People
Group Leader
| 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092 | |
| zhangyunfang@tongji.edu.cn | |
Yunfang Zhang Professor
Yunfang Zhang received her B.S. from Yanbian University in 2011, and her M.S. from Anhui University in 2014, then she carried out a Ph.D. at Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Enkui Duan's lab in 2018. During her Ph.D. training, she was supported by Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) for one-year scientific research program in Qi Chen’s lab at University of Nevada. In 2018, she lunched her independent career at Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University. She joint School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University as Principal Investigator in 2021. Her research interest focuses on the biological function and regulatory mechanism of tRNA derived small RNAs (tsRNAs, also known as tRFs and tDRs). She and her collaborators revealed the functional role of sperm tsRNAs in transmitting paternal acquired metabolic disorder to the offspring and has further identified the genetic factor-Dnmt2 mediated RNA modification was required in facilitating a sperm RNA 'coding signature' that essential for paternal epigenetic memory formation.
Dr. Zhang has published her research discoveries in the journals of Sciences (2016), Nature Cell Biology (2018, 2021), Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2019), BMC Biology (2023), Theranostics (2023), Molecular Human Reproduction (2022) et al. Part of her research discoveries was selected as one of "The top 10 Chinese scientific achievements for 2016" and were awarded for "National Science and Technology Award in Women and Children's Health" in 2019.
Dr. Zhang is a recipient of the Ray Wu prize, the Special Prize of President Scholarship from Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chongqing Elite·Young Top-notch Talents. She was supported by the Excellent Young Scholars Program and General Program from National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China and the Outstanding Young Scholar Program from Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing.
Students
Yiting Yang PhD student
Yiting graduated with a bachelor's degree in Clinical Pharmacy from China Pharmaceutical University in 2014. In 2017, she completed a master's degree in Pathology and Pathophysiology at Tongji University. After that, she has employed at the Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies. Currently, Yiting is pursuing a Doctorate at Tongji University, Zhang Yunfang's lab. Yiting's research mainly focus on spermatogenesis, infertility, and RNA modifications.
Zheng Cao PhD student
Zheng received his bachelor's degree biology from Henan agricultural university in 2020. His research focuses on function and mechanism of tsRNA and tRNA modifying enzymes in spermatogenesis.
Xin Wang PhD student
xin received his Master's degree in biology from AnHui University in 2022. His research focuses on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms in early embryonic development, as well as the development of small RNA sequencing methods based on early embryonic development models.
Yun Li PhD student
Yun Li received his bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from WMU in 2022. His research focuses on tRNA biology and the development of new tools in tRNA research. Recently, he has been working on establishing tRNA-seq methods in early embryonic development and exploring the tRNA landscape in this stage.
Ze Shu PhD student
Ze obtained his Bachelor's degree in Agronomy from Beijing University of Agricultural in 2018, and his Master's degree in Agriculture from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2022. His current research focuses on leveraging bioinformatics tools to analyze sncRNA and mRNA sequencing results.
Yibo Li PhD student
Yibo received her bachelor's degree from Guangxi University in 2019. Her research focuses on tRNA modification and tRNA modifying enzyme.
Zongyu Yu Master's student
Zongyu received her bachelor's degree from Jilin University in 2023. Her research focuses on understanding regulation of spermatogenesis and epigenetic inheritance of small RNA. Recently, she's working on developing the effect of RNA modification on regulation of spermatogenesis.
Wenlin Jiang Master's Student
Wenlin Jiang received her bachelor's degree in Bioengineering in 2023. His research interests focus on the role of RNA modification in the regulation of spermatogenesis.
Yan Zou PhD Student
Yan received her master's degree from Soochow University in 2020.After graduation, she was employed as a pathology teacher by Jinggangshan University. Now,Yan is pursuing a doctorate in Biology from Tongji University. Her research focus is the role of tsRNA in intergenerational inheritance.
Yafei Yuan Undergraduate Students
Yafei is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology (Pilot Reform Program of Enrollment for Basic Subjects) at Tongji University. Her research mainly focus on the structure and biological functions of sncRNA.
