Yong Zhu, PhD
Associate Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology; Track Director, Environmental Health Sciences, Executive MPH; Assistant Director, Global Epidemiology
Research & Publications
Biography
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Research Summary
Dr. Zhu's research interests are oriented towards the use of the molecular epidemiological approach in the study of genetic susceptibility biomarkers and their interactions with environmental exposures in human disease development. Dr. Zhu has been developing and validating novel phenotypic and genotypic assays and biomarkers for several cancer types, including non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, breast, bladder, lung and prostate cancer. By utilizing various techniques in genetics, epigenetics, cytogenetics, cell biology, and computational biology, my studies have identified biomarkers that can characterize inherited predisposition and cellular response to environmental factors. Current research focuses on studying the role of two transcriptional factors, circadian genes and microRNAs, in tumorigenesis.
Specialized Terms:Circadian genes; MicroRNAs; Shift-work; Breast Cancer; Lymphoma; Prostate Cancer
Extensive Research Description
- Molecular Epidemiology of Circadian Genes and Human Cancers
- Molecular Epidemiology of Methylation-related Genes and Human Cancers
- Molecular Epidemiology of Micro-RNA and Human Cancers
Coauthors
Research Interests
Breast Neoplasms; Environmental Health; Genetics, Medical; Public Health; Testicular Neoplasms; Molecular Epidemiology
Public Health Interests
Cancer; Environmental Health; Genetics, Genomics, Epigenetics
Selected Publications
- Genetic determinants for the racial disparities in the risk of prostate and testicular cancersUzamere I, Wang Y, Zheng T, Zhu Y. Genetic determinants for the racial disparities in the risk of prostate and testicular cancers. Communications Medicine 2022, 2: 138. PMID: 36352009, PMCID: PMC9630379, DOI: 10.1038/s43856-022-00205-5.
- Can Muscle Building Supplements Increase Testicular Cancer Risk?Girardi KG, Zheng T, Zhu Y. Can Muscle Building Supplements Increase Testicular Cancer Risk? Frontiers In Nutrition 2022, 9: 778426. PMID: 35155536, PMCID: PMC8834066, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.778426.
- Co-distribution of Light At Night (LAN) and COVID-19 incidence in the United StatesMeng Y, Zhu V, Zhu Y. Co-distribution of Light At Night (LAN) and COVID-19 incidence in the United States. BMC Public Health 2021, 21: 1509. PMID: 34348695, PMCID: PMC8335974, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11500-6.
- Detection of heterozygous mutation in hook microtubule-tethering protein 1 in three patients with decapitated and decaudated spermatozoa syndromeChen H, Zhu Y, Zhu Z, Zhi E, Lu K, Wang X, Liu F, Li Z, Xia W. Detection of heterozygous mutation in hook microtubule-tethering protein 1 in three patients with decapitated and decaudated spermatozoa syndrome. Journal Of Medical Genetics 2018, 55: 150. PMID: 29330334, DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2016-104404.
- Ubiquitination-Deficient Mutations in Human Piwi Cause Male Infertility by Impairing Histone-to-Protamine Exchange During SpermiogenesisGou L, Kang J, Dai P, Wang X, Li F, Zhao S, Zhang M, Hua M, Lu Y, Zhu Y, Li Z, Chen H, Wu L, Li D, Fu X, Li J, Shi H, Liu M. Ubiquitination-Deficient Mutations in Human Piwi Cause Male Infertility by Impairing Histone-to-Protamine Exchange During Spermiogenesis. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 2017, 72: 540-541. DOI: 10.1097/ogx.0000000000000482.
- Abstract 4623: piRNA and glioma risk: Evidence from a post-GWAS analysis of the GliomaScan CohortJacobs D, Lerro M, Fu A, Qin Q, DeWan A, Dubrow R, Claus E, Zhu Y. Abstract 4623: piRNA and glioma risk: Evidence from a post-GWAS analysis of the GliomaScan Cohort. 2015, 4623-4623. DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2015-4623.
- Abstract 2638: Genetic association analysis of the AMP dependent protein kinase complex and NHL riskHoffman A, Demanelis K, Zheng T, Zhu Y. Abstract 2638: Genetic association analysis of the AMP dependent protein kinase complex and NHL risk. Cancer Research 2012, 72: 2638-2638. DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2012-2638.
