- Associate Professor, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine
We are a synthetic biology and bioengineering lab focused on developing technologies that enable remote and programmable control of protein activity, cell signaling and designer cells. We pioneer chemical and synthetic biology approaches to address challenges in health and disease. We are particularly interested in (i) illuminating novel regulatory mechanisms of signal transduction that remain unresolved in Ca2+ signaling and inter-organelle communications; (ii) pioneering widely-applicable molecular tools for precise control of cellular events, (epi)genome engineering, and gene transcription; and (iii) developing innovative theranostic devices, programmable biologics and intelligent cell-based therapies (CAR-T) for cancer and neurodegeneration intervention. The tight integration among mechanistic studies, biomedical engineering, and translational sciences is a hallmark of my research. See highlights in: "Let there be light" (Scientia); "Optogenetics sparks new research tool" (NIH Biomedical Beat)
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, Georgia State University - (Atlanta, Georgia, United States) 2008
- M.S. in Chemistry, Georgia State University - (Atlanta, Georgia, United States) 2007
- M.D. in Internal Medicine, Zhejiang University - (Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China) 2003
Academic Articles99
- Nguyen, N. T., Huang, K., Zeng, H., Jing, J. i., Wang, R., Fang, S., ... Zhou, Y. (2021). Nano-optogenetic engineering of CAR T cells for precision immunotherapy with enhanced safety. Nature Nanotechnology. 16(12), 1424-1434.
- He, L., Huang, Z., Huang, K., Chen, R., Nguyen, N. T., Wang, R., ... Jing, J. i. (2021). Optogenetic Control of Non‐Apoptotic Cell Death. Advanced Science. 8(13), 2100424-2100424.
- He, L., Tan, P., Zhu, L., Huang, K., Nguyen, N. T., Wang, R., ... Zhou, Y. (2021). Circularly permuted LOV2 as a modular photoswitch for optogenetic engineering.. Nat Chem Biol. 17(8), 915-923.
- He, L., Tan, P., Huang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2021). Design of Smart Antibody Mimetics with Photosensitive Switches.. Adv Biol (Weinh). 5(5), e2000541-2000541.
- Tan, P., He, L., & Zhou, Y. (2021). Engineering Supramolecular Organizing Centers for Optogenetic Control of Innate Immune Responses.. Adv Biol (Weinh). 5(5), e2000147-2000147.
Chapters7
- Mao, J., Lin, E., He, L., Yu, J., Tan, P., & Zhou, Y. (2019). Autophagy and Viral Infection.. MATHEMATICAL MODELLING IN EXPERIMENTAL NUTRITION. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 55-78. Springer Singapore.
- Ma, G., He, L., Jing, J. i., Tan, P., Huang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2018). Engineered Cross-Linking to Study the Pore Architecture of the CRAC Channel.. Methods Mol Biol. The CRAC Channel. 147-166. Springer New York.
- Zhang, S., He, L., Zhou, Y., & Wang, Y. (2018). Fluorescence-Based Ratiometric Measurement of CRAC Channel Activity in STIM-Orai-Overexpressing HEK-293 Cells.. Methods Mol Biol. The CRAC Channel. 17-39. Springer New York.
- Zhang, Y., Zheng, S., Zhou, Y., Gill, D. L., & Wang, Y. (2018). Patch-Clamp Recording of the CRAC Channel Current in STIM-Orai Overexpressing Cells.. Methods Mol Biol. The CRAC Channel. 1-16. Springer New York.
- He, L., Zhang, Q., Zhou, Y., & Huang, Y. (2017). Calcium Entry Channels in Non-Excitable Cells. Kozak, J. A., & Putney, J. W. (Eds.), Calcium Entry Channels in Non-Excitable Cells. 145-160. CRC Press.
Conference Papers5
- Lee, M., Li, J., Li, J., Fang, S., Zhang, J., Vo, A., ... Huang, Y. (2021). Tet2 Inactivation Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes.. Cancer Res. 81(8), 1965-1976.
- Ma, G., He, L., & Zhou, Y. (2021). Identification of A STIM1 Splicing Variant that Promotes Tumor Growth. BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL. 120(3), 54A-54A.
- Fang, S., Xiao, Y., Li, J., Li, T., Zeng, H., Han, W., ... Huang, Y. (2018). Tet2 Deficiency in Macrophages Undermines Heart Repair after Infarction. Blood. 132(Supplement 1), 2394-2394.
- Gudlur, A., Quintana, A., Zhou, Y., Rao, A., & Hogan, P. G. (2014). Mechanism of Activation of Calcium Channel Orai1 by its Regulatory Partner Stim1. Biophysical Journal. 106(2), 315a-315a.
- Chen, Y., Zhou, Y., Wong, H., Lin, X., Xu, Q., Lurtz, M. M., ... Yang, J. J. (2010). Cam Interaction and Binding Mode Study with Peptide from Intracellular Loop of Cx50. Biophysical Journal. 98(3), 94a-94a.
- Researchers at Texas A&M using caffeine to help fight off viruses like COVID-19 KBTX December 23, 2020
Principal Investigator3
Investigator2
- IBST605 Biomed Rsrch Prfsnl Dvlpmnt Instructor
- IBST691 Research Credit: Medical Sci Instructor