EDUCATION
Ph.D 2003-2011 in Plant Molecular Genetics, China Agricultural University
Bachelor 1999-2003 in Biological Technology, Shandong University
WORK EXPERIENCE
1. Visiting Scholar, University of California, Davis, USA 2016.9-present
2. Assistant Research Fellow, Shandong University, China 2014.9-present
3. Postdoctoral researcher, Shandong University, China 2012.5-2014.9
RESEARCH INTERESTS
1. Medicago truncatula's close relative alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the most widely grown forage legume crop in the world. By screening a large population of M. truncatula mutants tagged with the transposable element of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cell type1 (Tnt1), we idntify a series of mutants with altered development pattern of compound leaves. Genetic and molecular analyses were assayed to reveal their mechanisms.
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
1. The function of REVALUTA in compound leaf development in Medicago trunctula. National Science Foundation of China
2. The function of PPF1 in compound leaf development in Medicago trunctula. National Science Foundation of China Shandong Province
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. Yang Zhao*, Xinghui Ai*, Mengcheng Wang, Langtao Xiao and Guangmin Xia. A putative pyruvate transporter TaBASS2 positively regulates salinity tolerance in wheat via modulation of ABI4 expression. BMC Plant Biology (2016) 16: 109. (* co-first author)
2. Yang Zhao*, Wei Dong*, Naibo Zhang, Xinghui Ai, Mengcheng Wang, Zhigang Huang, Langtao Xiao and Guangmin Xia. A wheat Allene oxide cyclase gene enhances salinity tolerance via jasmonate signaling. Plant Physiology (2014) 164:1068-1076. (* co-first author)
4. Yang Zhao*, Tong Wei*, Kangquan Yin, Zhangliang Chen, Hongya Gu, Li-Jia Qu and Genji Qin. Arabidopsis RAP2.2 plays an important role in plant resistance to Botrytis cinerea and ethylene responses. New Phytologist (2012) 195: 450-460. (* co-first author)
PATENTS
1. Guangmin Xia, Xinghui Ai, Yang Zhao, Mengchen Wang. A wheat salinity tolerant gene, TaBASS2. (201510007831.6).
2. Guangmin Xia, Yang Zhao, Wei Dong, Mengchen Wang. A wheat salinity tolerant gene, TaAOC1. (201310369645.8).
AWARDS
1. Excellence in Published Research for Young Scientists in the 11th Chinese Society for Plant Biology (CSPB) annual conference in 2014
2. Shandong Province Postdoc Innovation Fellowship in 2012
