Zhang has published more than 180 highly influential papers. These studies have been cited over 88,000 times (
H-index 121),[12] making him one of the top 10 authors of high impact papers in the fields of molecular biology and genetics[13] (ScienceWatch 2008), and one of the "most influential scientific minds"[14] (ScienceWatch 2014). He was also a Founder of Epizyme, and NewStem (Natick, MA). His current efforts are focused on the molecular mechanism of embryonic development & reprogramming, brain reward-related learning & memory, pancreatic cancer.
Zhang has made several landmark discoveries in the fields of
epigenetics,
chromatin and developmental reprogramming.
Zhang was the first to show JmjC domain is a signature motif for
histone demethylases.[23] He not only worked out the
demethylation mechanism, but also demonstrated that JmjC demethylases can demethylate trimethyl state.[24] Zhang went on to show the diverse function of histone demethylases in
spermatogenesis,[25]metabolism,[26]cancer,[27][28]iPSC generation,[29] and
somatic cell nuclear transfer reprogramming.[30][31] The last finding overcomes a major barrier in SCNT cloning, contributing to the success of the first primate cloning by a team of Chinese scientists[32]
Zhang not only discovered 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) in mammalian genomic DNA, but also elucidated the DNA demethylation mechanism by demonstrating that
Tet proteins can sequentially oxidize
5-methylcytosine (5mC) to
5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC),[33] 5fC, and 5caC[34] in a cyclic manner in mouse embryonic stem cells.[35] He continued to reveal the function of Tet proteins in
zygotic DNA demethylation,[36][37]germ cell development,[38] and
genomic imprinting erasure[39]
Zhang contributed to the understanding of the molecular events during mammalian
embryogenesis by uncovering an important function of de novo nucleosome assembly in nuclear pore complex formation,[40] identifying key factors for
zygotic genome activation,[41] revealing a new mechanism of genomic imprinting[42] and imprinted
X-inactivation,[43][44] as well as the role of this new imprinting mechanism in SCNT cloning[45]
Zhang has published more than 180 highly influential papers. These studies have been cited over 88,000 times (
H-index 121),[12] making him one of the top 10 authors of high impact papers in the fields of molecular biology and genetics[13] (ScienceWatch 2008), and one of the "most influential scientific minds"[14] (ScienceWatch 2014). He was also a Founder of Epizyme, and NewStem (Natick, MA). His current efforts are focused on the molecular mechanism of embryonic development & reprogramming, brain reward-related learning & memory, pancreatic cancer.
Zhang has made several landmark discoveries in the fields of
epigenetics,
chromatin and developmental reprogramming.
Zhang was the first to show JmjC domain is a signature motif for
histone demethylases.[23] He not only worked out the
demethylation mechanism, but also demonstrated that JmjC demethylases can demethylate trimethyl state.[24] Zhang went on to show the diverse function of histone demethylases in
spermatogenesis,[25]metabolism,[26]cancer,[27][28]iPSC generation,[29] and
somatic cell nuclear transfer reprogramming.[30][31] The last finding overcomes a major barrier in SCNT cloning, contributing to the success of the first primate cloning by a team of Chinese scientists[32]
Zhang not only discovered 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) in mammalian genomic DNA, but also elucidated the DNA demethylation mechanism by demonstrating that
Tet proteins can sequentially oxidize
5-methylcytosine (5mC) to
5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC),[33] 5fC, and 5caC[34] in a cyclic manner in mouse embryonic stem cells.[35] He continued to reveal the function of Tet proteins in
zygotic DNA demethylation,[36][37]germ cell development,[38] and
genomic imprinting erasure[39]
Zhang contributed to the understanding of the molecular events during mammalian
embryogenesis by uncovering an important function of de novo nucleosome assembly in nuclear pore complex formation,[40] identifying key factors for
zygotic genome activation,[41] revealing a new mechanism of genomic imprinting[42] and imprinted
X-inactivation,[43][44] as well as the role of this new imprinting mechanism in SCNT cloning[45]