Jiujiu Yu Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania, PA, 2005
M.S., Cell Biology, Tsinghua University, China, 1999
B.S., Botany, Nanjing University, China, 1996
The initiation and progression of many complex diseases, such as metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, are associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, which is often triggered and/or maintained by inappropriate activation of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat related family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Our long-term and broad research goals are to investigate the molecular mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and chronic inflammation and to identify new molecular therapeutics/nutraceuticals to suppress such inflammation.
Our current research can be summarized in three areas:
- Develop molecular therapeutics/nutraceuticals to suppress chronic inflammation in obesity, aging, and other complex diseases.
- Investigate the molecular mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and chronic inflammation.
- Assess the involvement of immune cell-derived exosomes in chronic inflammation.
We have employed state-of-the-art molecular and biochemical techniques, omics approaches, in vitro cell culture, and in vivo mouse models to establish a highly integrative and comprehensive research program.