Education

• B.S., Oceanography (Major) and Chemistry (Minor), Pukyong National University, South Korea
• M.S., Marine Chemistry, Stony Brook University, New York
• Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, Chonnam National University, South Korea

Bio

Dr. Suhui Yang obtained her B.S. in Oceanography (major) and Chemistry (minor) from Pukyong National University, South Korea, in 2004 and her M.S. in Marine Chemistry from Stony Brook University, New York, in 2008. She later switched her interest to Medicinal Chemistry and earned her Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. Won-Jea Cho from Chonnam National University, South Korea, in 2012. Her doctoral research was focused on the design and development of novel small molecule compounds targeting Androgen Receptor, Topoisomerase, or JAK/STAT pathway for treating cancers. In research, she used to apply computational techniques such as virtual screening or molecular docking, synthesize various chemical libraries, and optimize the active compounds.

Dr. Yang moved to the University of Michigan where she conducted research as postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Nouri Neamati, working on synthesis of bioactive small molecule compounds as anti-cancer agents (2013-2017). Dr. Yang joined the faculty of the American University of Health Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, in August 2018. Her current research interests are the design and development of small molecule compounds as chemotherapeutic agents and the use of photoaffinity probes for identification of the molecular targets of small molecules.

Selected Publications

• 1. J. Han, HW. Lee, Y. Jin, DB. Khadka, S. Yang, X. Li, M. Kim, WJ. Cho, “Molecular design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of bisamide derivatives as cyclophilin A inhibitors for HCV treatment”, Eur. J, Med. Chem., (2020), 188, 112031.
• 2. S. Xu, Y. Liu, K. Yang, H. Wang, A. Shergalis, A. Kyani, A. Bankhead, S. Tamura, S. Yang, X. Wang, C. Wang, A. Rehemtulla, M. Ljungman, N. Neamati, “Inhibition of protein disulfide isomerase in glioblastoma causes marked downregulation of DNA repair and DNA damage response genes”, Theranostics, (2019), 9, 2282.
• 3. S. Yang, A. Shergalis, D. Lu, A. Kyani, Z. Lu, M. Ljungman, N. Neamati, “Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Allosteric Protein Disulfide Isomerase Inhibitors”, J. Med. Chem., (2019), 62, 3447.
• 4. A. Kyani, S. Tamura, S. Yang (co-first), A. Shergalis, S. Samanta, Y. Kuang, M. Ljungman, N. Neamati, “Discovery and Mechanistic Elucidation of a Class of Protein Disulfide Isomerase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Glioblastoma”, Chem. Med. Chem., (2018), 13, 164.
• 5. K. Ramkumar, S. Samanta, A. Kyani, S. Yang, S. Tamura, L. Ziemke, J. Stuckey, S. Li, K. Chinnaswamy, H. Otake, B. Debnath, V. Yarovenko, J. Sebolt-Leopold, M. Ljungman, N. Neamati, “Mechanistic evaluation and transcriptional signature of a Glutathione S-transferase Omega 1 inhibitor”, Nature Comm., (2016), 7, 13084.
• 6. S. Yang, J. K. R., S. Lim, T. G. Choi, J.-H. Kim, S. Akter, M. Jang, H.-J. Ahn, H.-Y. Kim, M. P. Windisch, D. B. Khadka, C. Zhao, Y. Jin, I. Kang, J. Ha, B.-C. Oh, M. Kim, S. S. Kim, W.-J. Cho, “Structure-Based Discovery of Novel Cyclophilin A Inhibitors for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infections”, J. Med. Chem., (2015), 58 (24), 9546-9561.
• 7. C. Zhao, S. H. Yang, D. B. Khadka, Y. Jin, K.T. Lee, W.-J. Cho, “Computer-aided discovery of aminopyridines as novel JAK2 inhibitors”, Bioorg. Med. Chem., (2015), 23, 985-995.
• 8. D. B. Khadka, H. Woo, S. H. Yang, C. Zhao, Y. Jin, T. N. Le, Y. Kwon, W.-J. Cho, “Modification of 3-arylisoquinolines into 3,4-diarylisoquinolines and assessment of their cytotoxicity and topoisomerase inhibition”, Eur. J, Med. Chem., (2015), 92, 583-607.
• 9. H. T. M. Van, H. M. Jeong, D. B. Khadka, S. H. Yang, C. Zhao, Y. Jin, K. Y. Lee, Y. Kwon, W.-J. Cho, “Design, synthesis and systematic evaluation of cytotoxic 3-heteroarylisoquinolinamines as topoisomerases inhibitors”, Eur. J, Med. Chem., (2014), 82, 181-194.
• 10. Y. Jin, D. B. Khadka, S. H. Yang, C. Zhao, W.-J. Cho, “Synthesis of novel 5-oxaprotoberberines as bioisosteres of protoberberines”, Tetrahedron Lett., (2014), 55, 1366-1369.
• 11. S. H. Yang, C.-H. Song, H. T. M. Van, E. Park, D. B. Khadka, E.-Y. Gong, K. Lee, and W.-J. Cho, “SAR Based Design of Nicotinamides as a Novel Class of Androgen Receptor Antagonists for Prostate Cancer”, J. Med. Chem., (2013), 56 (8), 3414-3418.
• 12. C.-H. Song, S. H. Yang (co-first), E. Park, S. H. Cho, Eun-Yeung Gong, D. B. Khadka, W.-J. Cho, and K. Lee, “Structure-Based Virtual Screening and Identification of a Novel AR Antagonist”, J. Biol. Chem., (2012), 287 (36), 30769-30780.
• 13. T. N. Le, S. H. Yang (co-first), D. B. Khadka, S. H. Cho, C. Zhao, W.-J. Cho, “Synthetic approaches to natural antioxidant Benzastatin E, F and G analogues”, Bull. Korean Chem. Soc., (2011), 32 (12), 4309-4315.
• 14. S. H. Yang, D. B. Khadka, S. H. Cho, H.-K. Ju, K. Y. Lee, K.-T. Lee, W.-J. Cho, “Virtual screening and synthesis of quinazolines as novel JAK2 inhibitors”. Bioorg. Med. Chem., (2011), 19 (2), 968-977.
• 15. S. H. Yang, H. T. M. Van, T. N. Le, D. B. Khadka, S. H. Cho, K.-T. Lee, E.-S. Lee, Y. B. Lee, C.-H. Ahn, W.-J. Cho, “Development of 3-aryl-1-isoquinolinamines as potent antitumor agents based on CoMFA”, Eur. J. Med. Chem., (2010), 45 (11), 5493-5497.
• 16. S. H. Yang, H. T. M. Van, T. N. Le, D. B. Khadka, S. H. Cho, K.-T. Lee, H.-J. Chung, S. K. Lee, C.-H. Ahn, Y. B. Lee, W.-J. Cho, “Synthesis, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of 3-arylisoquinolinamines as potent antitumor agents”, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., (2010), 20 (17), 5277-5281.