General
Dr. Zhang is a Professor from Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interest has been focusing on the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of immunological and neurological disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease. He has published more than 40 papers in journals including National Science Review, PNAS, Alzheimer's Dementia, American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Neuropsychopharmacology, Neurobiology of Aging, Molecular Neurobiology, and British Journal of Psychiatry. Using next generation sequencing and integrative omics approaches, he identified some notable risk genes for Alzheimer's disease, such as C7 (National Science Review 2019), CFH (Neuropsychopharmacology 2016), and YAP1 (Alzheimer's Dementia 2018). His long-term goal is trying to improve the understanding and treatment of neurodegeneration.

Research Areas

Genetic basis of Alzheimer's disease

Education

2010.09 – 2015.12, Ph. D.; Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese  Academy of Sciences.

2006.09 – 2010.07, B.S.; School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology

Experience

   
Work Experience

2021.01 – current, Professor; Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

2018.01 – 2020.12, Associate Professor; Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

2016.01 – 2017.12, Assistant Professor; Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Publications

1.        Zhang D-F#,*, Li H-L#, Zheng Q, Bi R, Xu M, Wang D, Zhu G-P, Li Y-Y, Yao Y-G*. 2021. Mapping leprosy-associated coding variants of interleukin genes by targeted sequencing. Clinical Genetics, 99: 802-811.

2.        Zhang D-F*, Wang D, Li Y-Y, Yao Y-G*.2020. Is there an antagonistic pleiotropic effect of a LRRK2 mutation on leprosy and Parkinson's disease? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117: 10122 - 10123.

3.        Zhang D-F#, Fan Y#, Xu M#, Wang G, Wang D, Li J, Kong L-L, Zhou H, Luo R, Bi R, Wu Y, Li G-D, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Li M, Luo X-J, Jiang H-Y, Tan L, Zhong C, Fang Y, Zhang C, Sheng N, Jiang T, Yao Y-G*. 2019. Complement C7 is a novel risk gene for Alzheimer's disease in Han Chinese. National Science Review, 6: 257 - 274.

4.        Zhang D-F*, Xu M, Bi R, Yao Y-G*. 2019. Genetic Analyses of Alzheimer's Disease in China: Achievements and Perspectives. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 10:890 – 901.

5.        Wang G#, Zhang D-F#, Jiang H-Y#, Fan Y, Ma L, Shen Z, Bi R, Xu M, Tan L, Shan B*, Yao Y -G*, Feng T*. 2019. Mutation and association analyses of dementia-causal genes in Han Chinese patients with early-onset and familial Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 113: 141 - 147.

6.        Xu M#, Zhang D-F#,*, Luo R, Wu Y, Zhou H, Kong L-L, Bi R, Yao Y-G*. 2018. A systematic integrated analysis of brain expression profiles reveals YAP1 and other prioritized hub genes as important upstream regulators in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 14: 215 - 229.

7.        Zhang D-F, Fan Y, Wang D, Bi R, Zhang C, Fang Y, Yao Y-G*. 2016. PLD3 in Alzheimer's disease: a modest effect as revealed by updated association and expression analyses. Molecular Neurobiology, 53: 4034 - 4045.

8.        Zhang D-F, Li J, Wu H, Cui Y, Bi R, Zhou H-J, Wang H-Z, Zhang C, Wang D, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Kong Q-P, Li T, Fang Y, Jiang T*, Yao Y-G*. 2016. CFH variants affect structural and functional brain changes and genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychopharmacology, 41: 1034 - 1045.

9.        Wang D#, Fan Y#, Malhi M#, Bi R#, Wu Y, Xu M, Yu X-F, Long H, Li Y-Y, Zhang D-F*, Yao Y-G*. 2018. Missense Variants in HIF1A and LACC1 Contribute to Leprosy Risk in Han Chinese. American Journal of Human Genetics, 102: 794 - 805.

10.    Zhang C#, Zhang D-F#, Wu Z-G, Peng D-H, Chen J, Ni J, Tang W, Xu L, Yao Y-G*, Fang Y-R*. 2016. Complement factor H and susceptibility to major depressive disorder in Han Chinese. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 208: 446 - 452.

11.    Ni H#, Xu M#, Zhan G-L#, Fan Y, Zhou H, Jiang H-Y, Lu W-H, Tan L, Zhang D-F*, Yao, Y-G*, Zhang C*. 2018. The GWAS risk genes for depression may be actively involved in Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 64: 1149 - 1161.

12.    Zhang D-F*, Wang D, Li Y-Y, Yao Y-G*. 2016. Integrative analyses of leprosy susceptibility genes indicate a common autoimmune profile. Journal of Dermatological Science, 82: 18 - 27.

13.    Xiang Y-L#, Zhang D-F#, Wang D, Li Y-Y*, Yao Y-G*. 2015. Common variants of OPA1 conferring genetic susceptibility to leprosy in Han Chinese from Southwest China. Journal of Dermatological Science, 80: 133 - 141.

14.    Zhang D-F, Wang D, Li Y-Y*, Yao Y-G*. 2014. Mapping genetic variants in the CFH gene for association with leprosy in Han Chinese. Genes and Immunity, 15: 506 - 510.

15. Zhang D-F, Huang X-Q, Wang D, Li Y-Y, Yao Y-G*. 2013. Genetic variants of complement genes Ficolin-2, Mannose-binding lectin and Complement factor H are associated with leprosy in Han Chinese from Southwest China. Human Genetics, 132: 629 - 640.

Students

现指导学生

曾春华  硕士研究生  071007-遗传学