Postdoctoral fellow
BS, Zhengzhou University, China
PhD, Peking University, China
I am interested in the mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Using Drosophila as my primary model system, I investigate the roles of disease-associated genes in the onset and progression of neurodegeneration. I am also interested in rare diseases, aiming to better understand neurodegenerative processes by exploring the association between identified clinical phenotypes and their underlying genetic variations.
Deng M, Ma M, Gomez VA, Zhao J, Lu S, Hannan SB, Baskin S, Khan A, Latner DR, Hiatt SM, Cooper GM, Parker MJ, Carroll T, Wortmann SB, Mayr JA, Boczek NJ, Rasmussen K, Kahn E, Lanpher B, Nava C, Courtin T, Gu M, Ma L, Zhao Y, Hashimoto H, Yamamoto S, Liu Z, Shulman JM, The Community Texome, Wangler MF#, Bellen HJ# (2026). Monoallelic variants in BRSK1 are associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder with or without epilepsy The American Journal of Human Genetics 28 S0002-9297(26)00346-0 Abstract
Lu S, Ma M, Hannan SB, Deng M, Chen H, Yu Z, Goodman LD, Kim H, Zhao Y, Dubey SK, Lin WW, Pan X, Dutta D, Cuddapah VA, Rosenfeld JA, Luo X, Liu Z, Shulman JM#, Bellen HJ# (2026). Digenic variants that affect an actin-mitochondria-glutamate pathway cause epilepsy Journal of Clinical Investigation 136(17) e198696 Abstract
Zhao Y*, Xiong C*, Wang B, Li D, Liu J, Wei S, Hou Y, Zhou Y#, Zheng R# (2025). The Discovery of Phages in the Substantia Nigra and Its Implication for Parkinson's Disease Research 8 0657 Abstract
Wang B, Hu Z, Cui L, Zhao M, Su Z, Jiang Y, Liu J, Zhao Y, Hou Y, Yang X, Zhang C, Guo B, Li D, Zhao L, Zheng S, Zhao Y, Yang W, Wang D, Yu S, Zhu S, Yan Y, Yuan G, Li K, Zhang W, Qin L, Zhang W, Sun F, Luo J, Zheng R (2024). BetaAR-mTOR-lipin1 pathway mediates PKA-RIIBeta deficiency-induced adipose browning Theranostics 14(13) 5316-5335 Abstract
Zhao Y, Wang B, Zhao M, Liu J, Hou Y, Wei S, Xiong C, Li D, Zheng R (2024). Age-related decline of PKA-RIIBeta level in SNc dopaminergic neurons underlies PD pathogenesis bioRxiv DOI 10.1101/2024.09.13.612981
Liu J, Wang B, Su Z, Han X, He M, Zhao Y, Hou Y, Li D, Zhang W, Qin L, Wang K, Li Y, Yan Y, Yu S, Huang X, Yuwen T, Zheng R (2024). Identification of leptolin as a novel anti-obesity adipokine bioRxiv DOI 10.1101/2024.09.03.610963
Wang B, Zhao M, Su Z, Jin B, Yang X, Zhang C, Guo B, Li J, Hong W, Liu J, Zhao Y, Hou Y, Lai F, Zhang W, Qin L, Zhang W, Luo J, Zheng R (2023). RIIBeta-PKA in GABAergic Neurons of Dorsal Median Hypothalamus Governs White Adipose Browning Advanced Science 10(5) e2205173 Abstract
Zhao M, Wang B, Zhang C, Su Z, Guo B, Zhao Y, Zheng R (2021). The DJ1-Nrf2-STING axis mediates the neuroprotective effects of Withaferin A in Parkinson's disease Cell Death & Differentiation 28(8) 2517-2535 Abstract
Li X, Yang L, Mao Z, Pan X, Zhao Y, Gu X, Eckel-mahan K, Zuo Z, Tong Q, Hartig SM, Cheng X, Du G, Moore DD, Bellen HJ, Sesaki H, Sun K (2020). Novel role of dynamin-related-protein 1 in dynamics of ER-lipid droplets in adipose tissue The FASEB Journal 34(6) 8265-8282 Abstract
Ren X, Zhao Y, Xue F, Zheng Y, Huang H, Wang W, Chang Y, Yang H, Zhang J (2019). Exosomal DNA Aptamer Targeting alpha-Synuclein Aggregates Reduced Neuropathological Deficits in a Mouse Parkinson's Disease Model Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids 17 726-740 Abstract