Yi E Zhang

Yi E Zhang, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

Department: MD-PHARMACOLOGY / THERAPEUTICS
Business Phone: (352) 265-7981
Business Email: yizhang@ufl.edu

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2019-2021
GMS6520 Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics I: The Nervous System
2020-2021
PAS5026 Pharmacotherapeu 2
2013-2022
DEN6262 Prin of Pharmacology

Research Profile

Zhang’s research mainly focuses on age-related and diet-induced obesity from the perspectives of leptin function and resistance and the association between leptin resistance and obesity. The ultimate goal of this line of research is to gain mechanistic insights from rodent studies, to understand how humans gain weight with age and diets, and to develop new strategies to both produce weight loss and to maintain the weight reduction in the long run. The major means of intervention for alleviating obesity are chronic gene therapy combined with traditional pharmacological drug administration. Recent investigations involve the brain’s melanocortin pathway that mediates leptin’s action in the central nervous system and affects the long-term regulation of energy balance. In addition, she is also examining leptin function specifically in the midbrain reward center, the ventral tegmental area (VTA), to curb high-fat consumption, alter dietary preference and deter diet-induced obesity. Rodents exhibiting obesity-prone and dietary resistance characteristics are employed to elucidate a potential mechanistic link between deficient leptin signaling/function in the VTA and heightened preference for palatable fattening foods and the vulnerability to dietary obesity.

