1987-1991, BS at Hebei Agricultural University, China

1991-1998, research assistant at Shijiazhuang Institute of Agricultural Modernization, CAS

1998-1999, visiting scholar at Okayama University, Japan 

2001-2004, Ph. D. at Okayama University, Japan.

2004- Associate Professor at Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS

 

Using Arabidopsis and wheat as model plants, we are interested in understanding the physiology and molecular genetics basis of drought and salt tolerance of high plants, try to clone and identify important new genes with drought or salt tolerant function, and utilize them for improving yield of crops.

 

l         Duan YF, Zhang WS. (Co-first author), B. Li, Y. Wang, KX. Li, Sodmergen, CY Han, YZ. Zhang and X Li (2010) An endoplasmic reticulum response pathway mediates programmed cell death of root tip induced by water stress in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 186: 681–695 ( IF 6.033)

l         Sun F., Zhang W. (Co-first author), Hu H., Li B., Wang Y., Zhao Y., Liu M., Li X. (2008) Salt modulates gravity signaling pathway to regulate growth direction of primary roots in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiol. 146:178-188

l         Wang Y., Zhang W., Li K., Sun F., Han C., Wang Y., Li X. (2008) Salt-induced plasticity of root hair development is caused by ion disequilibrium in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Plant Research 121:87-98

l         Li X., Zhang W.    (2008) Salt-avoidance tropism in Arabidopsis. Plant Signaling & Behavior 3:351-353

l         Liu C., Wang T., Zhang W., Li X. (2008) Computational identification and analysis of immune-associated nucleotide gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Plant Physiol 165:777-787

l         Zhang WS (Corresponding author), Li X, Liu JB (2007) Genetic variation of Bmy1 alleles in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) investigated by CAPS analysis. Theoretical Applied Genetics 114(6):1039-1050

l         Li K, Y Wang,C Han,W Zhang, H Jia, X Li (2007) GA signaling and CO/FT regulatory module mediate salt-induced late flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Growth Regulation 53(3):195-206

l         Zhang, W.S., T. Kaneko, and K. Takeda (2004) β-amylase variation in wild barley accessions. Breeding Science 54: 41-49

l         Zhang W.S., T. Kaneko, M. Ishii and K.Takeda（2004）Differentiation of β-amylase phenotypes in cultivated barley. Crop Science 44:1608-1614

 

As the primary investigator of following research projects:

1. Mechanisms of salt stress induced agravitropism of Arabidopsis primary root

2. Cloning and localization of salt tolerant genes in wheat

3. Cloning and characterization of LCE, an important gene controls cell, organ and seed size

4. Study on beta-amylase genetic polymorphism of wild relatives of barley in Tibetan Plateau, and Re-evaluation of the origin of Chinese cultivated barley