Yunfang Zhang

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.