Biographical Info

Research Areas

The Zhou laboratory is interested in the mechanisms mediating cell-cell communication and their roles in normal development, physiology, and diseases. Specifically the Zhou laboratory is investigating the functions of a large family of tyrosine kinase receptors, the Ephs, and their ligands, the ephrins, in neural circuit formation, eye development, and behavior regulations including motor activity, circadian rhythm, and aggression. The Zhou laboratory employs both in vitro and in vivo techniques, including neuron cultures, transgenic and knockout mice, as well as behavior assays.

Research Highlights

Demonstration of a repulsive function of ephrins in axon guidance

Discovering signal transduction pathways mediating ephrin-induced growth cone guidance

Establishing a novel cataract mouse model

Elucidating regulation of cell-cell adhesion by ephrins

Scholarly Activities

Member of editorial board: Neuroscience Bulletin; Cell & Bioscience

Membership in: AAAS, Society of Neuroscice, ARVO

Recent Publications

1. Chen, P, Wang, Y, He, Y, Huang, K, Wang, X, Zhou, R, Liu, T, Qu, R, Zhou, J, Peng, W et al.. Homogeneous Visual and Fluorescence Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Clinical Samples via Selective Recognition Reaction and Enzyme-Free Amplification. ACS Nano. 2021; :. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.1c02080. PubMed PMID:34129315
2. Gu, Z, Baggetta, AM, Chong, Y, Plant, LD, Meng, XY, Zhou, R. Multifaceted Regulation of Potassium-Ion Channels by Graphene Quantum Dots. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2021; :. doi: 10.1021/acsami.1c01569. PubMed PMID:34126740
3. Guo, MY, Sun, XY, Wu, B, Chen, XF, Zhang, HM, Zhang, MM, Zhou, RN, Zhou, QY, Ruan, GC, Bai, XY et al.. [Reoperation rate and related factors in patients with Crohn’s disease]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2021;101 (22):1683-1689. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20210302-00525. PubMed PMID:34126717
4. Xue, C, Fan, X, Zhang, J, Hu, D, Wang, XL, Wang, X, Zhou, R, Lin, H, Li, Y, Li, DS et al.. Direct observation of charge transfer between molecular heterojunctions based on inorganic semiconductor clusters. Chem Sci. 2020;11 (16):4085-4096. doi: 10.1039/d0sc00458h. PubMed PMID:34122874 PubMed Central PMC8152627
5. Chen, SC, Zhang, FH, Huang, KL, Tian, F, Zhang, ZH, Zhou, R, Feng, XJ, Zhou, X, He, MY, Gu, J et al.. The crucial roles of guest water in a biocompatible coordination network in the catalytic ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters: a new mechanistic perspective. Chem Sci. 2020;11 (12):3345-3354. doi: 10.1039/c9sc06024c. PubMed PMID:34122842 PubMed Central PMC8157336
6. Wang, Y, Yu, Q, Zhou, R, Feng, T, Hilal, MG, Li, H. Nationality and body location alter human skin microbiome. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2021; :. doi: 10.1007/s00253-021-11387-8. PubMed PMID:34125277
7. Meng, M, Yue, Z, Chang, L, Liu, Y, Hu, J, Song, Z, Tang, Z, Zhou, R, Wang, C. Anti-Rheumatoid Arthritic Effects of Paris Saponin VII in Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes and Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis in Rats. Front Pharmacol. 2021;12 :683698. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.683698. PubMed PMID:34122110 PubMed Central PMC8194347