Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr. Zhu joined the Department of Biological Sciences at XJTLU as an Associate Professor in January 2023. He received his B.S. in Bioscience at Hebei University of Science and Technology in 2006, and Ph.D. in Microbiology at Shandong University in 2011. After finishing his Ph.D., Dr. Zhu continued his academic career as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the US until 2018. He then became an Assistant Professor at Minnesota State University Mankato in 2018 and worked there until January 2023. Dr. Zhu’s research has been mainly focused on the genetic manipulation of bacteria in the phylum Bacteroidetes and their mechanisms of gliding motility, polysaccharide degradation, protein secretion, and pathogenicity. Dr. Zhu’s teaching interest is microbiology-related courses including General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Food Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, and Gut Microbiology.
Research interests
Genetic manipulation of Bacteroidetes
Type IX Secretion System
Fish pathogens
Gliding motility
Cellulase and cellulose degradation
Experience
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 2023-present
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University, Mankato, 2018-2023
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2011-2018
Teaching
BIO402 Research Project
BIO303 Final Year Project
BIO106 The Biology of Microbes
BIOL 270 General Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University Mankato,2018 – 2022
BIOL399: RISEbio Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University Mankato, 2021– 2022
BIOL 472/572 Microbial Ecology and Bioremediation, Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota StateUniversity Mankato, 2019 – 2022
BIOL 478/578 Food Microbiology and Sanitation, Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota StateUniversity Mankato, 2019 – 2022
BIOL 619 Special Topics for Graduate Students – Gut Microbiota and Human Health. 2020
BIO SCI-536 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Guest Lecture, 2017
Awards and honours
2022 Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences Faculty Award, Minnesota State University,Mankato
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
B.S., Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China - 2006
Ph.D., Shandong University, Jinan, China - 2011
Person Types
- Staff
Fingerprint
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 4 Active
-
Genetic Manipulation of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia to Investigate Its Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms
14/06/24 → …
Project: Collaborative Research Project
-
Mechanisms of the Flavobacterium johnsoniae type IX secretion system and gliding motility
1/06/24 → …
Project: Internal Research Project
-
Mechanism investigation of the bacterial cold-water disease caused by Flavobacterium psychrophilum
1/06/24 → 31/05/27
Project: Internal Research Project
-
Functional investigation of the type IX secretion system regulatory pathway components in the fish pathogen Flavobacterium psychrophilum
1/01/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Internal Research Project
-
Methylation of foreign DNA overcomes the restriction barrier of Flavobacterium psychrophilum and allows efficient genetic manipulation
Sloboda, S., Ge, X., Jiang, D., Wiens, G., Su, L., Beveridge, C., Duchaud, E., McBride, M. J., Rochat, T. & Zhu, Y., 2 Aug 2024, (Submitted) In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of the Type-IX secretion system's response regulator: Structural and functional insights
Saran, A., Kim, H-M., Manning, I., Hancock, M., Schmitz, C., Madej, M., Potempa, J., Sola, M., Trempe, J-F., Zhu, Y., Davey, M. E. & Zeytuni, N., 31 Jul 2024, In: PNAS Nexus. p. 316Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Filamentous structures in the cell envelope are associated with bacteroidetes gliding machinery
Shibata, S., Tahara, Y. O., Katayama, E., Kawamoto, A., Kato, T., Zhu, Y., Nakane, D., Namba, K., Miyata, M., McBride, M. J. & Nakayama, K., Jan 2023, In: Communications Biology. 6, 1, 94.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Type IX Secretion System Effectors and Virulence of the Model Flavobacterium columnare Strain MS-FC-4
Thunes, N. C., Conrad, R. A., Mohammed, H. H., Zhu, Y., Barbier, P., Evenhuis, J. P., Perez-Pascual, D., Ghigo, J. M., Lipscomb, R. S., Schneider, J. R., Li, N., Erbes, D. H., Birkett, C., LaFrentz, B. R., Welch, T. J. & McBride, M. J., Feb 2022, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 88, 3, e01705-21.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access14 Citations (Scopus) -
In situ imaging of bacterial outer membrane projections and associated protein complexes using electron cryo-tomography
Kaplan, M., Chreifi, G., Metskas, L. A., Liedtke, J., Wood, C. R., Oikonomou, C. M., Nicolas, W. J., Subramanian, P., Zacharoff, L. A., Wang, Y., Chang, Y. W., Beeby, M., Dobro, M. J., Zhu, Y., McBride, M. J., Briegel, A., Shaffer, C. L. & Jensen, G. J., Sept 2021, In: eLife. 10, e73099.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access13 Citations (Scopus)
-
Organization of Departmental Research Seminar: Emergent responses to the antibiotic stress in a cross-feeding microbial community
Yongtao Zhu (Participant)
5 Jul 2024Activity: Other
-
Design of Genetic Tools for Precise Regulation of Bacteroidetes Biosynthetic Pathways
Yongtao Zhu (Supervisor)
17 Jun 2024 → 28 Aug 2024Activity: Supervision › Completed SURF Project
-
Annual Progress Reviewer for PhD Student (Event)
Yongtao Zhu (Member)
Jun 2024 → Jun 2027Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
-
Postdoc Defense Committee, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China (External organisation)
Yongtao Zhu (Member)
16 Apr 2024Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
-
SURF Proposal Review Panel (Event)
Yongtao Zhu (Chair)
24 Mar 2024 → 5 Apr 2024Activity: Membership › Membership of committee