About

Yong Yang is a Clinical Professor in Radiation Oncology with a focus on Radiation Physics at Stanford University. He is affiliated with the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI), where his work involves integrating artificial intelligence into medical imaging and healthcare. His research emphasizes the development and application of AI techniques to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning in radiation oncology. As a faculty member at Stanford, he contributes to advancing the intersection of AI and medicine, supporting education, research, and industry collaborations in this field.

Research topics

• Biomedical engineering
• Computer Science
• Materials science
• Composite material
• Engineering

Selected publications

• Intrinsic capacity and risk of hip fracture in older adults: evidence from five multinational aging cohorts

  The journal of nutrition health & aging · 2026-01-10 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Hip fracture poses a substantial threat to the quality of life in older adults. Evidence regarding the association between intrinsic capacity (IC) and hip fracture is limited. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between IC and hip fracture risk in older populations. METHODS: This multi-cohort study included five nationally representative aging cohorts: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Participants aged 60 years and older with baseline IC assessments and at least two follow-ups were included. Individuals with baseline hip fracture, missing hip fracture data, missing covariate data, or lost to follow-up were excluded. IC was comprehensively evaluated across five domains: cognition, locomotion, vitality, sensory function, and psychological function. Hip fractures were identified through self-report or physician diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between IC and hip fracture, and results were pooled across cohorts using a common-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 37,267 participants were included, with hip fracture prevalence ranging from 1.40% in SHARE to 4.64% in CHARLS. Higher IC was significantly associated with lower hip fracture risk in all cohorts: CHARLS (HR = 0.75, 95% CI [0.67-0.84]), HRS (HR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.53-0.78]), MHAS (HR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.63-0.95]), SHARE (HR = 0.83, 95% CI [0.72-0.95]), and ELSA (HR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.57-0.98]). The pooled estimate from the common-effects model was HR = 0.76 (95% CI [0.71-0.81], I² = 10.7%). In addition, Sensitivity analyses further supported the robustness of these findings. CONCLUSIONS: Higher IC is associated with a lower risk of hip fracture among older adults. IC may serve as an early predictive indicator of hip fracture, supporting preventive strategies to reduce the economic and societal burden of hip fractures and to preserve quality of life in aging populations.

  PublisherDOI

• A lung tumor-on-a-chip model recapitulates the effect of hypoxia on radiotherapy response and FDG-PET imaging

  Lab on a Chip · 2025-01-01 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  while also providing a platform for clinically relevant interventions such as radiotherapy and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. To simulate the heterogeneous oxygen distribution found in tumors, the ToC model incorporates an oxygen gradient achieved through a straightforward chemical oxygen scavenging system. A unique innovation of this device is the integration of a thin scintillator plate, which enables high-resolution radioluminescence microscopy imaging of tumor metabolism under hypoxia and normoxia conditions using clinically approved PET tracers such as fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). The response of this hypoxic model to radiation therapy (10 Gy X-ray) demonstrated ∼4-fold higher radioresistance compared to the normoxic ToC model, as assessed by colony formation potential. Additionally, DNA damage observed in the normoxic ToC model was ∼5-fold higher than that in the hypoxic model. Furthermore, the metabolic consumption of glucose was found to mirror the localization of hypoxia, validating the use of this biomarker for planning radiation therapy. The integration of high-resolution radionuclide imaging within ToC models enables on-chip PET imaging and facilitates oncology research and discovery, offering innovative capabilities for the preclinical testing of novel cancer therapies in a clinically relevant environment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effect of Axis Change on Shrinkage Rate of 3D-Printed Bioceramic Zirconia Fabricated via Digital Light Processing

  Biomimetics · 2025-02-25 · 9 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Isotropic shrinkage is critical for producing dimensionally accurate prostheses using zirconia. However, the anisotropic shrinkage of 3D-printed zirconia limits its utility in clinical applications. We aimed to evaluate the impact of specimen axis alterations on the shrinkage of digital light processing (DLP)-printed zirconia. Cubes measuring 10 × 10 × 10 mm3 (similar in size to molar crowns) and cuboids measuring 10 × 10 × 20 mm (similar in size to a three-unit bridge) were manufactured using a DLP 3D printer. Zirconia specimens were pre-sintered at 1300 °C and 1400 °C. The Z-axis of some specimens was switched to the X-axis before the final sintering procedure. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis lengths of the green body, pre-sintered block, and fully sintered block were measured using digital calipers. The 3D-printed specimens showed lower shrinkage and higher deviation than the milled specimens, whose shrinkage rate was 26%. The shrinkage rates of the 3D-printed cubic specimens were 19.9% (length), 20.0% (width), and 21.99% (height), while those of the cuboidal specimens were 20.26%, 19.72%, and 21.81%, respectively. For the 3D-printed specimens, which shrink anisotropically during sintering, the axis change step had no significant impact on the shrinkage rate. In all groups, the shrinkage rate along the building direction during printing significantly exceeded that along the gravity direction during sintering.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 3D-PRINTED BIOACTIVE IMPLANT FOR ENHANCED BONE REGENERATION

