2006 - 2010  B.S., Dezhou University, Biophysics

2010 - 2011  Ph.D, University of Science and Technology of China

2011 - 2015  Ph.D, Institute of Biophysics (IBP), Chinese Academy of Sciences

2015 - 2019  Postdoctoral Fellow, Oregon Health & Science University

2020 -           Principal Investigator, CAS Institute of Biophysics 　

Structure and Function of Membrane Protein.

1. Yue Li^#, Xianping Wang^#, Yufei Meng^#, Tuo Hu^#, Jun Zhao#, Renjie Li, Qinru Bai, Pu Yuan, Jun Han, Kun Hao, Yiqing Wei, Yunlong Qiu, Na Li, Yan Zhao*. Dopamine reuptake and inhibitory mechanisms in human dopamine transporter. Nature. Aug, 2024.

2. Tuo Hu^#, Zhuoya Yu^#, Jun Zhao^#, Yufei Meng, Kristine Salomon, Qinru Bai, Yiqing Wei, Jinghui Zhang, Shujing Xu, Qiuyun Dai, Rilei Yu, Bei Yang, Claus J. Loland*, Yan Zhao*. Transport and inhibition mechanisms of the human noradrenaline transporter. Nature. July, 2024.

3. Di Wu^#, Zhuoya Yu^#, Qihao Chen^#, Jun Zhao^#, Bo Huang^#, Yuhang Wang, Jiawei Su, Na Li, Daohua Jiang*, Yan Zhao*. Structural snapshots of human VMAT2 reveal insights into substrate recognition and proton coupling mechanism. Cell Research. May, 2024.

4. Yunlong Qiu^#, Yiwei Gao^#, Bo Huang, Qinru Bai, Yan Zhao*. Transport mechanism of presynaptic high-affinity choline uptake by CHT1. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. 2024 Apr;31(4):701-709.

5. Yiqing Wei^#, Zhuoya Yu^#, Lili Wang^#, Xiaojing Li^#, Na Li, Qinru Bai, Yuhang Wang, Renjie Li, Yufei Meng, Hao Xu, Xianping Wang, Yanli Dong, Zhuo Huang*, Xuejun Cai Zhang*, Yan Zhao*. Structural bases of inhibitory mechanism of Ca_V1.2 channel inhibitors. Nature Communications. 2024 Mar 30;15(1):2772.

6. Yiqing Wei^#, Renjie Li^#, Yufei Meng^#, Tuo Hu^#, Jun Zhao^#, Yiwei Gao, Qinru Bai, Na Li, Yan Zhao*, Transport mechanism and pharmacology of the human GlyT1. Cell. 2024 Mar;187(7):1719-1732.e14.

7. Di Wu^#, Qihao Chen^#, Zhuoya Yu^#, Bo Huang^#, Jun Zhao^#, Yuhang Wang, Jiawei Su, Feng Zhou, Rui Yan, Na Li, Yan Zhao*, Daohua Jiang*. Transport and inhibition mechanisms of human VMAT2. Nature. 2024 Feb;626(7998):427-434.

8. Yanli Dong^#, Zhuoya Yu^#, Yue Li^#, Bo Huang, Qinru Bai, Yiwei Gao, Qihao Chen, Na Li, Lingli He, Yan Zhao*. Structural insight into the allosteric inhibition of human sodium-calcium exchanger NCX1 by XIP and SEA0400. EMBO J. 2024 Jan;43(1):14-31.

9. Yiwei Gao^#, Shuai Xu^#, Xiaoli Cui^#, Hao Xu, Yunlong Qiu, Yiqing Wei, Yanli Dong, Boling Zhu, Chao Peng, Shiqi Liu, Xuejun Cai Zhang, Jianyuan Sun, Zhuo Huang*, Yan Zhao*. Molecular insights into the gating mechanisms of voltage-gated calcium channel CaV2.3. Nature Communications. 2023 Jan 31;14(1):516.

10. Yue Li^#, Tian Yuan^#, Bo Huang^#, Feng Zhou, Chao Peng, Xiaojing Li, Yunlong Qiu, Bei Yang, Yan Zhao*, Zhuo Huang*, Daohua Jiang*. Structure of human NaV1.6 channel reveals Na⁺ selectivity and pore blockade by 4,9-anhydro-tetrodotoxin. Nature Communications. 2023 Feb 23;14(1):1030.

11. Yuhang Wang^#, Chengcai Pan, Qihao Chen, Qing Xie, Yiwei Gao, Lingli He, Yue Li, Yanli Dong, Xingyu Jiang* & Yan Zhao*. Architecture and autoinhibitory mechanism of the plasma membrane Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter SOS1 in Arabidopsis. Nature Communications. 2023. Jul 26;14(1):4487.

12. Z. Zhang^#, H. Chen^#, Z. Geng^#, Z. Yu, H. Li, Y. Dong, H. Zhang, Z. Huang*, J. Jiang*, Y. Zhao*, Structural basis of ligand binding modes of human EAAT2, Nature Communications. 2022 Jun 9;13(1):3329.

13. Y. Dong^#, H. Li^#, A. Ilie^#, Y. Gao, A. Boucher, X. C. Zhang*, J. Orlowski*, Y. Zhao*, Structural basis of autoinhibition of the human NHE3-CHP1 complex, Science advances. 2022 May 27;8(21):eabn3925.

14. L. He^#, Z. Yu^#, Z. Geng^#, Z. Huang^#, C. Zhang, Y. Dong, Q. Chen, L. Sun, X. Ma, B. Huang, X. Wang, Y. Zhao, Structure, gating and pharmacology of human Ca_V3.3 channel. Nature Communications. 2022.Apr 19;13(1):2084.

