Epigenetics, genomics, 3D genomics, transcription regulation and disease, mitosis, aging.

• Established an in-vitro induction and differentiation system for vascular smooth muscle cells from premature aging HGPS patients.

• Revealed the molecular mechanism of HGPS smooth muscle cell death, providing noval therapeutic potential for the treatment of HGPS patients.

• Revealed the process of chromatin 3D structural reconfiguration during the mitosis to G1 phase transition; uncovered the dynamic process of post-mitotic chromatin recruitment of the architectural protein CTCF and cohesin ring complex; provides noval supports for the regulation role of loop extrusion model in post-mitotic chromatin 3D structural reconfiguration.

• Uncovered the relationship between chromatin 3D structural reconfiguration and transcription reactivation after mitosis.

• Uncovered the role of architecture protein CTCF in the reconfiguration of chromatin 3D structure after mitosis. 

Has been publishing in prestigious journals including Nature, PNAS, Aging Cell etc.

Reestablishment of chromatin A/B compartments during the mitosis to G1 phase transition

Han Zhao; Yinzhi Lin; En Lin; Fuhai Liu; Lirong Shu; Dannan Jing; Baiyue Wang; Manzhu; Wang; Fengnian Shan; Lin Zhang; Jessica C. Lam; Susannah C. Midla; Belinda M. Giardine; Cheryl A. Keller; Ross C. Hardison; Gerd A. Blobel; Haoyue Zhang*. Genome folding principles revealed in condensin-depleted mitotic chromosomes, Nature Genetics (2024, accepted)

Zhang, Haoyue*; Lam, Jessica; Zhang, Di; Lan, Yemin; Vermunt, Marit W.; Keller, Cheryl A.; Giardine, Belinda; Hardison, Ross C.; Blobel, Gerd A. ; CTCF and transcription influence chromatin structure re-configuration after mitosis, NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 2021, 12(1). 

Zhang, H., Emerson, D. J., Gilgenast, T. G., Titus, K. R., Lan, Y., Huang, P., ... Blobel, G. A. (2019). Chromatin Structure Dynamics During the Mitosis-to-G1 Phase Transition. Nature, 576(7785), 158-162. | DOI:10.1038/s41586-019-1778-y

Zhang H and Cao K (2016). Mechanisms of Genome Instability in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria. Frontiers in Biology, DOI 10.1007/s11515-016-1435-x

Zhang H, Sun L, Wang K, Wu D, Trappio M, Witting C and Cao K (2016). Loss of H3K9me3 Correlates with ATM Activation and Histone H2AX Phosphorylation Deficiencies in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. Plos ONE, 11(12) e0167454. doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0167454. PMID: 27907109

Zhang H, Xiong Z and Cao K (2014). Mechanisms Controlling the Smooth Muscle Cell Death in Progeria via Down-Regulation of poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1. PNAS, 111(2) 2261-2270.

Zhang H, Keickhaefer JE and Cao K. (2013) Mouse Models of Laminopathies. Aging Cell, 12(1) 2-10.