Yi Zhang

Yi Zhang serves as the Fred Rosen Professor of Pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, leading pioneering research in epigenetic regulation and disease mechanisms.

His academic journey includes:

• BS from China Agriculture University (1984)
• PhD from Florida State University (1995)
• Postdoctoral training at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of UMDNJ

Dr. Zhang's work centers on epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation and histone dynamics, investigating their critical roles in:

• Chromatin structure and gene expression control
• Embryonic development and cell lineage specification
• Stem cell pluripotency and reprogramming
• Disease pathogenesis including cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders

His lab's identification of key enzymes (Tet family, EZH2, JmjC proteins) established foundational knowledge for epigenetic drug development, directly enabling Epizyme's creation and FDA-approved therapy tazemetostat.

Publications consistently focus on epigenetic enzyme mechanisms, with recent work examining DNA methyltransferases' developmental roles and advancing single-cell epigenomic analysis techniques.

Major recognitions include:

• National Academy of Medicine election (2023)
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (2005)
• Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award
• Kimmel Scholar Award
• Chinese Biological Investigators’ Society Senior Investigator Award

While specific grant details and student mentorship records aren't provided in source materials, his lab maintains significant research operations through institutional affiliations.

The Zhang Laboratory employs cutting-edge methodologies including single-cell live imaging, stem cell differentiation systems, and advanced mouse genetics to dissect epigenetic mechanisms in disease contexts.