University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · BiologyMCPyV Research Lab
Yuan Chang · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Yuan Chang's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) persists in the human body and the mechanisms that can lead it to cause cancer. Their research delves into the virus's ability to control its replication and achieve a state of latency, which allows it to evade the immune system over long periods. By utilizing advanced techniques, they aim to unravel the intricate relationship between MCPyV and host cellular factors, shedding light on the development of targeted therapies for skin cancers caused by this virus.
Merkel cell polyomavirusvirus persistencecancer virologylatencyMCPyV replicationimmune evasionskin cancertargeted therapiesCRISPRlive cell imaging
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how MCPyV Large T protein binds to and regulates its DNA genome
AIM 02Identify novel cellular factors that interact with MCPyV's Large T protein to control its replication
AIM 03Utilize live cell imaging to analyze the regulation of viral replication during different cell cycle phases.
Skills the Lab Values
CRISPR-Cas9single molecule visualizationlive cell imaginggene knockoutmolecular biology techniquescell culturefluorescent microscopyviral genome manipulationbiological assay developmentE3 ligase screening
Output against the department
Publications282top 21% of dept.214th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations42ktop 6% of dept.66th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.