Biography
David S. Yu, MD, PhD, is the Jerome Landry MD Chair of Cancer Biology and a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. He also serves as director of the Division of Cancer Biology and Vice Chair for Biology Research.
A board certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Yu specializes in the treatment of head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. As a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Clinician and Scientist, Dr. Yu's goal is to translate insights gained from interactions with his patients and his research in the laboratory to innovative therapies to improve the quality of care for patients with cancer.
Dr. Yu is a member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. He is a member of the Emory Graduate Programs in Cancer Biology and Genetics and Molecular Biology, and the Emory MD/PhD Program.
Education
Dr. Yu received his MD from the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical School and PhD from the University of Cambridge prior to completing residency training in Radiation Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. During his residency training, Dr. Yu was an American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway fellow.
Titles & Roles
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Jerome Landry MD Chair of Cancer Biology and Professor, Department of Radiation OncologyEmory University School of Medicine
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Director, Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation OncologyEmory University School of Medicine
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Vice Chair for Biology Research, Department of Radiation OncologyEmory University School of Medicine
Professional Memberships
Dr. Yu is a member of the ASTRO Radiation and Cancer Biology Committee Research Council, ASTRO Research Evaluation Committee Research Council, American Society for Clinical Investigation, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, Radiation Research Society and Radiological Society of North America among others.
Research
Dr. Yu is actively engaged in both clinical and science research, including, understanding how cells respond to replication stress and how to utilize this knowledge for improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
In his laboratory at Emory, Dr. Yu is examining the role of sirtuin deacetylases, and more generally the acetylome, in orchestrating the replication stress response. He is working to identify novel components of the replication stress response, which mediate sensitivity of cancer cells to DNA damaging agents, utilizing high throughput loss of function genetic screens. His lab is also focused on understanding mechanistically how novel replication stress response proteins function using cell biological, genetic, and biochemical approaches to define the functions of these proteins. He hopes to translate insights gained from mechanistic analyses to improvements in the clinic. By exploiting defects in the replication stress response, he hopes to utilize novel replication stress response proteins as biomarkers for clinical response and outcome to specific cancer treatments and as novel therapeutic targets to personalize cancer therapy.
Grants
Publications
Dr. Yu has authored a number of publications in high impact journals, including Nature, Cell, Molecular Cell, Cell Reports, and PNAS. He is associate editor of International Journal of Radiation Biology.
Title/Journal | Authors | Publication Date |
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Physics in medicine and biology |
M Safari, S Wang, Z Eidex, Q Li, RLJ Qiu, EH Middlebrooks, DS Yu, X Yang | 06/03/2025 |
ArXiv |
