Post-Doc
Dr. Yifan Zhu
RESEARCH:
The term non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is usually employed for RNA molecule that is not further translated into a protein. Despite the functionally important ncRNAs like transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), current advancement in our knowledge of the function of thousands of ncRNAs, such as microRNAs, siRNAs, and the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), remain unknown. Using genetic screenings (such as CRISPR-Cas and RNAi) in combination with classical cell biological techniques I’m trying to identify and assign functions to some novel unstudied ncRNAs. The focus of these ncRNAs is lncRNAs that regulate the TGF-beta signaling pathway.
Currently I’m working on CRISPR-Cas9 based activation or interference screening system to detect the lncRNAs, as well as new CRISPR-Cas based genome editing tool development.
CURRICULUM VITAE:
I studied biotechnology at Wageningen University and Research, after my Masters I started my PhD in the lab of Prof. John van der Oost at the Laboratory of Microbiology in the same university. I performed my first postdoctoral training at the Erasmus University Medical Center in the lab of dr. Nitika Taneja, followed by a second postdoctoral period in Prof. Peter ten Dijke's lab in Leiden. During my PhD I worked on CRISPR-Cas Type III system to explore its RNA and DNA substrate cleavage mechanism.
Publications
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Shooting the messenger: RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems.
Zhu, Y., Klompe, S.E., Vlot, M., van der Oost, J., Staals, H.J.R.
Bioscience Reports 38(3): 1-11. doi: 10.1042/BSR20170788
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Structures of the CRISPR-Cmr complex reveal mode of RNA target positioning.
Taylor, D.W.#, Zhu, Y.#, Staals, H.J.R., Kornfeld, J.E., Shinkai, A., van der Oost, J., Nogales, E., Doudna, A.J.
Science 348 (6234): 581-585. doi: 10.1126/science.aaa4535
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RNA targeting by the type III-A CRISPR-Cas Csm complex of Thermus thermophilus.
Staals, H.J.R.#, Zhu, Y.#, Taylor, D.W.#, Kornfeld, J.E., Sharma, K., Barendregt, A., Koehorst, J.J., Vlot, M., Neupane, N., Varossieau, K., Sakamoto, , K., Suzuki, T., Dohmae, N., Yokoyama, S., Schaap, P.J., Urlaub, H., Heck, A.J.R., Nogales, Et al.
Molecular Cell 56(4): 518-30. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2014.10.005
Groups:
