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College of Pharmacy

mailto:taeubank@Central.UH.EDU

Faculty Profile

yiboYibo Fan, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 4039
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5039

Contact: yfan25@cougarnet.uh.edu - 713-743-2766

Research:

My research program focuses on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive gastric cancer progression and immune evasion. Leveraging an integrated platform of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, patient-derived xenografts, and genetically engineered mouse models, my lab aims to advance systematic investigation of tumor-stroma interactions and immune evasion. Ultimately, our goal is to translate these mechanistic insights into clinically actionable strategies to improve outcomes for patients with gastric cancer.

  • 2016 M.D., Ph.D. China Medical University. Shenyang, China
  • 2007 M.B. China Medical University. Shenyang, China
  • 2018-2020 The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center. Cancer Biology. Postdoctoral Fellow. Mentor - Raghu Kalluri
  • 2020-2023 The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center. GI Medical Oncology. Postdoctoral Fellow. Mentor - Jaffer A. Ajani
  • Fan Y*(co-first author), Vykoukal J*, Song S, Pizzi M, Zou G, Yoshimura K, Jin J, Calin G, Waters R, Gan Q, Wang L, Hanash S, Ajani J. Exosomal Galectin-3 remodels the tumor microenvironment contributing to peritoneal metastases of gastric adenocarcinoma. Star Protocol. 2025.(Accepted)
  • Yoshimura K*, Zou G*, Fan Y* (co-first author), Yamashita K, Wu J, Wang R, Shao S, Scott A, Jin J, Pizzi M, Sewastjanow Da Silva M, Zhang B, Yao X, Ma L, Waters R, Wang L, Song S, Dhar SS, Ajani JA. YAP-TEAD-Mediated Tumor Suppression and Immune Modulation in Gastric Cancer by an HSP90 Inhibitor. Cancer Letter. 2025. 610, 217354.
  • Fan Y, Song S, Pizzi M, Zou G, Vykoukal J, Yoshimura K, Jin J, Calin G, Waters R, Gan Q, Wang L, Hanash S, Ajani J. Exosomal Galectin-3 remodels the tumor microenvironment contributing to peritoneal metastases of gastric adenocarcinoma. iScience. 2025.28 (1).
  • Fan Y, Song S, Li Y, Dhar S, Jin J, Yoshimura K, Yao X, Wang R, Scott A, Pizzi M, Wu J, 3 Ma L, Calin G, Hanash S, Wang L, Curran M, Ajani J. Galectin-3 Cooperates with CD47 to Suppress Phagocytosis and T cell Immunity in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastases. Cancer Res. 2023.83(22):3726-3738
  • Fan Y, Li Y, Yao X, Jin J, Scott A, Liu B, Wang S, Huo L, Wang Y, Wang R, Pizzi M, Ma L, Shao S, Sewastjanow-Silva M, Waters R, Chatterjee D, Liu B, Shanbhag N, Peng G, Calin G, Mazur P, Hanash S, Ishizawa J, Hirata Y, Nagano O, Wang Z, Wang L, Xian W, Mckeon F, Ajani J, Song S. Epithelial SOX9 drives progression and metastases of gastric adenocarcinoma by promoting immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Gut. 2023. 72(4):624-637.
  • Li Y*, Fan Y* (Co-first author), Xu J, Huo L, Scott A, Jin J, Yang B, Shao S, Ma L, Wang Y, Yao X, Pizzi M, Silva M, Zhang G, Zhuo L, Cho E, Dalby K, Shanbhag N, Wang Z, Li W, Song S, Ajani J. GRK3 is a poor prognosticator and serves as a therapeutic target in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022; 41: 257.
  • Fan Y, Ajani J, Song S. Proteomic profiling of key signatures from gastric lesions to early gastric cancer. EbioMedicine.2021; 74:103744.
  • Zhao H, Zheng C, Wang Y, Hou K, Yang X, Cheng Y, Che X, Xie S, Wang S, Zhang T, Kang J, Liu Y, Pan D, Qu X, Hu X*, Fan Y*(Co-corresponding author). miR-1323 Promotes Cell Migration in Lung Adenocarcinoma by Targeting Cbl-b and Is an Early Prognostic Biomarker. Front Oncol. 2020; 10:181.
  • Zhang C*, Fan Y* (Co-first author), Che X, Zhang M, Li Z, Li C, Wang S, Wen T, Hou K, Shao X, Liu Y, Qu X. Anti-PD-1 Therapy Response Predicted by the Combination of Exosomal PD-L1 and CD28. Front Oncol. 2020; 10:760.
  • Zhang M*, Fan Y* (Co-first author), Che X, Hou K, Zhang C, Li C, Wen T, Wang S, Cheng Y, Liu Y, Qu X. 5-FU-Induced Upregulation of Exosomal PD-L1 Causes Immunosuppression in Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients. Front Oncol. 2020; 10:492.
  • Fan Y, Che X, Qu J, Hou K, Wen T, Li Z, Li C, Wang S, Xu L, Liu Y, Qu X. Exosomal PDL1 Retains Immunosuppressive Activity and Is Associated with Gastric Cancer Prognosis. Annal of Surgical Oncology. 2019;26(11):3745-3755.
  • Fan Y, Liu Y, Qu X.ASO Author Reflections: The Prognostic Role of Exosomal PD-L1 in Patients with Gastric Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019;26(Suppl 3):851-852.
  • Fan Y, Che X, Hou K, Zhang M, Wen T, Qu X, Liu Y. MiR-940 promotes the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells through up-regulation of programmed death ligand1 expression. Exp Cell Res. 2018;373(1-2):180-187.
  • Fan Y, Qu X, Ma Y, Liu Y, Hu X. Cbl-b promotes cell detachment via ubiquitination of focal adhesion kinase. Oncol Lett. 2016;12(2):1113-1118
  • Fan Y, Qu X, Ma Y, Qu J, Liu Y, Hu X. Cbl-b accelerates trypsin-induced cell detachment through ubiquitination and degradation of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2. Tumour Biol. 2014;35(11):11129-35.

Awards & Honors

  • Early Investigator Advancement Program (EIAP) Associate, NCI - 2025
  • Junior Paper Award of Program on the Origins of Gastroesophageal Cancer, NIH - 2024
  • Invited speaker. 2023 Junior Paper Award of Program on the Origins of Gastroesophageal Cancer Annual Meeting, NIH - 2024
  • MD Anderson Outstanding Award - 2023
  • Rising Star in the Oncology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association - 2018
  • Invited speaker. Chinese Conference on Oncology (CCO) - 2018
  • Invited speaker. 12th International Gastric Cancer Congress (IGCC) - 2017
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) - 2016
  • Outstanding student of Liaoning Province - 2016
  • Outstanding student of Liaoning Province - 2007
  • First Class Scholarship of China Medical University - 2007