Nan Yang is an associate professor of neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As a Ph.D. student at the University of California, San Francisco, Yang delved into neurodevelopment using zebrafish organisms. During her postdoctoral training at Stanford University, she made a groundbreaking contribution to the field by pioneering the development of reprogramming technologies. These technologies utilize transcription factors to convert somatic cells into neural lineage cells and have since become widely adopted by scientists in human stem cell-based disease modeling.

Yang’s current research focuses on the intricacies of neurogenesis and its role in human brain disorders such as autism. Her lab is unique in its multidisciplinary approach, incorporating expertise in developmental biology, stem cell biology, neurobiology and functional genomics. To better understand the complex nature of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, Yang’s group uses cutting-edge technology to create 2D and 3D models of human brain tissue from stem cells. Such models enable her team to study disease risk factors and develop targeted therapeutic strategies. Their work aims to uncover cellular and molecular pathways that underlie risk factors for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions and create new tools to better understand the intricate interplay between genetics, environment and cellular interactions in the human brain. Ultimately, Yang and her team aim to drive the development of precision medicine for brain disorders.