WANG Yejun
Alumni, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
mbiwye@nus.edu.sg
Level 10 T-Lab
National University of Singapore
5A Engineering Drive 1
Singapore 117411
Wang Haiyang
Senior Research Fellow, Li Group
The mechanical editor
A recent study led by Dr. Shaobo Zhang and MBI Principal Investigator Associate Professor Timothy Saunders describes how periodic filopodial retraction caused by the contractile activity of transient Myosin II clusters at the cell leading edge ensures precise matching between primitive heart cells during heart development in Drosophila embryos. Learn more
A molecular brake
Recent study led by MBI Research Fellows Pan Meng and Ti Weng Chew and Principal Investigator Associate Professor Low Boon Chuan has revealed a role for BNIP-2 protein in scaffolding GEF-H1 and RhoA, following microtubule disassembly, and has described how this scaffolding is important for RhoA-dependent regulation of cell migration. Learn more
MBI is seeking applications from outstanding candidates for faculty positions
MBI is seeking candidates with a commitment to both independent and collaborative interdisciplinary research for multiple tenure-track faculty positions at all levels.
MBI welcomes new Principal Investigator, Chii Jou Chan
MBI would like to welcome Chii Jou (Joe) Chan as a new Principal Investigator starting in January 2021, with a joint appointment as Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Science, NUS.
Building new research partnerships: MBI welcomes Michael Leverentz
At MBI, Mike will take on the role of Research Resource Strategist in the Director’s Team.
Wang Yejun
Alumni
I decided to switch into the world of biology after I received my BS in chemistry from Zhejiang University. With the interest in things happening inside nucleus, I joined Prof. Shiva’s lab as a graduate student, to study the role of external mechanical signals on gene regulation in eukaryotic cells. During my first one and a half years I developed a method to visualize active transcription sites on open chromatin spreads using super-resolution microscopy. Presently I’m studying the role of cell geometric constraints on 3D organization of chromosomes by using multiple techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), confocal imaging, and super-resolution imaging.
Recent Publications
- Wang Y, Li X, Xia R, Wan Y, Lu J, Zhao Z, Zhang W, Wang Q, Saunders TE, and Yin J. Hedgehog-driven adaxial cell constriction patterns slow muscle fate and somite boundary remodeling in the presomitic mesoderm. Cell Rep 2026; 45(5):117319. [PMID: 42065961]
- Yang J, Guan Z, Zeng D, Qin Y, Zhao C, Wang S, Wu Q, Wang Q, Li H, Wu J, Huang H, Wang Y, Wu E, Thalmann NM, Lim CT, Wong TY, Jia W, Li H, Fregni F, and Sheng B. Extended reality in clinical neurology: From interdisciplinary innovations to clinical practice. Cell Rep Med 2026;:102696. [PMID: 41903546]
- Yang B, Li B, Zhu Y, Zhao M, Cheng Y, Zhao X, En-Jie DT, Wang Y, Zhang M, Tang X, Jin S, Sun Y, Zhang X, Xue B, Yan J, Wu G, Lin Z, Luo M, Yu H, Zhang L, Chen X, and Ni Q. Rational design of rigid mRNA folding architecture to enhance intracellular processing and protein production. Nat Nanotechnol 2026;. [PMID: 41772191]
- Liu X, Liu J, Wang Y, Yao M, Baker KB, Klapholz B, Brown NH, Goult BT, and Yan J. The mechanical response of vinculin. Sci Adv 2025; 11(44):eady6949. [PMID: 41171905]
- Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yu M, Xiu P, Jia Y, Chen H, Le S, Qian J, and Yan J. Salt-bridge mediated cooperativity and mechanical stabilization of tandem spectrin repeats. Nanoscale Horiz 2025;. [PMID: 40492359]
- Wang W, Huang Z, Wang Y, Li H, and Kanchanawong P. Vortex Interference Enables Optimal 3D Interferometric Nanoscopy. Phys Rev Lett 2025; 134(7):073802. [PMID: 40053988]
- Wang Y, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Yu P, Zhou F, Zhang A, Gu Y, Jin R, Li J, Zheng F, Yu A, Ye D, Xu Y, Liu Y, Saw TB, Hu G, Lim CT, and Yu F. Angiomotin cleavage promotes leader formation and collective cell migration. Dev Cell 2024;. [PMID: 39389053]
- Zhang Y, Du J, Liu X, Shang F, Deng Y, Ye J, Wang Y, Yan J, Chen H, Yu M, and Le S. Multi-domain interaction mediated strength-building in human α-actinin dimers unveiled by direct single-molecule quantification. Nat Commun 2024; 15(1):6151. [PMID: 39034324]
- Morales-Camilo N, Liu J, Ramírez MJ, Canales-Salgado P, Alegría JJ, Liu X, Ong HT, Barrera NP, Fierro A, Toyama Y, Goult BT, Wang Y, Meng Y, Nishimura R, Fong-Ngern K, Low CSL, Kanchanawong P, Yan J, Ravasio A, and Bertocchi C. Alternative molecular mechanisms for force transmission at adherens junctions via β-catenin-vinculin interaction. Nat Commun 2024; 15(1):5608. [PMID: 38969637]
- Zhang X, Ruan L, Wang H, Zhu J, Li T, Sun G, Dong Y, Wang Y, Berreby G, Shay A, Chen R, Ramachandran S, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, and Li R. Enhancing mitochondrial proteolysis alleviates alpha-synuclein-mediated cellular toxicity. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10(1):120. [PMID: 38906862]
