Office of Program Operations

Pei-Li Yao, Ph.D.
Pei-Li Yao, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist;
Health Science Evaluator
Tel 984-287-3114
[email protected]
530 Davis Dr
530 Davis Drive (Keystone Bldg)
Durham, NC 27713

Much of the work carried out by DTT is in support of the National Toxicology Program (NTP), an interagency partnership of the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and NIEHS.

Visit the NTP Website

Pei-Li Yao, Ph.D., is a Health Science Evaluator in the Office of Program Operations of the Division of Translational Toxicology (DTT). She manages research and development contract activities in support of the DTT scientific portfolio. She participates in the design, conduct, interpretation, and reporting of DTT research to evaluate potential adverse effects of environmental substances with the aim of predicting potential health effects in humans. She has a particular interest in understanding nuclear receptor-mediated signaling pathways in reproductive toxicology, carcinogenesis, and aging. Her prior research examined the mechanisms of chemical-induced testicular injury, cancer, and age-related retinal diseases using animal models and human cell lines.

Yao received both B.S. and M.S. from the National Taiwan University, and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Pennsylvania State University and worked as a research scholar at North Carolina State University in 2016. Prior to joining the Program Operations Branch in 2020, she was a senior research associate at Duke University.

Selected Publications

  1. Choudhary M, Ismail EN, Yao PL, Tayyari F, Radu RA, Nusinowitz S, Boulton ME, Apte RS, Ruberti JW, Handa JT, Tontonoz P, Malek G. (2020). LXRs regulate features of age-related macular degeneration and may be a potential therapeutic target. JCI Insight. 5: 131928. [Abstract Choudhary M, Ismail EN, Yao PL, Tayyari F, Radu RA, Nusinowitz S, Boulton ME, Apte RS, Ruberti JW, Handa JT, Tontonoz P, Malek G. (2020). LXRs regulate features of age-related macular degeneration and may be a potential therapeutic target. JCI Insight. 5: 131928.]
  2. Yao PL, Chen L, Dobrzański TP, Zhu B, Kang B-H, Müller R, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM. (2017). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ inhibits human neuroblastoma cell tumorigenesis by inducing p53- and SOX2-mediated cell differentiation. Molecular Carcinogenesis. 56:1472-1483. [Abstract Yao PL, Chen L, Dobrzański TP, Zhu B, Kang B-H, Müller R, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM. (2017). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ inhibits human neuroblastoma cell tumorigenesis by inducing p53- and SOX2-mediated cell differentiation. Molecular Carcinogenesis. 56:1472-1483.]
  3. Koga T, Yao PL, Goudarzi M, Murray IA, Balandaram G, Gonzalez FJ, Perdew GH, Fornace AJ Jr, Peters JM. (2016). Regulation of cytochrome P450 2B10 (CYP2B10) expression in liver by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ modulation of SP1 promoter occupancy. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 291:25255-25263. [Abstract Koga T, Yao PL, Goudarzi M, Murray IA, Balandaram G, Gonzalez FJ, Perdew GH, Fornace AJ Jr, Peters JM. (2016). Regulation of cytochrome P450 2B10 (CYP2B10) expression in liver by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ modulation of SP1 promoter occupancy. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 291:25255-25263.]
  4. Yao PL, Chen LP, Dobrzański TP, Phillips DA, Zhu B, Kang BH, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2015). Inhibition of testicular embryonal carcinoma cell tumorigenicity by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ- and retinoic acid receptor-dependent mechanisms. Oncotarget. 6:36319-36337. [Abstract Yao PL, Chen LP, Dobrzański TP, Phillips DA, Zhu B, Kang BH, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2015). Inhibition of testicular embryonal carcinoma cell tumorigenicity by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ- and retinoic acid receptor-dependent mechanisms. Oncotarget. 6:36319-36337.]
  5. Yao PL, Chen L, Hess RA, Müller R, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2015). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-D (PPARD) coordinates mouse spermatogenesis by modulating (ERK)-dependent signaling. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 290: 23416-23431. [Abstract Yao PL, Chen L, Hess RA, Müller R, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2015). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-D (PPARD) coordinates mouse spermatogenesis by modulating (ERK)-dependent signaling. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 290: 23416-23431.]
  6. Yao PL, Morales JL, Zhu B, Kang BH, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2014). Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPAR-β/δ) inhibits human breast cancer cell line tumorigenicity. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 13:1008-1017. [Abstract Yao PL, Morales JL, Zhu B, Kang BH, Gonzales FJ, Peters JM. (2014). Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPAR-β/δ) inhibits human breast cancer cell line tumorigenicity. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 13:1008-1017.]
  7. Yao PL, Lin YC, Richburg JH. (2010). Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced disruption of junctional complexes in the seminiferous epithelium of the rodent testis is mediated by MMP2. Biology of Reproduction. 82: 516-527. [Abstract Yao PL, Lin YC, Richburg JH. (2010). Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced disruption of junctional complexes in the seminiferous epithelium of the rodent testis is mediated by MMP2. Biology of Reproduction. 82: 516-527.]
  8. Yao PL, Lin YC, Sawhney P, Richburg JH. (2007). Transcriptional regulation of FasL expression and participation of sTNF-alpha in response to sertoli cell injury. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 282:5420-31. [Abstract Yao PL, Lin YC, Sawhney P, Richburg JH. (2007). Transcriptional regulation of FasL expression and participation of sTNF-alpha in response to sertoli cell injury. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 282:5420-31.]
  9. Yao PL, Tsai MF, Lin YC, Chen JJW, Yang PC. (2005). Global expression profiling of theophylline response genes in macrophages: evidence of airway anti-inflammatory regulation. Respiratory Research. 6:89-101. [Abstract Yao PL, Tsai MF, Lin YC, Chen JJW, Yang PC. (2005). Global expression profiling of theophylline response genes in macrophages: evidence of airway anti-inflammatory regulation. Respiratory Research. 6:89-101.]
  10. Chen JJW, Lin YC, Yao PL, Tsai MF, Yuan A, Chen HY, Yang PC. (2005). Tumor-associated macrophages: the double-edged sword in cancer progression. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 23: 953-64. [Abstract Chen JJW, Lin YC, Yao PL, Tsai MF, Yuan A, Chen HY, Yang PC. (2005). Tumor-associated macrophages: the double-edged sword in cancer progression. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 23: 953-64.]
  11. Chen JJW, Yao PL, Yuan A, Hong TM, Shun CT, Kuo ML, Lee YC, Yang PC. (2003). Up-regulation of tumor interleukin-8 expression by infiltrating macrophages: its correlation with tumor angiogenesis and patient survival in non-small cell lung cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. 9:729-737. [Abstract Chen JJW, Yao PL, Yuan A, Hong TM, Shun CT, Kuo ML, Lee YC, Yang PC. (2003). Up-regulation of tumor interleukin-8 expression by infiltrating macrophages: its correlation with tumor angiogenesis and patient survival in non-small cell lung cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. 9:729-737.]