples from high-risk patients. An organ/cell target gene therapy has been designed using caspase-3 siRNA conjugated with a ligand peptide (HBSP) that can be guided by its receptors (EPOR/βcR) highly expressed in injured cells, in collaborating with colleagues in Chemists in the University of Leicester and the industry.

My main research interests are in the mechanism, diagnosis and intervention of acute kidney injury and its chronic progression including both native and transplant kidneys, with focuses on cell injury (apoptosis and necrosis, inflammation, and innate and adaptive immunity), repair (remodelling) and recovery or fibrosis, detailed as follows:
• Gene profiling: defined and validated potential biomarkers including SERPINA3 and SLPI by microarray analysis, to identify their expressing cells by single cell RNA sequencing in human transplant kidney biopsies, porcine and mouse kidney tissues.
• Selecting potential biomarkers for diagnosis and intervention: Further validating identified genes and/or proteins in human plasma and urine samples of patients with or without AKI at different time points post cardiovascular surgery. 
• Specific gene modification therapy: Using CASP3 siRNA in a series of biological models including cultured cells and mice subjected to ischemia-reperfusion (IR) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced injury, isolated and/or auto-transplant porcine kidneys.
• Renoprotection of EPO & its derivatives: helix B surface peptide (HBSP) and cyclic HBSP (CHBP) remain tissue protection without erythropoiesis, which were assessed in a variety of acute kidney injury models, while their underlying mechanisms were also disclosed.
• Validating isolated organ/kidney perfusion system: in order to validate and further evaluate the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) and EPO deprived HBSP or CHBP, siRNA target CASP3, and a novel conjugate of both.
• Designing and evaluating siRNA delivery system: to achieve timely and cell-specific intervention such as using HBSP targeting EPO receptor (EPOR)/ β common receptor (βcR) that highly expressed on cells in injured kidneys.

Selected Publications (*: corresponding author, citation 2583, H-index 29)

1. Wu Y, Wang Y, Chen F, Han C, Huang L, Sai W, Fan Y, Brunskill NJ, Yang B. Co-treatment with erythropoietin derived HBSP and caspase-3 siRNA: A promising approach to prevent fibrosis after acute kidney injury. J Cell Mol Med. 2024 Dec;28(23):e70082. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.70082. 

2. Huang L, Wu Y, Sai W, Wang Y, Feng G, Lu Y, Chen F, Huang X, Zhao H, Gu Z, Yang B*. HBSP inhibits tubular cell pyroptosis and apoptosis, promotes macrophage M2 polarization, and protects LPS-induced acute kidney injury. J Cell Mol Med. 2024 Nov;28(22):e70202. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.70202. 

3. Liu Z, Yang B, Shen Y, Ni X, Tsaftaris SA, Zhou H. Long-short diffeomorphism memory network for weakly-supervised ultrasound landmark tracking. Med Image Anal. 2024 May;94:103138. doi: 10.1016/j.media.2024.103138. 

4. Wu Y, Huang L, Sai W, Chen F, Liu Y, Cheng Han C, Barker J, Zwaini Z, Lowe M, Brunskill N and Yang B*: HBSP improves kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury and promotes repair in properdin deficient mice via enhancing phagocytosis of tubular epithelial cells. Front. Immunol. 2023 May 3;14:1183768. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1183768.

5. Yang B, Yang C and Wang Y. Editorial: Innate Immunity in Kidney Injury, Repair and Fibrosis. Front Immunol. 2022 May 5;13:909654. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.909654. 

6. Yang C, Yang B. Editorial: Immune Regulation in Kidney Diseases: Importance, Mechanism and Translation, Volume II. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 May 31;9:921987. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.921987. 

7. Wu Y, Zwaini Z, Brunskill N, Zhang X, Wang H, Chana R, Stover C and Yang B*. Properdin Deficiency Impairs Phagocytosis and Enhances Injury at Kidney Repair Phase Post Ischemia-Reperfusion. Front. Immunol. 2021 Sep 6;12:697760. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.697760.

8. Zhang Y, Wu Y, Wang W, Liu F, Zhang Y, Yang C, Liu A, Wu J, Zhu T, Nicholson ML, Fan Y, Yang B*. Long-Term Protection of CHBP Against Combinational Renal Injury Induced by Both Ischemia-Reperfusion and Cyclosporine A in Mice. Front Immunol. 2021 Jul 26;12:697751. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.697751. 

9. Yang B*, Sylvius N, Luo J, Yang C, Da Z, Crotty C, Nicholson ML. Identifying Biomarkers from Transcriptomic Signatures in Renal Allograft Biopsies Using Deceased and Living Donors. Front Immunol. 2021 Jul 1;12:657860. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.657860. 

10. Wu Y, Yang B*. Review: Erythropoietin Receptor/beta Common Receptor: A Shining Light on Acute Kidney Injury Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion. Front Immunol. 2021 Jun 30;12:697796. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.697796.

