Education Background

2007.08-2013.03        Ph.D,  Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China

2003.09-2007.07        Bs, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China

Professional Experience

2018.04-now         Research Assistant Professor, Southern University of Science and Technology

2017.10-2018.03    Assistant Professor, Hunan University

2016.06-2017.09    Research Associate, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

2014.07-2016.05    Research Associate, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, USA

2013.06-2014.06    Research Fellow, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Research Interests

-To understand how oat specific metabolite Avnenanthramide biosynthesis in vivo and its role as phytoalexins as well as biomedicine

-To improve plant adaption to various abiotic stresses especially for heavy metal by using genetic modification, application of novel chemicals et al

-Investigate cell-to-cell communication in plant development and differentiation of multi-cellular organisms

Selected Publication

1. Jian Huang, Zhiyong Li, Gabriel Biener, Erhui Xiong, Shikha Malik, Nathan Eaton, Catherine Z. Zhao, Valerica Raicu, Hongzhi Kong, Dazhong Dave Zhao. Carbonic anhydrases function in anther cell differentiation downstream of the receptor-like kinase EMS1. Plant Cell. 2017 Jun;29(6):1335-1356.
2. Zhiyong Li, Yao Wang, Jian Huang, Nagib Ahsan, Gabriel Biener, Joel Paprocki, Jay J. Thelen, Valerica Raicu, Dazhong Zhao. Two SERK receptor-like kinases interact with the receptor-like kinase EMS1 in anther cell fate determination in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 2017 Jan; 173(1): 326–337.
3. Jian Huang, Zhiyong Li, Dazhong Zhao. Deregulation of the OsmiR160 target gene OsARF18 causes growth and developmental defects with an alteration of auxin signaling in rice. Scientific Reports. 2016; 6: 29938.
4. Likai Wang, Huangwei Chu*, Zhiyong Li*, Juan Wang*, Jintao Li, Yang Qiao, Yanru Fu, Tongmin Mou, Chunli Chen, Jian Xu. Origin and development of the root cap in rice. Plant Physiology. 2014 Oct;166(2):603-13.
5. Zhiyong Li, Zhaoshi Xu, Yan Chen, Guangyuan He, Guangxiao Yang, Ming Chen, Liancheng Li, Youzhi Ma. A novel role for Arabidopsis CBL1 in affecting plant responses to glucose and gibberellin during germination and seedling development.Plos One. 2013, 8(2):e56412.
6. Zhiyong Li, Zhaoshi Xu, Guangyuan He, Guangxiao Yang, Ming Chen, Liancheng Li, Youzhi Ma. Voltage-dependent anion channel 1 of Arabidopsis (AtVDAC1) affects seed germination and cold stress response and interacts with calcium sensor CBL1. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2013, 14(1), 701-713.