2000 - 2005  Ph.D. School of Life Science, Northeast Normal University

1996 - 2000  B.Sc. Department of Biology, Qufu Normal University

2005 - 2007  Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Life Science, Peking University

2007 - 2023  Research Associate, The Institute of Biophysics, CAS

2013 - 2014  Visiting Scholar, Rowan University, USA

2011             Member of the Youth Innovation Promotion Association，CAS

Spermatogenesis within the testes of multicellular animals is characterized bymeiosis is a precise cell differentiation process, which is coordinated with thedramatic reorganization of cytoplasm and subcellular organelles. The spermatidthat result from this process contains a haploid nucleus, mitochondria, andspecialized membranous organelle, and the other cellular constituents not requiredfor sperm function such as ER/Golgi and ribosome are placed into the residualbody. The spermatids must undergo a maturation process called sperm activation innematodesor capacitation in mammals, which consists of a series of morphological, biochemical and physiological changes in sperm in order to acquire theirfertilizing potential. Sperm activation must be precisely regulated temporally andspatially to ensure the greatest likelihood of fertilization because the failureof sperm activation will cause male infertility.

Dr. Yanmei Zhao has been carrying out molecular mechanism studies of nematode sperm activation and identified the key factors involving in sperm function including serine proteaseTRY-5 and its inhibitor SRP-1, and zinc transporter ZIPT-7.1. During her more than ten years studies, has published 27 SCI research papers including in Development Cell，PLoS Biology, PNAS, Nature Communication journals.

1. Wang Q^#, Cao Z^#*, Du B^#, Zhang Q^#, Chen L, Wang X, Yuan Z, Wang P, He R, Shan J, Zhao Y*, Miao L*. Membrane contact site-dependent cholesterol transport regulates Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase polarization and spermiogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Development Cell. 2021, 56(11):1631-1645.

2. Deng H^#, Qiao X^#, Xie T, Fu W, Li H, Zhao Y, Guo M, Feng Y, Chen L, Zhao Y, Miao L, Chen C*, Shen K*, Wang X*. SLC-30A9 is required for Zn²⁺ homeostasis, Zn²⁺ mobilization, and mitochondrial health. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2021, 118(35): e2023909118.

3. Zhao Y^#, Tan CH^#, Krauchunas A^#, Scharf A, Dietrich N, Warnhoff K, Yuan Z, Druzhinina M, Gu SG, Miao L, Singson A, Ellis RE*, Kornfeld K*. The zinc transptor ZIPT-7.1 regulates sperm activation in nematodes. PLoS Biol. 2018; 16(6):e2005069.

4. Su L, Li H, Huang C, Zhao T, Zhang Y, Ba X, Li Z, Zhang Y, Huang B, Lu J*, Zhao Y*, Li X*. Muscle-specific histone H3K36 dimethyltransferase SET-18 shortens lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by repressing daf-16a expression. Cell Rep. 2018; 22(10):2716-2729.

5. Yuan Z and Zhao Y*. The regulatory functions of piRNA/PIWI in spermatogenesis. Hereditas. (Beijing) 2017; 39(8):683-691 (invited review in Chinese).

6. Li R, Ren X, Bi Y, Ho VW, Hsieh CL, Young A, Zhang Z, Lin T, Zhao Y, Miao L, Sarkies P, Zhao Z*. Specific down-regulation of spermatogenesis genes targeted by 22G RNAs in hybrid sterile males associated with an X-Chromosome introgression. Genome Res. 2016; 26(9):1219-1232.

7. Wei Q, Zhao Y, Guo Y, Stomel J, Stires R, Ellis RE*. Co-option of alternate sperm activation programs in the evolution of self-fertile nematodes. Nature Commun. 2014; 5:5888

8. Liu Z, Wang B, He R, Zhao Y and Miao L*. Calcium signaling and the MAPK cascade are required for sperm activation in Caenorhabdites elegans. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 2014; 1843: 299-308

9. Ma X, Zhu Y, Li C, Xue P, Zhao Y, Chen S, Yang F, Miao L*. Characterisation of Caenorhabditis elegans sperm transcriptome and proteome. BMC Genomics. 2014; 28;15:168.

10. Xiao W^#, Meng G^#, Zhao Y ^#, Yuan H, Li T, Peng Y, Zhao Y, Luo M, Zhao W, Li Z, Zheng X*. Human secreted stabilin-1-interacting chitinase-like protein aggravates the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis and is a potential macrophage inflammatory regulator in rodents. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2014; 66(5):1141-52. (^# co-first author)

11. Huang P, Ma X, Zhao Y, Miao L*. The C. elegans homolog of RBBP6 (RBPL-1) regulates fertility through controlling cell proliferation in the germline and nutrient synthesis in the intestine. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8(3): e58736.

