Yi Zhang, PhD

Boston Children's Hospital

Academic Titles

Fred Rosen Professor, Genetics, Harvard Medical School

Research Program Affiliation

Member, Lymphoma and Myeloma

Member, Cancer Cell Biology

Research Abstract

The major focus of the Zhang lab has been the identification and characterization of the chromatin modifying enzymes that include: (1) the ATP-dependent nucleosome-remodeling and histone deacetylase complex NuRD; (2) various histone methyltransferases, including PRC2 and hDOT1L; (3) the JmjC-family of histone demethylases; (4) histone H2A ubiquitin E3 ligase PRC1; and (5) the Ten Eleven Translocation (Tet) family of 5-methylcytosine dioxygenases. The general approach of the lab involves biochemical purification and functional characterization of the enzymes in vitro and in cell culture, genomic characterization of their locations and effect on transcriptome, followed by biological characterization in mouse models. These studies have uncovered important functions of these enzymes in transcriptional regulation, cell fate reprogramming and the development of various diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and cancers. In the recent years, the lab has switched the focus from enzyme characterization to understanding role of epigenetic and chromatin modifications in specific biological processes, such as preimplantation development, cancer drug resistance, and drug addiction.