Scholars

I obtained my Ph.D. with a major in Bioinorganic Chemistry, focusing on metallodrugs against cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD). After then, I worked at the Institute of Biosciences & Technology (IBT), Texas A&M University (TMAU) as a postdoc and research scientist dissecting and regulating Calcium Signaling by biochemistry, cell biology, and synthetic biology strategies. I accumulated strong research expertise on Ca2+ signaling in the immune system from mechanistic dissection of SOCE channels to tailoring cell functions using optical and chemical tools. I was promoted as a Research Assistant Professor in Oct 2020 to pursue my independent research program with interests in (i) Design and screening of Ca2+ channel modulators (compounds & peptide/protein drugs) to treat channelopathy or improve T cell immunotherapy; (ii) Delineate novel regulatory mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling in health and disease; (iii) Devise optogenetic, chemical and synthetic biology tools for translational research and biomedical applications. I have been engaged in the interface between chemistry and biology for almost 15 years, with specific training and expertise in Ca2+ imaging, protein engineering, protein chemistry, cell biology, and immunotherapy. So far, I have published 20+ publications as a lead author or corresponding author in well-respected journals, including Nature Communications, JACS, Angew Chem, Advanced Science, Chemical Science, eLife, and PLOS Biology with citations > 2000 times.

My current research interests:

1. Design and screening of CRAC Ca2+ channel modulators including small molecules, peptide/protein drugs, and antibody/nanobody to treat Channelopathy or improve T cell-based immunotherapy.

2. Delineate the regulatory network of the CRAC channel in healthy and diseased states

3. Devising optogenetic, chemical, and synthetic biology tools for precise control of cellular physiology

education and training

Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China - (Hefei, China) 2012
S.B. in Chemistry, Liaocheng University - (Liaocheng, China) 2007