12. Ma X, Zhao Y, Sun W, Shimabukuro K, Miao L*. (2012) Transformation: how to nematode sperm become activated and crawl? Protein Cell. 3(10): 755-761.

13. Zhao Y, Sun W, Zhang P, Chi H, Zhang M, Song C, Ma X, Shang Y, Wang B, Hu Y, Hao Z, Hühmer A, L'Hernault S, He S, Dong M*, Miao L*. (2012) Nematode sperm maturation triggered by protease involves sperm-secreted serine protease inhibitor (Serpin). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 109:1542-1547.

14. Meng G, Zhao Y, Bai X, Liu Y, Green TJ, Luo M, Zheng X*. (2010) Structure of human stabilin-1 interacting chitinase-like protein (SI-CLP) reveals a saccharide-binding cleft with lower sugar-binding selectivity. J. Biol. Chem. 285:39898-39904.

15. Dai X, Li Y, Meng G, Yao S, Zhao Y, Yu Q, Zhang J, Luo M, Zheng X*. (2009) NADPH is an allosteric regulator of HSCARG. J. Mol Biol. 387 1277-1285.

16. Zhao Y, Zhang J, Li H, Li Y, Ren J, Luo M, Zheng X*. (2008) An NADPH sensor protein (HSCARG) downregulates nitric oxide synthesis by association with argininosuccinate synthetase and is essential for epithelial cell viability. J. Biol. Chem. 283:11004-11013.

17. Zheng X*, Dai X, Zhao Y, Chen Q, Lu F, Yao D, Yu Q, Liu X, Zhang C, Gu X, Luo M*. (2007) Restructuring of the dinucleotide-binding fold in an NADP(H) sensor protein. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 104:8809-8814.

18. Zhao Y, Lu J, Sun H, Chen X, Huang B*. (2007) Roles of histone acetylation modification in basal and inducible expression of hsp26 gene in D. melanogaste. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 306:1-8.

19. Zhao Y^#, Chen X^#, Sun H, Yuan Z, Ren G, Li X, Lu J, Huang B*. (2006) Effect of histone deacetylase inhibitors on hsp70 gene transcription regulation in Drosophila. Cell Research. 16: 566-576.

20. Zhai R, Meng G, Zhao Y, Liu B., Zhang G, Zheng X*. (2006) A novel nuclear-localized protein with special adenylate kinase properties from Caenorhabditis elegans. FEBS letter. 580: 3811-3817.

21. Huang W, Tan D, Wang X, Han S, Tan J, Zhao Y, Lu J, Huang B*. (2006) Histone deacetylase 3 represses p15INK4b and p21WAF1/cip1 transcription by interacting with Sp1. Biochem. Bioph. Res. Co. 339: 165-171.

22. Zhao Y^#, Lu J^#, Sun H, Chen X, Huang W, Tao D, Huang B*. (2005) Histone acetylation regulates both transcription initiation and elongation of hsp22 gene in Drosophila. Biochem. Bioph. Res. Co. 326: 811-816

23. Zhao Y^#, Sun H^#, Lu J, Li X, Chen X, Tao D, Huang W, Huang B*. (2005) Lifespan extension and elevated hsp gene expression in Drosophila caused by histone deacetylases inhibitors. J. Exp. Biol. 208: 697-705.

24. Li X, Lu J, Zhao Y, Huang B*. (2005) Function of c-Fos-like and c-Jun-like Proteins on Trichostatin A-induced G2/M Arrest in Physarumpolycephalum. ActaBiochim. Biophys. Sinica. 37: 767-722.

25. Li X, Lu J, Zhao Y, Wang X, Huang B*. (2005) Ras protein participated in histone acetylation-mediated cell cycle control in Physarumpolycephalum. Chinese Science Bulletin. 50: 1721-1725.

26. Tao D, Lu J, Sun H, Zhao Y, Yuan Z, Li X, Huang B*. (2004) Trichostatin A extends the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster by elevating hsp22 expression. ActaBiochim. Biophys. Sinica. 36: 618-622.

27. Chen T, Sun H, Lu J, Zhao Y, Tao D, Li X, Huang B*. (2002) Histone acetylation is involved in hsp70 gene transcription regulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 408: 171-176.

(From Yanmei Zhao, November 5, 2021)