Jian Zhu, PhD
Associate Professor
Biosketch
Our lab studies the epigenetic (DNA and histone methylation) and epitranscriptional (RNA methylation) aspects in viral infections and antiviral immune responses. We work at the interface of virology, immunology, genetics, cellular and molecular biology. We will identify novel host regulators that control viral infections, persistence, and antiviral immune responses, particularly for HIV, herpesviruses (EBV, KSHV), and respiratory viruses (SARS-CoV-2, influenza), by using functional genomic (RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9), quantitative proteomic (MS, PLATO), as well as single-cell multiomics approaches. We will further dissect the functions and mechanisms of key host regulators using classic cell and/or animal models of viral infections. Newly developed small-molecule compounds targeting host regulators will be investigated as the next-generation antiviral reagents and/or immune modulators.
Areas of Expertise:
- Viral infections, persistence, and antiviral immune responses
- Epigenetic and epitranscriptional regulation of host-virus interactions
- Chemical inhibition of epigenetic and epitranscriptional regulators
- Systematic biology approaches for gene discovery
- AIDS associated malignancies (head and neck cancers, lymphomas) and pathogenesis
Grants
Academic and Medical Appointments
2018-Present Associate Professor (with Tenure), Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
2013-2018 Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Education and Training
Postdoc, Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School
PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
MS, University of Nebraska Medical Center
BS, Peking University Health Science Center
Selected Publications
- Profiling of immune related genes silenced in EBV-positive gastric carcinoma identified novel restriction factors of human gammaherpesviruses. Fiches GN, Zhou D, Kong W, Biswas A, Ahmed EH, Baiocchi RA, Zhu J*, Santoso N*. PLoS Pathogens. 2020;16(8):e1008778. (*Co-corresponding authors)
- Inhibition of Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) facilitates the elimination of HIV-1 viral reservoirs in CD4+ T cells ex vivo. Zhou D, Hayashi T, Jean M, Kong W, Fiches G, Biswas A, Liu S, Yosief H, Zhang X, Bradner J, Qi J, Zhang W, Santoso N, Zhu J. Science Advances. 2020; 6(29); eaba1941.
- Nucleolar protein NOP2/NSUN1 suppresses HIV-1 transcription and promotes viral latency by competing with Tat for TAR binding and methylation. Kong W, Biswas A, Zhou D, Fiches G, Fujinaga K, Santoso N, Zhu J. PLoS Pathogens. 2020;16(3):e1008430.
- Huang H, Kong W, Jean M, Fiches G, Zhou D, Hayashi T, Que J, Santoso N, Zhu J. A CRISPR/Cas9 screen identifies the histone demethylase MINA53 as a novel HIV-1 latency-promoting gene (LPG). Nucleic Acids Research. 2019;47(14):7333-7347.
- Kong W, Hayashi T, Fiches G, Xu Q, Li MZ, Que J, Liu S, Zhang W, Qi J, Santoso N, Elledge SJ, Zhu J. Diversified Application of Barcoded PLATO (PLATO-BC) Platform for Identification of Protein Interactions. Genomics Proteomics Bioinformatics. 2019;17(3):319-331.
- Jean MJ, Zhou D, Fiches G, Kong W, Huang H, Purmal A, Gurova K, Santoso NG, Zhu J. Curaxin CBL0137 has the potential to reverse HIV-1 latency. J Med Virol. 2019;91(8):1571-1576.
- Simpson S, Fiches G, Jean MJ, Dieringer M, McGuinness J, John SP, Shamay M, Desai P, Zhu J*, Santoso NG*. Inhibition of Tip60 Reduces Lytic and Latent Gene Expression of KSHV and Proliferation of KSHV-Infected Tumor Cells. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:788. (*Co-corresponding authors)
- Screening of an FDA-approved compound library identifies levosimendan as a novel anti-HIV-1 agent that inhibits viral transcription. Hayashi T, Jean M, Huang H, Simpson S, Santoso NG, Zhu J. Antiviral Res. 2017; 146:76-85.
- Curaxin CBL0100 Blocks HIV-1 Replication and Reactivation through Inhibition of Viral Transcriptional Elongation. Jean MJ, Hayashi T, Huang H, Brennan J, Simpson S, Purmal A, Gurova K, Keefer MC, Kobie JJ, Santoso NG, Zhu J. Front Microbiol. 2017; 8:2007.
- FACT Proteins, SUPT16H and SSRP1, Are Transcriptional Suppressors of HIV-1 and HTLV-1 That Facilitate Viral Latency. Huang H, Santoso N, Power D, Simpson S, Dieringer M, Miao H, Gurova K, Giam CZ, Elledge SJ, Zhu J. J Biol Chem. 2015; 290(45):27297-310.
- IFI44 suppresses HIV-1 LTR promoter activity and facilitates its latency. Power D, Santoso N, Dieringer M, Yu J, Huang H, Simpson S, Seth I, Miao H, Zhu J. Virology. 2015; 481:142-50.
- Discovery of protein interactions using parallel analysis of translated ORFs (PLATO). Larman HB, Liang AC, Elledge SJ, Zhu J. Nature Protocols. 2014; 9(1):90-103.
- Comprehensive identification of host modulators of HIV-1 replication using multiple orthologous RNAi reagents. Zhu J, Davoli T, Perriera JM, Chin CR, Gaiha GD, John SP, Sigiollot FD, Gao G, Xu Q, Qu H, Pertel T, Sims JS, Smith JA, Baker RE, Maranda L, Ng A, Elledge SJ, Brass AL. Cell Reports. 2014; 9(2):752-66.
- Protein interaction discovery using parallel analysis of translated ORFs (PLATO). Zhu J, Larman HB, Gao G, Somwar R, Zhang Z, Laserson U, Ciccia A, Pavlova N, Church G, Zhang W, Kesari S, Elledge SJ. Nature Biotechnology. 2013; 31(4):331-334.
- Reactivation of latent HIV-1 by inhibition of BRD4. Zhu J, Gaiha GD, John SP, Pertel T, Chin CR, Gao G, Qu H, Walker BD, Elledge SJ, Brass AL. Cell Reports. 2012; 2(4):807-16.
- Conserved herpesvirus kinases target the DNA damage response pathway and TIP60 histone acetyltransferase to promote virus replication. Li R*, Zhu J*, Xie Z, Liao G, Liu J, Chen MR, Hu S, Woodard C, Lin J, Taverna SD, Desai P, Ambinder RF, Hayward GS, Qian J, Zhu H, Hayward SD. Cell Host Microbe. 2011; 10(4):390-400. (* Equal contributions)
- Protein array identification of substrates of the Epstein-Barr virus protein kinase BGLF4. Zhu J, Liao G, Shan L, Zhang J, Chen MR, Hayward GS, Hayward SD, Desai P, Zhu H. J Virol. 2009; 83(10):5219-31.
- RNA-binding proteins that inhibit RNA virus infection. Zhu J, Gopinath K, Murali A, Yi G, Hayward SD, Zhu H, Kao C. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007; 104(9):3129-34.