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College of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy

Faculty Profile

zhao-guizhen.jpgGuizhen Zhao

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 5021
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5037

Contact: gzhao3@central.uh.edu

Research:

My major research goal is to elucidate the epigenetic and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as aortic aneurysm and dissection, atherosclerosis, and drive drug discovery innovations. Currently, our research focuses on elucidating the metabolic and epigenetic (metaboloepigenetic) properties of vascular cells in vascular remodeling and CVD development. My laboratory has made extensive use of animal models, genetic and epigenetic approaches, including bulk RNA-seq, single cell RNA-seq, chromatin accessibility profiling by ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq, spatial transcriptomics and metabolomics.

Ongoing research projects:
1. BAF60c-dependent metaboloepigenetic modifications in smooth muscle cell biology and atherogenesis.
2. BAF60c-mediated chromatin remodeling drives iPSC differentiation to smooth muscle cells.
3. BAF60a-mediated chromatin remodeling in endothelial cell dysfunction and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
4. Study of vascular cell crosstalk in vascular remodeing and cardiovascular disease development.

  • B.A. (Basic Medicine), Peking University, Beijing, China
  • Ph.D. (Human Physiology), Peking University, Beijing, China
  • Postdoctoral Fellow in Cardiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Google Scholar Profile
  • Xu J, Liu Z, Yang Q, Ma Q, Zhou Y, Cai Y, Zhao G, Lu S, Ouyang K, Hong M, Kim H, Dong Z, Shi H, Zhang J, Fulton D, Malhotra R, Weintraub N, Huo Y. Adenosine kinase inhibition protects mice from abdominal aortic aneurysm via epigenetic modulation of VSMC inflammation. Cardiovasc Res. 2024 May 9:cvae093
  • Liu H, Zhao Y, Zhao G, Deng Y, Chen YE, Zhang J. SWI/SNF Complex in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Its Implications in Cardiovascular Pathologies. Cells. 2024 Jan 16;13(1):168
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Wang Z, Zhao X, Zhao G, Guo Y, Lu H, Mu W, Zhong J, Garcia-Barrio MT, Zhang J, Chen YE, Chang L. PRDM16 Deficiency in Vascular Smooth muscle Cells Aggravates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. JCI Insight. 2023 Apr 20;e167041. PMID: 37079380
  • 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
  • Xue C, Zhao G, Zhao Y, Chen YE, Zhang J. Mouse Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model Induced by Perivascular Application of Elastase. J Vis Exp. 2022 Feb 11;(180). PMID: 35225256.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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
  • Mao C, Ma Z, Jia Y, Li W, Xie N, Zhao G, Ma B, Yu F, Sun J, Zhou Y, Cui Q, Fu Y, Kong W. Nidogen-2 Maintains the Contractile Phenotype of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Prevents Neointima Formation via Bridging Jagged1-Notch3 Signaling. Circulation. 2021 Oct 12;144(15):1244-1261. PMID: 34315224
  • Zhao Y, Chang Z, Zhao G, Lu H, Xiong W, Liang W, Wang H, Villacorta L, Garcia-Barrio MT, Zhu T, Guo Y, Fan Y, Chang L, Schopfer FJ, Freeman BA, Zhang J, Chen YE. Suppression of Vascular Macrophage Activation by Nitro-Oleic Acid and its Implication for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Therapy. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2021 Oct;35(5):939-951. PMID: 3267160
  • Liu Y, Zhao Y, Shukha Y, Lu H, Wang L, Liu Z, Liu C, Zhao Y, Wang H, Zhao G, Liang W, Fan Y, Chang L, Yurdagul A Jr, Pattillo CB, Orr AW, Aviram M, Wen B, Garcia-Barrio MT, Zhang J, Liu W, Sun D, Hayek T, Chen YE, Rom O. Dysregulated oxalate metabolism is a driver and therapeutic target in atherosclerosis. Cell Rep. 2021 Jul 27;36(4):109420. PMID: 34320345
  • Zhao G, Fu Y, Cai Z, Yu F, Gong Z, Dai R, Hu Y, Zeng L, Xu Q, Kong W. Unspliced XBP1 Confers VSMC Homeostasis and Prevents Aortic Aneurysm Formation via FoxO4 Interaction. Circ Res. 2017 Dec 8;121(12):1331-1345. PMID: 29089350.

Awards & Honors

  • Career Development Award, American Heart Association, 2023-25
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, American Heart Association, 2021-22
  • Young Investigator Award, American Heart Association, 2019 Metabolic Cardiovascular Disease Symposium