Publications

2018
A distributive peptide cyclase processes multiple microviridin core peptides within a single polypeptide substrate.
Nature communications. 9(1) [DOI] 10.1038/s41467-018-04154-3. [PMID] 29725007.
2017
Brain Structural Alterations in Obese Children With and Without Prader-Willi Syndrome
Human Brain Mapping. 38(8):4228-4238 [DOI] 10.1002/hbm.23660. [PMID] 28543989.
2017
Cyanobacterial Sfp-type phosphopantetheinyl transferases functionalize carrier proteins of diverse biosynthetic pathways.
Scientific reports. 7(1) [DOI] 10.1038/s41598-017-12244-3. [PMID] 28928426.
2017
Fast Fabrication of a Self-Cleaning Coating Constructed With Scallion-Like Zno Using a Perfect Colloidal Monolayer Enabled By a Predictive Self-Assembly Method
Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 5(12):5943-5951 [DOI] 10.1039/c7ta00125h.
2017
Fast Sparse Fractal Image Compression
PLoS One. 12(9) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0184408. [PMID] 28886137.
2017
Granger Causality Reveals a Dominant Role of Memory Circuit in Chronic Opioid Dependence
Addiction Biology. 22(4):1068-1080 [DOI] 10.1111/adb.12390.
2017
Homologues of the Rpw8 Resistance Protein Are Localized to the Extrahaustorial Membrane That Is Likely Synthesized De Novo
Plant Physiology. 173(1):600-613 [DOI] 10.1104/pp.16.01539. [PMID] 27856916.
2017
Intrinsic Brain Subsystem Associated With Dietary Restraint, Disinhibition and Hunger: An Fmri Study
Brain Imaging and Behavior. 11(1):264-277 [DOI] 10.1007/s11682-015-9491-4.
2016
Angiotensin-(1-7) Decreases Cell Growth and Angiogenesis of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Xenografts
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 15(1):37-47 [DOI] 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-14-0981. [PMID] 26671566.
2016
Disrupted Default Mode Network and Basal Craving in Male Heroin-Dependent Individuals: a Resting-State Fmri Study
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 77(10):E1211+-e1217 [DOI] 10.4088/JCP.15m09965.
2016
Dual and Opposing Roles of Xanthine Dehydrogenase in Defense-Associated Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolism in Arabidopsis
Plant Cell. 28(5):1108-1126 [DOI] 10.1105/tpc.15.00880. [PMID] 27152019.
2015
Assessing the Relationship Between Social Vulnerability and Community Resilience To Hazards
Social Indicators Research. 122(2):391-409 [DOI] 10.1007/s11205-014-0698-3. [PMID] 29276330.
2015
Connectivity Study of the Neuromechanism of Acute Acupuncture Needling During Fmri in ‘Overweightandquot; Subjects
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2015 [DOI] 10.1155/2015/384389. [PMID] 25821486.
2015
Lentiviral Vectors Mediate Long-Term and High Efficiency Transgene Expression in Hek 293T Cells
International Journal of Medical Sciences. 12(5):407-415 [DOI] 10.7150/ijms.11270. [PMID] 26005375.
2015
Predicting Subsequent Relapse By Drug-Related Cue-Induced Brain Activation in Heroin Addiction: An Event-Related Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Addiction Biology. 20(5):968-978 [DOI] 10.1111/adb.12182. [PMID] 25214465.
2015
Proteomics of Methyl Jasmonate Induced Defense Response in Maize Leaves Against Asian Corn Borer
Bmc Genomics. 16 [DOI] 10.1186/s12864-015-1363-1. [PMID] 25885025.
2015
rsfMRI effects of KB220Z™ on neural pathways in reward circuitry of abstinent genotyped heroin addicts.
Postgraduate medicine. 127(2):232-41 [PMID] 25526228.
2015
Unusual Mott Transition in Multiferroic Pbcro3
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112(50):15320-15325 [DOI] 10.1073/pnas.1510415112. [PMID] 26604314.
2014
Obesity: Pathophysiology and Intervention
Nutrients. 6(11):5153-5183 [DOI] 10.3390/nu6115153. [PMID] 25412152.
2014
Pressure-Induced Superconductivity in Lafeaso: the Role of Anionic Height and Magnetic Ordering
Applied Physics Letters. 105(25) [DOI] 10.1063/1.4904954.
2013
Additional Components Involved in Thaxtomin Induction and Regulation By Streptomyces Scabies
Phytopathology. 103
2013
Altered Functional Brain Networks in Prader-Willi Syndrome
NMR in Biomedicine. 26(6):622-629 [DOI] 10.1002/nbm.2900. [PMID] 23335390.
2013
Assessing cue-induced brain response as a function of abstinence duration in heroin-dependent individuals: an event-related fMRI study.
PloS one. 8(5) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0062911. [PMID] 23667541.
2011
Divergent neural processes specific to the acute and sustained phases of verum and SHAM acupuncture.
Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI. 33(1):33-40 [DOI] 10.1002/jmri.22393. [PMID] 21182118.
2011
Investigating the effects of low dose alcohol on neural timing using functional MRI.
Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI. 34(5):1045-52 [DOI] 10.1002/jmri.22747. [PMID] 21928385.
2010
Altered small-world brain functional networks and duration of heroin use in male abstinent heroin-dependent individuals.
Neuroscience letters. 477(1):37-42 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.04.032. [PMID] 20417253.
2010
Distinct brain networks for time-varied characteristics of acupuncture.
Neuroscience letters. 468(3):353-8 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.11.031. [PMID] 19914337.
2010
Gray matter deficits and resting-state abnormalities in abstinent heroin-dependent individuals.
Neuroscience letters. 482(2):101-5 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.07.005. [PMID] 20621162.
