Hyunjun Yang
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Research Description
De novo protein design with function
Yang lab probes fundamental sequence–structure–function relationships in peptides and proteins. We use de novo protein design to build chemical systems and study supramolecular assemblies to reveal how structure drives provided function. By combining computational protein/peptide design with organic synthesis, chemical & structural biology, and multi-modal omics, we are developing tools to capture and uncover enabling new therapeutics, programmable materials, and catalysts.
Selected Publications
High-throughput discovery of fluoroprobes that recognize amyloid fibril polymorphs. Nat Chem. 2025 Aug 14. Carroll EC, Yang H, Powell WC, Charvat AF, Oehler A, Jones JG, Montgomery KM, Yung A, Millbern Z, Taylor AIP, Wilkinson M, Ranson NA, Radford SE, Vinueza NR, DeGrado WF, Mordes DA, Condello C, Gestwicki JE. PMID: 40813616.
Cryo-EM structures reveal tau filaments from Down syndrome adopt Alzheimer's disease fold. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2024 06 12; 12(1):94. Ghosh U*, Tse E*, Yang H, Shi M, Caro CD, Wang F, Merz GE, Prusiner SB, Southworth DR, Condello C. PMID: 38867338; PMCID: PMC11167798.
De novo design of peptides that bind specific conformers of α-synuclein. Chem Sci. 2024 Jun 05; 15(22):8414-8421. Wallace HM*, Yang H*, Tan S, Pan HS, Yang R, Xu J, Jo H, Condello C, Polizzi NF, DeGrado WF. PMID: 38846390; PMCID: PMC11151861.
EMBER multidimensional spectral microscopy enables quantitative determination of disease- and cell-specific amyloid strains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 03 21; 120(12):e2300769120. Yang H, Yuan P, Wu Y, Shi M, Caro CD, Tengeiji A, Yamanoi S, Inoue M, DeGrado WF, Condello C. PMID: 36927157; PMCID: PMC10041141.
Covalent labeling of a chromatin reader domain using proximity-reactive cyclic peptides. Chem Sci. 2022 Jun 07; 13(22):6599-6609. Zhang MY, Yang H, Ortiz G, Trnka MJ, Petronikolou N, Burlingame AL, DeGrado WF, Fujimori DG. PMID: 35756531; PMCID: PMC9172573.
Exploration of α/β/γ-peptidomimetics design for BH3 helical domains. Chem Commun (Camb). 2022 Jan 20; 58(7):945-948. Shin YH, Yang H. PMID: 34985060.
Design, Synthesis, and Study of Lactam and Ring-Expanded Analogues of Teixobactin. J Org Chem. 2020 02 07; 85(3):1331-1339. Yang H, Pishenko AV, Li X, Nowick JS. PMID: 31746604; PMCID: PMC7814697.
X-ray Crystallographic Structure of a Teixobactin Derivative Reveals Amyloid-like Assembly. J Am Chem Soc. 2018 10 31; 140(43):14028-14032. Yang H, Wierzbicki M, Du Bois DR, Nowick JS. PMID: 30296063; PMCID: PMC6356018.
X-ray crystallographic structure of a teixobactin analogue reveals key interactions of the teixobactin pharmacophore. Chem Commun (Camb). 2017 Feb 28; 53(18):2772-2775. Yang H, Du Bois DR, Ziller JW, Nowick JS. PMID: 28217800; PMCID: PMC5381722.
Elucidation of the Teixobactin Pharmacophore. ACS Chem Biol. 2016 07 15; 11(7):1823-6. Yang H, Chen KH, Nowick JS. PMID: 27232661; PMCID: PMC5283680.