Qiong L. Zhou, PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Zhou currently works directly with Zhen Y. Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Laboratory of Diabetes and Obesity Research, on understanding how insulin signaling networks and innate immunity regulate metabolic functions.

During her research career, Qiong L. Zhou, Ph.D., has contributed significantly to collaborative projects with renowned scientists. In a collaborative study with Dr. Craig Mello’s laboratory while at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, she established microRNA profiles of three sets of samples from: 1. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, adipocytes and adipocytes treated with insulin; 2. human muscle tissues from non exercised or exercised individuals; and 3. human monocytes before and after lipid perfusion by using deep sequencing technique. She is continuing to analyze these profiles to identify the major microRNAs that target the components of insulin signaling pathways and key molecules involved in diabetes and obesity. She was also part of the team that identified a new Akt substrate, TBC1D1, a RabGAP containing protein. These results were published in a paper suggesting that TBC1D1 regulates GLUT1 expression through the mTOR pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Zhou et al, Biochem J. 2008). While at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Qiong has worked on a project dissecting the role of neutrophil elastase in the development of high-fat diet induced obesity and related inflammation, insulin resistance and energy imbalance with different mouse models. This also resulted in a recent publication (Aubert et al, Cell Metabolism 2013).

Publications

  • Published 3/29/2018

    Zhou QL, Song Y, Huang CH, Huang JY, Gong Z, Liao Z, Sharma AG, Greene L, Deng JZ, Rigor MC, Xie X, Qi S, Ayala JE, Jiang ZY. Membrane Trafficking Protein CDP138 Regulates Fat Browning and Insulin Sensitivity through Controlling Catecholamine Release. Mol Cell Biol. 2018 04 15; 38(8). PMID: 29378832.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/15/2017

    Huang JY, Zhou QL, Huang CH, Song Y, Sharma AG, Liao Z, Zhu K, Massidda MW, Jamieson RR, Zhang JY, Tenen DG, Jiang ZY. Neutrophil Elastase Regulates Emergency Myelopoiesis Preceding Systemic Inflammation in Diet-induced Obesity. J Biol Chem. 2017 Mar 24; 292(12):4770-4776. PMID: 28202548.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/2/2013

    Mansuy-Aubert V, Zhou QL, Xie X, Gong Z, Huang JY, Khan AR, Aubert G, Candelaria K, Thomas S, Shin DJ, Booth S, Baig SM, Bilal A, Hwang D, Zhang H, Lovell-Badge R, Smith SR, Awan FR, Jiang ZY. Imbalance between neutrophil elastase and its inhibitor a1-antitrypsin in obesity alters insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and energy expenditure. Cell Metab. 2013 Apr 2; 17(4):534-48. PMID: 23562077.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/7/2011

    Xie X, Gong Z, Mansuy-Aubert V, Zhou QL, Tatulian SA, Sehrt D, Gnad F, Brill LM, Motamedchaboki K, Chen Y, Czech MP, Mann M, Krüger M, Jiang ZY. C2 domain-containing phosphoprotein CDP138 regulates GLUT4 insertion into the plasma membrane. Cell Metab. 2011 Sep 7; 14(3):378-89. PMID: 21907143.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/28/2010

    Zhou QL, Jiang ZY, Mabardy AS, Del Campo CM, Lambright DG, Holik J, Fogarty KE, Straubhaar J, Nicoloro S, Chawla A, Czech MP. A novel pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein enhances insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and GLUT4 translocation in adipocytes. J Biol Chem. 2010 Sep 3; 285(36):27581-9. PMID: 20587420.

    Read at: PubMed