2010
Intermittent MTII application evokes repeated anorexia and robust fat and weight loss.
Peptides. 31(4):639-43 [DOI] 10.1016/j.peptides.2009.12.019. [PMID] 20034526.
2010
Pro-opiomelanocortin gene transfer to the nucleus of the solitary track but not arcuate nucleus ameliorates chronic diet-induced obesity.
Neuroscience. 169(4):1662-71 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.06.001. [PMID] 20538045.
2010
Wheel running eliminates high-fat preference and enhances leptin signaling in the ventral tegmental area.
Physiology & behavior. 100(2):173-9 [DOI] 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.02.017. [PMID] 20193697.
2009
An Fmri Study of Acupuncture Using Independent Component Analysis
Neuroscience letters. 449(1):6-9 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.10.071. [PMID] 18977409.
2009
Bilateral Nigral Raav5-Mediated Gdnf Over-Expression Activates Crh Neurons in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus and Induces Robust Weight Loss in Obese Leptin-Resistant Rats
Molecular Therapy. 17
2009
Central overexpression of leptin antagonist reduces wheel running and underscores importance of endogenous leptin receptor activity in energy homeostasis.
American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. 297(5):R1254-61 [DOI] 10.1152/ajpregu.90449.2008. [PMID] 19726711.
2009
Combining spatial and temporal information to explore function-guide action of acupuncture using fMRI.
Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI. 30(1):41-6 [DOI] 10.1002/jmri.21805. [PMID] 19557845.
2009
Comparison of Visual Cortical Activations Induced By Electro-Acupuncture At Vision and Nonvision-Related Acupoints
Neuroscience letters. 458(1):6-10 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.04.027. [PMID] 19442868.
2009
Dysfunctional connectivity patterns in chronic heroin users: an fMRI study.
Neuroscience letters. 460(1):72-7 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.05.038. [PMID] 19450664.
2009
Leptin Resistance: a Prediposing Factor for Diet-Induced Obesity
American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology. 296(3):R493-R500 [DOI] 10.1152/ajpregu.90669.2008. [PMID] 19091915.
2009
Nigrostriatal rAAV-mediated GDNF overexpression induces robust weight loss in a rat model of age-related obesity.
Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy. 17(6):980-91 [DOI] 10.1038/mt.2009.45. [PMID] 19277011.
2009
Partial Correlation Investigation On the Default Mode Network Involved in Acupuncture: An Fmri Study
Neuroscience letters. 462(3):183-187 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.07.015. [PMID] 19595739.
2009
Responses to the cannabinoid receptor-1 antagonist, AM251, are more robust with age and with high-fat feeding.
The Journal of endocrinology. 203(2):281-90 [DOI] 10.1677/JOE-09-0210. [PMID] 19679649.
2008
Response preparation and inhibition: the role of the cortical sensorimotor beta rhythm.
Neuroscience. 156(1):238-46 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.06.061. [PMID] 18674598.
2008
Synergy between leptin therapy and a seemingly negligible amount of voluntary wheel running prevents progression of dietary obesity in leptin-resistant rats.
Diabetes. 57(3):614-22 [PMID] 18086903.
2008
The Stability of Wave-Driven Rip Current Circulation
Journal of Geophysical Research. 113(C3) [DOI] 10.1029/2006JC003814.
2007
Effects of life-long caloric restriction and voluntary exercise on age-related changes in levels of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes and angiotensin II receptors in the rat adrenal medulla and hypothalamus.
Experimental gerontology. 42(8):745-52 [PMID] 17540525.
2007
Elevated leptin: consequence or cause of obesity?
Frontiers in bioscience : a journal and virtual library. 12:3531-44 [DOI] 10.2741/2332. [PMID] 17485319.
2007
Leptin antagonist reveals an uncoupling between leptin receptor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling and metabolic responses with central leptin resistance.
The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. 320(2):706-12 [PMID] 17082312.
2005
Leptin resistance exacerbates diet-induced obesity and is associated with diminished maximal leptin signalling capacity in rats.
Diabetologia. 48(6):1075-83 [PMID] 15864530.
2003
Leptin-induced leptin resistant rats exhibit enhanced responses to the melanocortin agonist MT II.
Neuropharmacology. 45(2):211-9 [PMID] 12842127.
2002
Central leptin gene delivery evokes persistent leptin signal transduction in young and aged-obese rats but physiological responses become attenuated over time in aged-obese rats.
Neuropharmacology. 42(4):548-61 [PMID] 11955525.
2002
Leptin-induced leptin resistance reveals separate roles for the anorexic and thermogenic responses in weight maintenance.
Endocrinology. 143(8):3026-35 [DOI] 10.1210/en.143.8.3026. [PMID] 12130569.
1998
The A2A adenosine receptor mediates coronary vasodilation.
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 284(3):1066-73 [PMID] 9495868.

Education

PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
1997 · University of Florida

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 265-7981
Emails:
Business:
yizhang@ufl.edu
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
PO BOX 100267
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPUETICS
GAINESVILLE FL 326100267
Business Street:
VAMA, RM E307B, 1601 SW ARCHER RD
GAINESVILLE FL 32608