Professor
University of Michigan / Michigan Medicine
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Bo Yang, MD, Ph.D. Director of Research, Dept. of Cardiac surgery, University of Michigan. His clinical expertise spans the range of complex aortic surgical procedures to treat aortic pathologies, such as aortic aneurysms and dissections for patients with bicuspid aortic valve, Marfan’s syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, familial thoracic aortic aneurysm, PRKG1 mutations, and unknown mutations. The procedures include valve-sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure), repair of aortic dissections, thoracic aortic aneurysms, thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms through open and endovascular procedures, aortic valve repair.
Basic Science Research: Dr. Yang’s current lab research focuses on the mechanisms of thoracic aortic aneurysms and developing novel therapies to prevent aortic aneurysms. His team generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients' blood to study the mechanisms of aneurysm formation in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), Loyes-Dietz Syndrome. CRISPR Cas 9 technology is used to create and correct the mutations causing thoracic aortic aneurysms in both control and patient’s iPSCs. CRISPR technology allows Dr. Yang and his team to study the biological mechanisms of gene mutations causing thoracic aortic aneurysm. He is also collaborating with bioengineers and to create tissue-engineered vascular graft with patient’s iPSCs.
Clinically, He invented new procedures to enlarge the aortic annulus and repair acute type A aortic dissection. His clinical research team has focused on outcome researches of aortic surgery and adult cardiac surgery, such as surgical treatment of acute type A aortic dissection, especially those with malperfusion syndrome, aortic valve repair and David procedure, BAV with aortic aneurysm, infectious endocarditis, and small roots in aortic valve replacement.
Dr. Yang has well funded by NIH (two R01s as PI and K08 award) and won numerous research awards: such as AHA Vivien Thomas Young Investigator Award, finalist, AHA Innovative Award, Young investigator of Loeys-Dietz syndrome foundation, Frankel CVC Directors Award of Excellence.
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Hands-On Course: Aortic Annular Enlargement
Friday, January 24, 2025
1:00pm – 2:30pm PT