教育和工作经历
本科毕业于山西大学生命科学学院，硕士毕业于山西大学生物技术研究所，博士毕业于中科院遗传与发育生物学研究所，发育生物学专业。2010－2016分别与新加坡Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 和 Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University，开展以斑马鱼位模式动物的Hh信号通路分子机制的研究。2016年11月全职加入山西大学生物医学研究院。
主要研究方向
Hedgehog（Hh）信号通路是古老而保守的信号通路，在动物胚胎发育、形态建成和组织器官发生，以及成体物质能量代谢稳定中发挥重要的作用。Hh信号通路活性异常会导致胚胎发育失败、畸形，以及一系列相关疾病的发生。前脑无裂畸形（holoprosencephaly）以及更为严重的独眼畸形（cyclopia）是典型的Hh信号通路异常导致的发育缺陷。许多器官癌症，包括脑癌、肺癌、乳腺癌、前列腺癌和皮肤癌等的发生都与Hh信号通路异常激活有关。因此，对于Hh信号通路分子机制的研究，可以帮助我们探索这些疾病的发病机理，发现新的疾病治疗位点，研发新药物和有效的治疗方案。现阶段本实验室主要研究方向有：
1. Hh信号通路下游分子机制的探索
2. 初级纤毛中信号分子的鉴定与人类相关疾病机制的研究
3. Hh信号通路特异性药物的筛选和平台的建立
代表性论文：
1. Zhonghua Zhao, Raymond Teck Ho Lee, Ganesh Pusapati, Audrey Iyu, Rajat Rohatgi, and Philip Ingham. (2015) An essential Role for Grk2 in Hedgehog signalling downstream of Smoothened. EMBO Reports, doi: 10.15252/embr.201541532. (IF: 9.055)
2. Raymond Tech Ho Lee*, Zhonghua Zhao* and Philip W. Ingham. (2015) Development at a glance: Hedgehog signaling. Development, 143(3): 367-372. (Co-first author, IF: 6.462)
3. Ashish K. Maurya*, Jin Ben*, Zhonghua Zhao*, Raymond Lee, Weixin Niah, Ashley Shu Mei Ng, Stone Elworthy, Fredericus JM van Eeden and Philip W. Ingham. (2013) Modulation of Kif7 sub-cellular distribution by Hedgehog activity mediates the regulation of Gli transcription factor activity in the zebrafish. Plos Genetics, 9(12): p e1003955 (Co-first author, IF: 7.528)
4. Andreas van Impel, Zhonghua Zhao, Dorien M. A. Hermkens, M. Guy Roukens, Johanna C. Fischer, Josi Peterson-Maduro, Henricus Duckers, Elke A. Ober, Philip W. Ingham, and Stefan Schulte-Merker. (2014) Divergence of zebrafish and mouse lymphatic cell fate specification pathways. Development,141:1228-1238. (IF: 6.462)
5. Sigrid Nachtergaele, Daniel M. Whalen, Laurel K. Mydock, Zhonghua Zhao, Tomas Malinauskas, Kathiresan Krishnan, Philip W. Ingham, Douglas F. Covey and Christian Siebold. (2013) Structure and function of the Smoothened extracellular domain in vertebrate Hedgehog signaling. Elife, 2: p.e01340. (IF: 9.322)
6. Xingang Wang*, Zhonghua Zhao*, Julius Muller, Audrey Iyu, Alexis Jiaying Khng, Ernesto Guccione, Yijun Ruan, and Philip W. Ingham. (2013) Targeted inactivation and identification of targets of the Gli2a transcription factor in the zebrafish. Biology open, 2 (11): 1203-1213. (Co-first author, IF: 2.416)
7. Lan Zhao*, Jian Huang*, Zhonghua Zhao*, Qun Li, Yongbiao Xue. (2010) The Skp1-like protein SSK1 is required for cross-pollen compatibility in SRNase- based self-incompatibility. Plant Journal, 62(1):52-63. (Co-first author, IF: 5.972)
8. Guang Chen, Bin Zhang, Zhonghua Zhao, Zhenghua Sui, Hui Zhang and Yongbiao Xue. (2010) A life or death decision' for pollen tubes in S RNasebased self-incompatibility. Journal of Experimental Botany, 61(7):2027-37. (IF: 5.364)
9. Yijing Zhang, Zhonghua Zhao and Yongbiao Xue. (2009) Roles of proteolysis inplant self-incompatibility. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 60:21-42. (IF: 23.654)
10. Zhonghua Zhao, Qun Zeng and Shuqing Zhao. (2006) The Molecular Mechanism of Vernalization in Plants. Chinese Bulletin of botany, 23(1):60-66. (in Chinese)
11. Qun Zeng, Zhonghua Zhao and Shuqing Zhao. (2006) Signal Pathways of Flowering Time Regulation in Plant. Hereditas, 28 (8): 1031-1036. (in Chinese)
