Education

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania

Research Interests

Novel optical reporters and bio bioconjugated nanomaterials to monitor and manipulate cells in vitro and in vivo; membrane lipids and lipid regulation in the nervous system; neurotransmission mechanisms and related neurological disorders;

Selected Awards

2014-2016 Shaffer Award of Cure for Glaucoma

2013-2016 NSF GOLI Research Award

2011-2017 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

2010-2012 NARSAD Young Investigator Award

2010-2012 Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation/AFAR New Investigator Awards

(Please see more in my CV)

Selected Publications

1. Zhang, Q., Li, Y.L., Tsien, R.W. (2009) Dynamics of dual fusion modes revealed by single quantum dot imaging. Science 323, 1448-1453.
2. Kitko, K.E., Hong, T., Lazarenko, R.M, Ying, D., Xu, Y.Q., Zhang, Q., (2018) Membrane cholesterol mediates the cellular effects of monolayer graphene substrates. Nat. Commun. 9, 796-812.
3. DelBove, C.E., Strothman, C.E., Lazarenko, R.M., Huang, H., Sanders, C.R., Zhang, Q. (2019) Reciprocal modulation between amyloid precursor protein and synaptic membrane cholesterol revealed by live cell imaging. Neurobiol. of Dis. 127: 449-461.
4. Thomas, D., Rubio, V., Iragavarapu, V., Guzman, E., Pelletier, O.B., Alamgir, S., Zhang, Q., Stawikowski, M.J. (2021) Solvatochromic and pH-Sensitive Fluorescent Membrane Probes for Imaging of Live Cells. ACS Chem Neurosci. 12(4):719-734.
5. Mesa, H., Zhang, E.Y., Wang, Y.C., Zhang, Q. (2023) Human neurons lacking amyloid precursor protein exhibit cholesterol-associated developmental and presynaptic deficits. J. Cell. Physiol. (Mar 26, Online ahead of print)