1998 - 2002  B.Sc. in Chemistry, Wuhan University, Hubei, China

2002 - 2008  Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biophysics, CAS

2009 - 2015  Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow, National Cancer Institute, NIH

2015 - 2022  Assistant/Associate professor, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

2022 -           Investigator, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Our research focuses on RNA integrative structural biology. We are interested in the development of site-specific and segment-selective labeling strategies for large RNAs in vitro/in vivo and integrative protocols for 3D structure determination of large RNAs and RNA-protein complexes. By using the strategies and protocols developed in the lab, we are interested in the structure, conformational dynamics, interactions and function of non-coding RNAs involved in important human diseases and key biological processes using combined techniques including small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, single molecule FRET, single-molecule nanopore sensing as well as computational modeling. We are also interested in the development of novel RNA-based or RNA-targeted therapeutics.

1. Yufan Zhang^# , Zhonghe Xu^# , Yu Xiao^# , Haodong Jiang^# , Xiaobing Zuo , Xing Li*, Xianyang Fang*. Structural mechanisms for binding and activation of a contact-quenched fluorophore by RhoBAST. Nature Communications 2024, 15(1):4206

2. Xiaolin Niu, Zhonghe Xu, Yufan Zhang, Xiaobing Zuo, Chunlai Chen*, Xianyang Fang*. Structural and dynamic mechanisms for coupled folding and tRNA recognition of a translational T-box riboswitch. Nature Communications 2023, 14(1):7394.

3. Jie Deng, Xianyang Fang*, Lin Huang*, Shanshan Li, Lilei Xu, Keqiong Ye*, Jinsong Zhang, Kaiming Zhang*, Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang*. RNA structure determination: From 2D to 3D. Fundamental Research 2023, 3 (5): 727-737

4. Keyun Huang, Xianyang Fang*. A review on recent advances in methods for site-directed spin labeling of long RNAs. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2023, 239:124244.

5. Xiang Chen^#, Yan Wang^#, Zhonghe Xu^#, Meng-Li Cheng, Qing-Qing Ma, Rui-Ting Li, Zheng-Jian Wang, Hui Zhao, Xiaobing Zuo, Xiao-Feng Li, Xianyang Fang*, Cheng-Feng Qin*. Zika virus RNA structure controls its unique neurotropism by bipartite binding to Musashi-1. Nature Communications 2023, 14(1): 1134

6. Lilei Xu^#, Yu Xiao^#, Jie Zhang, Xianyang Fang*. Structural insights into translation regulation by THF-II riboswitch. Nucleic Acids Research 2023, 51(2):952-965.

7. Jie Zhang, Binxian Chen, Xianyang Fang*. 3D structural analysis of long non-coding RNAs by SAXS and computational modeling. Methods in Molecular Biology 2023, 2568:147-163 (Springer Protocol Book Series).

8.Xianyang Fang*, Jose Gallego*, Yun-Xing Wang*. Deriving RNA topological structure from SAXS. Methods in Enzymology 2022, 677:479-529.

9. Yanping Hu^#, Yan Wang^#, Jaideep Singh^#，Ruirui Sun^#, Lilei Xu, Xiaolin Niu, Keyun Huang, Guangcan Bai, Guoquan Liu, Xiaobing Zuo, Chunlai Chen, Peter Z. Qin, Xianyang Fang*. Phosphorothioate-based posttranscriptional site-specific labeling of large RNAs for structural and dynamic studies. ACS Chemical Biology 2022, 17(9):2448-2460

10. Bingbing Xu^#, Changchang Cao^#, Hao Chen^#, Qiongli Jin^#, Guangnan Li^#, Junfeng Ma^#, Jieyu Zhao^#, Jianghui Zhu^#, Yiliang Ding*, Xianyang Fang*, Yongfeng Jin*, Chun Kit Kwok*, Aiming Ren*, Yue Wan*, Zhiye Wang*, Yuanchao Xue*, Huakun Zhang*, Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang*, Yu Zhou. Recent advances in RNA structurome. Science China Life Sciences 2022，65(7):1285-1324

11. Burkhard Endeward^#, Yanping Hu^#, Guangcan Bai, Guoquan Liu, Thomas F. Prisner*, Xianyang Fang*. Long-range distance determination in fully deuterated RNA with pulsed EPR spectroscopy. Biophysical Journal 2022，121(1):37-43.

12. Xiaolin Niu^#, Ruirui Sun^#, Zhifeng Chen, Yirong Yao, Xiaobing Zuo, Chunlai Chen*, Xianyang Fang*. Pseudoknot length modulates the folding, conformational dynamics and robustness of Xrn1 resistance of flaviviral xrRNAs. Nature Communications 2021, 12(1): 6417

13. Junfeng Ma, Xiang Cheng, Zhonghe Xu, Yikan Zhang, Jaione Valle, Shilong Fan, Xiaobing Zuo, Inigo Lasa, Xianyang Fang*. Structural mechanism for modulation of functional amyloid and biofilm formation by Staphylococcal Bap protein switch. The EMBO Journal 2021, 40(14): e107500. (Research Highlight on Nature Chemical Biology 2021, 17: 839)

14. Xiaolin Niu^#, Qiuhan Liu^#, Zhonghe Xu^#, Zhifeng Chen, Linghui Xu, Lilei Xu, Jinghong Li*, Xianyang Fang*. Molecular mechanisms underlying the mechanical anisotropy of flaviviral exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs). Nature Communications 2020, 11(1): 5496. (News and Views on Nature Chemical Biology 2021, 17: 933-934)

15. Yan Wang, Venkatesan Kathiresan, Yaoyi Chen, Yanping Hu, Wei Jiang, Guangcan Bai, Guoquan Liu, Peter Z. Qin*, Xianyang Fang*. Posttranscriptional site-directed spin labeling of large RNAs with an unnatural base pair system under non-denaturing conditions. Chemical Science 2020, 11: 9655-9664.

16. Yan Wang, Yaoyi Chen, Yanping Hu, Xianyang Fang*. Site-specific covalent labeling of large RNAs with nanoparticles empowered by expanded genetic alphabet transcription. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2020, 117(37): 22823-22832.

(From Xianyang Fang, May 4, 2023)