COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Research Interests: Metabolic diseases, Adipose tissue biology, Bile acid signaling, Nuclear receptor

Teaching: Stem Cell Biology, Graduate Stem Cell Biology, Principles of Pathology, Graduate Principles of Pathology

Dr. Zhou is an Assistant Professor of Biology in the School of Biological Sciences. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, and his research program is focused on bile acid and nuclear receptor signaling in adipose tissue biology.

Bile acids are cholesterol metabolites that facilitate fat absorption and are also signaling molecules to regulate whole-body metabolism by activating nuclear receptors. The Zhou laboratory is particularly interested in uncovering the novels roles and molecular mechanism(s) of bile acid and nuclear receptor signaling in regulating metabolic functions of adipose tissues including energy-storing white adipose tissue and energy burning brown and beige adipose tissues and delineating the systemic effects of adipose tissue-specific nuclear receptors in normal physiology and metabolic disease states. To address these questions, we use tissue-specific genetic mouse models, cell cultures, molecular, cellular, and systemic biology approaches. Our research aims to identify novel strategies to treat obesity and its related metabolic disorders.

Education
• B.S. in Animal Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 2010
• M.S. in Animal Genetics & Breeding, Northeast Agricultural University, 2013
• Ph.D. in Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2018
• Postdoc in Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2018-2024