研究方向：
主要运用膜片钳技术、共聚焦显微镜、电子显微镜、细胞分子生物学、生物化学及药理学方法，从分子水平深入阐明胰岛素分泌机制、导致胰岛素分泌功能异常的因素及其机制、引起胰岛β细胞死亡的因素及其机制及探索维持胰岛β细胞正常功能、纠正其功能异常、促进其再生及存活的有效方法。其中最重要的一个研究方向是胰岛β细胞信号传导，集中在β细胞离子通道、胞吐和胞吞的调节和磷酸化肌醇化合物信号传导。另外一个研究方向是β细胞再生，主要探讨利用肝细胞、小肠上皮细胞和胰腺导管细胞来再生胰岛素分泌细胞的有效方法，从而为一型糖尿病细胞替代疗法提供充足的、高质量的细胞来源。完成上述研究工作将进一步加深人们对胰岛素分泌机制的认识，将在更高层次上阐明糖尿病发病机理，对糖尿病预防和治疗具有极其重要的意义。
近年来科研成果：
先后完成二十几项瑞典著名科研基金会资助的项目。在胰岛β细胞信号传导研究领域取得了重要成果。首次证明钙通道β3亚基对肌醇三磷酸信号传导的调节作用;率先发现β细胞胞吐蛋白与钙通道相互作用;首次证明葡萄糖募集三磷酸腺苷敏感性钾通道到β细胞膜等。研究成果陆续发表在Cell、Science、Cell Metab、Endocr Rev、Dev Cell、J Clin Invest、Proc Natl Acad Sci USA、Diabetes等国际一流期刊。影响因子总和已超过300，被SCI收录的期刊引用了800余次。
1. Requirement of inositol pyrophosphates for full exocytotic capacity in pancreatic β-cells; Science; 2007 in press; Christopher Illies, Jesper Gromada, Roberta Fiume, Barbara Leibiger, Jia Yu, Kristine Juhl, Shao-Nian Yang, Deb K. Barma, John R. Falck, Adolfo Saiardi, Christopher J. Barker and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 30.028).
2. Glucose recruits KATP channels via non-insulin-containing dense-core granules; Cell Metabolism; 6(3):217-228; 2007; Shao-Nian Yang*, Nancy Dekki Wenna, Jia Yu, Guang Yang, Hua Qiu, Lina Yu, Lisa Juntti-Berggren, Martin Kohler and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 16.710).
3. The role of voltage-gated calcium channels in pancreatic β-cell physiology and pathophysiology; Endocrine Reviews; 27(6):621-676; 2006; Shao-Nian Yang* and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 23.901).
4. Transthyretin constitutes a functional component in pancreatic β-cell stimulus-secretion coupling; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; 102(47):17020-17025; 2005; Essam Refai, Nancy Dekki, Shao-Nian Yang, Gabriela Imreh, Over Cabrera, Lina Yu, Guang Yang, Svante Norgren, Sophia M. Rossner, Luca Inverardi, Camillo Ricordi, Gunilla Olivecrona, Mats Andersson, Hans Jorvall, Per-Olof Berggren and Lisa Juntti-Berggren (IF 9.643).
5. A novel regulated exocytotic pathway mediates glucose-induced KATP channel recruitment to the β-cell plasma membrane; Diabetologia; 48(S1):A67; 2005; Shao-Nian Yang, Nancy F. Dekki, Lina Yu, Hua Qiu, Lisa Juntti-Berggren, Martin Kohler and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 5.247).
6. β-Cell CaV channel regulation in physiology and pathophysiology; American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism; 288(1):E16-E28; 2005; Shao-Nian Yang and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 4.123).
7. CaV2.3 channel and PKCλ: new players in insulin secretion; Journal of Clinical Investigation; 115(1):16-20; 2005; Shao-Nian Yang and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 15.754).
8. Removal of Ca2+ channel β3 subunit enhances Ca2+-oscillation frequency and insulin exocytosis; Cell; 119(2):273-284; 2004; Per-Olof Berggren, Shao-Nian Yang, Manabu Murakami, Alexander M. Efanov, Sabine Uhles, Martin Kohler, Tilo Moede, Andreas Fernstrom, Ioulia B. Appelskog, Craig A. Aspinwall, Sergei V. Zaitsev, Olof Larsson, Lina Moitoso de Vargas, Claudia Fecher-Trost, Petra Weissgerber, Andreas Ludwig, Barbara Leibiger, Lisa Juntti-Berggren, Christopher J. Barker, Jesper Gromada, Marc Freichel, Ingo B. Leibiger and Veit Flockerzi (IF 29.194).
9. Apolipoprotein CIII promotes Ca2+-dependent β cell death in type 1 diabetes; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; 101(27):10090-10094; 2004; Lisa Juntti-Berggren, Essam Refai, Ioulia Appelskog, Mats Andersson, Gabriela Imreh, Nancy Dekki, Sabine Uhles, Lina Yu, William J. Griffiths, Sergei Zaitsev, Ingo Leibiger, Shao-Nian Yang, Gunilla Olivecrona, Hans Jornvall and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 9.643).
10. Growth hormone promotes Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in insulin-secreting cells by ryanodine receptor tyrosine phosphorylation; Molecular Endocrinologuy; 18(7):1658-1669; 2004; Qimin Zhang, Martin Kohler, Shao-Nian Yang, Fan Zhang, Olof Larsson and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 4.967).
11. Cytosolic multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase in the regulation of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration; Journal of Biological Chemistry; 278(47):46210-46218; 2003; Jia Yu, Barbara Leibiger, Shao-Nian Yang, James J. Caffery, Stephen B. Shears, Ingo B. Leibiger, Christopher J. Barker and Per-Olof Berggren (IF 5.808).
12. Glucose-induced translocation of KATP channel SUR1 and Kir6.2 subunits in β-cells from ob/ob mice; Diabetologia; 46(S2):A161; 2003; Nancy F. Dekki, Martin Kohler, Per-Olof Berggren and Shao-Nian Yang (IF 5.247).
13. Suppression of β cell energy metabolism and insulin release by PGC-1α; Developmental Cell; 5(1):73-83; 2003; J. Cliff Yoon, Gang Xu, Jude T. Deeney, Shao-Nian Yang, James Rhee, Pere Puigserver, Adah R. Levens, Ruojing Yang, Chen-Yu Zhang, Bradford B. Lowell, Per-Olof Berggren, Christopher B. Newgard, Susan Bonner-Weir, Gordon Weir and Bruce M. Spiegelman (IF 13.523).
14. Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase serves as a metabolic sensor and regulates priming of secretory granules in pancreatic β cells; Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the Untied States of America; 100(9):5187-5192; 2003; Hervor L. Olsen, Marianne Hoy, Wei Zhang, Alejandro M. Bertorello, Krister Bokvist, Kirsten Capito, Alexander M. Efanov, Bjorn Meister, Peter Thams, Shao-Nian Yang, Patrik Rorsman, Per-Olof Berggren and Jesper Gromada (IF 9.643).
15. Modulation of L-type Ca2+ channels by distinct domains within SNAP-25; Diabetes 51(5):1425-1436; 2002; Junzhi Ji, Shao-Nian Yang, Xiaohang Huang, Xidan Li, Laura Sheu, Nicholas Diamant, Per-Olof Berggren and Herbert Y. Gaisano (IF 7.955).
