Dr. Kaiping Yang, PhD
Children’s Health Research Institute
Scientist and Chair, Fetal and Newborn Health Program
Lawson Health Research Institute
Scientist, Children’s Health Research Institute
University of Western Ontario
Professor, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Physiology &
Pharmacology
Contact Information
Tel: (519) 685-8500 Ext. 55069
Fax: (519) 685-8186
E-mail: kyang@uwo.ca
Web: www.physpharm.fmd.uwo.ca/people/info.ihtml?ID=Yang_Kaiping
Brief Biography
Dr. Yang received his BSc from the Northwestern University in China, and obtained his PhD in Reproductive Physiology at the University of Nottingham in 1987 under tutelage of the late Professor Eric Lamming. He then pursued his postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Dr. John Challis at the Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario.
Dr. Yang was appointed Principal Investigator at the Lawson Health Research Institute and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Physiology & Pharmacology at The University of Western Ontario in 1992. He was promoted to full Professor in 2001. Dr. Yang was a recipient of the Ontario Ministry of Health Career Scientist Award from 1993-2003. He is a member of the internationally acclaimed CIHR Group in Fetal and Neonatal Health and Development, and has maintained continuous funding from MRC and CIHR.
Research Interests
• Glucocorticoid actions and metabolism in pregnancy/fetal development
• Molecular mechanisms of fetal growth restriction
• Fetal origins of visceral obesity
• Effects of environmental pollutants/toxins on placental function and fetal development
Research Activities
The main thrust of Dr. Yang’s research activities has been glucocorticoid actions and metabolism in fetal development. He has established a strong international reputation for his work studying the expression, role and regulation of the glucocorticoid metabolizing enzymes 11ß-HSD1 and 11ß-HSD2 in the placenta and fetal organs during development. He has made seminal contributions in this area and has kept the filed moving forward. Other research activities include studying molecular mechanisms of fetal growth restriction and fetal origins of central obesity. His work is notable in that it utilizes contemporary molecular and cellular techniques together with in vitro cell culture and whole animal studies. He has published extensively in high impact journals such as the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology, and Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. He has presented his work at both national and international conferences, and was an invited symposium speaker at several international meetings worldwide.
Awards and Recognition
Funding in support of "Molecular Mechanisms of Fetal Growth Restriction" - Awarded by Canadian Institues of Health and Research
Funding in support of "Early-life Origins of Visceral Adiposity" - Awarded by Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
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