M Safari, S Wang, Z Eidex, Q Li, RLJ Qiu, EH Middlebrooks, DS Yu, X Yang | 04/26/2025 |
Nature communications |
Y Shen, E Connolly, M Aiello, C Zhou, P Chappa, H Song, P Tippitak, T Clark, M Cardenas, N Prokhnevska, A Mariniello, I De Bruyker, MS Pagadala, VR Dhere, S Rafiq, AH Kesarwala, A Orthwein, SN Thomas, SL Zhang, MK Khan, JB Dixon, GB Lesinski, MC Lowe, H Kissick, DS Yu, CM Paulos, NC Schmitt, ZS Buchwald | 04/14/2025 |
Medical physics |
Z Eidex, M Safari, RLJ Qiu, DS Yu, HK Shu, H Mao, X Yang | 04/01/2025 |
Unsupervised Bayesian generation of synthetic CT from CBCT using patient-specific score-based prior. Medical physics |
J Peng, Y Gao, CW Chang, R Qiu, T Wang, A Kesarwala, K Yang, J Scott, D Yu, X Yang | 04/01/2025 |
Triad: Vision Foundation Model for 3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Research square |
S Wang, M Safari, Q Li, CW Chang, RL Qiu, J Roper, DS Yu, X Yang | 03/10/2025 |
Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology |
Y Li, JF Wynne, Y Wu, RLJ Qiu, S Tian, T Wang, PR Patel, DS Yu, X Yang | 03/01/2025 |
A Physics-Informed Deep Learning Model for MRI Brain Motion Correction. ArXiv |
M Safari, S Wang, Z Eidex, R Qiu, CW Chang, DS Yu, X Yang | 02/13/2025 |
Exploration of an adaptive proton therapy strategy using CBCT with the concept of digital twins. Physics in medicine and biology |
CW Chang, Z Tian, RLJ Qiu, H Scott Mcginnis, D Bohannon, P Patel, Y Wang, DS Yu, SA Patel, J Zhou, X Yang | 01/17/2025 |
ArXiv |
J Peng, T Wang, H Xie, RLJ Qiu, CW Chang, J Roper, DS Yu, X Tang, X Yang | 12/18/2024 |
Physics in medicine and biology |
C Ma, X Yang, J Setianegara, Y Wang, Y Gao, D Yu, P Patel, J Zhou | 12/03/2024 |
Clinical epigenetics |
SK Rath, G Nyamsuren, B Tampe, DS Yu, MS Hulshoff, D Schlösser, S Maamari, M Zeisberg, EM Zeisberg | 08/27/2024 |
Nature communications |
Z Shu, B Dwivedi, JM Switchenko, DS Yu, X Deng | 08/09/2024 |
Unsupervised Bayesian Generation of Synthetic CT from CBCT Using Patient-Specific Score-Based Prior. ArXiv |
J Peng, Y Gao, CW Chang, R Qiu, T Wang, A Kesarwala, K Yang, J Scott, D Yu, X Yang | 06/21/2024 |
Journal of applied clinical medical physics |
CW Chang, D Bohannon, Z Tian, Y Wang, MW Mcdonald, DS Yu, T Liu, J Zhou, X Yang | 05/01/2024 |
Streamlined pin-ridge-filter design for single-energy proton FLASH planning. Medical physics |
C Ma, J Zhou, CW Chang, Y Wang, PR Patel, DS Yu, S Tian, X Yang | 04/01/2024 |
Synthetic CT generation from MRI using 3D transformer-based denoising diffusion model. Medical physics |
S Pan, E Abouei, J Wynne, CW Chang, T Wang, RLJ Qiu, Y Li, J Peng, J Roper, P Patel, DS Yu, H Mao, X Yang | 04/01/2024 |
Research square |
Y Shen, E Connolly, M Aiello, C Zhou, P Chappa, H Song, P Tippitak, T Clark, M Cardenas, N Prokhnevska, A Mariniello, MS Pagadala, VR Dhere, S Rafiq, AH Kesarwala, A Orthwein, SN Thomas, MK Khan, J Brandon Dixon, GB Lesinski, MC Lowe, H Kissick, DS Yu, CM Paulos, NC Schmitt, ZS Buchwald | 03/06/2024 |
CBCT-Based synthetic CT image generation using conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model. Medical physics |
J Peng, RLJ Qiu, JF Wynne, CW Chang, S Pan, T Wang, J Roper, T Liu, PR Patel, DS Yu, X Yang | 03/01/2024 |
NAR cancer |
W Daddacha, D Monroe, AJ Schlafstein, AE Withers, EB Thompson, D Danelia, NC Luong, F Sesay, SK Rath, ER Usoro, ME Essien, AT Jung, JG Jiang, J Hu, B Mahboubi, A Williams, JE Steinbeck, X Yang, ZS Buchwald, WS Dynan, JM Switchenko, B Kim, MK Khan, DL Jaye, DS Yu | 03/01/2024 |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
JL de Amorim, SW Leung, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, Y Hou, DS Yu, H Ghalei, S Khoshnevis, B Yao, AH Corbett | 02/01/2024 |
International journal of radiation biology |
