Our site may be slower due to heavy traffic from automated "bots" and AI crawlers. We're working to fix this.

Ya-Chen Liang, PhD

Photo of Ya-Chen Liang, PhD
Title(s)Assistant Professor Of Research Pathology
SchoolKeck School of Medicine of Usc
Address2011 Zonal Ave
University Park Campus
Los Angeles CA 90033
Phone+1 323 442 2985
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0001-7813-8921 Additional info
vCardDownload vCard

    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse awards and honors
    Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan2014  - 2016Overseas Postdoctoral Program for Frontier Technologies

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse overview
    Dr. Liang's long-term research goal seeks to decompose how genomes and sub-nuclear structures are functionally organized in cell nuclei while maintaining their flexibility to respond to biological cues during development and disease pathogenesis. She focuses on studying spatial regulations of gene clusters, which are widespread in genomes, but little is known about their inter-cluster and subnuclear organizations. Her research integrates state-of-the-art functional genomic, computational, and proteomic approaches to address long-standing questions at the intersection of topological chromatin states and spatial subnuclear protein scaffolds.

    *Dr. Liang's lab is actively recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Please email your C.V. to ya-chen.liang@med.usc.edu.

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse research activities and funding
    Intra- and Inter-cluster Regulations of Multiplex Gene Clusters
    NIH/NIGMS 1R35GM150714-01Sep 1, 2023 - Jul 31, 2028
    Role: Principle Investigator
    Description: Gene clusters are widespread in genomes, but mechanistic understanding of their within-cluster chromatin looping and among-cluster crosstalk is unclear. This study aims to illustrate a stepwise chromatin-protein cascade that spatially organizes complex gene clusters from a one-dimensional DNA sequence to a three-dimensional subnuclear structure.

