Name: Lei Chang
Academic Title/Position: Professor, Doctoral supervisor
Email: changlei@suda.edu.cn
Address: Medical Building 402, North District of Dushu Lake Campus, Soochow University
Contact Phone: +86 512 65885052
Ⅰ、Educational and Professional Experience
1. Educational Background
2013.01-2015.12 University of Padova, Molecular Medicine, Doctor of Science.
2009.09-2012.07 Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Master Degree.
2005.09-2009.07 Jilin University, Bachelor's degree
2. Professional Experience
2019.01- Present School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Professor
2015.12-2018.12 University of Padova, Research Scientist.
Ⅱ、Research Focus
My research background and interests revolve around the interplay between mechanical forces and cellular behavior in various biological contexts. Specifically, I have focused on investigating the role of mechanotransduction in controlling fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, both during normal development and in the context of diseases such as cancer.
One aspect of my research has involved exploring the impact of the extracellular mechanical microenvironment, mechanosensing receptors, cytoskeletal systems, and nuclear mechanotransduction signaling on genomic instability. By understanding the connection between cellular mechanics and genome instability, my aim has been to uncover the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the development of diseases, including cancer.
Furthermore, I have dedicated my research efforts to understanding the mechanoregulated YAP/TAZ signaling pathway in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and its crucial role in tissue hemostasis. Through studying the mechano-YAP/TAZ-adrenomedullin axis, I aim to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying penile erection and rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of developing potential treatments for erectile dysfunction. Additionally, I have focused on investigating the intricate cellular communication and the involvement of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in gut regeneration, with a specific emphasis on the Wnt signaling pathway. By unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying tissue repair and regeneration, I strive to identify potential therapeutic targets for gut-related disorders, including ulcerative colitis.
Another area of interest for me is the study of the effects of microgravity and ionizing irradiation on embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and their implications for human reproduction and development in space. Through my investigations, I have made discoveries such as the induction of stress in ESCs under simulated microgravity, resulting in the upregulation of heat shock proteins and activation of pluripotency factors and signaling pathways. Additionally, I have explored the impact of ionizing irradiation on ESC maintenance and differentiation, uncovering the upregulation of p53 family genes and the disruption of the BAF complex's inhibitory effect on key signaling pathways. These findings contribute to our understanding of how ESCs behave under altered gravitational and irradiation conditions, providing insights into human reproduction in space and potential therapeutic approaches.
In summary, my research background and interests revolve around comprehending the influence of mechanical forces on cellular and tissue behavior. I am dedicated to exploring the connections between cellular mechanics and disease processes, with a particular focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tissue regeneration and repair.
Ⅲ、Project/Honor/Award
Awards:
a) National Overseas High-level Talent Introduction Program, China, 2020.
b) Jiangsu Province outstanding youth Awards, China, 2024
c) Jiangsu Province Specially Appointed Professor, China, 2021.
d) Jiangsu Province Double Innovation Program - Double Innovation Doctor, China,2020.
e) Suzhou City Gusu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Leading Talents Program - Innovative Leading Talent, China, 2021.
f) Suzhou City Talent Subsidy Bonus, China, 2021
g) Suzhou City "Jinji Lake Talent Program" Award，China, 2023
Research projects:
1. National Overseas High-level Talent Introduction Program (Youth Thousand Talents Program), 2021-2024, 2 million RMB, Principal Investigator.
2. National Natural Science Foundation of China - General Program, Research on Tissue Regeneration and Functional Repair in Radiation-Induced Erectile Dysfunction via the Biomechanical Conduction Pathway of mechano-YAP/TAZ , Grant number:82373525；2024-2027, 490,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
3. National Natural Science Foundation of China - General Program, Study on the regulation of early embryonic development by ionizing radiation through YAP/TAZ and SWI/SNF complexes; Grant number: 82173465; 2022-2025, 550,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
4. National Natural Science Foundation of China - General Program, Study on the regulation of tumor proliferation/metastasis by long non-coding RNAs induced by ionizing radiation through mechanotransduction pathways; Grant number: 31971165; 2020-2023, 580,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
5. Jiangsu Province outstanding youth program, 2024-2028, 1.8 million RMB, Principal Investigator.
6. Jiangsu Province Specially Appointed Professor, 2021-2024, 1 million RMB, Principal Investigator.
7. Huo Yingdong Education Foundation - Youth Fund, 2020-02 to 2023-02, 180,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
8. Jiangsu Province Double Innovation Program - Double Innovation Doctor, 2020-2022, 150,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
9. Jiangsu Province Science and Technology Program - General Program, 2019-07 to 2022-06, 100,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
10. Suzhou City Gusu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Leading Talents Program - Innovative Leading Talent, 2021-2024, 500,000 RMB, Principal Investigator.
11. Italian Researcher Fund (IRC IG: Investigator Grant - IG 2014), Assessing the Hippo transducers YAP/TAZ as cancer's master genes, 2015/01-2019/12, 720,000 Euros, Completed. Co-Investigator.
Ⅳ、Academic Part-time Roles & Student Guidance Outcomes
1. Vice Chairman of the Radiation Toxicology Professional Committee of Jiangsu Society of Toxicology (2024-2029);
2. Member, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association's Tumor Metastasis Professional Committee（2022-2026）;
3. Member, Chinese Physiological Society's Extracellular Matrix Biology Professional Committee（2023-2027）;
4. Member, Committee of the Environmental and Radiobiological Physics Branch of the Chinese Biophysical Society, China (2025- 2030);
5. Member, Youth Committee of the Environmental and Radiobiological Physics Branch of the Chinese Biophysical Society, China (2021-2026);
6. Member, Youth Committee of the Metabolic Biology Branch of the Chinese Biophysical Society, China (2021-2025);
7. Member, Radiation Toxicology Professional Committee of the Jiangsu Society of Toxicology, China (2021-2025);
8. Member, Radiology and Protection Committee of the Jiangsu Society of Preventive Medicine, China (2021-2025);
9. Member, Editorial Board of "Military Medical Research" journal (Category 2 in the Chinese Academy of Sciences division, selected for the Excellent Action Plan for Chinese Scientific Journals) (2024-2029).