selected publications

Academic Articles33

Haruehanroengra, P., Zheng, Y. Y., Ma, G., Lan, T., Hassan, A., Zhou, Y., & Sheng, J. (2022). Probing the Substrate Requirements of the InVitro Geranylation Activity of Selenouridine Synthase (SelU).. Chembiochem. 23(15), e202200089.
Zhou, Y., Nwokonko, R. M., Ma, G., Baraniak, J. H., Wang, J., Jennette, M. R., ... Gill, D. L. (2022). A key amino acid in STIM1 mediates coupling to gate the Orai1 channel. BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL. 121(3), 374A-374A.
Adam, J., Adamczyk, L., Adams, J. R., Adkins, J. K., Agakishiev, G., Aggarwal, M. M., ... STAR Collaboration. (2021). Global Polarization of and Hyperons in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200GeV.. Phys Rev Lett. 126(16), 162301.
Adam, J., Adamczyk, L., Adams, J. R., Adkins, J. K., Agakishiev, G., Aggarwal, M. M., ... Zyzak, M. (2021). Comparison of transverse single-spin asymmetries for forward pi(0) production in polarized pp, pAl and pAu collisions at nucleon pair c.m. energy root s(NN)=200 GeV. PHYSICAL REVIEW D. 103(7), 072005.
Wang, T., He, L., Jing, J. i., Lan, T., Hong, T., Wang, F., ... Zhou, Y. (2021). Caffeine-Operated Synthetic Modules for Chemogenetic Control of Protein Activities by Life Style.. Adv Sci (Weinh). 8(3), 2002148-2002148.
He, L., Wang, L., Zeng, H., Tan, P., Ma, G., Zheng, S., ... Zhou, Y. (2021). Engineering of a bona fide light-operated calcium channel.. Nat Commun. 12(1), 164.
Ma, G., & Zhou, Y. (2020). A STIMulating journey into optogenetic engineering.. Cell Calcium. 88, 102197-102197.
Nguyen, N. T., Ma, G., Zhou, Y., & Jing, J. i. (2020). Optogenetic approaches to control Ca2+-modulated physiological processes.. Curr Opin Physiol. 17, 187-196.
Ma, G., He, L., Liu, S., Xie, J., Huang, Z., Jing, J. i., ... Zhou, Y. (2020). Optogenetic engineering to probe the molecular choreography of STIM1-mediated cell signaling.. Nat Commun. 11(1), 1039.
Yang, Y., Zhu, Y., Hu, H., Cheng, L., Liu, M., Ma, G., ... Liu, Y. (2019). Cuprous binding promotes interaction of copper transport protein hCTR1 with cell membranes.. Chem Commun (Camb). 55(74), 11107-11110.
Ma, G., Liu, J., Nguyen, N. T., Zhou, Y., & Wang, Y. (2018). Let there be light: a bright future for Ca2+ signaling.. Sci Bull (Beijing). 63(16), 1029-1031.
Ma, G., Zhang, Q., He, L., Nguyen, N. T., Liu, S., Gong, Z., Huang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2018). Genetically encoded tags for real time dissection of protein assembly in living cells.. Chem Sci. 9(25), 5551-5555.
Nguyen, N. T., Ma, G., Lin, E., D'Souza, B., Jing, J. i., He, L., Huang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2018). CRAC channel-based optogenetics.. Cell Calcium. 75, 79-88.
Gudlur, A., Zeraik, A. E., Hirve, N., Rajanikanth, V., Bobkov, A. A., Ma, G., ... Hogan, P. G. (2018). Calcium sensing by the STIM1 ER-luminal domain.. Nat Commun. 9(1), 4536.
Zheng, S., Zhou, L., Ma, G., Zhang, T., Liu, J., Li, J., ... Wang, Y. (2018). Calcium store refilling and STIM activation in STIM- and Orai-deficient cell lines.. Pflugers Arch. 470(10), 1555-1567.
Zheng, S., Ma, G., He, L., Zhang, T., Li, J., Yuan, X., ... Wang, Y. (2018). Identification of molecular determinants that govern distinct STIM2 activation dynamics.. PLoS Biol. 16(11), e2006898-e2006898.
Wu, X., Yuan, S., Wang, E., Tong, Y., Ma, G., Wei, K., & Liu, Y. (2017). Platinum transfer from hCTR1 to Atox1 is dependent on the type of platinum complex.. Metallomics. 9(5), 546-555.
Ma, G., Zheng, S., Ke, Y., Zhou, L., He, L., Huang, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2017). Molecular Determinants for STIM1 Activation During Store- Operated Ca2+ Entry.. Curr Mol Med. 17(1), 60-69.
Ma, G., Wen, S., He, L., Huang, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2017). Optogenetic toolkit for precise control of calcium signaling.. Cell Calcium. 64, 36-46.
Lin, A., Li, C., Xing, Z., Hu, Q., Liang, K. e., Han, L., ... Yang, L. (2016). The LINK-A lncRNA activates normoxic HIF1 signalling in triple-negative breast cancer.. Nat Cell Biol. 18(2), 213-224.
Wei, M., Zhou, Y., Sun, A., Ma, G., He, L., Zhou, L., ... Wang, Y. (2016). Molecular mechanisms underlying inhibition of STIM1-Orai1-mediated Ca2+ entry induced by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate.. Pflugers Arch. 468(11-12), 2061-2074.
Ma, G., Wu, Q., Wu, X., Arnesano, F., Natile, G., Sletten, E., & Liu, Y. (2015). The reaction of a platinated methionine motif of CTR1 with cysteine and histidine is dependent upon the type of precursor platinum complex.. J Inorg Biochem. 153, 239-246.
Jing, J. i., He, L., Sun, A., Quintana, A., Ding, Y., Ma, G., ... Zhou, Y. (2015). Proteomic mapping of ER-PM junctions identifies STIMATE as a regulator of Ca influx.. Nat Cell Biol. 17(10), 1339-1347.
Ma, G., Wei, M., He, L., Liu, C., Wu, B. o., Zhang, S. L., ... Zhou, Y. (2015). Inside-out Ca(2+) signalling prompted by STIM1 conformational switch.. Nat Commun. 6(1), 7826.
He, L., Zhang, Y., Ma, G., Tan, P., Li, Z., Zang, S., ... Zhou, Y. (2015). Near-infrared photoactivatable control of Ca2+ signaling and optogenetic immunomodulation. ELIFE. 4, e10024.

Chapters2

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.. CRAC CHANNEL: METHODS AND PROTOCOLS. 147-166. Springer Nature.
Ma, G., Wen, S., Huang, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2017). The STIM-Orai Pathway: Light-Operated Ca2+ Entry Through Engineered CRAC Channels.. STORE-OPERATED CA2+ ENTRY (SOCE) PATHWAYS: EMERGING SIGNALING CONCEPTS IN HUMAN (PATHO)PHYSIOLOGY, 2ND EDITION. 117-138. Springer Nature.