Photo of Yang, Junling

Junling Yang, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Cancer Biology and Pharmacology

About

Positions held:

  • 2019-present- Research Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, Peoria, IL
  • 2017-2019- Instructor, Department of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, Peoria, IL
  • 2014-2016- Research associate, Department of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, Peoria, IL
  • 2011-2014- Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cancer Biology and Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, Peoria, IL
  • 2010-2011- Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Selected Grants

NIH R01AG069447, “Role of MyD88 signaling in systemic inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease”, PI: Ken-ichiro Fukuchi, 08/01/2021-04/30/2026 Total costs $2,437,487, Co-Investigator

NIH R21 AG064811, “Altering immune tolerance in Alzheimer disease”, PI: Ken-ichiro Fukuchi, 08/01/19 – 05/31/22 Total costs $439,725, Key Personnel

NIH R21 AG056862, “Role of blood-brain barrier interleukin-17 receptor A in Alzheimer disease”, PI: Ken-ichiro Fukuchi, 06/01/17 – 05/31/20 Total costs $439,725, Key Personnel

Education

2010- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Ph.D.
2006- School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China. M.S.

Research Currently in Progress

Among many types of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. AD is a complicated disease involving many factors and its etiology is unclear. There is no cure for AD so far. However, over the past 30 years, researchers have unveiled a number of factors which increase the risk of AD. Particularly, inflammatory responses have emerged as a strong driving force of AD pathogenesis. Dr. Yang focuses on the immune mechanisms underlying the AD pathogenesis associated with peripheral inflammation. She is using sophisticated immunological technology, animal models of AD and advanced imaging for her investigation. She is also interested in physiological functions of amyloid precursor protein (APP), a key protein in the AD pathogenesis.