Jerry Yingtao Zhao
Title: Associate Professor
Department: Biomedical Sciences
Campus: Long Island
Area(s) of Expertise: Genomics, Glycobiology, and Neuroscience
Education Credentials: Ph.D.
Joined New York Tech: 2019
Jerry Yingtao Zhao, Ph.D., is a biomedical scientist specializing in genomics, glycobiology, and neurobiology. His research aims to understand the molecular basis of heparan sulfate, long genes, and brain disorders. His research uses multidisciplinary approaches, including disease mouse models, genomics, glycobiology, neuroscience, bioinformatics, and molecular biology.
The Zhao laboratory is particularly interested in heparan sulfate and long genes. (1) Heparan sulfate is a sugar molecule that covers the surface of all human cells. Heparan sulfate plays an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Traumatic Brain Injury. (2) Long genes (> 100 kilobases) are specifically expressed in the brain and show unique genomic and epigenomic features. Long genes are associated with brain disorders, such as autism, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease.
The long-term goal of the Zhao laboratory is to use novel mouse models, genomics, glycobiology, and neurobiology to reveal the role and molecular mechanisms of heparan sulfate and long genes in brain disorders, with a hope to eventually develop a cure.
Jerry received his Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he specialized in genomics and bioinformatics, and earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the Nanjing University. Lastly, he received his postdoctoral training in epigenetics and brain disorders from the University of Pennsylvania.
Selected Publications
- Sohyun Moon, Hiu Ham Lee, Stephanie Archer-Hartmann, Naoko Nagai, Zainab Mubasher, Mahima Parappurath, Laiba Ahmed, Raddy L Ramos, Koji Kimata, Parastoo Azadi, Weikang Cai, Jerry Yingtao Zhao. Knockout of the intellectual disability-linked gene Hs6st2 in mice decreases heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfation, impairs dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons, and affects memory. Glycobiology, 2024.
- Sohyun Moon, Lamyaa Alsarkhi, Tai-Tu Lin, Ryota Inoue, Azeddine Tahiri, Cecilia Colson, Weikang Cai, Jun Shirakawa, Wei-Jun Qian, Jerry Yingtao Zhao, Abdelfattah El Ouaamari. Transcriptome and secretome profiling of sensory neurons reveals sex differences in pathways relevant to insulin sensing and insulin secretion. FASEB Journal, 2023.
- Sohyun Moon, Ying-Tao Zhao. Convergent biological pathways underlying the Kallmann syndrome-linked genes Hs6st1 and Fgfr1. Human Molecular Genetics, 2022.
- Sohyun Moon, Ying-Tao Zhao. Recursive splicing is a rare event in the mouse brain. PLOS ONE, 2022.
- Sohyun Moon, Ying-Tao Zhao. Spatial, temporal, and cell-type-specific expression profiles of genes encoding heparan sulfate biosynthesis enzymes and proteoglycan core proteins. Glycobiology, 2021.
- Ying-Tao Zhao, Deborah Y Kwon, Brian S Johnson, Maria Fasolino, Janine M Lamonica, Yoon Jung Kim, Boxuan Simen Zhao, Chuan He, Golnaz Vahedi, Tae Hoon Kim, Zhaolan Zhou. Long genes linked to autism spectrum disorders harbor broad enhancer-like chromatin domains. Genome Research, 2018.
- Brian S Johnson*, Ying-Tao Zhao*, Maria Fasolino*, Janine M Lamonica, Yoon Jung Kim, George Georgakilas, Kathleen H Wood, Daniel Bu, Yue Cui, Darren Goffin, Golnaz Vahedi, Tae Hoon Kim, Zhaolan Zhou. Biotin tagging of MeCP2 in mice reveals contextual insights into the Rett syndrome transcriptome. Nature Medicine, 2017.
- Yao Yao, Paul J Minor*, Ying-Tao Zhao*, Yongsu Jeong, Ariel M Pani, Anna N King, Orsolya Symmons, Lin Gan, Wellington V Cardoso, François Spitz, Christopher J Lowe, Douglas J Epstein. Cis-regulatory architecture of a brain signaling center predates the origin of chordates. Nature Genetics, 2016.
View a Complete List of Publications
Professional Honors and Awards
- 2023: The Department of Defense RCRP Idea Development Award (Co-Investigator)
- 2023: The Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience (Japan) Research Grant Award (PI)
- 2022: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) NINDS Research Enhancement Award (PI)
- 2022: The Adele Smithers Parkinson's Disease Center Research Grant Award (PI)
- 2022: The Alzheimer's Association AARG Award (PI)
Courses Taught at New York Tech
- Case-based Learning 1
- Case-based Learning 2
- Neuroanatomy Lab
- D.O./Ph.D. Research Methods Course