  Orthopaedic Proceedings · 2025-09-15

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Repairing large bone defects remains a major clinical challenge, with far-reaching implications for patient mobility and quality of life. Each year, over half a million bone graft procedures are performed in the United States to address bone disorders caused by trauma, tumors, and infections, with more than 2 million procedures conducted globally. Autografts, harvested from the patient's own body, are utilized in over 80% of these cases due to their unparalleled osteoconductive, osteoinductive, and osteogenic properties. However, autografts carry significant limitations, including donor site morbidity, limited availability, and lengthy recovery times. Synthetic bone void fillers, while addressing some of these limitations, are used in less than 20% of cases due to their lower efficacy in promoting bone repair and regeneration. Bone tissue engineering has emerged as a transformative alternative to autografts, combining osteoconductive scaffolds, osteoinductive growth factors, and osteogenic cells to engineer functional bone tissue. The advent of 3D printing technologies has further advanced this field by enabling precise fabrication of customized, patient-specific constructs optimized for structural and biological performance. In this study, we developed a 3D-printed bioactive implant using the Hybrid Tissue Engineering Construct (HyTEC) approach. This platform integrates biodegradable polymer and bioceramic composite scaffolds with bioresorbable hydrogels for the controlled and sustained release of bone growth factor to enhance bone regeneration. The implants were systematically characterized for their mechanical properties, degradation profiles, and growth factor release kinetics. Preclinical efficacy was evaluated in rodent and sheep models of critical-sized bone defects, using advanced imaging (X-ray, micro-CT), mechanical testing, and histological analyses to assess bone regeneration. Our bioactive implants significantly accelerated bone formation, improved bone mechanical strength, and enhanced early weight-bearing capacity in clinically relevant models. These outcomes were achieved through the synergy of customized 3D-printed scaffolds and localized, sustained delivery of biological signals. The HyTEC platform demonstrates remarkable versatility, with applications extending beyond bone repair to include regeneration of soft tissues and complex interfacial structures, making it a promising solution for numerous clinical challenges. We believe this technology and the bioactive implant can also be customized to promote bone repair following core decompression in patients with osteonecrosis of the hip.

  PublisherDOI

• Injectable alginate/collagen clindamycin hydrogel for treatment of surgical site infections

  Scientific Reports · 2025-03-07 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  The current standard treatment for surgical site infections (SSIs) is marked by prolonged courses of antibiotics, which have limitations due to antibiotic resistance, systemic side effects, and poor patient adherence. We developed a novel injectable alginate/collagen clindamycin hydrogel that rapidly solidifies upon injection and allows for initial burst release followed by sustained release to maintain therapeutic levels. The rheological, morphological, and in-vitro release kinetics of the hydrogel were characterized. Furthermore, with an in-vivo murine SSI model incubated with logarithmic growth phase 1 × 105 CFU Staphylococcus aureus, one time treatment with injectable hydrogel containing 8 mg clindamycin successfully treated SSI comparable to a cumulative systemic antibiotic dose of 42 mg clindamycin. In an implant SSI model, two-time treatment with the injectable clindamycin antibiotic (16 mg total) successfully suppressed infection and prevented recalcitrant infection. To date, no group has developed a clindamycin encapsulated injectable alginate/collagen hydrogel for the treatment of infection. This tunable hydrogel may serve as an effective delivery vehicle for clinical applications in treating SSIs compared to conventionally available treatments.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Removal of Heavy Metal Ions on Lead Ion‐Imprinted Modified Polyurethane Wet‐Spun Fibers

  Polymers for Advanced Technologies · 2025-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT The molecular imprinted polymers are prepared by molecular imprinting technique with specific selectivity in target substances. To prepare high performance and specific lead ion adsorbent, hence, chitosan was used to blend polyurethane; the modified fiber was a matrix for initiating graft polymerization of acrylic acid on surface. Lead ion imprinted fibers were prepared by lead‐ion as template and epichlorohydrin in crosslinking agent. The influence of graft rate and adsorption properties of imprinted materials for lead‐ions was analyzed. The result suggests that the maximum graft rate of acrylic acid is 59.10%; hydrophilicity and stability of grafted fiber membranes are significantly improved. Furthermore, the saturated adsorption capacity of lead ion imprinted fibers reaches the maximum under 20°C nearly neutral. The relative selection coefficients of lead ion for cupric ion and cadmium ion were 2.72 and 6.06, respectively. This indicates that the imprinted fibers show specific selectivity for lead ion used for a potential adsorbent in removing heavy metal ions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Inhibiting Phase Transitions of Prussian Blue Analogs with High‐Entropy Strategy for Ultralong‐Life Sodium‐Ion Battery Cathodes