- Genome-wide methylation changes in night working women in Denmark: same altered promoter methylation of CLOCK and CRY2 as in breast cancer casesZhu Y, Stevens R, Hoffman A, Tjonneland A, Vogal U, Zheng T, Hansen J. Genome-wide methylation changes in night working women in Denmark: same altered promoter methylation of CLOCK and CRY2 as in breast cancer cases. Occupational And Environmental Medicine 2011, 68: a18. DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2011-100382.56.
- Association between KRAS rs61764370 and triple-negative breast cancer—a false positive? – Authors' replyWeidhaas J, Slack F, Miller N, Harris L, Tuck D, Zhu Y, Zelterman D, Kerin M, Paranjape T, Heneghan H, Lindner R, Keane F, Dorairaj J, Geyda K, Pelletier C, Nallur S. Association between KRAS rs61764370 and triple-negative breast cancer—a false positive? – Authors' reply. The Lancet Oncology 2011, 12: 724. DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(11)70163-2.
- microRNA miR-196a-2 and Breast Cancer: A Genetic and Epigenetic Association Study and Functional AnalysisHoffman AE, Zheng T, Yi C, Leaderer D, Weidhaas J, Slack F, Zhang Y, Paranjape T, Zhu Y. microRNA miR-196a-2 and Breast Cancer: A Genetic and Epigenetic Association Study and Functional Analysis. Cancer Research 2009, 69: 5970-5977. PMID: 19567675, PMCID: PMC2716085, DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-09-0236.
- Cancer-related transcriptional targets of the circadian gene NPAS2 identified by genome-wide ChIP-on-chip analysisYi CH, Zheng T, Leaderer D, Hoffman A, Zhu Y. Cancer-related transcriptional targets of the circadian gene NPAS2 identified by genome-wide ChIP-on-chip analysis. Cancer Letters 2009, 284: 149-156. PMID: 19457610, PMCID: PMC3182267, DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2009.04.017.
- Clock-Cancer Connection in Non–Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Genetic Association Study and Pathway Analysis of the Circadian Gene Cryptochrome 2Hoffman AE, Zheng T, Stevens RG, Ba Y, Zhang Y, Leaderer D, Yi C, Holford TR, Zhu Y. Clock-Cancer Connection in Non–Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Genetic Association Study and Pathway Analysis of the Circadian Gene Cryptochrome 2. Cancer Research 2009, 69: 3605-3613. PMID: 19318546, PMCID: PMC3175639, DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-4572.
- Variants in circadian genes and prostate cancer risk: a population-based study in ChinaChu LW, Zhu Y, Yu K, Zheng T, Yu H, Zhang Y, Sesterhenn I, Chokkalingam AP, Danforth KN, Shen MC, Stanczyk FZ, Gao YT, Hsing AW. Variants in circadian genes and prostate cancer risk: a population-based study in China. Prostate Cancer And Prostatic Diseases 2007, 11: 342-348. PMID: 17984998, DOI: 10.1038/sj.pcan.4501024.
- Exposure to Solvents and Risks for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Connecticut WomenWang R, Zhang Y, Lan Q, Holford T, Leaderer B, Zahm S, Dosemeci M, Rothman N, Boyle P, Zhu Y, Qin Q, Zheng T. Exposure to Solvents and Risks for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Connecticut Women. Annals Of Epidemiology 2007, 17: 724. DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2007.07.009.
- E‐cadherin promoter polymorphism (C‐160A) and risk of recurrence in patients with superficial bladder cancerLin J, Dinney C, Grossman H, Jhamb M, Zhu Y, Spitz, Wu X. E‐cadherin promoter polymorphism (C‐160A) and risk of recurrence in patients with superficial bladder cancer. Clinical Genetics 2006, 70: 240-245. PMID: 16922727, DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2006.00666.x.
- Association of Surfactant Protein a Polymorphisms with Respiratory Symptoms in InfantsPettigrew M, Gent J, Zhu Y, Triche E, Belanger K, Holford T, Bracken M, Leaderer B. Association of Surfactant Protein a Polymorphisms with Respiratory Symptoms in Infants. American Journal Of Epidemiology 2006, 163: s195-s195. DOI: 10.1093/aje/163.suppl_11.s195-d.
- Does “Clock” Matter in Prostate Cancer?Zhu Y, Zheng T, Stevens RG, Zhang Y, Boyle P. Does “Clock” Matter in Prostate Cancer? Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2006, 15: 3-5. PMID: 16434577, PMCID: PMC2366206, DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-05-0631.
