Wonnie Ryu, MD, MPH
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Skin Transcriptomics Reveal Shared Molecular Mechanisms for Skin and Lung Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis
Zielonka J, Li N, Liu Y, Yan X, Wang Z, Ramirez M, Figueroa A, Korde A, Yin H, Britto C, Singh I, Sun H, Herzog E, Feghali‐Bostwick C, Hinchcliff M, Ryu C, Gomez J. Skin Transcriptomics Reveal Shared Molecular Mechanisms for Skin and Lung Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2026 PMID: 41930625, DOI: 10.1002/art.70163.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSSc-ILDSystemic sclerosisStromal cellsMultiorgan involvementSSc-related interstitial lung diseaseKRAS pathwaySevere multiorgan involvementSystemic sclerosis skinInterstitial lung diseaseCutaneous signaturesLung involvementDysregulated immunityCause of deathGene Set Enrichment AnalysisImmune cellsProgressive fibrosisSkin fibrosisLung fibrosisSingle-cell RNA sequencingLung diseaseMicrovascular damageLung impairmentLung functionGene correlation analysisKRAS
2025
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase expression is enhanced in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease and stimulates inflammatory myofibroblast activation
Yu S, Hu B, Sun Y, Peng X, Lee C, Woo S, McGovern J, Zielonka J, Saber T, Ghincea A, Gandhi S, Walia A, Pivarnik T, Ishikawa G, Shao S, Sun H, Gunes B, Kujawski S, Perez S, Odell W, Hinchcliff M, Varga J, Feghali-Bostwick C, Sauler M, Gomez J, Ryu C, Herzog E. Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase expression is enhanced in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease and stimulates inflammatory myofibroblast activation. European Respiratory Journal 2025, 66: 2401564. PMID: 40374521, PMCID: PMC12332468, DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01564-2024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrecision cut lung slicesSSc-ILD lung tissuesType 1 interferonSSc-ILDProduction of cytokinesBronchoalveolar lavageHuman precision cut lung slicesLung tissueLung fibroblastsLungs of patientsInterstitial lung diseasePulmonary fibrosis modelBleomycin mouse modelIsolated lung fibroblastsCultured fibroblastsPerturbs innate immunityFibrotic stimuliSingle cell RNA sequencing datasetsSystemic sclerosisHuman lung fibroblastsLung diseaseMouse modelCyclic GMP-AMP synthaseFibrosis modelTherapeutic approachesDamage sensing through TLR9 regulates inflammatory and antiviral responses during influenza infection
Kim J, Yuan Y, Agaronyan K, Zhao A, Wang V, Gau D, Toosi N, Gupta G, Essayas H, Kaminski A, McGovern J, Yu S, Woo S, Lee C, Gandhi S, Saber T, Saleh T, Hu B, Sun Y, Ishikawa G, Bain W, Evankovich J, Chen L, Yun H, Herzog E, Dela Cruz C, Ryu C, Sharma L. Damage sensing through TLR9 regulates inflammatory and antiviral responses during influenza infection. Mucosal Immunology 2025, 18: 537-548. PMID: 39884393, PMCID: PMC12205908, DOI: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2025.01.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchToll-like receptor 9Anti-influenza immunityToll-like receptor 9 activationImpaired viral clearanceViral clearanceMyeloid cellsTissue injuryInflammatory responseInfluenza infectionPersistent inflammationLung injuryTissue damageToll-like receptor 9 deficiencyReceptor 9Toll-like receptor 9 signalingToll-like receptor 9 ligandInfection of immune cellsInfluenza-infected individualsPersistent lung injuryTLR9-/- miceInfected myeloid cellsInflammatory lung injurySensing tissue damageUnmethylated CpG DNA sequencesMitochondrial DNAToll-like Receptor 9 Inhibition Mitigates Fibroproliferative Responses in Translational Models of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Trujillo G, Regueiro-Ren A, Liu C, Hu B, Sun Y, Ahangari F, Fiorini V, Ishikawa G, Al Jumaily K, Khoury J, McGovern J, Lee C, Peng X, Pivarnik T, Sun H, Walia A, Woo S, Yu S, Antin-Ozerkis D, Sauler M, Kaminski N, Herzog E, Ryu C. Toll-like Receptor 9 Inhibition Mitigates Fibroproliferative Responses in Translational Models of Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: 91-102. PMID: 39189851, PMCID: PMC11755360, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202401-0065oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchToll-like receptor 9Model of pulmonary fibrosisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisFibroproliferative responseLung diseaseIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cohortsExpression of toll-like receptor 9Toll-like receptor 9 activationTransplant-free survivalExpression of MCP-1Cohort of patientsSlow clinical progressionFibrotic lung diseaseAccelerated disease courseFatal lung diseaseIP-10Pharmacodynamic endpointsPreclinical modelsDisease courseClinical progressionPlasma mtDNAMCP-1Receptor 9Mouse model
2024
Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Novel Immune Perturbations in Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.
