Dr. Dongshan Yang has over 20 years of experience working in the genetic engineering of large animals as human disease models. He is one of the key members of the Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics at UM since 2012. He has specific training and expertise in embryo manipulation, genome editing, and cell and molecular biology techniques, and developed novel methods to improve efficiency of transgenic, multiple gene transgenic, gene knock-out (KO), and knock-in (KI) technologies in cattle, pigs and rabbits. Dr. Yang was the first to apply the novel Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) technology in pig genome editing and the first to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology in rabbit genome editing. He has published over 50 scientific papers and inventions. More than 40 gene knock-out/knock-in rabbit models for human diseases, including eye diseases, cardiovascular diseases, immunodeficient, and neurodegenerative diseases, have been established in his hands. His research currently focused on the development of novel gene-editing therapy using the genetic modified large animal models he has established.