Dr. Yinwen Liang obtained the bachelor’s
degree from Xiamen University and Ph.D. Degree from Tsinghua University,
followed up by postdoc training at Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York,
USA. Prior to
Joining CIMR, Dr. Liang has been promoted to senior scientist at MSKCC. Dr.
Liang will become an independent Principal Investigator (PI) at CIMR in January
2026. The Liang lab at CIMR investigates the fundamental questions of embryonic
development and tissue homeostasis, with emphasis on the molecular mechanisms
of cilia biology and Hedgehog signaling pathway. The long-term goal is to
translate mechanistic insights into therapeutic strategy for ciliopathies and
HH driven brain tumor such as medulloblastoma. The team will integrate cutting
edge animal models, human genetics and multi-omics approaches to drive these
studies.
Major Research
Projects
a. Identifying novel regulators of the
ciliary gene regulatory network.
b. Dissecting cell-type-specific cilia
formation and morphological diversity.
c. Revealing the molecular mechanisms of
ciliopathies and SHH-medulloblastoma.
Major
Contributions
a. Discovered transcription factors SP5
and SP8 as key transcriptional regulators in cilia formation (Science, 2025).
b. Uncovered the mechanisms of
intraflagellar transport machinery and cilia assembly (Current Biology, 2018;
Developmental Cell, 2014a;
Developmental Cell, 2014b).
c. Revealed molecular insights into ciliopathies
and SHH-medulloblastoma (Science, 2025; eLife, 2025; Journal of Cell Biology,
2018; American Journal of Human Genetics, 2018).
Representative
Publications
Liang Y#, Koche R, Chalamalasetty RB,
Stephen DN, Kennedy MW, Lao Z, Pang Y, Kuo YY, Lee M, Lobo FP, Huang X,
Hadjantonakis AK, Yamaguchi TP, Anderson KV, Joyner AL#. Transcription factors
SP5 and SP8 drive primary cilia formation in mammalian embryos. Science, 2025,
389 (6763): eadt5663. DOI: 10.1126/science. adt5663
Lao Z, Nagar SE, Liang Y, Stephen DN,
Joyner AL. PTEN restrains SHH medulloblastma growth through cell autonomous and
nonautonomous mechanisms. eLife, 2025. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.108190.1
Liang Y, Zhu X, Wu Q, Pan J. Ciliary
Length Sensing Regulates IFT Entry via Changes in FLA8/KIF3B Phosphorylation to
Control Ciliary Assembly. Current Biology, 2018, 28(15): 2429-2435.e3. DOI:
10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.069
Agbu SO*, Liang Y*, Liu A, Anderson KV.
The small GTPase RSG1 controls a final step in primary cilia initiation.
Journal of Cell Biology, 2018, 217(1): 413-427. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201604048
Liang Y*, Pang Y*, Wu Q, Hu Z, Han X, Xu
Y, Deng H, Pan J. FLA8/KIF3B phosphorylation regulates kinesin-II interaction
with IFT-B to control IFT entry and turnaround. DevelopmentalCell, 2014, 30(5):
585-97. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.07.019 (Highlighted by Craige B and Witman
G. Flipping a Phosphate Switch on Kinesin-II to Turn IFT Around. Developmental
Cell, 2014, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2014.08.019)
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