Name: Baohong Zhang, Ph.D.
Title: Assistant Professor
Areas of Study: Molecular Genetics/Molecular Toxicology/Biotechnology
Phone: 252-328-2021 (Office)
252-328-2418 (lab)
E-mail: zhangb@ecu.edu
Office: S112 Howell Science Complex
Office: S111A Howell Science Complex
Address: Department of Biology
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
Research Interests: The research in my lab will focus on three related fields: molecular genetics, toxicology and biotechnology.
1. Molecular Genetics My lab will use model species [Zebrafish (Danio rerio), Caenorhabditis elegans, and Arabidopsis] and important crops (cotton, soybean, maize) to study the microRNA-mediated gene regulation and its function in organism growth, development, and response to stressors. Multiple computational and experimental approaches, including genetic, genomic, and biochemical methods will be employed. Recent studies have demonstrated that more than 30% of protein-coding genes are targeted by microRNAs (miRNAs), signal-strand small RNAs with 20-25 nucleotides. miRNAs regulate multiple biological and metabolic processes, including development and growth, cell signaling, diseases, and cancers. Currently, miRNAs have become one of the most important gene regulators.
2. Toxicology Environmental pollution is a global issue, which can cause numerous diseases in humans and wildlife, including cancers. My lab will focus on the toxicity and effects of several groups of traditional and emerging pollutants, such as nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, explosives, and pesticides. The development of novel biomarkers for rapidly assessing the exposure and health effects of these environmental pollutants would be an important outcome of toxicological study. My lab is also interested in investigating the molecular mechanisms of toxicant/toxin-induced cancers and their chemoprevention.
3. Biotechnology My lab will focus on creating new transgenic organisms for producing drugs, biofuels, modifying resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors, and improving crop yield and quality. We are also interested in the biosafety and risk assessment of genetically modified foods.
Prospective Students: I am now accepting graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.) who have an interest in molecular genetics, molecular toxicology, and/or biotechnology. The Department of Biology has a Master of Science degree program and an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree program (IDPBS). Currently, graduate students in my lab will have the freedom to choose their study organism(s) and system. If you are interested in working with me, you should contact me directly to discuss the details and possibilities. You may stop by my office at Howell Science Complex Room S112 (office) or S111A (Lab) or email me at
zhangb@ecu.edu. I am keen on accepting students who are enthusiastic, hard working, and interested in facing challenges and solving questions related to molecular genetics, molecular toxicology, and/or biotechnology.
Undergraduate students are also welcome and encouraged to join my lab to gain research experience. If interested, you may also directly stop by my office or email me to discuss possible research opportunities.
Selected Publications (For full publication list, please see my CV):
MicroRNA, Gene Regulation, Biomedical Science, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, and Comparative Genomics-related papers 1. Zhang, Baohong, Wang QL, Wang KB, Pan XP, Liu F, Guo TL, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2007) Identification of cotton microRNAs and their targets. Gene 397(1-2): 26-37.
2. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong, San Francisco M & Cobb GP (2007) Characterizing viral microRNAs and its application on identifying new microRNAs in viruses. Journal of Cellular Physiology 211(1): 10-18.
3. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2007) MicroRNAs as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Developmental Biology 302(1): 1-12. (The HOTTEST article during July to September, 2006, October to December, 2006, and January to March, 2007)
4. Zhang, Baohong, Wang QL & Pan XP. (2007) MicroRNAs and their regulatory roles in animals and plants. Journal of Cellular Physiology 210(2): 279-289.
5. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Wang QL, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2006) Computational identification of microRNAs and their targets. Computational Biology and Chemistry 30 (6): 395-407. (The HOTTEST article during October to December, 2006 and January to March, 2007)
6. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP & Anderson TA. (2006) MicroRNA: a new player in stem cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology 209(2): 266-269.
7. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP & Anderson TA. (2006) Identification of 188 conserved maize microRNAs and their targets. FEBS Letters 580 (15): 3753-3762. (“TOP25 Hottest Articles” downloaded during July to September, 2006)
8. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Cox SB, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2006) Evidence that miRNAs are different from other RNAs. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS) 63(2):246-254. (TOP1 Most Downloaded Article, March 31, 2006; January 1 to February 26, 2007)
9. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Cannon C, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2006) Conservation and divergence of plant microRNA genes. The Plant Journal 46 (2): 243-259. (The top 20 most popular articles)
10. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Cobb GP & Anderson TA. (2006) Plant microRNA: a small regulatory molecule with big impact. Developmental Biology 289: 3-16. (“TOP25 Hottest Articles” downloaded during October-December, 2005 and ranked the HOTTEST article during January to March, 2006)
11. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Wang QL, Cobb GP & Anderson TA (2005) Identification and characterization of new plant microRNAs using EST analysis. Cell Research 15(5): 336-360
Toxicology, Analytical Toxicology, Bioassay, and Environmental Chemistry-related papers 12. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Smith JN, Anderson TA, and Cobb GP (2007) Extraction and determination of trace amounts of energetic compounds in blood by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD). Talanta 72(2): 612-619.
13. Pan XP, San Francisco M, Lee C, Ochoa KM, Xu XZ, Liu J, Zhang, Baohong, Cox SB, and Cobb GP. (2007) Examination of the mutagenicity of RDX and its N-nitroso metabolites using the Salmonella reverse mutation assay. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 629(1): 64-69.
14. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong, Smith JN, SanFrancisco M, Anderson TA, and Cobb GP (2007) Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) transformation to N-nitroso compounds in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Chemosphere 67(6): 1164-1170.
15. Zhang, Baohong, Freitag C, Cañas JE, Cheng QQ & Anderson TA. (2006) Effects of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) metabolites on cricket (Acheta domesticus) survival and reproductive success. Environmental Pollution 144(2): 549-553.
16. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong, Tian K, Jones LE, Liu J, Anderson TA, Wang JS, Cobb GP (2006) Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 20: 2222-2226.
17. Zhang, Baohong, Kendall RJ & Anderson TA. (2006) Toxicity of the explosive metabolites hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX) and hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Chemosphere 64(1): 86-95.
18. Zhang, Baohong, Smith PN & Anderson TA (2006) Evaluating the bioavailability of explosive metabolites, hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX), in soils using passive sampling devices. Journal of Chromatography A 1101: 38-45.
19. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong, Cox SB, Anderson TA & Cobb GP. (2006) Determination of N-nitroso derivatives of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in soils by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A 1107: 2-8.
20. Landrum M, Cañas JE, Coimbatore G, Cobb GP, Jackson WA, Zhang, Baohong & Anderson TA (2006) Effects of perchlorate on earthworm (Eisenia fetida) survival and reproductive success. The Science of the Total Environment 363: 237-244.
21. Presley SM, Rainwater TR, Austin GP, Platt SG, Zak JC, Cobb G.P, Marsland EJ, Tian K, Zhang, Baohong, Anderson TA, Cox SB, Abel MT, Leftwich BD, Huddleston J, Jeter R, and Kendall RJ. (2006) Assessment of pathogens and toxicants in New Orleans, LA following hurricane Katrina. Environmental Science and Technology 40(2): 468-474.
22. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Cobb GP & Anderson TA (2005) Use of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) /gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) for the determination of biodegradation intermediates of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in soils. Journal of Chromatography B 824:277-282.
23. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong & Cobb GP (2005) Extraction and analysis of trace amount of cyclonite (RDX) and its nitroso-metabolites in animal liver tissue using gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Talanta 67: 816-823.
Applied Biotechnology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Environmental Biology, and Genetics-related papers 24. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP, Guo TL, Wang QL & Anderson TA (2005) Measuring gene flow in the cultivation of transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Molecular Biotechnology, 31:11-20.
25. Zhang, Baohong, Pan XP & Wang QL (2005) Development and commercial use of Bt cotton. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants 11: 51-64.
26. Pan XP, Zhang, Baohong & Cobb GP (2005) Transgenic plants: environmental benefits and risks. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants 11: 13-32.
27. Zhang, Baohong, Wang QL & Wang QP (2004) Bt cotton. Current Science 86(6): 758-760.
28. Liu F & Zhang, Baohong (2004) Establishment of high frequency somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration system in cotton. Cotton Science, 16: 117-122. (In Chinese with English abstract)
29. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F, Liu ZH, Wang HM & Yao CB (2001) Effects of kanamycin on tissue culture and somatic embryogenesis in cotton. Plant Growth Regulation 33(2): 137-149.
30. Zhang, Baohong, Wang HM, Liu F, Li YH & Liu ZD (2001) In vitro assay for 2,4-D resistant in transgenic cotton. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology-Plant 37(2): 300-304.
31. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F, Wang QL & Zhang WS (2001) Selection for salt tolerance in cotton tissue culture and plant regeneration from NaCl-tolerant embryogenic callus. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences (3): 187-191.
32. Zhang, Baohong, Feng R, Liu F, Zhou DY & Wang QL (2001) Direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) explants. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences (3): 193-196.
33. Zhang, Baohong, Wang QL & Liu F (2001) Phenotypic variation in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) regenerated plants. Current Science 81(8): 1112-1115.
34. Zhang, Baohong, Feng R, Liu F & Wang QL (2001) High frequency somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of an elite Chinese cotton variety. Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica 42(1): 7-16.
35. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F, Yao CB, Gong WK, Liu ZH, Wang HM & Liu YL (2001) Obtained callus resistant to kanamycin from cotton transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens with GO gene. Cotton Science 13(2): 78-81. (In Chinese with English abstract)
36. Wang QL, Zhang, Baohong, Guo TL & Xu XR (2001) Inheritance of exogenous genes in transgenic cotton. Life Science Research 5(4): 345-350.
37. Zhang, Baohong & Wang QL (2001) Bt-cotton in China. Current Science, 81(4): 332-333
38. Zhang, Baohong, Guo TL & Wang QL (2000) Inheritance and segregation of exogenous genes in transgenic cotton. Journal of Genetics, 79(2): 71-75
39. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F & Yao CB (2000) Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis in cotton. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 60(2): 89-94.
40. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F, Yao CB & Wang KB (2000) Recent progress in cotton biotechnology and genetic engineering in China. Current Science 79(1): 37-44.
41. Zhang, Baohong, Liu F & Wang QL (2000) Germination of somatic embryos and plant recovery in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 68: 39-46.
