Members’ Labs

Guizhen Zhao, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Houston

Primary Research:

The Zhao lab is dedicated to uncovering the epigenetic and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including aortic aneurysm and dissection, and atherosclerosis, while also driving innovations in drug discovery. Currently, our research focuses on elucidating the metabolic and epigenetic (metaboloepigenetic) properties of vascular cells in vascular remodeling and CVD development. We extensively utilize animal models and employ a range of genetic and epigenetic techniques, such as bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, chromatin accessibility profiling (ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq), spatial transcriptomics, and metabolomics.

Laboratory web site URL:

https://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/directory-home/pps-faculty/guizhen-zhao/

Recent Presentations:

1. Endothelial KLF11 is a novel endogenous protectant against diabetic atherosclerosis. 2023 AHA scientific Sessions, Philadelphia.
2. 5. BAF60c in Cardiovascular Development and Diseases. Integrative Aspects of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Research Club by Michigan Diabetes Research Center, The Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center, The Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan. 03/2023
3. Endothelial Cell Heterogeneity in Diabetic Atherosclerosis. Single Cell Genomics in Obesity and Diabetes (scGOD) Research Club by Michigan Diabetes Research Center and Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan. 01/2022.
4. BAF60c Prevents Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation through Maintaining Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Homeostasis. AHA Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine 2021.

Members of the Laboratory

Recent Publications

1. Zhao Y#, Zhao G#(co-first), Chang Z#, Zhu T, Lu H, Xue C, Garcia-Barrio MT, Chang L, Guo Y, Saunders TL., Zhang J, Chen YE. Generating endogenous Myh11-deriven Cre Mice for Sex-independent and Controllable Gene Deletion in Smooth Muscle Cells. JCI Insight. 2023 Jul 24;8(14):e171661. PMID:37289544
2. Mizrak D, Zhao Y, Feng H, Macaulay J, Tang Y, Sultan Z, Zhao G, Guo Y, Zhang J, Yang B, Chen YE. Single-Molecule Spatial Transcriptomics of Human Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms Uncovers Calcification-Related CARTPT-Expressing Smooth Muscle Cells. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2023 Oct 12.
3. Zhao Y, Liu YH, Zhao G, Lu H, Liu Y, Xue C, Chang Z, Liu H, Deng Y, Liang W, Wang H, Rom O, Garcia-Barrio MT, Zhu T, Guo Y, Chang L, Lin J, Chen YE, Zhang J. Myeloid BAF60a deficiency alters metabolic homeostasis and exacerbates atherosclerosis. Cell Rep. 2023 Sep 26;42(10):113171. PMID: 37768825.
4. Zhao G, Zhao Y, Lu H, Chang Z, Wang H, Liang W, Liu Y, Zhu T, Guo Y, Chang L, Yang B, Garcia-Barrio MT, Lin JD, Zhang J, Chen YE. BAF60c prevents abdominal aortic aneurysm through epigenetic control of vascular smooth muscle cell homeostasis. J Clin Invest. 2022 Nov 1;132(21):e158309. PMID:26066968
5. Zhao G, Lu H, Chang Z, Zhao Y, Zhu T, Chang L, Guo Y, Garcia-Barrio MT, Chen YE, Zhang J. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the cellular heterogeneity of aneurysmal infrarenal abdominal aorta. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Apr 23;117(5):1402-1416. PMID: 32678909.
6. Zhao G, Lu H, Liu Y, Zhao Y, Zhu T, Garcia-Barrio MT, Chen YE, Zhang J. Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Endothelial Plasticity During Diabetic Atherogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021;9:689469. PMID: 34095155.
7. Zhao G, Chang Z, Zhao Y, Guo Y, Lu H, Liang W, Rom O, Wang H, Sun J, Zhu T, Fan Y, Chang L, Yang B, Garcia-Barrio MT, Chen YE, Zhang J. KLF11 protects against abdominal aortic aneurysm through inhibition of endothelial cell dysfunction. JCI Insight. 2021 Mar 8;6(5). PMID: 33507881.