Prof. Yuqing Huo | Cardiovascular Pharmacology | Best Researcher Award

Baylor College of Medicine | United States

Prof. Yuqing Huo, Ph.D., is a distinguished cardiovascular and vascular biology researcher whose work bridges molecular mechanisms and clinical applications in inflammation, angiogenesis, and metabolic disease. A U.S. citizen with an extensive background in biomedical science, he currently serves as Professor and Danny B. Jones Chair at the Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Medicine/Section of Cardiovascular Research, and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His academic journey has been defined by a lifelong dedication to understanding vascular inflammation, endothelial function, and cellular metabolism in cardiovascular and ocular diseases.Prof. Huo earned his Medical Degree from Jining Medical College, followed by a Master’s in Cardiology from Qingdao University and a Doctoral Degree in Molecular Cardiology from Beijing Medical University. He further advanced his expertise as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Inflammation and Vascular Biology at the University of Virginia, where he worked in Dr. Klaus Ley’s renowned laboratory at the Cardiovascular Research Center. His postdoctoral research laid the foundation for his later breakthroughs in vascular inflammation, monocyte recruitment, and endothelial interactions in atherosclerosis.Over his distinguished academic career, Prof. Huo has held faculty positions at several leading institutions, including the University of Virginia, the University of Minnesota, and Augusta University, where he served as Professor, Chief of the Vascular Inflammation Program, and Director of the Vision Discovery Institute. His leadership in the field has shaped numerous interdisciplinary programs that integrate cardiovascular and ocular research, expanding the understanding of inflammation and angiogenesis in chronic diseases.His scientific achievements have been widely recognized through numerous honors and awards, including distinctions from the American Heart Association, the American Physiological Society, and the American Diabetes Association. His accolades include the New Investigator Award, Young Investigator Award, and several institutional honors for outstanding research contributions and academic excellence.Prof. Huo’s active research focuses on “Myeloid glycolysis in pathological ocular angiogenesis,” “Myeloid PFKFB3 in subretinal fibrosis,” “Adenosine receptor 2A in subretinal fibrosis,” and “VSMC PFKFB3 in atherogenesis,” among others. His projects, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Heart Association (AHA), aim to uncover novel molecular targets that regulate inflammation, fibrosis, and vascular remodeling. Through the use of genetically engineered models and molecular approaches, his research explores glycolytic reprogramming in immune cells and vascular tissues, paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular, metabolic, and ocular disorders.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Cheng, Y., Liu, X., Yang, J., Lin, Y., Xu, D. Z., Lu, Q., Deitch, E. A., Huo, Y., Delphin, E. S., & Zhang, C. (2009). MicroRNA-145, a novel smooth muscle cell phenotypic marker and modulator, controls vascular neointimal lesion formation. Circulation Research, 105(2), 158–166.

Huo, Y., Hafezi-Moghadam, A., & Ley, K. (2000). Role of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and fibronectin connecting segment-1 in monocyte rolling and adhesion on early atherosclerotic lesions. Circulation Research, 87(2), 153–159.

Huo, Y., Schober, A., Forlow, S. B., Smith, D. F., Hyman, M. C., Jung, S., Littman, D. R., Weber, C., & Ley, K. F. (2003). Circulating activated platelets exacerbate atherosclerosis in mice deficient in apolipoprotein E. Nature Medicine, 9(1), 61–67.

Luo, X., Li, H., Ma, L., Zhou, J., Guo, X., Woo, S. L., Pei, Y., Knight, L. R., Deveau, M., Yang, S., & Huo, Y. (2018). Expression of STING is increased in liver tissues from patients with NAFLD and promotes macrophage-mediated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in mice. Gastroenterology, 155(6), 1971–1984.e4.

Node, K., Huo, Y., Ruan, X., Yang, B., Spiecker, M., Ley, K., Zeldin, D. C., & Liao, J. K. (1999). Anti-inflammatory properties of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase-derived eicosanoids. Science, 285(5431), 1276–1279.

Ramos, C. L., Huo, Y., Jung, U., Ghosh, S., Manka, D. R., Sarembock, I. J., & Ley, K. (1999). Direct demonstration of P-selectin– and VCAM-1–dependent mononuclear cell rolling in early atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein E–deficient mice. Circulation Research, 84(11), 1237–1244.