Toxicologist — Division of Biochemical Toxicology

Yunan Tang, Ph.D., DABT
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov  

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About  |  Publications  |  Lab Members

Background

Dr. Yunan Tang studied laboratory medicine at the West China University of Medical Sciences (WCUMS) and graduated in 1991. He then earned his M.S. degree in hygienic toxicology and his Ph.D. in nutrition and food hygiene at WCUMS in 1999 and 2003 respectively. He was first engaged in toxicological laboratory research work at WCUMS between 1985 and 2003. Dr. Tang then completed his postdoctoral training at Peking University (2003-2005) and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2005 to 2006). He was employed as a senior research associate scientist at the University of Louisville in Kentucky from 2007 to 2013. Dr. Tang has been a board-certified toxicologist since 2012 and joined NCTR as a toxicologist in 2013. 
 

Research Interests

Dr. Tang conducts inhalation studies in collaboration with FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to characterize and quantify the health risk associated with selected chemicals found in cigarette smoke. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds including over 70 that are known to cause cancer. Currently it is estimated that 19.3% of adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, and that 480,000 people die prematurely each year from tobacco-related disease in the United States. CTP was formed following the mandates of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention Tobacco Control Act. The Act provides a broad authority to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products.
 

Professional Societies

American Society for Nutrition
Member
2006 – Present

Society of Toxicology
Member
2007 – Present
 

Select Publications

Publication titles are linked to text abstracts on PubMed.

Evaluation of 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-Pyridyl)-1-Butanone (NNK) Mutagenicity Using In Vitro and In Vivo Pig-a Assays.
Mittelstaedt R.A., Dobrovolsky V.N., Revollo J.R., Pearce M.G., Wang Y., Dad A., McKinzie P.B., Rosenfeldt H., Yucesoy B., Yeager R., Hu S.C., Tang Y., Min S., Kang H.K., Yang D.J., Basavarajappa M., and Heflich R.H.
Mutat Res Genet Toxicol Environ Mutagen. 2019, 837:65-72.
 

CCR7 Maintains Non-Resolving Lymph Node and Adipose Inflammation in Obesity.
Hellmann J., Sansbury B.E., Holden C.R., Tang Y., Wong B., Wysoczynski M., Rodriguez J., Bhatnagar A., Hill B.G., and Spite M.
Diabetes. 2016, 65(8):2268-81.
 

IL-11 Induces Th17 Cell Responses in Patients with Early Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
Zhang X., Tao Y., Chopra M., Dujmovic-Basuroski I., Jin J., Tang Y., Drulovic J., and Markovic-Plese S.
J Immunol. 2015, 194(11):5139-49.
 

Atf3 Negatively Regulates Ptgs2/Cox2 Expression During Acute Inflammation.
Hellmann J., Tang Y., Zhang M.J., Hai T., Bhatnagar A., Srivastava S., and Spite M.
Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 2015, 116-117:49-56.
 

The Role of Endogenous IFN-Β in the Regulation of Th17 Responses in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
Tao Y., Zhang X., Chopra M., Kim M.J., Buch K.R., Kong D., Jin J., Tang Y., Zhu H., Jewells V., and Markovic-Plese S.
J Immunol. 2014, 192(12):5610-7.
 

Increased Saturated Fatty Acids in Obesity Alter Resolution of Inflammation in Part by Stimulating Prostaglandin Production.
Hellmann J., Zhang M.J., Tang Y., Rane M., Bhatnagar A., and Spite M.
J Immunol. 2013, 191(3):1383-92.
 

Proresolution Therapy for the Treatment of Delayed Healing of Diabetic Wounds.
Tang Y., Zhang M.J., Hellmann J., Kosuri M., Bhatnagar A., and Spite M.
Diabetes. 2013, 62(2):618-27.
 

Chronic Alcohol Exposure Disturbs Lipid Homeostasis At The Adipose Tissue-Liver Axis In Mice: Analysis Of Triacylglycerols Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry In Combination With In Vivo Metabolite Deuterium Labeling.
Wei X., Shi X., Zhong W., Zhao Y., Tang Y., Sun W., Yin X., Bogdanov B., Kim S., McClain C., Zhou Z., and Zhang X.
PLoS One. 2013, 8(2):e55382.
 

