Dr. Zhao earned his PhD in Microbiology from Wuhan University in 2014. During his doctoral studies at the State Key Laboratory of Virology, Dr. Zhao investigated the microRNA regulations and immune responses in human viral diseases. Dr. Zhao continued his research as a postdoc and subsequently as a research associate at Case Western Reserve University, where he explored the pathogenic roles of mitochondrial dysfunctions and gene dysregulations in neurodegeneration. During this period, he uncovered the cell type-specific dysregulations of RNA m6A modification in the brains of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) for the first time and next clarified the contributing role of neuronal m6A reduction in AD pathogenesis using the cell and mouse models. Dr. Zhao was promoted to the faculty position as an Instructor of Pathology to investigate the unknown role of m6A dysregulations in neurodegeneration. His research will continue to study how dysregulation of m6A dynamics affects RNA metabolism and disease progression.
Research Information
Research Interests
RNA m6A modification, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, mRNA metabolism.
Research Projects
Dr. Zhao is broadly interested in understanding how disease-associated genes are dysregulated in the cell type-specific manner in neurodegeneration and determining how m6A-dependent gene dysregulations affect disease progressions. A combination of genetics, environmental and lifestyle factors affect the risk of neurodegeneration through complex transcriptional and translational changes. An understanding of mechanisms underlying these changes could help shift the treatment from symptomatic relief to better disease modifying novel therapies. Our long-term goal is to explore approaches to restore m6A homeostasis and alleviate brain pathology in neurodegeneration.
Recent Funding
NIH-NIA R21AG086850
Title: Dysregulation of amyloid-β metabolism by impaired METTL3-m6A signaling in Alzheimer's Disease
REC Scholar of CADRC (NIA) P30 AG072959
Title: RNA m6A modification regulates astrocytic gene expression and reactive astrocyte transformation in AD and neuroinflammation
Awards and Honors
Publications
METTL3-dependent RNA m6A dysregulation contributes to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease through aberrant cell cycle events. Fanpeng Zhao, Ying Xu, Shichao Gao, Lixia Qin, Quillan Austria, Sandra L Siedlak, Kinga Pajdzik, Qing Dai, Chuan He, Wenzhang Wang, James M O’Donnell, Beisha Tang, Xiongwei Zhu. Molecular neurodegeneration. 2021 Dec.