47783-Zhang, Wen

Wen Zhang, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Email
wz15@iu.edu
Phone
317-274-9602
Address
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
635 Barnhill Drive Medical Science, Room MS4071A
Indianapolis, IN 46202
PubMed:

Bio

Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D. in chemistry and structural biology from Georgia State University under the direction of Dr. Zhen Huang. There, he developed the new method of solving phasing and crystallization problems during nucleic acid structure determination by chemically synthesizing the modified DNA/RNA molecules. Dr. Zhang got post-doctoral training in Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School under Dr. Jack W. Szostak. His post-doctoral research focused on the origin of life related projects, including the mechanistic study of RNA self-replication in the enzyme-free scenario, and the development of xenobiological nucleic acid as the substitute of native RNA/DNA in molecular evolution.

Dr. Zhang joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine as an assistant professor in 2019. His lab utilizes the approaches of organic chemistry, biochemistry, structural biology and chemical biology to create and apply novel nucleic acid molecules for disease treatment. The current research interests include 1) synthesis of novel mirror-image nucleic acids; 2) in vitro selection of functional mirror-image nucleic acid to target disease-related RNA motif; 3) construction of mirror-image RNA/DNA nanostructure for biostability and drug delivery efficiency improvement; 4) design and synthesis of novel modified DNA as antisense therapy candidate.

 

Zhang Lab Website

Key Publications

Wen Zhang, Travis Walton, Li Li and Jack W. Szostak*, “Crystallographic observation of nonenzymatic RNA primer extension”, eLife, 2018, 7:e36422.

Wen Zhang, Chun Pong Tam, Lijun Zhou, Seung Soo Oh, Jiawei Wang, and Jack W. Szostak*, “A structural rationale for the enhanced catalysis of nonenzymatic RNA primer extension by a downstream oligonucleotide”, Journal of American Chemical Society, 2018, 140(8), 2829-2840.

Wen Zhang, Chun Pong Tam, Travis Walton, Gabriel Birrane, and Jack W. Szostak*, “Insight into the mechanism of nonenzymatic RNA primer extension from the structure of an RNA-GpppG complex”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2017, 114(29), 7659-7664.

Wen Zhang, Chun Pong Tam, Jiawei Wang, and Jack W. Szostak*. “Unusual base-pairing interactions in monomer–template complexes”, ACS Central Science, 2016, 2(12), 916-926.

For a complete list of publications, visit PubMed

Research Labs

Faculty research at IU School of Medicine is transforming health. Details about the medical research being conducted in faculty labs throughout IU School of Medicine are available in the Research section of this site.
Faculty Labs