Yuping Mei, PhD
Highlights
Languages
- English
Gender
FemaleJohns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Yuping Mei
Primary Academic Title
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Background
Dr. Mei stands at the forefront of the sncRNA field. She is the primary investigator to discover the Protein Functional Effector sncRNA (pfeRNA) and has reported basic and translational research on it. Based on the unique features and functions of pfeRNAs, she reported for the first time that pfeRNA is a novel class of functional sncRNAs, and she also reported that pfeRNAs play critical roles in tumorigenesis & cancer differentiation and pfeRNAs have real translational potential.
As a basic researcher in Oncology, with a significant background and training in molecular & cellular biology and Biochemistry, she has combined her laboratory research interests with clinical gaps by collaborating with surgeon-scientists, physician-scientists, experts in the CLIA/CAP-certified Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, statisticians, industrial partnership, and commercial developers.
She served as an Ad hoc member for Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program and Study Sections at NIH NCI. She is a current member of the editorial board for the Journal of Surgical Research, and a reviewer for several international peer-reviewed journals.
Additional Academic Titles
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Research Interests
Dr. Mei’s primary research interest is to characterize the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis and cancer development, identify non-invasive biomarkers for early detection & treatment response, discover therapeutic targets, and translate bench findings into the clinic.
Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), Therapeutic Targets Discovery, Biomarker/Predictors Identification for Diagnosis & Treatment Response, Lung Disease & Respiratory Science, Tumorigenesis and Cancer Development.
Research Summary
Dr. Mei is the first investigator who discovered and reported that pfeRNA is a type of novel functional sncRNA. From its discovery to application, her contributions have developed mature methods for extraction, purification, measurement, and functional analysis of pfeRNA.
Dr. Mei’s long-term research goal is to discover non-invasive biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve the early detection and treatment of cancer patients. Another line of her research is understanding the functional effects of pfeRNA in epigenetics and senescence.
PubMed - Publications
Selected Publications
- Gurau A, Yamauchi S, Ecoff K, Rodgers KP, Eshleman JR, Jr CCT, Huang P, Choi J, Forde PM, Anagnostou V, Brock M, Mei Y. PD-L1 pfeRNAs as blood-based predictors of treatment response of unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma patients administered Durvalumab with cisplatin and pemetrexed as first-line therapy. Non-coding RNA Res. 2025; 12: 34-41.
- Mei Y, Khan H, Shishikura M, Ishiyama S, Khan A, Orita H, Brock MV. pfeRNAs-A Novel Class of Small Non-coding RNAs With Real Translational Potential. J Surg Res. 2023; 284: 237-244.
- Rodgers KP, Hulbert A, Khan H, Shishikura M, Ishiyama S, Brock MV, Mei Y. A TRIzol-based method for high recovery of plasma sncRNAs approximately 30 to 60 nucleotides. Sci Rep. 2022; 12: 6778.
- Liu W, Wang Y, Huang H, Fackche N, Rodgers K, Lee B, Nizam W, Khan H, Lu Z, Kong X, Li Y, Liang N, Zhao X, Jin X, Liu H, Talbot CC Jr, Huang P, Eshleman JR, Lai Q, Zhang Y, Brock MV, Mei Y. A Cost-Effective and Non-Invasive pfeRNA-Based Test Differentiates Benign and Suspicious Pulmonary Nodules from Malignant Ones. Noncoding RNA. 2021; 7: 80.
Expertise
Education
- Sun Yat-sen University, Ph.D., 2005