Dr. Nan Zhang, PhD


Project Leader/Postdoctoral Fellow,
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Title: Zinc fireworks, the signature of human egg activation, reveal egg quality?


May 16th: 10 AM EST, 9 AM CST, 7 AM PST


Project Lead: Investigating Zinc regulation during fertilization in mammalian oocytes
HONORS AND AWARDS
Excellence in Science Reward from American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2012
Scholarship of China Agricultural University, 2002-2005
Excellent Student of China Agricultural University, 2003
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Course Instructor: REPR_SCI 440 - Reproductive Technologies Laboratory, Northwestern University, Fall 2016 Teaching Assistant:
Teaching Assistant: ANIML SCI 521- Reproduction Physiology, University of Massachusetts, Fall 2006, Fall 2010 and Fall 2011
Supervisor for Senior Honor Internship - Supervise senior students to finish their research project, University of Massachusetts, 2007-2012
Teaching Assistant - Frontiers in Reproduction, Marine biological laboratory, Spring 2009, Spring 2011
Teaching Assistant - ANIML SCI 385 - Introductory Biotechnology Lab, University of Massachusetts, Spring 2007
Lecturer -Women’s Health Science Program (WHSP)
REVIEWER FOR SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND CONFERENCES
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
Judge of Sigma Xi meetings: Cellular & Molecular Biology Student Research Showcase
Journal of Molecular Human Reproduction
Journal of Clinical Medicine Insights: Reproductive Health Northwestern Computational Research day: Visualization Challenge
SSR (Society for the Study of Reproduction) 2016 Annual Meeting:
 Systems Biology of Reproduction 2016 International Conference on Intelligent Computation
PUBLICATIONS
1. Zhang N, Duncan FE, Que EL, O’Halloran TV and Woodruff TK (2016). The fertilization-induced zinc spark is a novel biomarker of mammalian embryo quality and early development. Scientific Reports. 2016. 6:22772, doi:10.1038/srep22772
2. Duncan FE*, Que EL*, Zhang N*, Feinberg EC, O’Halloran TV and Woodruff TK (2016). "The zinc spark is an inorganic signature of human egg activation." Scientific Reports.2016. 6: 24737. * Authors contributed equally.
3. Zhang N, Yoon SY, Parys JB, Fissore RA. Effect of M-phase kinase phosphorylations on type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated Ca responses in mouse eggs. Cell Calcium. 2015. PubMed PMID: 26259730
4. Zhang N, and Fissore RA (2014). "Role of caspase-3 cleaved IP3 R1 on Ca(2+) homeostasis and developmental competence of mouse oocytes and eggs." J Cell Physiol 229(11): 1842-1854.
5. Wakai T, Zhang N, Vangheluwe P, Fissore RA. 2013. Regulation of endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) oscillations in mammalian eggs. J Cell Sci 126(Pt 24):5714-5724.
6. Zhang N, Wakai T, Fissore RA. 2011. Caffeine alleviates the deterioration of Ca2+ release mechanisms and fragmentation of in vitro-aged mouse eggs. Molecular Reproduction and Development 78(9):684-701.
7.Coward K, Ponting CP, Zhang N, Young C, Huang CJ, Chou CM, Kashir J, Fissore RA, Parrington J. 2011. Identification and functional analysis of an ovarian form of the egg activation factor phospholipase C zeta (PLCzeta) in pufferfish. Molecular Reproduction and Development 78(1):48-56.
8.Wakai T, Vanderheyden V, Yoon SY, Cheon B, Zhang N, Parys JB, Fissore RA. 2011. Regulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor function during mouse oocyte maturation. J Cell Physiol, 227, 705-717.
9.Wakai T, Zhang N and Fissore RA. 2008. Caffeine prevents a loss of calcium oscillatory response associated with postovulatory aging of mouse oocytes. Reprod.Fertil.Dev. 21, 217-217.