Institute for Molecular Bioscience

Dr Yuanzhao Cao

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Institute for Molecular Bioscience
+61 7 334 62385
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Researcher biography

As a cell biologist specialising in molecular and cell biology and stem cell biology, my work focuses on cardiovascular development, stem cell-base disease modelling and pharmaceutical drug discovery. Specifically, I concentrate on ischaemic heart injury and diabetic cardiomyopathy, aiming to develop novel therapeutics to reduce hospitalisations and community health burdens. I have 13 career publications and an h-index of 5 (Web of Science); 83.3% of my publications are in Q1 journals (SciVal). Across my research career, the topic areas in publications include studies in cell biology (4), development biology (3), pharmacology (3), and cardiovascular system-cardiology (2) (Web of Science). In the last five years, 60% of my publications are in the top 10% of journals, and the studies cover biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology (3 outputs), and medicine (2 outputs) (SciVal). I have held leadership roles including member of International Society for Heart Research Australasia Early Career Investigator Committee, member of the Queensland Cardiovascular Research Network (QCVRN) Emerging Leaders Committee, member of the Early-Mid Career Researchers (EMCR) Association for IMB, UQ. I am organising EMCR Session for the 2024 Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand annual scientific meeting, the 2024 QCVRN & Heart Foundation Research Showcase, the 2024 IMB EMCR Retreat meeting, and was organisation committee member for the 2023 Australia Network of Cardiac and Vascular Developmental Biology conference. I review for journals including Stem Cell Reports, Stem Cells, IUBMB Life and co-review for journals including Nature Methods, Cell Stem Cell, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. I am a special guest editor for the journal Pathogens on the Special Issue: Innate Immunity against Pathogens.

Featured projects Duration
Developing new drugs for heart disease
Harnessing control of stem cell decisions and functions

Publications

Journal Articles (10)
Conference Papers (2)

Journal Articles

Kramer, Simon, Kotapati, Charan, Cao, Yuanzhao, Fry, Bryan G., Palpant, Nathan J., King, Glenn F. and Cardoso, Fernanda C. (2024). High-content fluorescence bioassay investigates pore formation, ion channel modulation and cell membrane lysis induced by venoms. Toxicon: X, 21 100184, 100184. doi: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100184
Wu, Zhixuan, Shen, Sophie, Mizikovsky, Dalia, Cao, Yuanzhao, Naval-Sanchez, