EDUCATION

 

07/01-05/04    School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA                         PhD in Neuroscience 08/98-06/01    Iowa State University, Ames, IA PhD candidate in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and co-major in Neuroscience 09/93-06/97    Fudan University, Shanghai, China                         B. S. in Genetics and Genetic Engineering

 

EXPERIENCE

 

Research

Postdoctoral, Stanford University (06/04-present) Advisor:          Dr. Richard W. Tsien Topic:             Recycling of synaptic vesicles in mammalian central nerve system Expertise:        Single molecule imaging, nanoparticle coating and bio-conjugation, multi-photon microscopy, electron microscopy, fluorophore-assisted light inactivation (FALI), chromophore-assisted light inactivation (CALI), cell-based assay, general molecular biology and biochemistry tools, bioinformatics, data analysis by MatLab and LabView. Collaboration: Dr. Brian Kobilka: Characterization of presynaptic functionality in neuron-cardiac-muscle-cell interface. Dr. Robert Malenka: Isolating dopaminergic neurons for in situ optical imaging. Dr. Thomas Sudhof: Investigation of vesicle recycling in RIM1a knockout mice.

 

Thesis (graduate), University of Pennsylvania (07/01-04/09/04) and Iowa State University (08/98-06/01) Advisor:          Dr. Philip G. Haydon Topic:             Ca2+-dependent glutamate release from astrocytes. Expertise:        RNA interference, acute cell isolation, single-cell multiplex RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, fluorescent microscopy, multi-channel confocal microscopy, fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), real time Ca2+-imaging, enzymatic assay, high throughput cell screen, electrophysiology, cell culture, acute brain slice, microinjection, protein purification, protein assay, transgenic mouse, general molecular biology and biochemistry tools, bioinformatics and data analysis. Collaboration: ·       Dr. Virginia Lee: Characterization of astrocytic pathology in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. ·       Dr. James Eberwine: Gene expression profile of single acutely-isolated astrocytes and local mRNA translation in astrocytic processes by aRNA amplification and cDNA microarray. ·       Dr. Douglas Coulter: Gene expression profile of astrocytes in epilepsy models. ·       Dr. Elisabeth Van Bockstaele: Double-labeling immunoelectron microscopy. ·       Dr. Kenneth McCarthy: Astrocyte-specific transgenic mouse with inducible gene expression. ·       Dr. Lifeng Tian: Computer program for designing gene-specific siRNAs and identifying functional microRNAs from mouse genome.

 

Research scientist, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering (08/96-07/98) Topic:             Cloning and characterization of disease-associated gene family Expertise:        Programming for DNA sequences alignment, computational analysis of protein secondary structure, yeast two-hybrid, immunoprecipitation, gene cloning, Southern blot, Western blot, etc.

 

Thesis (undergraduate): Institute of Genetics, Fudan University. (12/95-07/97) Advisor:          Dr. Long Yu Topic:             Molecular cloning of a disease-associated gene from human genome. Expertise:        GCG sequence analysis package, ClusterW, BLAST, RT-PCR, Northern blot, DNA sequencing, subcloning, etc.

 

Teaching

1.                                   BBB251 Neurobiology, University of Pennsylvania (01/03-05/03). TA duty includes weekly recitation and lab tutoring, designing and grading all homework and exams. 2.                                   Summer course, Brain Awareness Week (07/02-08/02). Teaching and tutoring high school students in human sensory system.

 

AWARDS AND MEMBERSHIP

 

2007-present   Member of The Society for Experimental Stroke 2000-present   Member of Society for Neuroscience 2008                Grass Fellow 2007                nominated for Beckman Senior Research Fellow 2001                “All but Dissertation” Scholarship, Iowa State University 2001                Advanced MCDB Research Fellowship, Iowa State University 2001                Advanced Neuroscience Research Fellowship, Iowa State University 1998-1999       Premium for Academic Excellence, Iowa State University 1993-1997       People’s Scholarship, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

 

PUBLICATIONs AND ABSTRACTs

 

First author research articles

1. Zhang, Q., et al. (1999) Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a novel human cDNA fragment encoding a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase. Chinese Sci. Bull. 44, 778-783.
2. Zhang, Q.; Van Bockstaele, E.; Haydon, P. G. (2003) The secretory machinery of astrocytes in situ. Glia suppl. 2, 3.
3. Zhang, Q., et al. Fusion-related release of glutamate from astrocytes. (2004) J Biol Chem. 279, 12724-12733.
4. Zhang, Q., Fukuda, M., Van Bockstaele, E.J., Pascual, O., Haydon, P.G. (2004) Synaptotagmin IV regulates glial glutamate release. PNAS. 101, 9441-9446.
5. Zhang, Q., Cao, Y.Q., Tsien, R.W. Quantum dots provide an optical signal specific to full collapse fusion of synaptic vesicles. PNAS. 104, 17843-17848.
6. Zhang, Q., Tsien, R.W. Dynamics of dual fusion modes revealed by single quantum dot imaging. Nature (in revision).
7. Zhang, Q., Tsien, R.W. High-throughput imaging of synaptic vesicle reuse with a dual-color probe. (submitted).

 

Co-author research articles

1. Zhang, M., Yu, L., Tu, Q., Hu, P., Zhang, Q., Bi., A., Jiang, C., Zhao, S. (1999) Separation and cloning of a novel human gene encoding suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 (humSOCS-2). Chinese Sci. Bull. 44, 131-135.
2. Fan, Y., Yu, L., Zhang, Q., Jiang, Y., Dai, F., Cheng, C., Tu, Q., Bi, A., Xu, Y., Zhao, S. (1999) Cloning and expression of a new member of human β-1,4- galactosyl transferase gene family. Sci. China C Life Sci. 29, 1-8.
3. Fan, Y., Yu, L., Tu, Q., Gong, R., Jiang, Y., Zhang, Q., Dai, F., Chen, C., Zhao, S. (2002) Molecular cloning, genomic organization, and mapping of β4GalT-VIb, a brain abundant member of β4-galactosyltransferase gene family, to human chromosome 18q12.1. DNA Seq. 13, 1-8.
4. Shcherbakova, O. G., Hurt, C. M., Xiang, Y., Dell'Acqua, M. L., Zhang, Q., Tsien, R. W., Kobilka, B.K. (2007) Organization of beta-adrenoceptor signaling compartments by sympathetic innervation of cardiac myocytes. J Cell Biol. 176, 521-533.

 

Review articles

1. Fan, Y., Zhang, Q. Research progress on biological function of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase. (1999) Intl. Med., Mole. Bio. Series. 21, 45-49.
2. Zhang, Q. and Haydon, P.G. Roels for gliotransmission in the nervous system. (2005) J. Neural Transm. 112, 121-125.
3. Evanko, D.S., Zhang, Q., Zorec, R., Haydon, P.G. Defining pathways of loss and secretion of chemical messengers from astrocytes. (2004) Glia 47, 233-240.

 

Conference presentations

1.     Zhang, Q., et al. (2000) Overexpression of the synaptobrevin II SNARE domain blocks the FM4-64 uptake into astrocytes in vitro. Society for Neuroscience 30th Annual Meeting, Abstract 707.4. 2.     Zhang, Q., et al. (2001) Expression of the synaptobrevin II SNARE domain reduces astrocytes-to-neuron signaling by decreasing calcium-dependent glutamate release from astrocytes. Society for Neuroscience 31st Annual Meeting, Abstract 715.9. 3.     Zhang, Q., et al. (2003) Expression of synaptotagmin IV, V and XI in CA1 area hippocampal astrocytes. Society for Neuroscience 33rd Annual Meeting, Abstract 765.3. 4.     Peoples, J.F., Zhang, Q., Haydon, P.G., Van Bockstaele, E.J. (2003) Ultrastructural localization of the vesicular glutamate transporter in glial cells in the hippocampal formation. Society for Neuroscience 33rd Annual Meeting, Abstract 373.1. 5.     Zhang, Q., et al. (2004) Passive, not complex, astrocytes, express gliotransmission machinery and release glutamate. Society for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting, Abstract 576.6. 6.     Pascual, O., Zhang, Q., Haydon, P.G. (2004) Astrocytes contribute to learning and memory. Society for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting, Abstract 576.15. 7.     Zhang, Q., Harata, N. C., Tsien, R. W. (2005) Using quantum dot to visualize the turnover of synaptic vesicles. Society for Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting, Abstract 365.13. 8.     Zhang, Q., Harata, N. C., Tsien, R. W. (2006) Different modes of vesicle fusion revealed by quantum dots in single vesicle level. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Abstract 335.9. 9.     Zhang, Q., Harata, N. C., Cao, Y. Q., Tsien, R. W. (2007) Unitary vesicle fusion and recycling probed with quantum dots. 61st Annual Meeting and Symposium Society of General Physiologists, Abstract 65. 10.  Zhang, Q., Harata, N. C., Li, Y., Tsien, R. W. (2007) Quantum dots: a new perspective on synaptic vesicle fusion and recycling. Society for Neuroscience 36th Annual Meeting, Abstract 354.19.

 

Book

1.     Evanko, D.S., Sul, J.Y., Zhang, Q., Haydon, P.G. (2004) Chapter 16, The regulated release of transmitters from astrocytes. In Glial Neuronal Signaling. 1st Edition. (Kluwer Academic Publishers, ISBN 1-4020-7936-2). pp 324-412.