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
    Newest   |   Oldest   |   Most Cited   |   Most Discussed   |   Timeline   |   Field Summary   |   Plain Text
    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Fibroblast bioelectric signaling drives hair growth. Cell. 2025 Sep 18; 188(19):5175-5193.e21. Chen D, Yu Z, Wu W, Du Y, Du Q, Huang H, Li Y, Xuan T, Liang YC, Liu Y, Wang Z, Su R, Zhao Y, Li Q, Luo M, Wang F, Li J, Chuong CM, Lin Z, Chen T. PMID: 40818454.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    2. Molecular insights into region-specific sexual dichromatism: Comparative transcriptome analysis of red cheek pigmentation in zebra finches. PLoS Genet. 2025 May; 21(5):e1011693. Lin GW, Chen CK, Jiang TX, Liang YC, Tang PC, Wu P, Widelitz RB, Chen CF, Chuong CM. PMID: 40354322; PMCID: PMC12068594.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    3. Causal Associations of Insomnia With Chronic Kidney Diseases and Underlying Blood Proteins: An Observational and Mendelian Randomization Study. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025 Jul; 100(7):1127-1141. Wang K, Ye S, Feng H, Liang YY, Guo S, Zheng R, Zhou Y, Jia G, Qi L, Zhao G, Zhang J, Ai S. PMID: 40167410.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    4. Skin regional specification and higher-order HoxC regulation. Sci Adv. 2025 Mar 21; 11(12):eado2223. Li SH, Liang YC, Jiang TX, Jea WC, Lu J, Núñez-León D, Yu Z, Lai YC, Widelitz RB, Andersson L, Wu P, Chuong CM. PMID: 40117347; PMCID: PMC11927629.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    5. MRI Detection of Unknown Primary Tumours in the Head and Neck: What Is the Expected Normal Asymmetry in the Size of the Palatine Tonsils? Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Mar 20; 15(6). Mao K, Ai QYH, Hung KF, Tse IOL, Leung HS, Liang YY, Chen Y, Wong LM, Lam WKJ, King AD. PMID: 40150130; PMCID: PMC11941204.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    6. Organizational principles of integumentary organs: Maximizing variations for effective adaptation. Dev Biol. 2025 06; 522:171-195. Chuong CM, Wu P, Yu Z, Liang YC, Widelitz RB. PMID: 40113027.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    7. Change in diffusion weighted imaging after induction chemotherapy outperforms RECIST guideline for long-term outcome prediction in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Imaging. 2025 Mar 12; 25(1):32. Ai QYH, Leung HS, Mo FKF, Mao K, Wong LM, Liang YY, Hui EP, Ma BBY, King AD. PMID: 40075537; PMCID: PMC11905565.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Device-Measured Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Risk of Chronic Kidney Diseases Across Levels of Grip Strength. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025 Feb; 16(1):e13726. He Y, Wang J, Zhang W, Chen X, Wu Q, Li Y, Ou Y, Liu Y, Feng H, Zhang J, Ai S, Liang YY, Ning Y, Zhang J. PMID: 39957059; PMCID: PMC11830631.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Association of Cigarette Consumption and Mucosal Thickening in the Paranasal Sinuses on MRI. Int Dent J. 2025 Apr; 75(2):1058-1067. Hung KF, Shan Z, Tse IO, Leung HS, Chen Y, Liang YY, King AD, Lam WJ, Ai QYH. PMID: 39675952; PMCID: PMC11976577.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    10. Association of blood cadmium and physical activity with mortality: A prospective cohort study. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jan 15; 290:117541. Chen Y, Zhen C, Zeng L, Feng H, Wang J, Ai QYH, Ai S, Zhang J, Liang YY, Xue H, Zhou Y. PMID: 39675077.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic Health
    11. Associations of accelerometer-measured sleep duration with incident cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality. Sleep. 2024 11 08; 47(11). Zhou M, Liang YY, Ai S, Feng H, Zhou Y, Liu Y, Zhang J, Jia F, Lei B. PMID: 38995667.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    12. Myocardial blood flow mechanism of mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia in women with ANOCA. iScience. 2024 Dec 20; 27(12):111302. Yin H, Liu F, Bai B, Liu Q, Liu Y, Wang H, Wang Y, Liang YY, Liu A, Yu X, Jiang C, Wu C, Kong B, Liu J, Guo L, Fei H, Wang S, Jiang W, Ma H, Geng Q. PMID: 39628562; PMCID: PMC11613163.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    13. Observational and genetic evidence disagree on the association between loneliness and risk of multiple diseases. Nat Hum Behav. 2024 Nov; 8(11):2209-2221. Liang YY, Zhou M, He Y, Zhang W, Wu Q, Luo T, Zhang J, Jia F, Qi L, Ai S, Zhang J. PMID: 39284978; PMCID: PMC11576506.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    14. Accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and incidence of macrovascular and microvascular events in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes. J Sport Health Sci. 2024 Aug 29; 14:100973. Liang YY, He Y, Huang P, Feng H, Li H, Ai S, Du J, Xue H, Liu Y, Zhang J, Qi L, Zhang J. PMID: 39214513; PMCID: PMC11863271.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    
