Bo Yang, MD

Bo Yang, MD, Ph.D., joined the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Michigan in July 2011 after completing his Cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Stanford University. His clinical expertise spans the range of complex aortic surgical procedures to treat aortic pathology from aortic root to the femoral arteries (including open and TEVAR) and adult cardiac procedures, for patients with aortic aneurysm and dissections, such as bicuspid aortic vale, Marfan’s syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, familial thoracic aortic aneurysm. These include valve sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure), Bentall procedures, repair of aortic dissections, thoracic aortic aneurysms, thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms through open and endovascular procedures, aortic valve repair and other adult cardiac procedures including mitral valve repair and replacement, coronary artery revascularization and resection of cardiac tumors.

Dr. Yang has been very productive in basic science research and clinical research. He and his team use patient’s induced pleuripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model the thoracic aortic aneurysm and study the mechanism of aortic aneurysm in bicuspid aortic valve and in patients with known mutations, such as Loyes-Dietz syndrome, Marfan syndrome, in order to develop novel therapies to prevent aortic aneurysm. Clinically, He and his team work have focused outcome research of aortic surgery and adult cardiac surgery, including acute aortic dissection, aortic root repair, aortic arch repair, thoraco or thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair. Please see the research section for more details. 

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Basic Science Research: Dr. Yangs current lab research focuses on the mechanisms of thoracic aortic aneurysms, which is largely unknown, especially in those with unknown mutations (such as bicuspid aortic valve), and developing novel therapies to prevent aortic aneurysms. He and his team generate patient specific induced pleuripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model the thoracic aortic aneurysm in order to study the mechanisms of aneurysm formation in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, Marfan syndrome. CRISPR Cas 9 technology is used to create and correct the mutations causing thoracic aortic aneurysms in both control and patients iPSCs. This allows Dr. Yang and his team to study the biological mechanisms of gene mutations causing thoracic aortic aneurysm. He also collaborating with bioengineers and to create tissue engineered vascular graft with patients iPSCs.

Clinically, He and his team work have focused on outcome research of aortic surgery and adult cardiac surgery. Such as valve sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure) in acute type A dissection patients; Long-term outcome of valve sparing aortic root replacement (David procedure); aortic root, arch, and malperfusion management in acute type A dissection patients; long-term outcome surgical treatment of active endocarditis.

Dr. Yang has won numerous research award: such as AHA Vivien Thomas Young Investigator Award, finalist; Young investigator of Loeys-Dietz syndrome foundation, and several research projects supported by NIH grants.