Yang Shi

Yang Shi, Professor and Principal Investigator at the University of Oxford, has been a pioneer, innovator and leader in chromatin/epigenetics biology that is central to gene regulation. His seminal contributions include discoveries of novel histone modifying enzymes, proteins that recognize specific histone methylation states, and novel chromatin modifications.

He is widely known for the 2004 landmark discovery of the first histone demethylase, LSD1, which changed the long-held dogma that histone methylation was irreversible. He subsequently helped develop drugs against LSD1, which are now in the clinic against cancer. His extraordinary record, and continued output of original discoveries have changed our view of chromatin and epigenetic regulation, have illuminated basic principles of chromatin regulation, and have had far-reaching implications in biology and medicine.