Zhen Yan PhD

Zhen Yan

Zhen Yan
PhD

SUNY Distinguished Professor

Department of Physiology and Biophysics

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Ageing; Autism; Behavioral Neuroscience; Brain Research; Epigenetics; Gene Expression; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Molecular Basis of Disease; Neurobiology; Neurodegenerative disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Neuropharmacology; Neuropsychiatric Disorders; Neuroscience; Pathophysiology; Schizophrenia; Signal Transduction; Transcriptomics; Translational Research

Contact Information
955 Main St. Room 3150
Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics
Jacobs School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 829-3058
zhenyan@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

Synaptic and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Brain Disorders
Our research goal is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that are linked to mental health and brain disorders, including the actions of disease susceptibility genes, stress hormones, and monoamines. Specifically, we try to understand how these neuromodulators regulate glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission in prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is important for emotional and cognitive control under normal conditions. We also try to understand how the aberrant action of neuromodulators under pathological conditions leads to dysregulation of synaptic transmission in PFC, which is commonly implicated in brain disorders. Recently, we are focusing on investigating how epigenetic abnormality caused by genetic and environmental factors results in pathological gene alterations, leading to synaptic dysfunction and behavioral deficits related to autism, stress-associated psychiatric disorders and Alzheimer's disease.

Multidisciplinary approaches are integrated in our studies, which include:
• whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of synaptic currents in brain slices,
• multichannel recordings of neuronal spikes in vivo,
• viral-based in vivo gene transfer,
• biochemical and immunocytochemical detection of synaptic or nuclear proteins,
• transcriptomic and molecular analysis of genetic and epigenetic alterations,
• chemogenetic and optogenetic manipulation of neuronal circuits,
• behavioral assays of cognitive, social and emotional processes.

Education and Training:

  • Fellowship, Postdoctoral, The Rockefeller University (2000)
  • PhD, Neurobiology, University of Tennessee, College of Medicine, Memphis, TN (1997)
  • MS, Computer Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China (1993)
  • BS, Biomedical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China (1990)

Employment:

  • SUNY Distinguished Professor, Physiology & Biophysics, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2018-present)
  • Professor, Physiology & Biophysics, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2008–2018)
  • Associate Professor, Physiology & Biophysics, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2004–2008)
  • Assistant Professor, Physiology & Biophysics, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2000–2004)

Awards and Honors:

  • Stockton Kimball Award (2023)
  • SUNY Distinguished Professor (2018)
  • SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities (2013)
  • University at Buffalo Exceptional Scholar Award for Sustained Achievement (2012)
  • The George W. Thorn Young Investigator Award (2006)
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) Independent Investigator Award (2004)
  • University at Buffalo Exceptional Scholar Award for Young Investigators (2002)
  • University at Buffalo Top 100 Federal Grantee (2002)
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) Young Investigator Award (1999)
  • National Parkinson Foundation Menek Goldstein Research Scholar Award (1998)

Research Expertise:

  • Alzheimer‘s Disease: beta-amyloid, tau, cholinergic deficency, NMDA receptors, epigenetic-based treatment
  • Autism: autism risk factors, Shank3, Cul3, social deficits, epigenetic-based treatment
  • Epigenetic Mechanisms of Brain Disorders: histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, ChIPseq
  • Neural Circuits: Identification of neural circuits linked to behavioral deficits in brain diseases
  • Signal Transduction: G protein-coupled receptors, nuclear hormone recepors, protein kinases, phosphatases, proteases, epigenetic enzymes
  • Stress-Related Psychiatric Disorders: pathophysiological mechanisms for autism, schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, ADHD
  • Therapeutic Strategies for Autism and Alzheimer's Disease: new antipsychotic drugs, identify novel drug targts for autism and AD

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • October 2024–September 2028
    A Multifactorial Mechanism for Alzheimer’s Disease
    VA
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $1,115,372
  • September 2023–June 2028
    Novel Inhibitors of Lysine Methyltransferases G9a and GLP for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
    NIA/NIH
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $3,309,300
  • February 2023–January 2028
    Epigenetics-Based Autism Treatment with Animal Models and Human Stem Cells
    NINDS/NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $3,088,565
  • December 2022–November 2027
    Transcriptomic and Circuitry Aberrations in Alzheimer’s Disease
    NIA/NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $3,710,395
  • April 2021–January 2026
    Synaptic and Genetic Mechanisms of Sex-Specific Effects of Stress
    NIMH/NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $2,621,841
  • August 2019–March 2024
    Targeting Histone K4 Methylation for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia
    NIA/NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $2,532,180
  • April 2020–March 2022
    New Treatment Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease
    NIA/NIH
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    $438,625
  • April 2017–March 2022
    A Novel Epigenetic Mechanism for Alzheimer's Disease
    NIA/NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $1,993,750
  • August 2015–July 2020
    Physiological and Pathophysiological Basis of Stress
    NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $1,993,750
  • July 2014–June 2019
    Functions of D4 Dopamine Receptors in Prefrontal Cortex
    NIH
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $1,590,000
See all (10 more)

Patents:

