Iris Gao received her Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology from Peking University in 2004. She joined MTSU as a Research Assistant Professor in 2011. Prior to joining MTSU, Dr. Gao had been a Research Scientist at Beijing Genomics Institute.   Dr. Gao’s research focuses on various biological and pharmaceutical activities of medicinal plants, such as anti-cancer, antioxidant, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-malaria activities, for the development of new therapeutic agents. Moreover, she is also interested in the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants. She has published more than 30 peer-reviewed research articles in Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, Plant Molecular Biology, Scientific Reports, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, International Journal of Oncology, Planta Medica, Journal of Functional Foods, etc. She has filed three international patents of potential therapeutic agents. She has been serving as an Editorial member for Scientific Reports, and a reviewer for Journal of Ginseng Research, Current Drug Targets, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, International Journal of Genomics, Pharmacognosy Research, and Journal of Food Chemistry and Nanotechnology, etc.

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1.       Chen, L., Guo, Y., Alsaif, G., Gao, Y.* (2020). Total Flavonoids Isolated from Diospyros kaki L. f. Leaves Induced Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress in Human Cancer Cells. Anticancer Research. (In publication)

2.       Qiang, B., Miao, J., Phillips, N., Wei, K., Gao, Y.* (2020). Recent Advances in the Tissue Culture of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius). Chemistry & Biodiversity.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202000366.

3.       Arik, M., Gao, Y., Graves, B. (2020). Implications of changing supply chain dynamics of global ginseng trade: A pilot study. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability.15(1).

4.       Muhammed, E., Chen, L., Gao, Y., & Erenso, D. (2019). Chemo-treated 4T1 breast cancer cells radiation response measured by single and multiple cell ionization using infrared laser trap. Scientific reports. 9(1), 1-12.

5.       Pandey, R., Guo, Y., Gao, Y., Chusuei, C. (2019). A Prussian Blue ZnO Carbon Nanotube Composite for Chronoamperometrically Assaying H2O2 in BT20 and 4T1 Breast Cancer Cells. Analytical chemistry. 91(16),10573-10581.

6.       Liang, J., Chen, L. Guo, Y., Zhang, M., Gao, Y.* (2019). Simultaneous determination and analysis of major ginsenosides in wild American ginseng grown in Tennessee. Chemistry & Biodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.201900203

7.       Guo, Y., Kuruganti, R., Gao, Y.* (2019). Invited Review Article: Recent Advances in Ginsenosides as Potential Therapeutics Against Breast Cancer.  Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 19(25), 2334-2347. (*Corresponding author)

8.       Chen, L., Wei, Y., Zhao, S., Zhang, M., Yan, X., Gao, X., Li, J., Gao, Y., Zhang, A. and Gao, Y.*, (2018). Antitumor and immunomodulatory activities of total flavonoids extract from persimmon leaves in H22 liver tumor-bearing mice. Scientific reports. 8(1): 10523.

9.       Almosnid, N., Zhou, X., Jiang, L., Ridings, A., Knott, D., Wang, S., Wei, F., Yuan, J., Altman, E., Gao, Y.*, Miao, J.* (2018). Evaluation of extracts prepared from 16 plants used in Yao ethnomedicine as potential anticancer agents. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 211: 224-234. 

10.   Chen, C., Chen, W., Li, Y., Dong, Y., Teng, X., Nong, Z., Pan, X., Gao, Y., Wu, G. (2017). Hyperbaric oxygen protects against myocardial reperfusion injury via the inhibition of inflammation and the modulation of autophagy. Oncotarget. 8 (67): 111522.

11.   Chen, C., Nong, Z., Xie, Q., He, J., Cai, W., Tang, X., Chen, X., Huang, R.*, Gao, Y.* (2017). 2-Dodecyl-6-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione inhibits the growth and metastasis of breast carcinoma in mice. Scientific Reports. 7(1): 6704.

12.   Alsaif, G., Almosnid, N., Hawkins, I., Taylor, Z., Knott, D., Handy, S., Altman, E., Gao, Y.*. (2017). Evaluation of fourteen aurone derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 18(5): 384-390. 