  Small · 2025-06-04 · 14 citations

  article

  Abstract Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) have garnered considerable attention due to open 3D framework and high theoretical capacity. However, unfavorable phase transitions and inherent low conductivity lead to severe capacity decay and poor rate performance. Herein, the high‐entropy (HE) concept is incorporated into PBAs to improve their electrochemical properties. By introducing four inert elements sharing N coordination site with Fe, the high‐entropy Na x (FeCuNiMgZn)[Fe(CN) 6 ] (HEPBA) is constructed. The developed high‐entropy Prussian blue analog (HEPBA) exhibits high specific capacity with cyclic stability, stable operation 2000 cycles at 1C, and superior rate performance. Experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that this high‐entropy design not only effectively inhibits phase transitions and reinforces structural stability but also activates the redox activity of low‐spin‐state Fe centers. Simultaneously, it can improve sodium‐ion diffusion by optimizing pathways and reducing energy barriers, ultimately enhancing overall performance. This strategy provides an innovative perspective that synergistically optimizes specific capacity, structural stability, and rate performance in PBAs.

  PublisherDOI

• Effect of hot working process on microstructure and properties of H13 die steel

  Journal of Physics Conference Series · 2025-02-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The H13 hot-work tool steel is renowned for its exceptional toughness, hardenability, thermal strength, and hardness, as well as its outstanding resistance to thermal fatigue and wear, which makes it a preferred choice for hot extrusion dies. This study employed a comprehensive process control methodology, including high-temperature homogenization, precision forging, high-temperature normalization, and isothermal spheroidizing annealing, to optimize the microstructure of H13 tool steel and improve mold quality. The results indicated that the macrostructure of the treated H13 steel was dense and uniform, with no observable segregation defects or impurities. The macrostructure exhibited a general porosity rating of 0.5, with both central porosity and ingot segregation also rated at 0.5. The steel matrix was characterized by a uniform spheroidized structure, with an improvement in the spheroidization grade to AS3. Additionally, segregation phenomena were significantly mitigated, leading to a more homogeneous distribution of internal elements. Post-treatment, the average impact energy of the H13 die steel ranged from 271 to 316 J, thereby satisfying the impact energy requirements established by the North American Die Casting Association for high-quality steel. The optimization of processing techniques resulted in a remarkable enhancement of the microstructure of H13 die steel, thereby significantly improving its mechanical properties.

  PublisherDOI

• Lead-free compensation mud of radiographic inspection for steel material

  2025-01-20

  article

  A type of lead-free compensation mud is designed for steel materials radiography inspection. The compensation mud is mainly composed of barium sulfate, tantalum and ultralight clay in a certain proportion. The radiation attenuation coefficient of the compensation mud is approximately same as steel. The lead-free mud is convenient and harmless to inspection, which can be moulded freely according to the shape and size of the detected object. It is considered that the film density difference between the mud and steel changes non-linearly with the proportions of the components upon the theoretical analysis. The radiography experimental data analysis shows that the respective component ratio of compensation mud should satisfy the special linear equations to acquire the same attenuation coefficient as steel. Some workpieces such as aircraft turbine blade, bolt and propeller shaft with complex shape and large mutation size have been radiography inspected with the designed mud. The negative images indicate the details of structures and defects without edge erosion effect.

  PublisherDOI

• Development of a Novel Hybprinter-SAM for Functionally Graded Tissue Engineering Constructs with Patterned and Localized Biochemical Signals

  Research Square · 2025-02-07 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01DE021468

  NIH · $1.8M · 2016

• Microengineered Osteons for Bone Tissue Engineering

  NIH · $4.8M · 2009–2020

• Systems Modeling Guided Bone regeneration

  NIH · $3.2M · 2016–2023

• Microengineered Osteons for Bone Tissue Engineering

  NIH · $242k · 2009–2017

• Vascularization in bone tissue engineering constructs

  NIH · $1.7M · 2019–2024

Frequent coauthors

• Joo L. Ong

  The University of Texas at San Antonio

  67 shared

• Lauren D. Black

  Cellular Research (United States)

  64 shared

• Josephine B. Allen

  University of Florida

  64 shared

• Suping Lyu

  University of Florida

  64 shared

• Jon Moseley

  Carnegie Mellon University

  64 shared

• Christopher J. Bettinger

  Carnegie Mellon University

  64 shared

• Jaime E. Ramı́rez-Vick

  64 shared

• Qiaobing Xu

  64 shared