Wei JIANG, Ph.D.

Professor, School of Basic Medical Sciences,

PI, Institute of Biomedical Innovation,

Nanchang University

jiangw.ibi@ncu.edu.cn

Education

2005 - 2010: Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Peking University (advisor: Profs. Hongkui Deng and Mingxiao Ding)

2001 - 2005: B.S. in Biological Science, Peking University (Minor in Computer Software)

Professional Experiences

2025 - present: Professor, School of Basic Medical Sciences / Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Nanchang University

2015 - 2025: Professor, Medical Research Institute & Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University

2012 - 2015: Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital (advisor: Prof. Yi Zhang)

2011 - 2012: Postdoc Research Associate, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (advisor: Prof. Yi Zhang)

Research Interests

stem cell differentiation; epigenetic regulation; disease modeling; diabetes; lncRNA; metabolic regulation

The long-term goal of my career is to integrate the basic knowledge from fundamental developmental biology and genetics/epigenetics as well as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), applying human pluripotent stem cell (embryonic stem cells ESC, induced pluripotent stem cells iPSC, and others) differentiation models to uncover the molecule mechanism underlying disease onset. This research specifically examines the molecular regulatory mechanisms governing cell fate determination at the levels of histone modifications, long non-coding RNAs, and cellular metabolism, as well as the functional associations with disease susceptibility/pathogenesis/cell therapy (diabetes). Key techniques include the establishment and maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells, directed differentiation (early germ layer differentiation, endoderm pancreatic islet differentiation), genome editing, and tissue engineering.

Recent Major Achievements in the Laboratory: Systematically elucidated the roles and mechanisms of epigenetic and RNA regulation in human pluripotency control and germ layer differentiation (Cell Rep 2025; Nat Commun 2022; Nucleic Acids Res 2025/2022; Genome Biol 2023; Stem Cell Rep 2025/2020; Development 2023), deciphered the mechanisms of intracellular glycolipid metabolism and extracellular biomechanics in regulating cell differentiation (Dev Cell 2023; Nat Commun 2026; Redox Biol 2022; Stem Cell Rep 2024/2021), and explored the regulatory mechanisms of pancreatic islet differentiation and the role of genetic variations in diabetes susceptibility (Nat Commun 2024; Genes Dis 2026); published reviews on cell fate regulatory mechanisms and stem cell transformation (Nat Chem Biol 2025; Theranostics 2022; Cell Regen 2025/2022). Filed 8 national invention patents; contributed to 3 Chinese textbooks and 1 English book.

Editorial board

              Science China Life Science (2026-2027)

Science Bulletin (2018-2022)

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Frontiers in Genetics (Associate Editor, 2020-2023)

Review activities

Nature Reviews Bioengineering, Nature Communications, Cell Reports, Genome Biology, Cell Genomics, National Science Review, Molecular Psychiatry, Stem Cell Reports, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, Advanced Science, Acta Biomaterialia, Semin Cell Dev Biol, Bioactive Materials, Science Bulletin, SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences, iScience, Stem Cells, FASEB J, Cell Mol Life Sci, Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Cell Proliferation, Genes & Diseases, Neural Regen Res, STAR Protocols, etc

Selected Publications (total citations: >4500 by Google Scholar; H-index, 29; http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ak1phyQAAAAJ&hl=en) Corresponding author*/co-first author#:

1. Liming Meng#, Jing Lv#, Ying Yi#, Xianchun Lan, Chenchao Yan, Jie Yang*, Wei Jiang*. (2026). TGFβ-activated PDHB promotes mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism and contributes to human endoderm differentiation via ATP-dependent BRG1. Nature Communications. 17(1):2846. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69510-0. (IF 15.7).

2. Ran Liu#, Aysha Bakari Murusuri#, Siyi Huang#, Zhe Dai, Wei Jiang*, Jun Tang*. (2026). Clinical and iPSC-based characterization of the HNF1A p.T82M variant. Genes & Diseases. DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2026.102077. (IF 14.6).

3. Yiwen Lu#, Yuanyuan Luo#, Yujia Fang#, Lili Li, Wei Jiang*, Jie Cai*. (2026). Membrane-selective antimicrobial polysaccharides: homogeneous synthesis of guanidinylated chitosan for simultaneous pathogen elimination and tissue repair. Carbohydrate Polymers. 389:125627. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124882. (IF 13.2).

4. Guangqiang Gong#, Shanshan Wen#, Siyi Huang, Ran Liu, Ran Zheng*, Wei Jiang*. (2026). Generation of human chemically induced pluripotent stem cells from UC-MSCs. Cell Regeneration. 15(1):20. DOI: 10.1186/s13619-026-00295-9. (IF 5.6).