11. Wu Y, Chen W, Zhang Y, Liu A, Yang C, Wang H, Zhu T, Fan Y, Yang B*. Potent Therapy and Transcriptional Profile of Combined Erythropoietin-Derived Peptide Cyclic Helix B Surface Peptide and Caspase-3 siRNA against Kidney Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2020 Oct;375(1):92-103. doi: 10.1124/jpet.120.000092. 

12. Zwaini Z, Patel M, Stover C, Dormer J, Nicholson ML, Hosgood SA, Yang B*. Comparative Analysis of Risk Factors in Declined Kidneys from Donation after Brain Death and Circulatory Death. Medicina (Kaunas). 2020 Jun 26;56(6):317. doi: 10.3390/medicina56060317.

13. Zhang Y, Wang Q, Liu A, Wu Y, Liu F, Wang H, Zhu T, Fan Y, Yang B*.  Erythropoietin Derived Peptide Improved Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Ischemia-Reperfusion Related Cellular and Renal Injury.  Front Med (Lausanne). 2020 Jan 24;7:5. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00005. 

14. Yang C, Qi R, Yang B*. Book Chapter: Pathogenesis of Chronic Allograft Dysfunction Progress to Renal Fibrosis. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1165:101-116. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-8871-2_6.

15.Yang C, Zhao T, Zhao Z, Jia Y, Li L, Zhang Y, Song M, Rong R, Xu M, Nicholson ML*, Zhu T*, Yang B*. Serum-stabilized naked caspase-3 siRNA protects autotransplant kidneys in a porcine model.  Mol Ther. 2014 Oct;22(10):1817-28. doi: 10.1038/mt.2014.111. Epub 2014 Jun 16. Erratum in: Mol Ther. 2014 Dec;22(12):2156. 

16. Yang C, Li L, Xue Y, Zhao Z, Zhao T, Jia Y, Rong R, Xu M, Nicholson ML, Zhu T*, Yang B*. Innate immunity activation involved in unprotected porcine auto-transplant kidneys preserved by naked caspase-3 siRNA. J Transl Med. 2013 Sep 13;11:210. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-11-210.

17. Yang C, Jia Y, Zhao T, Xue Y, Zhao Z, Zhang J, Wang J, Wang X, Qiu Y, Lin M, Zhu D, Qi G, Qiu Y, Tang Q, Rong R, Xu M, Ni S, Lai B, Nicholson ML*, Zhu T*, Yang B*. Naked caspase 3 small interfering RNA is effective in cold preservation but not in autotransplantation of porcine kidneys. J Surg Res. 2013 May;181(2):342-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2012.07.015. 

18. Yang C, Zhao T, Lin M, Zhao Z, Hu L, Jia Y, Xue Y, Xu M, Tang Q, Yang B*, Rong R*, Zhu T*. Helix B surface peptide administered after insult of ischemia reperfusion improved renal function, structure and apoptosis through beta common receptor/erythropoietin receptor and PI3K/Akt pathway in a murine model. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2013 Jan;238(1):111-9. doi: 10.1258/ebm.2012.012185.

19. Yang B*, Elias JE, Bloxham M, Nicholson ML. Synthetic small interfering RNA down-regulates caspase-3 and affects apoptosis, IL-1 β, and viability of porcine proximal tubular cells. J Cell Biochem. 2011 May;112(5):1337-47. doi: 10.1002/jcb.23050.

20. Yang B*, Hosgood SA, Nicholson ML. Naked small interfering RNA of caspase-3 in preservation solution and autologous blood perfusate protects isolated ischemic porcine kidneys. Transplantation. 2011 Mar 15;91(5):501-7. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e318207949f.

Main teaching contribution is through the supervision of undergraduate BSc and Clinic BSc students, and postgraduate MSc, MD and PhD students in the University of Leicester, and split-site joint PhD scheme between the University of Leicester, Nantong University and Fudan University.  A major focus is identifying potential biomarkers and developing gene modifying therapy using a variety of biological models including cell, mouse and porcine acute kidney injury related models and specimens from patients. 

Awards in last 5 years
• 2025-2028: £982,618 (fEC £1,228,275) for A Precise Therapy for Acute Kidney Injury by Delivering CASP3 siRNA Conjugated with Peptide Ligand Target Innate Repair Receptor Expressing Cells, supported by Medical Research Council.
• 2024-2025: £10,000 for Validating CASP-3 siRNA-Peptide Ligand Conjugate in Human Kidney Epithelial Cells and Discarded Human Kidneys, supported by from Kidney Care Appeal, Leicester Hospitals Charity.
• 2023-2024: £10,000 for Validating CASP-3 siRNA-Peptide Ligand Conjugate in Porcine LLC-PK1 cells and Isolated Kidneys, supported by Kidney Care Appeal, Leicester Hospitals Charity.
• 2022-2023：£35,138 for Validating Potential Biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury Post Cardiovascular Surgery for Precise Intervention by siRNA-ligand Conjugates, supported by the van Geest Foundation Heart and Cardiovascular Diseases Research Fund.
• 2019-2022: £57,000 for Roles and Mechanisms of Innate Repair Receptor EPOR/βcR on Tubular Epithelial Cells Inhibiting Injury, Promoting Repair and Guiding Cell Target Treatment, supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81873622), collaborating with colleagues in Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.