15. X. Li^#, F. Xu^#, H. Xu^#, S. Zhang, Y. Gao, H. Zhang, Y. Dong, Y. Zheng, B. Yang, J. Sun, X. C. Zhang, Y. Zhao*, D. Jiang*. Structural basis for modulations of human Na_V1.3 by clinical drug and selective antagonist. Nature Communications.  2022 Mar 11;13(1):1286.

16. H. Zhang^#, J. Su^#, B. Li^#, Y. Gao, M. Liu, L. He, H. Xu, X. C. Zhang, Y. Zhao. Structure of human glycosylphosphatidylinositol transamidase. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 2022: 1-7

17. Yanli Dong^#, Yiwei Gao^#, Shuai Xu^# Yuhang Wang, Zhuoya Yu, Yue Li, Bin Li, Bei Yang, Xuejun Cai Zhang, Daohua Jiang*, Zhuo Huang*, Y. Zhao*. Closed-state inactivation and pore-blocker modulation mechanisms of human Ca_V2.2. Cell Reports. 2021. 37, 109931.

18. Lingli He^#, Jiahui Sun^#, Yiwei Gao^#, Bin Li, Yuhang Wang, Yanli Dong, Weidong An, Hang Li, Bei Yang, Yuhan Ge, Xuejun Cai Zhang*, Yun Stone Shi* & Y. Zhao*. Kainate receptor modulation by NETO2. Nature. 2021 Nov;599(7884):325-329.

19. Yanli Dong^#, Yiwei Gao^#, Alina Ilie, DuSik Kim, Annie Boucher, Bin Li, Xuejun C. Zhang*, John Orlowski* & Y. Zhao*. Structure and mechanism of the human NHE1-CHP1 complex. Nature Communications. 2021. 9;12(1):3474.

20. Rong Y, Jiang J.H, Gao Y.W, Guo J.L, Song D.F, Liu W.H, Zhang M.M, Zhao Y*, Xiao B.L*, Liu Z.F*. TMEM120A contains a specific coenzyme A-binding site and might not mediate poking- or stretch-induced channel activities in cells. Elife, 2021.10, e71474.

21. Y. Zhao, S. Chen, A. C. Swensen, W. J. Qian, E. Gouaux, Architecture and subunit arrangement of native AMPA receptors elucidated by cryo-EM. Science, 2019. 364, 355-362.

22. Y. Xin, Y. Zhao, J. Zheng, H. Zhou, X. C. Zhang, C. Tian, & Y. Huang. Structure of YidC from Thermotoga maritima and its implications for YidC-mediated membrane protein insertion. The FASEB Journal, 2018. 32(5), 2411-2421.

23. S. Chen^#, Y. Zhao^#, Y. Wang, M. Shekhar, E. Tajkhorshid and E. Gouaux. Activation and desensitization mechanism of AMPA receptor - TARP complex by cryo-EM. Cell, 2017.170, 1234-1246.

24. Y. Zhao^#, S. Chen^#, C. Yoshioka, I. Baconguis, E. Gouaux. Architecture of fully occupied GluA2 AMPA receptor-TARP complex elucidated by cryo-EM. Nature, 2016.536(7614): 108-111.　　

25. G. Mao^#, Y. Zhao^#, X. Kang, Z. Li, Y. Zhang, X. Wang, F. Sun, K. Sankaran and XC. Zhang. Crystal structure of E. coli lipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase. Nature communications, 2016.7: 10198.　　

26. J. Heng, Y. Zhao, M. Liu, Y. Liu, J. Fan, X. Wang, Y. Zhao, and XC. Zhang. Substrate-bound structure of the E. coli multidrug resistance transporter MdfA. Cell research, 2015.25(9): 1060. 　　

27. X.C. Zhang, Y. Zhao, J. Heng, D. Jiang. Energy coupling mechanisms of MFS transporters. Protein Science, 2015.24(10): 1560-1579.　

28. Y. Zhao^#, G. Mao^#, M. Liu, L. Zhang, X. Wang, X.C. Zhang. Crystal structure of the E. coli peptide transporter YbgH. Structure, 2014.22(8): 1152-1160.　　

29. B. Cao^#, Y. Zhao^#, Y. Kou, D. Ni, X.C. Zhang and Y. Huang. Structure of the nonameric bacterial amyloid secretion channel. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014.111(50): E5439-E5444.　　　

30. D. Jiang^#, Y. Zhao^#, J. Fan, X. Liu, Y. Wu, W. Feng, X.C. Zhang. Atomic resolution structure of the E. coli YajR transporter YAM domain. Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2014.450(2): 929-935.　　

31. S. Qiao, Q. Luo, Y. Zhao, X.C. Zhang, Y. Huang. Structural basis for lipopolysaccharide insertion in the bacterial outer membrane. Nature, 2014.511(7507): 108.

32. J. Fan, D. Jiang, Y. Zhao, J. Liu, and X.C. Zhang. Crystal structure of lipid phosphatase Escherichia coli phosphatidylglycerophosphate phosphatase B. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014.111(21): 7636-7640. 　　

33. D. Jiang^#, Y. Zhao^#, X. Wang^#, J. Fan, J. Heng, X. Liu, W. Feng, X. Kang, B. Huang, J. Liu and X.C. Zhang. Structure of the YajR transporter suggests a transport mechanism based on the conserved motif A. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014.110(36): 14664-14669.　　

34. W. Zhang, F. Zeng, Y. Liu, Y. Zhao, H. Lv, L. Niu, M. Teng and X. Li (2013). Crystal Structures and RNA-Binding Properties of the RRMs of hnRNP-L: Insights into Its Roles in Alternative-splicing Regulation. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2014 288(31), 22636-22649.　　

(From Yan Zhao, August 20, 2024)