5. Fang Xie#, Lai Jiang#, Yiwen Lu#, Lili Li, Wei Jiang*, Jie Cai*. (2026). Self-healing quaternized chitosan–phenylboronic hydrogel with ceria nanozymes and stem-cell exosomes simultaneously eradicates MRSA biofilm and regenerates diabetic wounds. Carbohydrate Polymers. 377:124882. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124882. (IF 13.2).

6. Jie Yang, Yikang Yang, Xiafei Zhang, Chenchao Yan, Liwen Jiang, Donghui Zhang, Wei Jiang*. (2025). HDAC2-mediated recruitment of METTL3 to chromatin regulates human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Cell Reports. 44(10):116414. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116414. (IF 6.9).

7. Shanshan Wen#, Ran Zheng#, Cheguo Cai*, Wei Jiang*. (2025). Chemical-based epigenetic reprogramming to advance pluripotency and totipotency. Nature Chemical Biology. 21(5):635–647. DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-01874-8. (IF 13.7).

8. Mao Li#, Pei Lu#, Jie Yang#, Chenchao Yan, Yikang Yang, Wei Jiang*. (2025). The LINC01612-DVL2-WNT axis promotes human endoderm differentiation. Stem Cell Reports. 20(11):102682. DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102682. (IF 5.1).

9. Rui Ding#, Jie Yang#, Chenchao Yan, Dan Yin*, Donghui Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2025). Ribo-seq provides additional evidence for cytoplasm-translated mitochondrial DNA-encoded ORFs. Science China-Life Sciences. 68(11): 3407–3409. DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2941-3. (IF 9.5).

10. Lihang Zhu#, Ran Zheng#, Shanshan Wen, Wei Jiang*. (2025). High-resolution single-cell RNA-seq data and heterogeneity analysis of human ESCs and ffEPSCs. Scientific Data. 12(1):669. DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-05024-6. (IF 6.9).

11. Jie Yang*, Donghui Zhang, Wei Jiang*. (2025). Long noncoding RNA as an emerging regulator of endoderm differentiation: progress and perspectives. Cell Regeneration. 14(1):11. DOI: 10.1186/s13619-025-00230-4. (IF 4.7).

12. Heng Tang#, Shaoqing Han#, Jie Yang#, Xin Jiang, Yi Zhang, Junran Peng, Fang Wang, Xiang Li, Xiang Zhou, Wei Jiang*, Xiaocheng Weng*. (2025). Enhanced or reversible RNA N6-methyladenosine editing by red/far-red light induction. Nucleic Acids Research. 53(5): gkaf181. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaf181. (IF 16.6).

13. Yinglei Li, Ran Zheng, Lai Jiang, Chenchao Yan, Ran Liu, Luyi Chen, Wenwen Jin, Yuanyuan Luo, Xiafei Zhang, Jun Tang, Zhe Dai, Wei Jiang*. (2024). A noncoding variant confers pancreatic differentiation defect and contributes to diabetes susceptibility by recruiting RXRA. Nature Communications. 15(1):9771. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54151-y. (IF 14.7).

14. Lai Jiang, Chenchao Yan, Ying Yi, Lihang Zhu, Zheng Liu, Donghui Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2024). Cell size regulates human endoderm specification through actomyosin-dependent AMOT-YAP signaling. Stem Cell Reports. 19(8):1137-1155. DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.07.001. (IF 5.9).

15. Songwei Wang#, Yangyang Yu#, Yinglei Li, Tianzhe Zhang, Wei Jiang*, Xinghuan Wang*, Ran Liu*. (2024). Prostate lineage differentiation from human embryonic stem cells through inducible expression of NKX3-1. Stem Cell Research & Therapy. 15:274. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03886-y. (IF 7.1).

16. Liwen Jiang, Linfeng Huang*, Wei Jiang*. (2024). H3K27me3-mediated epigenetic regulation in pluripotency maintenance and lineage differentiation. Cell Insight. 3(4):100180. DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2024.100180. (14 citations).

17. Ying Yi, Xianchun Lan, Yinglei Li, Chenchao Yan, Jing Lv, Tianzhe Zhang, Wei Jiang*. (2023). Fatty acid synthesis and oxidation regulate human endoderm differentiation by mediating SMAD3 nuclear localization via acetylation. Developmental Cell. 58(18):1670-1687. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.005. (IF 13.417).

18. Pei Lu#, Jie Yang#, Mao Li#, Shanshan Wen, Tianzhe Zhang, Chenchao Yan, Ran Liu, Yu Xiao, Xinghuan Wang, Wei Jiang*. (2023). A desert lncRNA HIDEN regulates human endoderm differentiation via interacting with IMP1 and stabilizing FZD5 mRNA. Genome Biology. 24(1):92. DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02925-w. (IF 18.01).