    15. Childhood maltreatment, genetic risk, and subsequent risk of arrhythmias: a prospective cohort study. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024; 15(1):2366055. Chen Y, Xue H, Zhou J, Shu X, He Z, Ai S, Feng H, Zhang J, Liang YY, Lv Y, Zhou Y. PMID: 38912597; PMCID: PMC11198125.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    16. Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Risk of Microvascular Complications Among Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Am J Kidney Dis. 2024 Nov; 84(5):557-566.e1. Liang YY, He Y, Wang J, Liu Y, Ai S, Feng H, Zhu C, Li H, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Zhang J, Qi L. PMID: 38925507.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    17. Evaluation of Changes in Social Isolation and Loneliness with Incident Cardiovascular Events and Mortality. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2024 Sep; 14(3):962-973. Chen Y, Xue H, Nie Y, Zhou Y, Ai S, Liu Y, Zhang J, Liang YY. PMID: 38801491; PMCID: PMC11442883.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    18. Associations between accelerometer-measured circadian rest-activity rhythm, brain structural and genetic mechanisms, and dementia. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2024 Jul; 78(7):393-404. Liu Y, Feng H, Du J, Yang L, Xue H, Zhang J, Liang YY, Liu Y. PMID: 38676558; PMCID: PMC11498105.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    19. Association of Disrupted Delta Wave Activity During Sleep With Long-Term Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 Apr 30; 83(17):1671-1684. Ai S, Ye S, Li G, Leng Y, Stone KL, Zhang M, Wing YK, Zhang J, Liang YY. PMID: 38573282.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    20. Trajectories of social isolation and loneliness and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus across genetic risk score. Diabetes Metab. 2024 05; 50(3):101526. Chen Y, Xue H, Ai S, Liu Y, Nie Y, Ai QH, Zhang J, Liang YY. PMID: 38458351.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    21. Social isolation, loneliness and subsequent risk of major adverse cardiovascular events among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Gen Psychiatr. 2023; 36(6):e101153. Liang YY, Chen Y, Feng H, Xue H, Nie Y, Ai QH, Ma J, Yang L, Zhang J, Ai S. PMID: 38170087; PMCID: PMC10759055.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7  
    22. Joint Associations of Device-Measured Sleep Duration and Efficiency With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study of 90 398 UK Biobank Participants. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 08 27; 78(9):1717-1724. Liang YY, Ai S, Xue H, Chen Y, Zhou J, Shu X, Weng F, Zhou M, Ma H, Zhang J, Geng Q, Wing YK. PMID: 37186145.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    23. Joint association of physical activity and sleep duration with risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a population-based cohort study using accelerometry. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2023 07 12; 30(9):832-843. Liang YY, Feng H, Chen Y, Jin X, Xue H, Zhou M, Ma H, Ai S, Wing YK, Geng Q, Zhang J. PMID: 36990109.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 37     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    24. Association of accelerometer-measured sleep duration and different intensities of physical activity with incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based cohort study. J Sport Health Sci. 2024 Mar; 13(2):222-232. Jin X, Chen Y, Feng H, Zhou M, Chan JWY, Liu Y, Kong APS, Tan X, Wing YK, Liang YY, Zhang J. PMID: 36871624; PMCID: PMC10980868.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    25. Association between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome: linear and nonlinear Mendelian randomization analyses. J Transl Med. 2023 02 07; 21(1):90. Liang YY, Chen J, Peng M, Zhou J, Chen X, Tan X, Wang N, Ma H, Guo L, Zhang J, Wing YK, Geng Q, Ai S. PMID: 36747249; PMCID: PMC9903442.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 26     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    26. Association of Social Isolation and Loneliness With Incident Heart Failure in a Population-Based Cohort Study. JACC Heart Fail. 2023 03; 11(3):334-344. Liang YY, Chen Y, Feng H, Liu X, Ai QH, Xue H, Shu X, Weng F, He Z, Ma J, Ma H, Ai S, Geng Q, Zhang J. PMID: 36737310; PMCID: PMC9891238.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 30     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    27. Associations of Childhood Maltreatment and Genetic Risks With Incident Heart Failure in Later Life. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 10 18; 11(20):e026536. Liang YY, Ai S, Weng F, Feng H, Yang L, He Z, Xue H, Zhou M, Shu X, Chen Y, Ma H, Guo L, Geng Q, Zhang J. PMID: 36196897; PMCID: PMC9673679.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    28. Regional Specific Differentiation of Integumentary Organs: Regulation of Gene Clusters within the Avian Epidermal Differentiation Complex and Impacts of SATB2 Overexpression. Genes (Basel). 