Zhao A, Unterman A, Abu Hussein N, Sharma P, Nikola F, Flint J, Yan X, Adams T, Justet A, Sumida T, Zhao J, Schupp J, Raredon M, Ahangari F, Deluliis G, Zhang Y, Buendia-Roldan I, Adegunsoye A, Sperling A, Prasse A, Ryu C, Herzog E, Selman M, Pardo A, Kaminski N. Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Novel Immune Perturbations in Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2024, 210: 1252-1266. PMID: 38924775, PMCID: PMC11568434, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202401-0078oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPeripheral blood mononuclear cellsBronchoalveolar lavage cellsBlood mononuclear cellsClassical monocytesHypersensitivity pneumonitisPulmonary fibrosisT cellsImmune perturbationsLavage cellsMononuclear cellsCD8+ T cellsCytotoxic T cellsInterstitial lung diseaseHypersensitivity pneumonitis patientsCytotoxic CD4Immune aberrationsPneumonic patientsPneumonitisLung diseaseHealthy controlsImmune mechanismsPatient cellsSingle-cell transcriptomicsRetraction: Chitinase 1 regulates pulmonary fibrosis by modulating TGF-β/SMAD7 pathway via TGFBRAP1 and FOXO3
Lee C, He C, Park J, Lee J, Kamle S, Ma B, Akosman B, Cortez R, Chen E, Zhou Y, Herzog E, Ryu C, Peng X, Rosas I, Poli S, Bostwick C, Choi A, Elias J, Lee C. Retraction: Chitinase 1 regulates pulmonary fibrosis by modulating TGF-β/SMAD7 pathway via TGFBRAP1 and FOXO3. Life Science Alliance 2024, 7: e202402987. PMID: 39209538, PMCID: PMC11361373, DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202402987.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSingle-Cell Profiling Reveals Immune Aberrations in Progressive Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Unterman A, Zhao A, Neumark N, Schupp J, Ahangari F, Cosme C, Sharma P, Flint J, Stein Y, Ryu C, Ishikawa G, Sumida T, Gomez J, Herazo-Maya J, Dela Cruz C, Herzog E, Kaminski N. Single-Cell Profiling Reveals Immune Aberrations in Progressive Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2024, 210: 484-496. PMID: 38717443, PMCID: PMC11351796, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202306-0979oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStable idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPeripheral blood mononuclear cellsProgressive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPeripheral immune systemT cellsPulmonary fibrosisCohort of IPF patientsAssociated with decreased survivalIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patientsPeripheral blood mononuclear cell samplesPeripheral blood cell populationsImmune systemFraction of TregsRegulatory T cellsBlood mononuclear cellsBlood cell populationsFlow cytometry analysisImmune aberrationsIPF patientsTregsMononuclear cellsSingle-cell RNA sequencingLung homogenatesMonocyte chemoattractantPlasma collagen neoepitopes are associated with multiorgan disease in the ACCESS and GRADS sarcoidosis cohorts
Sand J, Jessen H, Leeming D, Yu S, Lee C, Hu B, Sun Y, Adams T, Pivarnik T, Liu A, Woo S, McGovern J, Fiorini V, Saber T, Higuero-Sevilla J, Gulati M, Kaminski N, Damsky W, Shaw A, Mohanty S, Goobie G, Zhang Y, Herzog E, Ryu C. Plasma collagen neoepitopes are associated with multiorgan disease in the ACCESS and GRADS sarcoidosis cohorts. Thorax 2024, 79: 1136-1144. PMID: 39117421, PMCID: PMC12147189, DOI: 10.1136/thorax-2023-221095.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSarcoidosis cohortMultiorgan diseasePRO-C3Interleukin-4Case Control Etiologic Study of SarcoidosisPlasma levels of interleukin-4Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiencyLevels of interleukin-4Pathogenesis of sarcoidosisC6MC3MHealthy control patientsStudy of sarcoidosisGenomic researchAbnormal extracellular matrixAssociated with dermatological diseaseCollagen degradationScadding stageCorticosteroid useComplex diseasesPRO-C6Control patientsIL-13IL-5IL-9Intranasal neomycin evokes broad-spectrum antiviral immunity in the upper respiratory tract
