Yong Zhu, PhD
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Titles
Track Director, Environmental Health Sciences, Executive MPH; Assistant Director, Global Epidemiology
Contact Info
Environmental Health Sciences
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
About
Titles
Associate Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology
Track Director, Environmental Health Sciences, Executive MPH; Assistant Director, Global EpidemiologyBiography
Dr. Yong Zhu is an Associate Professor at Yale University School of Public Health and Assistant Director of Yale Cancer Center for Global Cancer Epidemiology. 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, his 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 small noncoding RNAs, in tumorigenesis.
Appointments
Environmental Health Sciences
EmeritusPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- MD Anderson Cancer Center (2002)
- PhD
- Rice University (2000)
- MA
- Rice University (1998)
Research
Overview
- 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
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Breast Neoplasms; Environmental Health; Genetics, Medical; Molecular Epidemiology; Public Health; Testicular Neoplasms
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Yong Zhu's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Yong Zhu's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Yong Zhu is interested in exploring.
Daniel Zelterman, PhD
Theodore Holford, PhD
28Publications
1,868Citations
Breast Neoplasms
Molecular Epidemiology
Publications
Featured Publications
Genetic determinants for the racial disparities in the risk of prostate and testicular cancers
Uzamere 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsRisk of prostateTesticular cancerProstate cancerRisk allelesRacial disparitiesEuropean ancestryAfrican ancestryMethodsThe current studyLower incidenceIncidence disparitiesHigh incidenceRisk allele frequenciesCancerConclusionsOur findingsGenetic factorsMenT-testRegression analysisProstateIncidenceGenetic determinantsCurrent studyRiskAllele frequenciesDisparities
2022
N-nitrosamines-mediated downregulation of LncRNA-UCA1 induces carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous by regulating the alternative splicing of FGFR2
Wang X, Sun M, Gao Z, Yin L, Pu Y, Zhu Y, Wang X, Liu R. N-nitrosamines-mediated downregulation of LncRNA-UCA1 induces carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous by regulating the alternative splicing of FGFR2. The Science Of The Total Environment 2022, 855: 158918. PMID: 36169023, DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158918.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAlternative SplicingCarcinogenesisCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationDown-RegulationEpigenesis, GeneticEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHeterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group F-HHumansMicroRNAsNitrosaminesPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktReceptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2RNA, Long NoncodingConceptsFibroblast growth factor receptor 2Alternative splicingEsophageal squamous cell carcinomaExact molecular mechanismsHet-1A cellsDownregulation of UCA1Epithelial-mesenchymal transitionPI3K-AKT axisFGFR2-IIIcMolecular mechanismsPI3K-AktF proteinUnknown mechanismESCC cellsESCC progressionSplicingN-nitrosamine exposureGrowth factor receptor 2Squamous cell carcinomaDigestive system tumorsRegulation levelESCC tissuesFactor receptor 2High incidence areaLncRNA UCA1Can 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2021
Co-distribution of Light At Night (LAN) and COVID-19 incidence in the United States
Meng 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2020
Serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels and risk of testicular germ cell tumors: a population-based case-control study in Connecticut and Massachusetts
Cheng Z, Zhang X, Bassig B, Hauser R, Holford T, Zheng E, Shi D, Zhu Y, Schwartz S, Chen C, Shi K, Qian Z, Boyle P, Zheng T. Serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels and risk of testicular germ cell tumors: a population-based case-control study in Connecticut and Massachusetts. ISEE Conference Abstracts 2020, 2020 DOI: 10.1289/isee.2020.virtual.o-os-525.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2018
Detection of heterozygous mutation in hook microtubule-tethering protein 1 in three patients with decapitated and decaudated spermatozoa syndrome
Chen 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAssisted reproduction treatmentFertilization rateClinical studiesReproduction treatmentWhole genomic DNAPatientsTeratozoospermia patientsControl individualsNovel missense mutationAbnormal junctionProtein 1 geneHeterozygous mutationsIntramanchette transportUnreported mutationsHeadless tailsGenetic cuesPopulation-matched control individualsReduced fertilization ratesGenomic therapyMorphological observationsProtein 1Genomic DNADysfunctional proteinsFurther studiesMolecular mechanisms
2017
Ubiquitination-Deficient Mutations in Human Piwi Cause Male Infertility by Impairing Histone-to-Protamine Exchange During Spermiogenesis
Gou 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2014
Epigenome-wide analysis of piRNAs in gene-specific DNA methylation
Fu A, Jacobs D, Zhu Y. Epigenome-wide analysis of piRNAs in gene-specific DNA methylation. RNA Biology 2014, 11: 1301-1312. PMID: 25590657, PMCID: PMC4615395, DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2014.996091.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPIWI-interacting RNAsGene-specific DNA methylationDNA methylationGenic lociTransposable elementsCpG sitesSilencing of transposable elementsGenome-wide methylation profilingDifferentially methylated CpG sitesGenome-wide effortsTarget CpG sitesInduce DNA methylationTransposon classesEpigenome-wide analysisIntergenic regionGenomic regionsNascent mRNAHuman genomeMethylation changesGenomic DNAMethylation profilesHuman somatic cellsUnique speciesGenome copiesSomatic cells
2011
Genome-wide methylation changes in night working women in Denmark: same altered promoter methylation of CLOCK and CRY2 as in breast cancer cases
Zhu 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.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsGenome-wide methylation analysisMethylation patternsGenome-wide methylation changesMethylation analysisDifferential promoter methylationCore circadian genesPromoter methylationIngenuity Pathway AnalysisCancer-related pathwaysAltered promoter methylationMethylation chipDNA replicationEpigenetic impactMethylation changesEpigenetic changesGene promoterMethylation alterationsEpigenetic effectsCancer relevanceGene expressionPathway analysisCircadian genesRelevant transcriptsAssociation analysisPromoter hypomethylationAssociation between KRAS rs61764370 and triple-negative breast cancer—a false positive? – Authors' reply
Weidhaas 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.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersCitations
Links & Media
News
- January 04, 2024Source: Verywell Health
Getting Too Much Bright Light at Night May Increase Your Cancer Risks. Here's Why
- August 05, 2021
Exposure to Ambient Light at Night May Increase an Individual’s Risk for COVID-19
- September 09, 2019Source: Eastern CT State University
Dymond Smith Participates in Yale Summer Research Experience
- April 24, 2019
YSPH Convenes Experts to Examine Alcohol’s Role in Cancer
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Environmental Health Sciences
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
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60 College Street
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Ste 702
New Haven, CT 06510