13.   Jiang, L., Wu, L., Yang, F., Almosnid, N., Liu, X., Jiang, J, Altman, E., Wang, L.*, Gao, Y.* (2017). Synthesis of Matrine Derivatives with Marked in vitro Inhibition of Human Lung Cancer Cells A549. Oncology letters. 14: 3057-3064

14.   Gao, Y.*, He, C. (2017). Anti-proliferative and anti-metastasis effects of ten oligostilbenes isolated from the seeds of Paeonia suffruticosa against human cancer cells. Oncology Letters. 13(6): 4371-7.

15.   Gao, Y.*, Wang, X., He, C. (2016). An isoflavonoid-enriched extract from Pueraria lobata (Kudzu) root protected human umbilical vein endothelial cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 193: 524-530.

16.   Kelley, M., Gao, Y, Erenso, D. (2016). Single BT20 Breast Carcinoma Cell Ionization by Laser Trap for Accurate Radiotherapy. Biomedical Optics Express. 7(9): 3438-3448.

17.   Park, H., Vick E., Gao, Y., He, C., Almosnid, N., Farone, M., Farone, A. (2016). Cis-and Trans-gnetin H from Paeonia suffruticosa suppress inhibitor kappa B kinase phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated human THP-1 cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 189: 202-209.

18.   Bi, W, Gao, Y.*, Shen, J., He, C., Peng, Y., Zhang, C., Xiao, P. G. (2016). Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus of Acer (maples): A review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 189: 31-60. (*Co-first author)

19.   Bi, W., Shen, J., Gao, Y., Peng, Y., He, C., Xiao, P. G. (2016). Ku-jin tea (Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala and A. tataricum subsp. theiferum), an underestimated functional beverage rich in antioxidant phenolics. Journal of Functional Foods. 24: 75-84.

20.   Liu, X., Dong, H., Wang, M., Gao, Y., Zhang, T., Duan, H., Hu, G., Mu, X. (2016). IL-1α-induced Microvascular Endothelial Cells Promote Neutrophil Killing by Increasing MMP-9 Concentration and Lysozyme Activity. Immunologic Research. 64: 133-142.

21.   Almosnid, N., Gao, Y.*, He, C., Park, S., Altman, E. (2015). In vitro antitumor effects of two novel oligostilbenes, cis- and trans-suffruticosol D isolated from Paeonia suffruticosa seeds. International Journal of Oncology. 48: 646-656.

22.   Gao, Y.*, He, C., Bi, W., Wu, G., & Altman, E. (2015). Bioassay Guided Fractionation Identified Hederagenin as a Major Cytotoxic Agent from Cyclocarya paliurus Leaves. Planta Medica. 82: 171-179.

23.   Gao, Y.*, Huang, R., Gong, Y., Park, H., Wen, Q., Almosnid, N., Chippada-Venkata, U., Hosain, N., Vick, E., Farone, A. & Altman, E. (2015). The antidiabetic compound 2-dodecyl-6-methoxycyclohexa-2, 5-diene-1, 4-dione, isolated from Averrhoa carambola L., demonstrates significant antitumor potential against human breast cancer cells. Oncotarget. 6: 24304-24319.

24.   Gao, Y.*, He, C., Ran, R., Zhang, D., Li, D., Xiao, P. G., & Altman, E. (2015). The resveratrol oligomers, cis-and trans-gnetin H, from Paeonia suffruticosa seeds inhibit the growth of several human cancer cell lines. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 169: 24-33. 

25.   Solomon, R., Pellizzaro, A., Devito, D., Brown, C., Cooper, J., Crogman, H., Revalee, J., Farone, A., Farone, M., Gao, Y.*, and Erenso, D.* (2014). Cancerous Lung Cells Treatment by Herbal Medicines Measured by the Response to Compressional Force Induced by a Laser Trap. Biomedical Optics 2014, OSA (Optical Society of America) Technical Digest, paper BM3A.6.

26.   Brown, C., Solomon, R., Cooper, J., Devito, D., Revalee, J., Pellizzaro, A., Farone, A., Farone, M., Gao, Y.*, Crogman, H. and Erenso, D.* (2014). Response of Human Breast Carcinoma (BT20) Cell Lines to Compressional Force Induced by a Laser Trap. Biomedical Optics 2014, OSA (Optical Society of America) Technical Digest, paper BT3A.43.

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