- Occupation and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Population-Based Case–Control Study in IowaZhang Y, Cantor KP, Lynch CF, Zhu Y, Zheng T. Occupation and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Population-Based Case–Control Study in Iowa. Journal Of Occupational And Environmental Medicine 2005, 47: 392-398. PMID: 15824631, DOI: 10.1097/01.jom.0000158707.88801.f5.
- Nucleotide Excision Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Recurrence after Treatment for Superficial Bladder CancerGu J, Zhao H, Dinney C, Zhu Y, Leibovici D, Bermejo C, Grossman H, Wu X. Nucleotide Excision Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Recurrence after Treatment for Superficial Bladder Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 2005, 11: 1408-1415. PMID: 15746040, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-04-1101.
- Period3 Structural Variation: A Circadian Biomarker Associated with Breast Cancer in Young WomenZhu Y, Brown HN, Zhang Y, Stevens RG, Zheng T. Period3 Structural Variation: A Circadian Biomarker Associated with Breast Cancer in Young Women. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2005, 14: 268-270. PMID: 15668506, DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.268.14.1.
- Re: No Increased Risk of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma with Steroids, Estrogens and Psychotropics (Netherlands)Zheng T, Zhang Y, Morton L, Zhu Y. Re: No Increased Risk of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma with Steroids, Estrogens and Psychotropics (Netherlands). Cancer Causes & Control 2004, 15: 433-434. PMID: 15248307, DOI: 10.1023/b:caco.0000027551.90202.5a.
- Methyl‐CpG‐binding domain 2Zhu Y, Spitz M, Zhang H, Grossman H, Frazier M, Wu X. Methyl‐CpG‐binding domain 2. Cancer 2004, 100: 1853-1858. PMID: 15112265, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.20199.
- An Evolutionary Perspective on Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Screening in Molecular Cancer EpidemiologyZhu Y, Spitz MR, Amos CI, Lin J, Schabath MB, Wu X. An Evolutionary Perspective on Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Screening in Molecular Cancer Epidemiology. Cancer Research 2004, 64: 2251-2257. PMID: 15026370, DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-03-2800.
- Telomere Dysfunction: A Potential Cancer Predisposition FactorWu X, Amos C, Zhu Y, Zhao H, Grossman B, Shay J, Luo S, Hong W, Spitz M. Telomere Dysfunction: A Potential Cancer Predisposition Factor. Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 2003, 95: 1211-1218. PMID: 12928346, DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djg011.
- From genotype to phenotype: correlating XRCC1 polymorphisms with mutagen sensitivityWang Y, Spitz M, Zhu Y, Dong Q, Shete S, Wu X. From genotype to phenotype: correlating XRCC1 polymorphisms with mutagen sensitivity. DNA Repair 2003, 2: 901-908. PMID: 12893086, DOI: 10.1016/s1568-7864(03)00085-5.
- A case‐control analysis of lymphocytic chromosome 9 aberrations in lung cancerZhu Y, Spitz M, Strom S, Tomlinson G, Amos C, Minna J, Wu X. A case‐control analysis of lymphocytic chromosome 9 aberrations in lung cancer. International Journal Of Cancer 2002, 102: 536-540. PMID: 12432559, DOI: 10.1002/ijc.10762.
- BPDE‐induced lymphocytic 3p21.3 aberrations may predict head and neck carcinoma riskZhu Y, Spitz M, Zheng Y, Hong W, Wu X. BPDE‐induced lymphocytic 3p21.3 aberrations may predict head and neck carcinoma risk. Cancer 2002, 95: 563-568. PMID: 12209748, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.10689.
- Genetic instability of specific chromosomes associated with a family history of cancerZhu Y, Spitz M, Hsu T, Wu X. Genetic instability of specific chromosomes associated with a family history of cancer. Cancer Genetics 2002, 136: 73-77. PMID: 12165456, DOI: 10.1016/s0165-4608(02)00513-7.
- A single nucleotide polymorphism in the matrix metalloproteinase-1 promoter enhances lung cancer susceptibility.Zhu Y, Spitz M, Lei L, Mills G, Wu X. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the matrix metalloproteinase-1 promoter enhances lung cancer susceptibility. Cancer Research 2001, 61: 7825-9. PMID: 11691799.