2021 08 23; 12(8). Lin GW, Lai YC, Liang YC, Widelitz RB, Wu P, Chuong CM. PMID: 34440465; PMCID: PMC8394334.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    29. Regional specific differentiation of integumentary organs: SATB2 is involved in α- and β-keratin gene cluster switching in the chicken. Dev Dyn. 2022 09; 251(9):1490-1508. Lin GW, Liang YC, Wu P, Chen CK, Lai YC, Jiang TX, Haung YH, Chuong CM. PMID: 34240503; PMCID: PMC8742846.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    30. Symmetry breaking of tissue mechanics in wound induced hair follicle regeneration of laboratory and spiny mice. Nat Commun. 2021 05 10; 12(1):2595. Harn HI, Wang SP, Lai YC, Van Handel B, Liang YC, Tsai S, Schiessl IM, Sarkar A, Xi H, Hughes M, Kaemmer S, Tang MJ, Peti-Peterdi J, Pyle AD, Woolley TE, Evseenko D, Jiang TX, Chuong CM. PMID: 33972536; PMCID: PMC8110808.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 42     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    31. Making region-specific integumentary organs in birds: evolution and modifications. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2021 08; 69:103-111. Chen CK, Juan WT, Liang YC, Wu P, Chuong CM. PMID: 33780743; PMCID: PMC8364857.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    32. Association Between Behavioral Dysexecutive Syndrome and the Health-Related Quality of Life Among Stroke Survivors. Front Psychiatry. 2020; 11:563930. Liang YY, Wang L, Yang Y, Chen Y, Mok VCT, Ungvari GS, Chu WCW, Kim JS, Tang WK. PMID: 33101083; PMCID: PMC7506061.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    33. Folding Keratin Gene Clusters during Skin Regional Specification. Dev Cell. 2020 06 08; 53(5):561-576.e9. Liang YC, Wu P, Lin GW, Chen CK, Yeh CY, Tsai S, Yan J, Jiang TX, Lai YC, Huang D, Cai M, Choi R, Widelitz RB, Lu W, Chuong CM. PMID: 32516596; PMCID: PMC7386462.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    34. STAT3 signalling pathway is implicated in keloid pathogenesis by preliminary transcriptome and open chromatin analyses. Exp Dermatol. 2019 04; 28(4):480-484. Lee YS, Liang YC, Wu P, Kulber DA, Tanabe K, Chuong CM, Widelitz R, Tuan TL. PMID: 30916811; PMCID: PMC6488383.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 25     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    35. Instructive role of melanocytes during pigment pattern formation of the avian skin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 04 02; 116(14):6884-6890. Inaba M, Jiang TX, Liang YC, Tsai S, Lai YC, Widelitz RB, Chuong CM. PMID: 30886106; PMCID: PMC6452743.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 21     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    36. Transcriptome analyses of reprogrammed feather / scale chimeric explants revealed co-expressed epithelial gene networks during organ specification. BMC Genomics. 2018 Oct 29; 19(1):780. Lai YC, Liang YC, Jiang TX, Widelitz RB, Wu P, Chuong CM. PMID: 30373532; PMCID: PMC6206740.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    37. DNA Methylation as an Epigenetic Memory Keeper during Skin Development and Regeneration. In: Botchkarev, V., Millar, S. (eds) Epigenetic Regulation of Skin Development and Regeneration. Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. 2018; 57–73. Ya-Chen Liang, Randall Widelitz, and Cheng-Ming Chuong . View Publication.
    38. SUMO5, a Novel Poly-SUMO Isoform, Regulates PML Nuclear Bodies. Sci Rep. 2016 05 23; 6:26509. Liang YC, Lee CC, Yao YL, Lai CC, Schmitz ML, Yang WM. PMID: 27211601; PMCID: PMC4876461.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 131     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    39. PARP-2 regulates cell cycle-related genes through histone deacetylation and methylation independently of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2013 Feb 01; 431(1):58-64. Liang YC, Hsu CY, Yao YL, Yang WM. PMID: 23291187.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    40. FKBPs in chromatin modification and cancer. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2011 Aug; 11(4):301-7. Yao YL, Liang YC, Huang HH, Yang WM. PMID: 21489876.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    Ya-Chen's Networks
    Concepts (180)
    Derived automatically from this person's publications.
    Explore
    _
    Co-Authors (12)
    People in Profiles who have published with this person.
    Explore
    _
    Similar People (59)
    People who share similar concepts with this person.
    Explore
    _
    Same Department
    Search Department
    _

    NIH Funding Acknowledgment: Important - All publications resulting from the utilization of SC CTSI resources are required to credit the SC CTSI grant by including the NIH funding acknowledgment and must comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.

    This site is running Profiles RNS version UCSF-v3.1.0-16-gff1bd585 on PROFILES-PWEB04. We use cookies to operate our website. We also use cookies to analyze our site’s performance and improve your experience on our site. For more information about how we use cookies, please see our Website Terms of Use.