YAN Jie
PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA (2005)
Professor

Email: phyyj@nus.edu.sg
Office: S16-07-04/T-lab, #10-06
Tel: +65 6516 2620

Current Research

My research focuses on the mechanics and interactions of biomolecules at the single-molecule level, offering foundational insights into the mechanosensing and mechanotransduction mechanisms that drive a wide range of critical biological processes.

Current research interests include:

  • Force-dependent conformations and interactions of biomolecules.
  • Cellular mechanosensing mediated by membrane receptors.
  • Chromosome packaging, gene regulation, and DNA damage repair.
  • Mechanopharmacology: Modulating cell behaviors by targeting mechanosensing proteins and protein-protein complexes.
  • Development of novel diagnostic technologies utilizing the mechanical signatures of biomolecular interactions.

Selected Publications

  • S Le, M. Yu, C. Fu, J.A. Heier, S. Martin, J. Hardin, J. Yan, “Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals intra- and intermolecular interactions of Caenorhabditis elegans HMP-1 during mechanotransduction.” PNAS, 21 (37): e2400654121 (2024).
  • Y. Sun, X. Liu, W. Huang, S. Le, and J. Yan, “Structural domain in the Titin N2B-us region binds to FHL2 in a force-activation dependent manner.” Nature Communications. 15 (1), 4496 (2024).
  • J. Liu, J.Yan, “Unraveling the Dual-Stretch-Mode Impact on Tension Gauge Tethers’ Mechanical Stability.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 146(11): 7266–7273 (2024).
  • C. Fu, W. Huang, Q. Tang, M. Niu, S., Guo, S., T. Langenhan, G. Song, J.Yan. “Unveiling Mechanical Activation: GAIN Domain Unfolding and Dissociation in Adhesion GPCRs.” Nano Letters. 23: 9179–9186 (2023).
  • Y. Deng, J. Yan, “Force-Dependent Structural Changes of Filamin C Rod Domains Regulated by Filamin C Dimer” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 145, 27, 14670–14678 (2023).
  • W. Huang, S. Le, Y. Sun, J. Lin, M. Yao, Y. Shi, J. Yan, “Mechanical Stabilization of a Bacterial Adhesion Complex.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144: 16808–16818 (2022).
  • Y. Wang, M. Yao, K.B. Baker, R.E. Gough, S. Le, B.T. Goult, J. Yan, “Force-Dependent Interactions between Talin and Full-Length Vinculin.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 143:, 14726–14737 (2021).
  • M. Yu, S. Le, J. Yan, J. “Modulating mechanical stability of heterodimerization between engineered orthogonal helical domains.” Nature Communications. 11: 4496 (2020).
  • M. Yu, S. Le, S. Barnett, Z. Guo, X. Zhong, P. Kanchanawong, J. Yan, “Implementing Optogenetic Modulation in Mechanotransduction.” Phys. Rev. X 10: 021001 (2020).
  • S. Le, M. Yu, M., J. Yan, “Direct single-molecule quantification reveals unexpectedly high mechanical stability of vinculin—talin/α-catenin linkages.” Science Advances. 5 (12): eaav2720 (2019).

Affiliations & Links

  • APS Fellow, elected 2005
  • Editor, Biophysical Journal
  • Editor, Biophysics and Physicobiology (BPPB), the Biophysical Society of Japan (BSJ)
  • Associate Editor, NPJ Biological Physics and Mechanics
  • Principal Investigator, Mechanobiology Institute
  • https://phyweb.physics.nus.edu.sg/~biosmm/