Faculty Directory
Jian Zhou, PhD
Assistant Professor
Departments of Human Genetics and Pediatrics
Emory University School of Medicine
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Research
Dr. Zhou studies the interplay between autism, neuronal activity, and circadian rhythm. Chromatin regulators and transcription factors orchestrate neuronal gene expression that gives rise to complex human behaviors. These processes often go awry in neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). The goal of Zhou lab is to gain fundamental insights into brain development and ASD pathogenesis to develop new therapeutic strategies. Zhou lab will use a multi-disciplinary approach to dissect a group of molecularly related ASD disease models, drawing on the expertise in chromatin biology, biochemistry, chronobiology, mouse and human genetics, and neural engineering. The lab is particularly interested in the following questions:
1) What is the molecular basis of phenotypic convergence and divergence in heterogenetic ASDs?
2) How does neural activity respond and contribute to behaviors in health and disease? Can we modulate neural activity to treat syndromic ASDs?
3) Is there a genetic basis for sleep problems in ASDs and can other ASD symptoms be ameliorated by correcting circadian and sleep rhythm?