Yuguang 'Roger' Shi

Contact

Department

Pharmacology

Yuguang ‘Roger’ Shi, Ph.D.

Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long Distinguished Chair in Metabolic Biology, Professor of Pharmacology, Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, and UTHSCSA

Personal Statement:

Our research work focuses on translational medicine of aging and age-related disorders. Our groundbreaking work in the last 20 years has resolved one of the most challenging issues in aging research by identifying cardiolipin remodeling by the ALCAT1 enzyme as the key regulator of mitochondrial free radical aging clock, linking mitochondrial etiology of aging to the development of all age-related metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications (retinopathy, nephropathy, and cardiomyopathy), obesity, cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, and neurodegenerative diseases. Using mice with targeted deletion of the ALCAT1 gene and a highly potent small molecule inhibitor known as Dafaglitapin initially developed by my lab, we have demonstrated all age-related diseases can be treated as a single disorder. Our landmark discovery of the PERK kinase (also known as PEK) at Lilly research Laboratories has made significant contribution to the field of ER-stress and translational control. This work is widely recognized in the field that led to the recognition of Dr. Peter Walter, who pioneered the discovery of IRE1 and XBP1 in the ER-stress field of research (Cell, 107, 827–830), as a recipient of a Lasker Award in 2014. Our lab also pioneered the cloning and characterization of a whole family of acyltransferases involved in phospholipid remodeling, including ALCAT1, LPGAT1, and MGAT2, which has become the textbook of knowledge.


Education

Ph.D., Molecular Biology, Australian National University, Australia, 1992
M.S., Genetics, University of New England, Australia, 1986
B.S., Animal Science, Northwestern A&F University, China, 1982

Lab Members

Dr. Jun Zhang – Assistant Professor/Research
Mr. Qianqian Ye – IBMS Graduate Student
Ms. Yixuan Ma – Visiting Graduate Student
Mr. Chengbin Xu – Visiting Graduate Student
Ms. Jie Zhou – Visiting Graduate Student

Publications

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/yuguang.shi.1/bibliography/40647214/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending