University of Miami · Biomedical EngineeringIntervertebral Disc Health Unit
Chun-Yuh Huang · Coral Gables, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Chun-Yuh Huang's lab at the University of Miami focuses on understanding the causes of intervertebral disc degeneration, a key contributor to low back pain, which affects millions of people. The lab investigates how factors like aging and inflammation impact the metabolism of disc cells and the production of essential components like proteoglycans. By combining laboratory experiments, patient studies, and computational models, the team aims to identify new therapeutic targets and improve diagnostic methods for disc degeneration.
intervertebral discdisc degenerationlow back painglycolysisproteoglycansinflammationagingtherapeutic interventiondiagnostic tools
Research Aims
3AIM 01Quantify how aging and inflammation impact glucose and proteoglycan metabolism in human disc cells.
AIM 02Investigate the relationship between glycolysis, inflammation, and disc degeneration in vivo using FDG PET scans.
AIM 03Refine a virtual human disc model to simulate the impacts of aging and inflammation for predictive analysis.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturein vitro experimentationanimal modelsmetabolic assaysimaging techniques (PET/CT, MRI)computational modelingdata analysis with AIenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)clinical research methods
Output against the department
Publications45bottom 5% of dept.566th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.4kbottom 9% of dept.541st of 595
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.