Overexpression of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Prevents Diet-Induced Obesity and Regulates Adipocyte Phenotype.
Sansbury B.E., Cummins T.D., Tang Y., Hellmann J., Holden C.R., Harbeson M.A., Chen Y., Patel R.P., Spite M.R., Bhatnagar A., and Hill B.G.
Circulation Research. 2012, 111(9):1176-89.
 

Proresolving Lipid Mediators and Diabetic Wound Healing.
Hellmann J., Tang Y., and Spite M.
Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2012, 19(2):104-8.
 

Chronic Alcohol Exposure Stimulates Adipose Tissue Lipolysis in Mice: Role of Reverse Triglyceride Transport in the Pathogenesis of Alcoholic Steatosis.
Zhong W., Zhao Y., Tang Y., Wei X., Shi X., Sun W., Sun X., Yin X., Sun X., Kim S., McClain C.J., Zhang X., and Zhou Z.
Am J Pathol. 2012, 180(3):998-1007.
 

Activation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma by Rosiglitazone Improves Lipid Homeostasis at the Adipose Tissue-Liver Axis in Ethanol-Fed Mice.
Sun X., Tang Y., Tan X., Li Q., Zhong W., Sun X., Jia W., McClain C.J., and Zhou Z.
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2012, 302(5):G548-57.
 

Metsign: A Computational Platform for High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics.
Wei X., Sun W., Shi X., Koo I., Wang B., Zhang J., Yin X., Tang Y., Bogdanov B., Kim S., Zhou Z., McClain C., and Zhang X.
Anal Chem. 2011, 83(20):7668-75.
 

Deficiency of the Leukotriene B4 Receptor, BLT-1, Protects Against Systemic Insulin Resistance in Diet-Induced Obesity.
Spite M., Hellmann J., Tang Y., Mathis S.P., Kosuri M., Bhatnagar A., Jala V.R., and Haribabu B.
J Immunol. 2011, 187(4): 1942-9.
 

Resolvin D1 Decreases Adipose Tissue Macrophage Accumulation and Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Obese-Diabetic Mice.
Hellmann J., Tang Y., Kosuri M., Bhatnagar A., and Spite M.
FASEB J. 2011, 25(7): 2399-407.
 

Zinc Supplementation Partially Prevents Renal Pathological Changes in Diabetic Rats.
Tang Y., Yang Q., Lu J., Zhang X., Suen D., Tan Y., Jin L., Xiao J., Xie R., Rane M., Li X., and Cai L.
J Nutr Biochem. 2010, 21(3):237-46.
 

IFN-Beta1a Inhibits the Secretion of Th17-Polarizing Cytokines in Human Dendritic Cells Via TLR7 Up-Regulation.
Zhang X., Jin J., Tang Y., Speer D., Sujkowska D., and Markovic-Plese S.
J Immunol. 2009, 182(6):3928-36.
 

Degenerate TCR Recognition and Dual DR2 Restriction of Autoreactive T-Cells: Implications for the Initiation of the Autoimmune Response in Multiple Sclerosis.
Zhang X., Tang Y., Sujkowska D., Wang J., Ramgolam V., Sospedra M., Adams J., Martin R., Pinilla C., and Markovic-Plese S.
Eur J Immunol. 2008, 38(5):1297-309.
 

Effect of Folic Acid on Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Modification of Brain Proteome in Mice.
Xu Y., Tang Y., and Li Y.
Br J Nutr. 2008, 99(3):455-61.
 

The Maternal Combined Supplementation of Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Suppresses Ethanol-Induced Developmental Toxicity in Mouse Fetuses.
Xu Y., Li Y., Tang Y., Wang J., Shen X., Long Z., and Zheng X.
Reprod Toxicol. 2006, 22(1): 56-61.
 

Lab Members

Contact information for all lab members:
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov  

Seonggi Min, Ph.D.
Inhalation Physicist

Dong-Jin Yang, MS
Inhalation Chemist

Jinghai Yi, Ph.D.
Inhalation Mechanical Engineer

Gregory Pellar, Ph.D.
Aerosol Scientist

Qiangen Wu, Ph.D., DABT
Toxicologist