Education

PhD, Louisiana State University, 2001

MS, Louisiana State University, 1997

BS, Guizhou Agricultural College, 1984

Research Interest

Tissue-derived stem cells (TDSCs) possess multipotent differentiation potential, and the utilization of TDSCs to treat diseases or injuries is the cornerstone of cell-based therapies. Large quantities of high-potential cells are required for therapeutic applications of stem cells; however, there is a significant loss of the differentiation potential of TDSCs with the current in vitro cell expansion techniques. My research interests are as follows: (a) to elucidate the molecular mechanisms causing the loss of differentiation potential in TDSCs during expansion and to develop methods to counter this; (b) utilization of TDSCs in regenerative medicine. In addition, I am also interested in developing novel dental and cancer imaging techniques in collaboration with other faculty members. 

Teaching Interest

I teach cell biology courses in professional (DVM) and graduate curricula.  I am the coordinator of the Journal Club of the CBS department.   In my teaching, I emphasize a deep understanding of fundamental principles and inspire the students to connect the knowledge learned to the real world outside the classroom. 

Awards & Honors

2021 LSU Vet Med Phi Zeta Second place in Basic Research poster competition (Presenter: Z Li, PHD Student)  

2020 LSU Vet Med Phi Zeta third place in Basic Research poster competition (Presenter: Z Li, PHD Student)  

2019 Phi Zeta 2nd place in Basic Research poster competition (Presenter: A Ramos, DVM Student)

2018 LABOR CIMM REU 2nd place award in Poster competition (Presenter: E. Mire, undergraduate student)

2018 LSU Vet Med Dean's Teacher Merit Honor Roll

2017 LSU Vet Med Dean's Teacher Merit Honor Roll 

Publications

Li Z, Li Z, Chen Q, Ramos A, Zhang J, Boudreaux JP, Thiagarajan R, Bren-Mattison Y, Dunham ME, McWhorter AJ, Li X, Feng JM, Li Y, Yao S, Xu J. Detection of pancreatic cancer by convolutional-neural-network-assisted spontaneous Raman spectroscopy with critical feature visualization. Neural Netw. 2021 Dec;144:455-464. doi: 0.1016/j.neunet.2021.09.006. Epub 2021 Sep 16. PMID: 34583101. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34583101/ 

Rong W, Rome C, Yao S. Increased expression of miR-7a-5p and miR-592 during expansion of rat dental pulp stem cells and their implication in osteogenic differentiation. Cells Tissues Organs. 2021 Sep 16. doi: 10.1159/000519600. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34530424. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34530424/  

Guo S, Ramos A, Li Z, Yao H, Xu J, Yao, S. (2021) Preventing Implant Bacterial Infections with Interconnected 3D Porous Structures (I3D)— A Proof-of-Concept Study. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 9, 16-29. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2021.91002.

Mills DK, Luo Y, Elumalai A, Esteve S, Karnik S, Yao S. Creating Structured Hydrogel Microenvironments for Regulating Stem Cell Differentiation. Gels. 2020 Dec 2;6(4):47. doi: 10.3390/gels6040047. PMID: 33276682; PMCID: PMC7768466. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33276682/

Li Z, Ramos A, Li MC, Li Z, Bhatta S, Jeyaseelan A, Li Y, Wu Q, Yao S, Xu J. Improvement of cell deposition by self-absorbent capability of freeze-dried 3D-bioprinted scaffolds derived from cellulose material-alginate hydrogels. Biomed Phys Eng Express. 2020 May 14;6(4):045009. doi: 10.1088/2057-1976/ab8fc6. PMID: 33444270. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33444270/

Li Z, Li Z, Holamoge YV, Zaid W, Osborn ML, Bhatta S, Jeyaseelan A, Li Y, Yao S, and Xu J. Mouthwash to Deliver Indocyanine Green for Near Infrared Dental Fluorescence Imaging," in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 1-8, July-Aug. 2021, Art no. 6800108, doi: 10.1109/JSTQE.2020.2995659.