10. Member, Editorial Board of "Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection"(2025-2030).
Ⅴ、Recent Five-Year Representative Research Outcomes
1. Luo Chenyu#, Haisheng Liang#, Mintao Ji, # Caiyong Ye#, Yiping Lin, Yuhan Guo, Zhisen Zhang，Yinyin Shu, Xiaoni Jin, Shuangshuang Lu, Wanling Lu, Yazheng Dang, Hong Zhang, Bingyan Li, Guangming Zhou, Zengli Zhang*, Lei Chang*. Autophagy Induced by Mechanical Stress Sensitizes Cells to Ferroptosis by the NCOA4-FTH1 Axis. Autophagy, 2025.
2. Hong Zhang#, Yiping Lin#, Mintao Ji#, Yuhan Guo, Haisheng Liang, Kai Kang, Shuangshuang Lu, Zhisen Zhang, Yinyin Shu, Xiaoni Jin, Wenjuan Gan, Qian Xu, Youguo Chen*, Yuhong Wang, Zhe Lei, Lingchuan Guo*, Chunlin Shao*, Lei Chang*.PABPC3 Drives Ovarian Cancer Metastasis and Chemoresistance by Regulating CLDN1 Expression. Cell Death & Disease，2025.
3. Ying Ye#, Wenyan Xie#, Xuepeng Wang#, Shuping Tan, Lingyue Yang, Zhaoru Ma, Zhexin Zhu, Xi Chen, Xiaoyu Liu, Eric O'Neill*, Lei Chang*, Wensheng Zhang*. DNA-damage orchestrates self-renewal and differentiation via reciprocal p53 family and Hippo/Wnt/TGF-β pathway activation in embryonic stem cells. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2025 Jan 6;82(1):38.
4. Yinyin Shu#, Xiaoni Jin#, Mintao Ji#, Zhisen Zhang, Xiuxiu Wang, Haisheng Liang, Shuangshuang Lu, Shuai Dong, Yiping Lin, Yuhan Guo, Qiuyu Zhuang, Yuhong Wang, Zhe Lei, Lingchuan Guo, Xuanyu Meng, Guangming Zhou, Wensheng Zhang, Lei Chang*. Ku70 Binding to YAP Alters PARP1 Ubiquitination to Regulate Genome Stability and Tumorigenesis. Cancer Research, 2024 Sep 4;84(17):2836-2855.
5. Ji M#, Dong S#, Lu S, Liang H, Lin Y, Luo C, Zheng H, Shu Y, Zhang Z, Jin X, Guo Y, Kang K, Zhang H, Wang Y, Sladitschek-Martens HL, Huang S, Fu X, Zhou G*, Wen Z*, Chang L*. Mechano-YAP/TAZ-regulated smooth muscle cells are an important source of Wnt signalling for gut regeneration. Clin Transl Med. 2024 Aug;14(8):e70005.
6. Wang P#, Li J#, Ji M#, Pan J, Cao Y, Kong Y, Zhu L, Li J, Li B*, Chang L*, Zhang Z*. Vitamin D receptor attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis via downregulation of YAP. J Hazard Material. 2024 Aug 10;478:135480.
7. Ying Ye#, Wenyan Xie#, Zhaoru Ma#, Xuepeng Wang, Yi Wen, Xuemei Li, Hongqian Qi, Hao Wu, Jinnan An, Yan Jiang, Xinyi Lu, Guokai Chen, Shijun Hu*, Elizabeth A Blaber, Xi Chen*, Lei Chang*, Wensheng Zhang*. Conserved mechanisms of self-renewal and pluripotency in mouse and human ESCs regulated by simulated microgravity using a 3D clinostat. Cell Death Discovery. 2024 Feb 9;10(1):68.
8. Mintao Ji#, Dongsheng Chen#, Yinyin Shu, Shuai Dong, Zhisen Zhang, Haimeng Zheng, Xiaoni Jin, Lijun Zheng, Yang Liu, Yifei Zheng, Wensheng Zhang, Shiyou Wang Guangming Zhou, Bingyan Li, Baohua Ji, Yong Yang*, Yongde Xu*, Lei Chang*.The Role of Mechanoregulated YAP/TAZ in Erectile Dysfunction. Nature Communications. 2023;14:3758.
9. Lijun Zheng#, Chenyu Luo#, Nan Yang, Hailong Pei, Mintao Ji, Yinyin Shu, Zhisen Zhang, Shuai Dong, Xiuxiu Wang, Xuemei Li, Wensheng Zhang, Yan Wang, Bingyan Li, Tom Hei*, Guangming Zhou*, Lei Chang*. Ionizing Radiation-induced Long Non-coding RNA CRYBG3 regulates YAP/TAZ through Mechanotransduction. Cell Death & Disease. 2022.
10. Chang L#, Azzolin L#, Di Biagio D#, Zanconato F, Battilana G, Lucon Xiccato R, Aragona M, Giulitti S, Panciera T, Gandin A, Sigismondo G, Krijgsveld J, Fassan M, Brusatin G, Cordenonsi M*, Piccolo S*. The SWI/SNF complex is a mechanoregulated inhibitor of YAP and TAZ. Nature (2018). Nov;563(7730):265-269.