Huiping Zhang PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Research Interests
Psychiatric Genetics; Epigenetics; Functional genomics; Substance Dependence
Research Summary
We are examining genetic and epigenetic changes that may increase the risk for substance dependence and other psychiatric disorders.
Extensive Research Description
Our research goal is to understand the genetic mechanism of substance dependence and other psychiatric disorders. We are using a number of approaches (such as candidate gene and genome-wide linkage or association studies) to identify gene variants that may influence the vulnerability to the disorders. We are also using the next-generation sequencing technology to find new rare variants which may be implicated in the disorders. The function of disease-associated variants will be further studied to see if they can change gene expression levels. We are also investigating if gene methylation patterns are altered in patients in comparison to healthy controls. On top of that, we are probing the effect of genes and gene-smoking interaction on cognitive flexibility.
Selected Publications
- Zhang H*, Wang F, Kranzler HR, Zhao H, Gelernter J. Profiling of Childhood Adversity-associated DNA Methylation Changes in Alcoholic Patients and Healthy Controls. PLoS One. in Press.
- Wang F, Simen A, Arias A, Lu QW, Zhang H*. A large-scale meta-analysis of the association between the ANKK1/DRD2 Taq1A polymorphism and alcohol dependence. Hum Genet. 2013; 132(3):347-58.
- Barker JM, Zhang Y, Wang F, Taylor JR, Zhang H*. Ethanol-induced Htr3a Promoter Methylation Changes in Mouse Blood and Brain. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013; 37 Suppl 1:E101-7.
- Zhang H*, Herman AI, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Zhao H, Zheng W, Gelernter J. Array-based Profiling of DNA Methylation Changes Associated with Alcohol Dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013; 37 Suppl 1:E108-15.
- Wang F, Gelernter J, Kranzer HR, Zhang H*. Identification of POMC Exonic Variants Associated with Substance Dependence and Body Mass Index. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45300.
- Zhang H*, Herman A, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Simen A, Gelernter J. Hypermethylation of OPRM1 promoter region in European Americans with alcohol dependence. J Hum Genet. 2012; 57(10):670-5.
- Zhang H*, Wang F, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Gelernter J. Variation in regulator of G-Protein signaling 17 Gene (RGS17) is associated with multiple substance dependence diagnoses. Behav Brain Funct. 2012; 8:23.
- Zhang H*, Kranzler HR, Poling J, Gelernter J. Variation in the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Gene Cluster CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 and Its Interaction with Recent Tobacco Use Influence Cognitive Flexibility. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010; 35(11):2211-2224.
- Zhang H*, Gelernter J, Gruen JR, Kranzler HR, Herman AI, Simen AA. Functional impact of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the OPRD1 promoter region. J Hum Genet. 2010; 55(5):278-284.
- Zhang H*, Smith GN, Liu X, Holden JJ. Association of MAOA, 5-HTT and NET promoter polymorphisms with gene expression and protein activity in human placentae. Physiol Genomics. 2010; 42(1):85-92.
Selected Publications
- Zhang H*, Wang F, Kranzler HR, Zhao H, Gelernter J. Profiling of Childhood Adversity-associated DNA Methylation Changes in Alcoholic Patients and Healthy Controls. PLoS One. in Press.
- Wang F, Simen A, Arias A, Lu QW, Zhang H*. A large-scale meta-analysis of the association between the ANKK1/DRD2 Taq1A polymorphism and alcohol dependence. Hum Genet. 2013; 132(3):347-58.
- Barker JM, Zhang Y, Wang F, Taylor JR, Zhang H*. Ethanol-induced Htr3a Promoter Methylation Changes in Mouse Blood and Brain. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013; 37 Suppl 1:E101-7.
- Zhang H*, Herman AI, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Zhao H, Zheng W, Gelernter J. Array-based Profiling of DNA Methylation Changes Associated with Alcohol Dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013; 37 Suppl 1:E108-15.
- Wang F, Gelernter J, Kranzer HR, Zhang H*. Identification of POMC Exonic Variants Associated with Substance Dependence and Body Mass Index. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45300.
- Zhang H*, Herman A, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Simen A, Gelernter J. Hypermethylation of OPRM1 promoter region in European Americans with alcohol dependence. J Hum Genet. 2012; 57(10):670-5.
- Zhang H*, Wang F, Kranzler HR, Anton RF, Gelernter J. Variation in regulator of G-Protein signaling 17 Gene (RGS17) is associated with multiple substance dependence diagnoses. Behav Brain Funct. 2012; 8:23.
- Zhang H*, Kranzler HR, Poling J, Gelernter J. Variation in the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Gene Cluster CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 and Its Interaction with Recent Tobacco Use Influence Cognitive Flexibility. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010; 35(11):2211-2224.
- Zhang H*, Gelernter J, Gruen JR, Kranzler HR, Herman AI, Simen AA. Functional impact of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the OPRD1 promoter region. J Hum Genet. 2010; 55(5):278-284.
- Zhang H*, Smith GN, Liu X, Holden JJ. Association of MAOA, 5-HTT and NET promoter polymorphisms with gene expression and protein activity in human placentae. Physiol Genomics. 2010; 42(1):85-92.
- Zhang H*, Kranzler HR, Poling J, Gruen JR, Gelernter J. Cognitive Flexibility is Associated with KIBRA Variant and Modulated by Recent Tobacco Use. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009; 34(12):2508-16.
- Zhang H*, Kranzler HR, Weiss RD, Luo X, Brady KT, Anton RF, Farrer LA, Gelernter J. Pro-opiomelanocortin gene variation related to alcohol or drug dependence: evidence and replications across family- and population-based studies. Biol Psychiatry. 2009;66(2):128-36.
- Zhang H*, Kranzler HR, Yang BZ, Luo X, Gelernter J. The OPRD1 and OPRK1 loci in alcohol or drug dependence: OPRD1 variation modulates substance dependence risk. Mol Psychiatry. 2008;13(5):531-43.
- Zhang H*, Luo X, Kranzler HR, Lappalainen J, Yang BZ, Krupitsky E, Zvartau E, Gelernter J. Association between two mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) haplotype blocks and drug or alcohol dependence. Hum Mol Genet. 2006;15(6):807-19.
- Zhang H*, Ozbay F, Lappalainen J, Kranzler HR, van Dyck CH, Charney DS, Price LH, Southwick S, Yang BZ, Rasmussen A, Gelernter J. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene variants and Alzheimer's disease, affective disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and substance dependence. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2006;141(4):387-93.