Li Z, Hartzler T, Ramos A, Osborn ML, Li Y, Yao S, Xu J. Optimal imaging windows of indocyanine green-assisted near infrared dental imaging with rat model and its comparison to X-ray imaging. J Biophotonics. 2020 Feb 28:e201960232. doi:10.1002/jbio.201960232. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32109349. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32109349/

Stovall KE, Tran TDN, Suantawee T, Yao S, Gimble JM, Adisakwattana S, Cheng H. Adenosine triphosphate enhances osteoblast differentiation of rat dental pulp stem cells via the PLC-IP(3) pathway and intracellular Ca (2+) signaling. J Cell Physiol. 2020 Feb;235(2):1723-1732. doi: 10.1002/jcp.29091. Epub 2019 Jul 12.PubMed PMID: 31301074. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31301074/

Bollman M, Malbrue R, Li C, Yao H, Guo S, Yao S. Improvement of osseointegration by recruiting stem cells to titanium implants fabricated with 3D printing. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020 Mar;1463(1):37-44. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14251. Epub 2019 Oct 11. PMID: 31603258. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31603258/

Yao S, Li C, Budenski AM, Li P, Ramos A, Guo S. Expression of microRNAs targeting heat shock protein B8 during in vitro expansion of dental pulp stem cells in regulating osteogenic differentiation. Arch Oral Biol. 2019 Nov;107:104485. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.104485. Epub 2019 Jul 22. PubMed PMID: 31376703; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6791751. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31376703/  

Grants

NIH/NIGMS/COBRE 1P20GM135000, J. Francis (PI); S Yao (co-I), 03/01/2021-02/28/2026, $ 11,027,290.00 Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research

LABOR LEQSF(2020-21)-RD-A-12 (RCS), S. Yao (PI), 6/1/2020-06/30/2022 (NCE), $18,875 (from BOR) + $19,694 (LSU match), Molecular base of loss of osteogenic differentiation capability in human tissue-derived stem cells

LABOR LEQSF(2020-21)-RD-D-02 (PoC/P), J. Xu (PI); S. Yao (Co-I), 6/1/2020 – 06/30/2021, $40,000 (from BOR) + $15,612 (LSU match), Design a proof-of-concept non-ionizing-radiation imaging scheme to aid the diagnosis of critical dental diseases that cannot be detected by the prevalent dental X-ray/CT

NIH/NIAMS 1R21AR076583-01A1, S. Yao (PI), 08/17/2020--07/31/2022, $350,812, Molecular basis for the loss of differentiation capability in human bone marrow stem cells during expansion

LABOR NSF(2019)-CIMMSeed-Track2-04, S. Yao (PI), 3/1/2019-4/30/2021 (NCE), $10,000, Laser-based 3D metal printing to fabricate medical implants for recruitment of human stem cells to enhance Osseointegration

LABOR NSF(2018)-CIMMSeed-24, S. Yao (PI), 6/1/2018-10/31/2019, $10,000, Additive manufacturing for development of medical implants favoring osseointegration

NIH/NIDCR 1R15DE024841-01, S. Yao (PI), 9/1/2015-6/30/2020 (NCE),  $362,224), Molecular regulation underlying differentiation of dental pulp stem cells

LABOR ENH LEQSF(2017-18)-ENH-TR-08, DE. Nikitopoulos (PI), S. Yao (Co-I), 6/1/2017-5/31/2018, $166,395, High-Resolution Raman System for Multidisciplinary Research at LSU

LABOR NSF(2017)-CIMMSeed-06, S. Yao (PI), 1/1/2017-06/31/2018, $10,000, Selective laser melting 3D printing to fabricate titanium medical implants favoring osseointegration

LSU-LBCRP 43, S. Yao (PI), 8/1/2015-1/31/2017, $50,000, Additive manufacturing and stem cell recruitment for enhancing osseointegration

Sizhu LLC, S. Yao (PI), 8/1/2014-7/31/2016, $48,268, Prevention of tooth eruption by inactivating the dental follicle with laser treatment