NC Luong, H Kawamura, H Ikeda, RT Roppongi, A Shibata, J Hu, JG Jiang, DS Yu, KD Held | 01/01/2024 |
Streamlined Pin-Ridge-Filter Design for Single-energy Proton FLASH Planning. ArXiv |
C Ma, J Zhou, CW Chang, Y Wang, PR Patel, DS Yu, S Tian, X Yang | 10/03/2023 |
International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
CW Chang, D Bohannon, Z Tian, Y Wang, MW McDonald, DS Yu, T Liu, J Zhou, X Yang | 10/01/2023 |
Nucleic acids research |
PE Head, P Kapoor-Vazirani, GP Nagaraju, H Zhang, SK Rath, NC Luong, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, F Sesay, SY Wang, DM Duong, W Daddacha, EV Minten, B Song, D Danelia, X Liu, S Li, EA Ortlund, NT Seyfried, DM Smalley, Y Wang, X Deng, WS Dynan, B El-Rayes, AJ Davis, DS Yu | 08/25/2023 |
Author Correction: YB1 modulates the DNA damage response in medulloblastoma. Scientific reports |
LF McSwain, CE Pillsbury, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, SK Rath, V Chen, T Huang, SW Shahab, H Kunhiraman, J Ross, GA Price, A Dey, D Hambardzumyan, T MacDonald, DS Yu, CC Porter, AM Kenney | 06/15/2023 |
YB1 modulates the DNA damage response in medulloblastoma. Scientific reports |
LF McSwain, CE Pillsbury, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, SK Rath, V Chen, T Huang, SW Shahab, H Kunhiraman, J Ross, GA Price, A Dey, D Hambardzumyan, T MacDonald, DS Yu, CC Porter, AM Kenney | 05/19/2023 |
The RNA helicase DDX1 associates with the nuclear RNA exosome and modulates R-loops. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology |
JL de Amorim, SW Leung, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, Y Hou, DS Yu, H Ghalei, S Khoshnevis, B Yao, AH Corbett | 04/17/2023 |
Deformable CT image registration via a dual feasible neural network. Medical physics |
Y Lei, Y Fu, Z Tian, T Wang, X Dai, J Roper, DS Yu, M McDonald, JD Bradley, T Liu, J Zhou, X Yang | 12/01/2022 |
Nature communications |
P Kapoor-Vazirani, SK Rath, X Liu, Z Shu, NE Bowen, Y Chen, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, W Daddacha, EV Minten, D Danelia, D Farchi, DM Duong, NT Seyfried, X Deng, EA Ortlund, B Kim, DS Yu | 11/07/2022 |
Protocol for in vitro lysine deacetylation to test putative substrates of class III deacetylases. STAR protocols |
EV Minten, DS Yu | 06/17/2022 |
Journal for immunotherapy of cancer |
NM Tannir, DC Cho, A Diab, M Sznol, MA Bilen, AV Balar, G Grignani, E Puente, L Tang, D Chien, U Hoch, A Choudhury, D Yu, SL Currie, MA Tagliaferri, J Zalevsky, AO Siefker-Radtke, ME Hurwitz | 04/01/2022 |
Quantitative proteomic analysis of the lysine acetylome reveals diverse SIRT2 substrates. Scientific reports |
H Zhang, EB Dammer, DM Duong, D Danelia, NT Seyfried, DS Yu | 03/09/2022 |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
NE Bowen, J Temple, C Shepard, A Oo, F Arizaga, P Kapoor-Vazirani, M Persaud, CH Yu, DH Kim, RF Schinazi, DN Ivanov, F Diaz-Griffero, DS Yu, Y Xiong, B Kim | 10/01/2021 |
SIRT2 promotes BRCA1-BARD1 heterodimerization through deacetylation. Cell reports |
EV Minten, P Kapoor-Vazirani, C Li, H Zhang, K Balakrishnan, DS Yu | 03/30/2021 |
Oncogene |
AE Koyen, MZ Madden, D Park, EV Minten, P Kapoor-Vazirani, E Werner, NT Pfister, R Haji-Seyed-Javadi, H Zhang, J Xu, N Deng, DM Duong, TJ Pecen, Z Frazier, ZD Nagel, JB Lazaro, KW Mouw, NT Seyfried, CS Moreno, TK Owonikoko, X Deng, DS Yu | 06/01/2020 |
The Journal of biological chemistry |
H Wang, X Wang, G Chen, X Zhang, X Tang, D Park, FA Cucinotta, DS Yu, X Deng, WS Dynan, PW Doetsch, Y Wang | 05/01/2020 |
Replication stress and FOXM1 drive radiation induced genomic instability and cell transformation. PloS one |
Z Li, DS Yu, PW Doetsch, E Werner | 01/01/2020 |
Ionizing Radiation induction of cholesterol biosynthesis in Lung tissue. Scientific reports |
