Shan Ping Yu is an internationally recognized neuroscientist and Endowed Full Professor at Emory University School of Medicine, known for pioneering research in excitotoxicity, neuroprotection, and neural regeneration. With extensive training spanning premier institutions in China and the United States, he has advanced fundamental understanding of neuronal injury mechanisms, focusing on ionic and molecular pathways involving voltage-gated and ligand-gated channels in apoptotic and necrotic cell death. His laboratory has led groundbreaking innovations including preconditioning strategies to enhance survival and reparative potential of transplanted stem cells, the development of optochemogenetics for precision control of cellular functions, direct reprogramming of glioblastoma cells into neurons as a transformative anti-cancer strategy, and elucidation of inflammatory mechanisms linking early-life pain to neurodevelopmental disturbances. His work has significantly contributed to novel interventions in ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and neuropsychiatric-related cognitive deficits. He has secured sustained funding from national research agencies and veterans’ research programs, and contributed as principal investigator or key collaborator on numerous basic, translational, and interventional neuroscience projects. His publication record in leading peer-reviewed journals, high citation impact, and invited presentations at global scientific forums underscore sustained scholarly excellence. He has held leadership roles in national and international committees, including service for major federal funding agencies, advancing scientific priorities and peer-review standards in neurological research. Beyond scientific discovery, he has demonstrated strong commitment to research training and workforce development, mentoring a large cohort of clinical, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars who have progressed to influential roles in academia and biomedicine. His contributions have been recognized through multiple competitive honors and inclusion in media outlets spotlighting high-impact scientific advances. Through integrated basic and translational neuroscience, Shan Ping Yu continues to drive innovations with profound implications for brain repair, neurodegenerative disease treatment, and improved quality of life for patients worldwide. He has 13686 citations from 194 documents with an h-index of 62.
Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID
Featured Publications
1. Hu, X., Yu, S. P., Fraser, J. L., Lu, Z., Ogle, M. E., Wang, J. A., & Wei, L. (2008). Transplantation of hypoxia-preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells improves infarcted heart function via enhanced survival of implanted cells and angiogenesis. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
2. Yu, S. P., Yeh, C. H., Sensi, S. L., Gwag, B. J., Canzoniero, L. M. T., Farhangrazi, Z. S., et al. (1997). Mediation of neuronal apoptosis by enhancement of outward potassium current. Science.
3. Sensi, S. L., Canzoniero, L. M. T., Yu, S. P., Ying, H. S., Koh, J. Y., Kerchner, G. A., et al. (1997). Measurement of intracellular free zinc in living cortical neurons: Routes of entry. Journal of Neuroscience.
4. Dugan, L. L., Gabrielsen, J. K., Shan, P. Y., Lin, T. S., & Choi, D. W. (1996). Buckminsterfullerenol free radical scavengers reduce excitotoxic and apoptotic death of cultured cortical neurons. Neurobiology of Disease.
5. Zhang, Z., Song, M., Liu, X., Kang, S. S., Kwon, I. S., Duong, D. M., Seyfried, N. T., et al. (2014). Cleavage of tau by asparagine endopeptidase mediates the neurofibrillary pathology in Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Medicine,