Ying Wang, MD, PhD

Dr. Wang received her Medical Degree (Integrative Medicine, 2006) from Xinjiang Medical University, China; a Master of Science (Acupuncture Science, 2010) from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and a Ph.D. degree (Molecular Pain Research in Neuroscience, 2014) from the University of Würzburg, Germany. She further pursued her postdoctoral training in translational pain research and led her own research as a researcher associate at University of Minnesota (2014-2020). She also obtained a post-graduate Clinical Research certificate degree from University of Minnesota, School of Public Health (2018-2020). She is an awardee of NIH k99 grant studying neurobiological mechanisms and clinical efficacy of acupuncture-implemented integrative pain management of sickle cell disease in both pre-clinical rodent models and patients. She joined Indiana University School of Medicine as assistant professor of anesthesia in July.2020.

Her clinical interest is to implement evidence-based non-opioids and/or non-addictive approaches of pain management and optimize its application to conventional medicine. Her research interest is to understand mechanisms underlying integrative approaches (e.g. acupuncture-related techniques) and develop strategies for its optimization in the acute/chronic pain conditions in related to sickle cell disease, fibromyalgia, cancer, neurological disorders and immune system disorders. 

P Joo, M Kim, B Kish, VV Nair, YJ Tong, ZY Liu, ARW O'Brien, SE Harte, RE Harris, UC Lee*, Y Wang*. Brain network hypersensitivity underlies pain crises in sickle cell disease. Sci Rep 14, 7315 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57473-5. 

W Li, AQ Pucka, C Debats, B Reyes, F Syed, AR O’Brien, R Mehta, N Manchanda, SA Jacob, BM Hardesty, A Greist, SE Harte, RE Harris, QG Yu*, Y Wang* (2024). Inflammation and autoimmunity are interrelated in patients with sickle cell disease at a steady-state condition: implications for vaso-occlusive crisis, pain, and sensory sensitivity. Front. Immunol. 15:1288187.doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1288187

Y Wang*, DD Wang, AQ Pucka, ARW O’Brien, SE Harte, RE Harris RE (2024) Differential clinical characteristics across traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Syndromes in patients with sickle cell disease. Front. Pain Res. 4:1233293. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1233293

XP Zhou, E Ichesco, ARW O’Brien, SE Harte, RE Harris, Y Wang*. Alterations of Cerebral Metabolites are Associated with Frequency of Vasoocclusive Crises and Pain Sensitivity in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease. Blood (2023) 142 (Supplement 1): 3878. doi.org/10.1182/blood-2023-181155.

TJ Barrett, A Pucka, B Reyes, SA Jacobs, ARW O'Brien, RE Harris, SE Harte, Y Wang*.  Acupuncture Alleviates Pain and Improves Quality of Life in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease. Blood (2022) 140 (Supplement 1): 5444–5445. Doi: 10.1182/blood-2022-169013.

JX Yao, ARW O'Brien, YJ Tong*, Y Wang*. A Novel Finding in Cerebral Blood Flow in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Using Bold Functional MRI. Blood (2022) 140 (Supplement 1): 5433–5434. Doi: 10.1182/blood-2022-167594

Y Wang*, SJ Hardy, E Ichesco, PY Zhang, Richard E Harris, DS Darbari* (2021). Alteration of grey matter volume is associated with pain and quality of life in children with sickle cell disease. Translational Research. 2021 Aug 18; S1931-5244(21)00194-8. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2021.08.004.

Y Wang*, JX Lei, R Jha, S Kevin, K Gupta* (2019). Substance P modulates electroacupuncture analgesia in humanized mice with sickle cell disease. Journal of Pain Research. Aug; 2019: 2419-26.

J Lei, J Paul, Y Wang, M Gupta, D Vang, S Thompson, R Jha, J Nguyen, Y Valverde, Y Lamarre, M Jones, and K Gupta (2020). Heme Causes Pain in Sickle Mice via Toll-Like Receptor 4-Mediated Reactive Oxygen Species and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Glial Activation. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 24 Aug 2020https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2019.7913

Y Wang, X Wang, W Chen, K Gupta, XH Zhu* (2017). fMRI BOLD response in sickle mice with hyperalgesia. Blood Cells, Molecules and Diseases. Jun; 65:81-85. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2017.03.005

Y Wang, M Gupta, T Poonawala, M Farooqui, YF Li, F Peng, S Rao, M Ansonoff, J Pintar, K Gupta* (2017). Opioids and opioid receptors orchestrate wound repair. Translational Research. Jul; 185:13-23. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2017.05.003.

Y Wang*, JX Lei, M Gupta, F Peng, S Lam, R Jha, Al Beitz, K Gupta* (2016). Electroacupuncture in conscious free-moving mice reduces pain by ameliorating peripheral and central nociceptive mechanisms. Scientific Reports. Sep 30; 6:34493. doi: 10.1038/srep34493

Y Wang*, R. Truemper, S. A. Mousa, D. Hackel, A. Brack, H. L. Rittner* (2014). CXCL10 controls inflammatory pain via opioid peptide-containing macrophages in acupuncture. PLoS ONE. Apr 14; 9(4): e94696. doi: 10. 1371/journal.pone.0094696.