Brief Description of Research Interest:
I study the role of receptor localization in development and disease. Receptors account for ~10% of protein coding genes, and are targeted by ~50% of FDA approved drugs. Recent studies show that receptor localization can dramatically affect how tissue senses signals. I am interested in how apical/basal localization of signaling receptors controls developmental patterning and impacts drug delivery.
Representative Publications:
“Embryogeometry drives formation of robust signaling gradients through receptor localizationâ€, Z. Zhang, S. Zwick, E. Loew, J. S. Grimley, S. Ramanathan, Nature Communication, Accepted (2019)
“Parsing the roles of neck-linker docking and tethered head diffusion in the steppingdynamics of kinesinâ€, Z. Zhang, Y. Goldtzvik, D. Thirumalai, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114 (46), E9838-E9845(2017)
“Dissecting the kinematics of the kines in step†Z. Zhang, D. Thirumalai, Structure 20 (4), 628-640 (2012)