Yi-Mei (Amy) Yang, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences

E-MAIL: [email protected]

Research Interests:

Synapses are the fundamental units of neural communication in the brain. Using multidisciplinary approaches, we study how synaptic structure and function are precisely shaped during development and how their dysfunction leads to neurological disorders. By understanding the physio-pathological roles of critical synaptic proteins at the cellular, circuitry and system levels, we aim to identify novel targets and further develop pharmacological and genetic therapies for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Our techniques include multi-electrode patch clamp in vitro and in vivo, two-photon imaging, optogenetics, chemogenetics, mouse behavioral analysis, and transgenic mouse models. 

Selected Publications:

For a comprehensive list (use this link): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/56379636/?sort=date&direction=descending, refer to PubMed, a service provided by the National Library of Medicine.)

  • Yang YM, Fekete A, Arsenault J, Sengar AS, Aitoubah J, Grande G, Li A, Salter EW, Wang A, Mark MD, Herlitze S, Egan SE, Salter MW, Wang LY. Intersectin-1 enhances calcium-dependent replenishment of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles during development. J Physiol. 2024 Oct Online ahead of print. doi: 10.1113/JP286462.
  • Naveed M, Chao OY, Hill JW, Yang YM, Huston JP, Cao R. Circadian neurogenetics and implications in neurophysiology, behavior, and chronomedicine. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Feb;157:105523.
  • Rudolph S, Badura A, Lutzu S, Pathak SS, Thieme A, Verpeut JL, Wagner MJ, Yang YM, Fioravante D. Cognitive-Affective Functions of the Cerebellum. J Neurosci. 2023 Nov 8;43(45):7554-7564.
  • Chao OY, Pathak SS, Zhang H, Augustine GJ, Christie JM, Kikuchi C, Taniguchi H, Yang YM. Social memory deficit caused by dysregulation of the cerebellar vermis. Nat Commun. 2023 Sep 26;14(1):6007.
  • Levings DC, Pathak SS, Yang YM, Slattery M. Limited expression of Nrf2 in neurons across the central nervous system. Redox Biol. 2023 Sep;65:102830.
  • Chao OY, Nikolaus S, Yang YM, Huston JP. Neuronal circuitry for recognition memory of object and place in rodent models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022 Oct;141:104855.
  • Chao OY, Zhang H, Pathak SS, Huston JP, Yang YM. Functional convergence of motor and social processes in lobule IV/V of the mouse cerebellum. Cerebellum. 2021 Dec;20(6):836-852.
  • Fang K, Liu D, Pathak SS, Yang B, Li J, Karthikeyan R, Chao OY, Yang YM, Jin VX, Cao R. Disruption of circadian rhythms by ambient light during neurodevelopment leads to autistic-like molecular and behavioral alterations in adult mice. Cells. 2021 Nov; 10(12): 3314-3333.
  • Gurma M, Yang YM, Wang LY. Developmental plasticity of NMDA receptors at the calyx of Held synapse. Neuropharmacology. 2021 Sep 15;196:108697.
  • Yang YM, Arsenault J, Bah A, Krzeminski M, Fekete A, Chao OY, Pacey LK, Wang A, Forman-Kay J, Hampson DR, Wang LY. Identification of a molecular locus for normalizing dysregulated GABA release from interneurons in the Fragile X brain. Mol Psychiatry. 2020 Sep;25(9):2017-2035.
  • Chao OY, Pathak SS, Zhang H, Dunaway N, Li JS, Mattern C, Nikolaus S, Huston JP, Yang YM. Altered dopaminergic pathways and therapeutic effects of intranasal dopamine in two distinct mouse models of autism. Mol Brain. 2020 Aug 10;13(1):111.
  • Chao OY, Marron Fernandez de Velasco E, Pathak SS, Maitra S, Zhang H, Duvick L, Wickman K, Orr HT, Hirai H, Yang YM. Targeting inhibitory cerebellar circuitry to alleviate behavioral deficits in a mouse model for studying idiopathic autism. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Jun;45(7):1159-1170.
  • Chao OY, de Souza Silva MA, Yang YM, Huston JP. The medial prefrontal cortex - hippocampus circuit that integrates information of object, place and time to construct episodic memory in rodents: Behavioral, anatomical and neurochemical properties. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Jun;113:373-407.
  • Lesperance LS, Yang YM, Wang LY. Delayed expression of activity-dependent gating switch in synaptic AMPARs at a central synapse. Mol Brain. 2020 Jan 15;13(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s13041-019-0536-2.
  • Chao OY, Yang YM. Timing constraints of action potential evoked Ca2+ current and transmitter release at a central nerve terminal. Sci Rep 2019; 9: 4448.
  • Fekete A, Nakamura Y, Yang YM, Herlitze S, Mark MD, DiGregorio DA, Wang LY. Underpinning heterogeneity in synaptic transmission by presynaptic ensembles of distinct morphological modules. Nat Commun 2019; 10: 826.
  • Yang YM, Arsenault J, Bah A, Krzeminski M, Fekete A, Chao OY, Pacey LK, Wang A, Forman-Kay J, Hampson DR, Wang LY. Identification of a molecular locus for normalizing dysregulated GABA release from interneurons in the Fragile X brain. Mol Psychiatry 2018; doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0240-0.
  • Chao OY, Yunger R, Yang YM. Behavioral assessments of BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mice by tests of object attention and elevated open platform: Implications for an animal model of psychiatric comorbidity in autism. Behav Brain Res. 2018 Mar 13;347:140-147.
  • Yang YM, Wang LY. Ageing brains attend a symphony with asynchronous transmitter release. J Physiol. 2017;595(3):613-614.
  • Yang YM, Wang W, Fedchyshyn MJ, Zhou Z, Ding JP, Wang LY. Enhancing the fidelity of neurotransmission by activity-dependent facilitation of presynaptic K+ currents. Nat Commun. 2014;5:4564-4577.
  • Wang W, Luo J, Hou P, Yang YM, Xiao F, Yuchi M, Qu A, Wang LY, Ding J. Native gating behavior of ion channels in neurons with null-deviation modeling. PLoS One 2013;8:e77105.
Yi-Mei (Amy) Yang