  • USE OF HISTONE METHYLTRANSFERASE INHIBITORS AND HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS FOR THERAPY OF PHELAN-MCDERMID SYNDROME (2021)

Journal Articles:

  • Williams JB, Cao Q, Wang W, Lee YH, Qin L, Zhong P, Ren Y, Ma K, Yan Z. (2023) Inhibition of histone methyltransferase Smyd3 rescues NMDAR and cognitive deficits in a tauopathy mouse model. Nature Communications (Jan)(14): 91.
  • Yan Z. (2024) Targeting epigenetic enzymes for autism treatment. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (Jun), 9(45): 764-767.
  • Zhong P, Cao Q, Yan Z. (2024) Distinct and convergent alterations of entorhinal cortical circuits in two mouse models for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. J. Alzheimer's Disease (Mar), 3(98): 1121-1131.
  • Carballo LH, Li P, Senek R, Yan Z. (2024) Systemic HDAC inhibition ameliorates the aberrant responses to acute stress in socially isolated male mice. Journal of Physiology (Feb), 9(602): 2047-2060.
  • Wan L, Yang G, Yan Z. (2024) Identification of a molecular network regulated by multiple ASD high risk genes. Hum Mol Genet (Jan), 13(33): 1176-1185.
  • Li P and Yan Z. (2023) An epigenetic mechanism of social isolation stress in adolescent female mice. Neurobiology of Stress (Dec), 29:100601
  • Cao Q, Kumar M, Frazier A, Williams JB, Zhao S, Yan Z. (2023) Longitudinal characterization of behavioral, morphological and transcriptomic changes in a tauopathy mouse model. Aging (Albany NY) (Nov), 21(15): 11697-11719.
  • Zhu B, Fisher E, Li L, Zhong P, Yan Z, Feng J. (2023) PTBP2 attenuation facilitates fibroblast to neuron conversion by promoting alternative splicing of neuronal genes. Stem Cell Reports (Nov), 11(18): 2268-2282.
  • Patel PJ, Ren Y, Yan Z. (2023) Epigenomic analysis of Alzheimer's disease brains reveals diminished CTCF binding on genes involved in synaptic organization. Neurobiol Dis. (Aug)(184): 106192.
  • Pu J, Lin L, Jiang H, Hu Z, Li H, Yan Z, Zhang B, Feng J. (2023) Parkin Maintains Robust Pacemaking in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived A9 Dopaminergic Neurons. Mov Disord. (Jul), 7(38): 1273-1281.
See all (145 more)

Evaluative Studies and Case Reports:


Presentations:

  • "Targeting Epigenetic Enzymes for Autism Treatment" InterAcademy Workshop “Translating research findings in autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, (2024)
  • "Circuitry and Molecular Mechanisms of Mental Disturbance by Chronic Social Isolation Stress" Symposium Chair and Speaker, International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) World Congress (2024)
  • "Epigenetic Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease" Seminar in Basic Biomedical Sciences, Univ. of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine (2023)
  • "Synaptic Dysfunction in Autism Models and Novel Treatment" Invited Symposium Speaker, International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) World Congress (2022)
  • "Epigenetic Rescue of Social Deficits in Autism Models" Invited Speaker, Brain Science Forum for Autism Spectrum Disorder (2022)
  • "Targeting Histone Modifying Enzymes for Autism Treatment in Mouse Models" Invited Symposium Speaker, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) 60th Annual Meeting (2021)
  • "Epigenetic Treatment Strategies for Alzheimer’s Disease" Seminar in Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University (2021)
  • "Epigenetic Treatment Strategies for Alzheimer’s Disease" Seminar at Department of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University (2021)
  • "Epigenetic Rescue of Social Deficits in Autism Models" Mozell seminar speaker, SUNY Upstate Medical University (2020)

Service Activities:

  • NJ Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism; Member, Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) (2024–present)
  • Departmental Faculty Search Committee; member (2022–present)
  • Research Focus Groups for the Jacobs School of Medicine, UB; member (2022–present)
  • SUNY-Buffalo Presidential Advisory Group; member (2021–present)
  • Distinguished Ranks/Chancellor's Awards Selection Committee; member (2020–2023)
  • SUNY Alzheimer’s Research Council; member (2020–present)
  • M.D./Ph.D. Student Steering Committee; member (2020–present)
  • NIH; Pathophysiological Basis of Mental Disorders & Addiction (PMDA);; Charter Member (2015–2021)
  • Editorial Board Member of JBC; Board Member (2010–2015)
  • Regular Member of NIH Study Section (NTRC); Member (2009–2013)
  • NIH; Neurotransporters, Receptors & Calcium Signaling (NTRC) study section, NIH;; Charter Member (2009–2013)
  • Brain Disorders & Clinical Neuroscience (BDCN) Special Emphasis Panel, NIH;; Grant Reviewer (2007–present)
  • NSF; Developmental Neuroscience & Neuronal Glial Mechanism Program, NSF;; Panel Member (2004–2005)

School News:

In the Media:


Clinical Specialties:

Clinical Offices:

Insurance Accepted:



Contact Information

955 Main St. Room 3150
Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics
Jacobs School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 829-3058
zhenyan@buffalo.edu