19. Chenchao Yan, Yajing Meng, Jie Yang, Jian Chen*, Wei Jiang*. (2023). Translational landscape in human early neural fate determination. Development. 150 (6): dev201177. DOI: 10.1242/dev.201177. (IF 6.862).

20. Li Li#, Zhongjun Wan#, Ruxiang Wang, Yuxin Zhao, Yida Ye, Pengcheng Yang, Yan Qi, Wei Jiang*, Lin Cai*, Donghui Zhang*. (2022). Generation of high-performance human cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues from extended pluripotent stem cells. Cell Discovery. 8:105. DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00446-7. (IF 38.079, 18 citations).

21. Wenwen Jin, Wei Jiang*. (2022). Stepwise differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into functional pancreatic β cells. Cell Regeneration. 11(1):24. DOI: 10.1186/s13619-022-00125-8. (IF 4.0, 19 citations).

22. Xianchun Lan, Song Ding, Tianzhe Zhang, Ying Yi, Conghui Li, Wenwen Jin, Jian Chen, Kaiwei Liang, Hengbin Wang, Wei Jiang*. (2022). PCGF6 controls neuroectoderm specification of human pluripotent stem cells by activating SOX2 expression. Nature Communications. 13(1):4601. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32295-z. (IF 17.694).

23. Tianzhe Zhang, Ran Zheng, Mao Li, Chenchao Yan, Xianchun Lan, Bei Tong, Pei Lu, Wei Jiang*. (2022). Active endogenous retroviral elements in human pluripotent stem cells play a role in regulating host gene expression. Nucleic Acids Research. 50(9): 4959-4973. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac265. (IF 19.16).

24. Fang Xie#, Lai Jiang#, Ximian Xiao#, Yiwen Lu, Runhui Liu*, Wei Jiang*, Jie Cai*. (2022). Quaternized polysaccharide-based cationic micelles as a macromolecular approach to eradicate multidrug-resistant bacterial infections while mitigating antimicrobial resistance. Small. 18(12):e2104885. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202104885. (IF 15.153, 39 citations).

25. Jing Lv#, Ying Yi#, Yan Qi, Chenchao Yan, Wenwen Jin, Liming Meng, Donghui Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2022). Mitochondrial homeostasis regulates definitive endoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Cell Death & Discovery. 8:69. DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00867-z. (IF 7.109).

26. Yan Qi#, Yida Ye#, Ruxiang Wang, Senlin Yu, Yue Zhang, Jing Lv, Wenwen Jin, Shutao Xia, Wei Jiang*, Yifei Li*, Donghui Zhang*. (2022). Mitochondrial dysfunction by TFAM depletion disrupts self-renewal and lineage differentiation of human PSCs by affecting cell proliferation and YAP response. Redox Biology. 50:102248. DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102248. (IF 11.799).

27. Lai Jiang, Yiru Shen, Yajing Liu, Lei Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2022). Making human pancreatic islet organoids: Progresses on the cell origins, biomaterials and three-dimensional technologies. Theranostics. 12(4):1537-1556. DOI: 10.7150/thno.66670. (IF 11.556).

28. Song Ding#, Xianchun Lan#, Yajing Meng, Chenchao Yan, Mao Li, Xiang Li*, Jian Chen*, Wei Jiang*. (2021). CHD8 safeguards early neuroectoderm differentiation in human ESCs and protects from apoptosis during neurogenesis. Cell Death & Disease. 12(11):981. DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04292-5. (IF 9.685).

29. Yajing Meng, Tianzhe Zhang, Ran Zheng, Song Ding, Jie Yang, Yingan Jiang*, Wei Jiang*. (2021). Depletion of demethylase KDM6 enhances early neuroectoderm commitment of human PSCs. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 9:702462. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.702462. (IF 6.684).

30. Ran Zheng#, Ting Geng#, Dan-Ya Wu#, Tianzhe Zhang, Hainan He, Hai-Ning Du, Donghui Zhang*, Yi-Liang Miao*, Wei Jiang*. (2021). Derivation of feeder-free human extended pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports. 16(7):1686-1696. DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.06.001. (IF 7.765) .             

31. Ran Liu#, Kaiyu Qian#, Yu Xiao*, Wei Jiang*. (2021). Generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell lines from blood cells of a prostate cancer patient carrying germline mutation in CHEK2. Stem Cell Research. 53:102299. DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102299. (IF 4.489).

