Research Areas:

Our major research interests are to use multiple model systems including C. elegans, mammalian cells and mice to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of energy homeostasis, aging and aging related diseases. Our goal is to use genetic and nutrition intervention approaches to promote healthy aging.

Brief Biography:

Education

2006-2012: Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China

2002-2006: B.S. Biochemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Academic Background

2020-Present: Professor, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS

2013-2019: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School/Center for Genetic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Selected Publications:

1. Lingxia Wang, Xixi Zhang, Haiwei Zhang, Kaili Lu, Ming Li, Xiaoming Li, Yangjing Ou, Xiaoming Zhao, Xiaoxia Wu, Xuanhui Wu, Jianling Liu, Mingyan Xing, Han Liu, Yue Zhang, Yongchang Tan, Fang Li, Xiaoxue Deng, Jiangshan Deng, Xiaojie Zhang, Jinbao Li, Yuwu Zhao, Qiurong Ding, Haikun Wang, Xiuzhe Wang*, Yan Luo*, Ben Zhou*, Haibing Zhang*. Excessive apoptosis of Rip1‐ deficient T cells leads to premature aging. EMBO reports 2023;24:12(e57925)
2. Yanni Zhang, Qiulei Xi, Ming Zhong, Yi Jiang, Qiulin Zhuang, Zuoyou Ding, Shanjun Tan, Junjie Wang, Hao Liu, Zhige Zhang, Ben Zhou*, Guohao Wu*. Tumor‐derived semaphorin 3D promoting cancer cachexia via regulating hypothalamic pro‐opiomelanocortin neurons. The FASEB Journal 2023;37:6(e22980)
3. Zhou？B*,？Zhang？Y,？Li？S,？Wu？L,？Fejes-Toth？G,？Naray-Fejes-Toth？A,？Soukas AA. Serum- and glucocorticoid-induced kinase drives hepatic insulin resistance by directly inhibiting AMP-activated protein kinase. Cell reports 2021 Oct 5; 37(1):109785.
4. Zhou B, Kreuzer J, Kumsta C, Wu L, Kamer KJ, Cedillo L, Zhang Y, Li S, Kacergis MC, Webster CM, Fejes-Toth G, Naray-Fejes-Toth A, Das S, Hansen M, Haas W, Soukas AA. Mitochondrial Permeability Uncouples Elevated Autophagy and Lifespan Extension.？Cell？2019 Apr 4;177(2):299-314.e16.
5. Zhou B, Soukas AA. Suppressing the dark side of autophagy.？Autophagy？2019 Oct;15(10):1852-1853.
6. Soukas AA, Zhou B. Surviving Starvation Simply Without TFEB.？PLoS Biology？2019;17(5):e3000285.
7. Webster CM, Pino EC, Carr CE, Wu L, Zhou B, Cedillo L, Kacergis MC, Sea CP, Soukas AA. Genome-wide RNAi Screen for Fat Regulatory Genes in C. elegans Identifies a Proteostasis-AMPK Axis Critical for Starvation Survival.？Cell Report？2017 Jul 18;20(3):627-640.
8. Wu L, Zhou B, Oshiro-Rapley N, Li M, Paulo JA, Webster CM, Mou F, Kacergis MC, Talkowski ME, Carr CE, Gygi SP, Zheng B, Soukas AA. An Ancient, Unified Mechanism for Metformin Growth Inhibition in C. elegans and Cancer.？Cell？2016 Dec 15;167(7):1705-1718.e13.
9. Liu J, Zhou B, Yan MH, Huang R, Wang YG, He ZS, Yang YG, Dai CG, Wang YQ, Zhang F, Zhai QW. CLOCK and BMAL1 regulate muscle insulin sensitivity via SIRT1 in male mice.？Endocrinology？2016 Jun;157(6):2259-2269.
10. Zhou B^#, Zhang Y^#, Zhang F^#, Xia YL, Liu J, Huang R, Wang YG, Hu YN, Wu JX, Dai CG, Wang H, Tu YY, Peng XZ, Wang YQ, Zhai QW. CLOCK/BMAL1 regulates circadian change of insuin sensitivity via SIRT1.？Hepatology 2014;59(6):2196-2206. (^# equal contribution)
11. Zhang Y^#, Zhou B^#, Deng B, Zhang F, Wu JX, Wang YG, Le YY, Zhai QW. Amyloid-β induces hepatic insulin resistance in vivo via JAK2.？Diabetes？2013 Apr;62(4):1159-1166 (^# equal contribution)
12. Wei HB^#, Zhou B^#, Zhang F, Tu YY, Zhang BG, Zhai QW. Profiling and identification of small rDNA-derived RNAs and their potential biological functions.？PLoS One？2013;8(2):e56842. (^# equal contribution)
13. Zhou B^#, Li C^#, Qi W, Zhang Y, Zhang F, Wu JX, Hu YN, Wu DM, Liu Y, Yan TT, Jing Q, Liu MF, Zhai QW. Downregulation of miR-181a upregulates sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and improves hepatic insulin sensitivity.？Diabetologia？2012 Jul;55(7):2032-2043. (^# equal contribution)
14. Zhang Y, Zhou B, Zhang F, Wu JX, Hu YN, Liu Y, Zhai QW. Amyloid-β induces insulin resistance by activating JAK2/STAT3/SOCS-1 signalling pathway.？Diabetes？2012 Jun;61(6):1434-1443.