Dr. Tang is currently a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology. Dr. Tang has a broad background in Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Medicine, with specific training and expertise in protein kinases, phosphatases, and signal transduction. His research focuses on defining the molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of inflammatory lung diseases. His group has extensively worked on the regulation of lung epithelial barrier function and permeability, lung epithelial cell signaling and cell death such as apoptosis and necroptosis under normal and inflammatory conditions in vitro and in vivo. He is particularly interested in understanding the role of necroptosis of pulmonary epithelial cells and macrophages in acute lung injuries resulting from infections to sterile inflammation. A major goal is to identify the critical mediators that modulate the necroptosis of different types of lung tissue cells during acute lung injury. Dr. Tang also investigates the role of transcription factor Runx3 in host immune response to lung infection and injury.

Education & Training

Vanderbilt University
Post Doc, Biochemistry, 1994-1998

Shanghai Medical University
PhD, Biochemistry, 1988-1993

Courses Taught

BIOT 5222/5222L: Advanced Metabolism: Sugars and Polysaccharides
BIOT 6311: Advanced Techniques in Molecular Biology
BIOT 5211/5211L: Advanced Biotechniques
BIOT 5132: Critical Reading II Class

Research Interest

To identify the critical mediators that modulate the necroptosis of lung tissue cells during acute lung injury
To elucidate the novel necroptosis mechanism in lung epithelial cells
To identify novel therapeutic candidates that can suppress necroptosis and the severity of lung injury and inflammation
To determine the role of Runx3 in host innate and adaptive immune responses to lung infection

Publication Highlights

Hao Q, Idell S, and Tang H*. M1 Macrophages Are More Susceptible to Necroptosis. J. Cell Immunol. 2021;3(2):97-102. doi: 10.33696/immunology.3.084. PMID: 33959729; PMCID: PMC8098744

Hao Q, Kundu S, Kleam J, Zhao J, Idell S, and Tang H*. Enhanced RIPK3 Kinase Activity-dependent Lytic Cell Death in M1 but Not M2 Macrophages. Mol. Immunol. 2021 Jan;129:86-93. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm. 2020.11.001. PMID: 33221042 PMCID: PMC7750277.

Wang Y, Hao Q, Florence JM, Jung BG, Kurdowska AK, Samten B, Idell S, and Tang H*. Influenza Virus Infection Induces ZBP1 Expression and Necroptosis in Mouse Lungs. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2019 Aug 7;9:286. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00286. PMID: 31440477; PMCID: PMC6694206

Hao Q, and Tang H*. Interferon-γ and Smac mimetics synergize to induce apoptosis of lung cancer cells in a TNFα-independent manner. Cancer Cell International 18:84, 2018. PMID: 29946223

Gan H, Hao Q, Idell S, and Tang H*. Interferon-γ promotes double-stranded RNA-induced TLR3-dependent apoptosis via upregulation of transcription factor Runx3 in airway epithelial cells. Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 1:311(6):L1101-L1112. 2016. PMID: 27793801

Gan H, Hao Q, Idell S, and Tang H*. Transcription factor Runx3 Is induced by influenza A virus and double-stranded RNA and mediates airway epithelial cell apoptosis. Scientific Reports 5:17916; 2015. PMID: 26643317