32. Pei Lu#, Mao Li#, Donghui Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2021). Lnc-ing pluripotency maintenance and early differentiation in human pluripotent stem cells. FASEB Journal 35(4): e21438. DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002278R. (IF 5.191).

33. Jie Yang#, Pei Lu#, Mao Li, Chenchao Yan, Tianzhe Zhang, Wei Jiang*. (2020). GATA6-AS1 regulates GATA6 expression to modulate human endoderm differentiation. Stem Cell Reports 15(3):694-705. DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.07.014. (IF 6.032).

34. Jie Yang, Wei Jiang*. (2020). The roles of SMAD2/3 in human embryonic stem cells. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 8:653. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00653. (IF 5.201, 42 citations; Editor’s Pick 2021: Highlights in Stem Cell Research).

35. Yangyang Yu, Wei Jiang*. (2020). Pluripotent stem cell differentiation as an emerging model to study human prostate development. Stem Cell Research & Therapy. 11(1):285. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-020-01801-9. (IF 8.079).

36. Mengtian Tan, Lai Jiang, Yinglei Li, Wei Jiang*. (2019). Dual inhibition of BMP and WNT signals promotes pancreatic differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells International. 2019(5026793):1-15. DOI: 10.1155/2019/5026793. (IF 5.443).

37. Ting Geng, Donghui Zhang, Wei Jiang*. (2019). Epigenetic regulation of transition among different pluripotent states. Stem Cells. 37(11):1372-1380. DOI: 10.1002/stem.3064. (IF 6.022).

38. Yinglei Li, Wei Jiang*. (2019). The path and surface marker of SC-β cells. Science Bulletin. 64(16): 1122-1124. DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.06.018. (IF 11.78).

39. Xiaojuan Su#, Mengtian Tan#, Bo Duan, Jie Cai*, Wei Jiang*, Lina Zhang*. (2019). Hierarchical microspheres with macropores fabricated from chitin as 3D cell culture. Journal of Materials Chemistry B. 7(34), 5190-5198. DOI: 10.1039/c9tb01046g. (IF 7.571).

40. Wei Jiang*, Yuting Liu, Rui Liu, Kun Zhang, Yi Zhang*. (2015). LncRNA DEANR1 facilitates human endoderm differentiation by activating FOXA2 expression. Cell Reports 11(1), 137-148. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.03.008. (161 citations)

41. Donghui Zhang*, Wei Jiang*. (2015). From one-cell to tissue: reprogramming, cell differentiation and tissue engineering. Bioscience 65 (5): 468-475. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biv016. (IF 8.589).

42. Wei Jiang*, Donghui Zhang, Nenad Bursac, Yi Zhang*. (2013). WNT3 is a biomarker capable of predicting definitive endoderm differentiation potential of hESCs. Stem Cell Reports 1 (1), 46-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2013.03.003. (66 citations)

43. Wei Jiang, Jinzhao Wang, Yi Zhang*. (2013). Histone H3K27me3 demethylases KDM6A and KDM6B modulate definitive endoderm differentiation from human ESCs by regulating WNT signaling pathway. Cell Research 23(1), 122-130. DOI: 10.1038/cr.2012.119. (155 citations)

44. Wei Jiang#, Xin Sui#, Donghui Zhang, Meng Liu, Mingxiao Ding, Yan Shi*, Hongkui Deng*. (2011). CD24: A novel surface marker for PDX1-positive pancreatic progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells 29(4):609-617. DOI: 10.1002/stem.608. (102 citations)

45. Donghui Zhang#, Wei Jiang#, Meng Liu, Xin Sui, Xiaolei Yin, Song Chen, Yan Shi, Hongkui Deng*. (2009). Highly efficient differentiation of human ES cells and iPS cells into mature pancreatic insulin-producing cells. Cell Research 19(4):429-438. DOI: 10.1038/cr.2009.28. (792 citations; Cover story; Featured in the same issue in Cell Research; Sanofi-Aventis Outstanding Research Article Award in Cell Research (2009))

46. Wei Jiang#, Zhaodai Bai#, Donghui Zhang, Yan Shi, Jun Yong, Song Chen, Mingxiao Ding, Hongkui Deng*. (2008). Differentiation of mouse nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells into functional pancreatic beta cells. Diabetologia 51:1671-1679. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-008-1065-1. (29 citations)

47. Wei Jiang#, Yan Shi#, Dongxin Zhao, Song Chen, Jun Yong, Jing Zhang, Tingting Qing, Xiaoning Sun, Peng Zhang, Mingxiao Ding, Dongsheng Li*, Hongkui Deng*. (2007). In vitro derivation of functional insulin-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells. Cell Research 17:333-344. DOI: 10.1038/cr.2007.28. (459 citations)