Dr. Zhu is an Associate Professor at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology. She received her Ph.D. at Texas A&M University and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the same university. Her research focuses on plant-virus interactions, with an emphasis on the RNA-level mechanisms underlying plant susceptibility and resistance, as well as viral pathogenicity. Additionally, she investigates the role of RNA secondary structures in the regulation of gene expression. Over the past five years, she has authored multiple papers as first author (including co-first authors) or corresponding author (including co-corresponding authors) in prestigious journals such as Nature Plants, Genome Biology, and Journal of Experimental Botany. She currently serves as reviewer for journals such as Nat Plants, Genome Biology, Frontiers in Plant Science etc.

1. Decoding the RNA-centric interplay in plant-virus;

2. Investigating the role and mechanism of RNA secondary structure and structure-remodeling proteins in regulating gene expression;

3. Developing improved, disease-resistant crops through RNA secondary structure-based strategies.

Education Background

2011.09-2015.06, South China University of Technology, Bachelor’ s degree

2015.09-2018.06, South China University of Technology, Master’ s degree

2018.09 - 2024.09, Texas A&M University, Doctor degree

Professional Experience

2025.11–Present, Associate Professor, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology

2024.11-2025.07, Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas A&M University

1.Zhu, J.†*, Li, C. †, Onyia, C., Li, X., Yan, X., Zhong, S., Oh, T., Zhang, X. *, DMS-MaPseq and DREEM analysis implicate the critical role of RNA structural dynamics in Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus pathogenicity. Nature Communications (under revision). (†, 1st authorship. *, corresponding authorship)

2.Zhang, T.†, Li, C.†,Zhu, J.†*, Li, Y., Wang, Z., Tong, C., Xi, Y., Koiwa, H., Peng, X., Zhang, X.*, DMS-MaPseq implicates structured 3’UTRs in destabilization of mRNAs in plants. Genome Biology 25(1), 54. (†, 1st authorship. *, corresponding authorship)

3.Zhu, J., Yan, X., Zhang, X., The R-loop influences miRNA birth place. Nature Plants 8(4), 320-321.

4.Zhu, J.,Li, C., Peng, X., Zhang, X., RNA architecture influences plant biology. Journal of Experimental Botany 72(11), 4144-4160.

5.Zhong, S., Li, X., Li, C., Bai, H., Chen, J., Gan, L., Zhu, J., Oh, T., Yan, X.,Zhu, J., Li, N., Koiwa, H., Meek, T., Peng, X., Yu, B., Zhang, Z., Zhang, X., Reciprocal regulation of m6A modification and miRNA production machineries via phase separation-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Nature Cell Biology 26(12), 2129-2143.

6.Li, X., Zhong, S., Li, C., Yan, X.,Zhu, J., Li, Y., Wang, Z., Peng, X., Zhang X., RNA helicase Brr2a promotes miRNA biogenesis by properly remodeling secondary structure of pri-miRNAs. Nature Plants 10(10), 1532-1547.

7.Yan, X., Li, C., Liu, K., Zhang, T., Xu, Q., Li, X.,Zhu, J., Wang, Z., Yusuf, A., Cao, S., Peng, X., Cai, J., Zhang, X., Parallel degradome-seq and DMS-MaPseq substantially revise the miRNA biogenesis atlas in Arabidopsis. Nature Plants 10(7), 1126-1143.

8.Wang, Z., Gonzalez, C., Zhao, C., Tong, C., Li, C., Zhong, S., Liu, Z., Xie, K.,Zhu, J., Wu, Z., Jacob, Y., Michaels, S., Jacobsen, S., Zhang, X., Loss of H3.1K27me1 in Arabidopsis confers Arabidopsis resistance to Geminivirus by sequestering DNA repair proteins onto host genome. Nature Communications 14(1):7484.

9.Li, X., Li, C.,Zhu, J., Zhong, S., Zhu, H., Zhang, X., Functions and mechanisms of RNA helicases in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany 74(7), 2295-2310.

10.Sun, D., Ma, Z.,Zhu, J., Zhang, X., Identification and quantification of small RNAs. Arabidopsis Protocols 225-254.