Mao T, Kim J, Peña-Hernández M, Valle G, Moriyama M, Luyten S, Ott I, Gomez-Calvo M, Gehlhausen J, Baker E, Israelow B, Slade M, Sharma L, Liu W, Ryu C, Korde A, Lee C, Monteiro V, Lucas C, Dong H, Yang Y, Initiative Y, Gopinath S, Wilen C, Palm N, Dela Cruz C, Iwasaki A, Vogels C, Hahn A, Chen N, Breban M, Koch T, Chaguza C, Tikhonova I, Castaldi C, Mane S, De Kumar B, Ferguson D, Kerantzas N, Peaper D, Landry M, Schulz W, Grubaugh N. Intranasal neomycin evokes broad-spectrum antiviral immunity in the upper respiratory tract. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2319566121. PMID: 38648490, PMCID: PMC11067057, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319566121.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInterferon-stimulated genesRespiratory infectionsStrains of influenza A virusTreatment of respiratory viral infectionsRespiratory virus infectionsInfluenza A virusMouse model of COVID-19Respiratory viral infectionsNeomycin treatmentExpression of interferon-stimulated genesUpper respiratory infectionInterferon-stimulated gene expressionLower respiratory infectionsBroad spectrum of diseasesAdministration of neomycinRespiratory viral diseasesDisease to patientsUpper respiratory tractIntranasal deliveryCongenic miceIntranasal applicationNasal mucosaSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2A virus
2023
Circulating Mitochondrial DNA Is Associated With High Levels of Fatigue in Two Independent Sarcoidosis Cohorts
Fiorini V, Hu B, Sun Y, Yu S, McGovern J, Gandhi S, Woo S, Turcotte-Foster S, Pivarnik T, Khan Z, Adams T, Herzog E, Kaminski N, Gulati M, Ryu C. Circulating Mitochondrial DNA Is Associated With High Levels of Fatigue in Two Independent Sarcoidosis Cohorts. Chest 2023, 165: 1174-1185. PMID: 37977267, PMCID: PMC11110677, DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.11.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPatient-related outcome measuresToll-like receptor 9Fatigue Assessment ScalePlasma mtDNA concentrationsTLR9 activationSarcoidosis patientsMtDNA concentrationsMulti-organ sarcoidosisCommon chief complaintInnate immune activationNovel therapeutic strategiesDomains of fatigueSevere clinical phenotypePsychobiologic mechanismsSarcoidosis cohortScadding stageCorticosteroid useCytokine levelsExtrapulmonary diseaseProspective cohortFAS scoresPulmonary fibrosisChief complaintImmune activationPatient population
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Wonnie Ryu, MD, is a specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine who focuses on diagnosing and treating lung conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a scarring disorder of the lungs with no known cause) and sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease that can affect the lungs and other organs).
As an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Ryu studies how certain genetic material, called extracellular mitochondrial DNA, may be used to predict survival outcomes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and identify clinical features in sarcoidosis. He also investigates how this genetic material could contribute to lung damage in interstitial lung diseases.
Dr. Ryu received his medical training from New York Medical College and completed his residency, including a year as chief resident, at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He further specialized with a fellowship in pulmonary critical care at Yale School of Medicine.
Fact Sheets
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
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Board Certifications
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine)
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2020
Pulmonary Disease
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2017
Internal Medicine
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2012
Yale Medicine News
News
News
- December 15, 2025
The Future of Medicine: Physician-Scientists and Mentorship
- May 09, 2025
Ryu To Receive ATS Rising Star Award
- August 21, 2024
Unique Immune Profile Identified in Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
- February 15, 2024
Translational Research in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
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