E Werner, A Alter, Q Deng, EB Dammer, Y Wang, DS Yu, DM Duong, NT Seyfried, PW Doetsch | 08/29/2019 |
Cancer |
S Tian, JM Switchenko, J Jhaveri, RJ Cassidy, MJ Ferris, RH Press, NT Pfister, MR Patel, NF Saba, MW McDonald, KA Higgins, DS Yu, WJ Curran, TW Gillespie, JJ Beitler | 08/15/2019 |
Acetylation regulates ribonucleotide reductase activity and cancer cell growth. Nature communications |
G Chen, Y Luo, K Warncke, Y Sun, DS Yu, H Fu, M Behera, SS Ramalingam, PW Doetsch, DM Duong, M Lammers, WJ Curran, X Deng | 07/19/2019 |
Disparities in Postoperative Therapy for Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas. The Laryngoscope |
RJ Cassidy, JM Switchenko, MW El-Deiry, RH Belcher, J Zhong, CE Steuer, NF Saba, MW McDonald, DS Yu, TW Gillespie, JJ Beitler | 02/01/2019 |
Targeting Mcl-1 enhances DNA replication stress sensitivity to cancer therapy. The Journal of clinical investigation |
G Chen, AT Magis, K Xu, D Park, DS Yu, TK Owonikoko, GL Sica, SW Satola, SS Ramalingam, WJ Curran, PW Doetsch, X Deng | 01/02/2018 |
International journal of breast cancer |
AJ Schlafstein, AE Withers, S Rudra, D Danelia, JM Switchenko, D Mister, S Harari, H Zhang, W Daddacha, S Ehdaivand, X Li, MA Torres, DS Yu | 01/01/2018 |
SAMHD1 Promotes DNA End Resection to Facilitate DNA Repair by Homologous Recombination. Cell reports |
W Daddacha, AE Koyen, AJ Bastien, PE Head, VR Dhere, GN Nabeta, EC Connolly, E Werner, MZ Madden, MB Daly, EV Minten, DR Whelan, AJ Schlafstein, H Zhang, R Anand, C Doronio, AE Withers, C Shepard, RK Sundaram, X Deng, WS Dynan, Y Wang, RS Bindra, P Cejka, E Rothenberg, PW Doetsch, B Kim, DS Yu | 08/22/2017 |
Sirtuin 2 mutations in human cancers impair its function in genome maintenance. The Journal of biological chemistry |
PE Head, H Zhang, AJ Bastien, AE Koyen, AE Withers, WB Daddacha, X Cheng, DS Yu | 06/16/2017 |
SIRT2 orchestrates the DNA damage response. Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) |
H Zhang, PE Head, DS Yu | 08/17/2016 |
TNFRSF10C copy number variation is associated with metastatic colorectal cancer. Journal of gastrointestinal oncology |
DG Tanenbaum, WA Hall, LE Colbert, AJ Bastien, DJ Brat, J Kong, S Kim, B Dwivedi, J Kowalski, JC Landry, DS Yu | 06/01/2016 |
World journal of gastrointestinal oncology |
CS Seldon, LE Colbert, WA Hall, SB Fisher, DS Yu, JC Landry | 04/15/2016 |
ATRIP Deacetylation by SIRT2 Drives ATR Checkpoint Activation by Promoting Binding to RPA-ssDNA. Cell reports |
H Zhang, PE Head, W Daddacha, SH Park, X Li, Y Pan, MZ Madden, DM Duong, M Xie, B Yu, MD Warren, EA Liu, VR Dhere, C Li, I Pradilla, MA Torres, Y Wang, WS Dynan, PW Doetsch, X Deng, NT Seyfried, D Gius, DS Yu | 02/16/2016 |
Practical radiation oncology |
DG Tanenbaum, WA Hall, P Mittal, DC Nickleach, JL Mikell, LE Colbert, CC Moreno, MH Squires, SB Fisher, DS Yu, DA Kooby, SK Maithel, JC Landry | 01/01/2016 |
Quantitative Ultrasonic Nakagami Imaging of Neck Fibrosis After Head and Neck Radiation Therapy. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
X Yang, E Yoshida, RJ Cassidy, JJ Beitler, DS Yu, WJ Curran, T Liu | 06/01/2015 |
Radiotherapy patterns of care in gastric adenocarcinoma: a single institution experience. Journal of gastrointestinal oncology |
J Cheng, MH Squires, JL Mikell, SB Fisher, CA Staley, DA Kooby, BF El-Rayes, WJ Curran, WA Hall, LE Colbert, JW Shelton, SK Maithel, J Landry, DS Yu | 06/01/2015 |
The 21-gene recurrence score and locoregional recurrence in breast cancer patients. Annals of surgical oncology |
NK Jegadeesh, S Kim, RS Prabhu, GM Oprea, DS Yu, KG Godette, AB Zelnak, D Mister, JM Switchenko, MA Torres | 04/01/2015 |
International journal of breast cancer |
