Dr. Yiyu Zhang

Office Location: Pinn 4017

Email: wxy9cb at virginia.edu

Understanding the molecular mechanism during diseases is essential for developing drugs and treatments. By using genetically encoded indicators, we can visualize molecular pathways inside cells or even animals. I am interested in using genetically encoded indicators as tools to investigate the molecular mechanisms during neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease.

Current position:

Postdoctoral Research Associate 11/2020-present

Previous Education and Professional Experiences:

Ph.D. in Biological Sciences 09/2014-07/2020
Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, VA
Thesis titled “RelA/p65 blocks histone deacetylase-3 neurotoxicity and protects neurons against neuronal death induced by poly Q-expanded huntingtin and ataxin-1 in a p65 phospho S276 dependent manner.”

B.S. Biological Sciences 09/2010-07/2014
China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

Publications:

Li X†, Zhang Y†, Ai HW. Ratiometric Imaging of Mitochondrial Hydrogen Peroxide in Aβ42-Mediated Neurotoxicity. ACS Sens. 2022 Mar 25;7(3):722-729. †Co-first authors.

Tian X, Zhang Y, Li X, Xiong Y, Wu T, Ai HW. A luciferase prosubstrate and a red bioluminescent calcium indicator for imaging neuronal activity in mice. Nat Commun. 2022 Jul 8;13(1):3967.

Ying Xiong, Yiyu Zhang, Zefan Li, Md Shamim Reza, Xinyu Li, Xiaodong Tian, and Hui-wang Ai. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2022 144 (31), 14101-14111.