S Rudra, DS Yu, ES Yu, JM Switchenko, D Mister, MA Torres | 01/01/2015 |
International journal of breast cancer |
S Kandula, JM Switchenko, S Harari, C Fasola, D Mister, DS Yu, AB Zelnak, MA Torres | 01/01/2015 |
International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
X Yang, N Wu, G Cheng, Z Zhou, DS Yu, JJ Beitler, WJ Curran, T Liu | 12/01/2014 |
Oncogene |
WA Hall, AV Petrova, LE Colbert, CW Hardy, SB Fisher, B Saka, JW Shelton, MD Warren, BG Pantazides, K Gandhi, J Kowalski, DA Kooby, BF El-Rayes, CA Staley, N Volkan Adsay, WJ Curran, JC Landry, SK Maithel, DS Yu | 11/20/2014 |
Academic radiology |
X Yang, S Tridandapani, JJ Beitler, DS Yu, Z Chen, S Kim, DW Bruner, WJ Curran, T Liu | 10/01/2014 |
A gemcitabine sensitivity screen identifies a role for NEK9 in the replication stress response. Nucleic acids research |
SC Smith, AV Petrova, MZ Madden, H Wang, Y Pan, MD Warren, CW Hardy, D Liang, EA Liu, MH Robinson, S Rudra, J Wang, S Ehdaivand, MA Torres, Y Wang, DS Yu | 10/01/2014 |
Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy |
CS Shemesh, CW Hardy, DS Yu, B Fernandez, H Zhang | 06/01/2014 |
CHD7 expression predicts survival outcomes in patients with resected pancreatic cancer. Cancer research |
LE Colbert, AV Petrova, SB Fisher, BG Pantazides, MZ Madden, CW Hardy, MD Warren, Y Pan, GP Nagaraju, EA Liu, B Saka, WA Hall, JW Shelton, K Gandhi, R Pauly, J Kowalski, DA Kooby, BF El-Rayes, CA Staley, NV Adsay, WJ Curran, JC Landry, SK Maithel, DS Yu | 05/15/2014 |
Medical physics |
X Yang, S Tridandapani, JJ Beitler, DS Yu, N Wu, Y Wang, DW Bruner, WJ Curran, T Liu | 02/01/2014 |
Cancer |
LE Colbert, SB Fisher, CW Hardy, WA Hall, B Saka, JW Shelton, AV Petrova, MD Warren, BG Pantazides, K Gandhi, J Kowalski, DA Kooby, BF El-Rayes, CA Staley, NV Adsay, WJ Curran, JC Landry, SK Maithel, DS Yu | 09/01/2013 |
SIRT2 directs the replication stress response through CDK9 deacetylation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
H Zhang, SH Park, BG Pantazides, O Karpiuk, MD Warren, CW Hardy, DM Duong, SJ Park, HS Kim, A Vassilopoulos, NT Seyfried, SA Johnsen, D Gius, DS Yu | 08/13/2013 |
Physics in medicine and biology |
MA Deeley, A Chen, RD Datteri, J Noble, A Cmelak, E Donnelly, A Malcolm, L Moretti, J Jaboin, K Niermann, ES Yang, DS Yu, BM Dawant | 06/21/2013 |
Medical physics |
X Yang, S Tridandapani, JJ Beitler, DS Yu, EJ Yoshida, WJ Curran, T Liu | 09/01/2012 |
Ultrasound in medicine & biology |
X Yang, S Tridandapani, JJ Beitler, DS Yu, EJ Yoshida, WJ Curran, T Liu | 09/01/2012 |
Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) |
H Zhang, DS Yu | 07/01/2012 |
The negative effect of triple-negative breast cancer on outcome after breast-conserving therapy. Annals of surgical oncology |
SS Zaky, M Lund, KA May, KD Godette, JJ Beitler, LR Holmes, RM O'Regan, ES Yu, DS Yu, JC Landry | 10/01/2011 |
Physics in medicine and biology |
MA Deeley, A Chen, R Datteri, JH Noble, AJ Cmelak, EF Donnelly, AW Malcolm, L Moretti, J Jaboin, K Niermann, ES Yang, DS Yu, F Yei, T Koyama, GX Ding, BM Dawant | 07/21/2011 |
A role for CDK9-cyclin K in maintaining genome integrity. Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) |
DS Yu, D Cortez | 01/01/2011 |
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9-cyclin K functions in the replication stress response. EMBO reports |
DS Yu, R Zhao, EL Hsu, J Cayer, F Ye, Y Guo, Y Shyr, D Cortez | 11/01/2010 |
Awards
Dr. Yu received the Michael Fry Research Award from the Radiation Research Society in 2014, which recognizes the most outstanding junior scientist who has made exceptional contributions to the field of radiation research. Dr. Yu is currently funded by NIH/NCI R01, Department of Defense, and foundation awards.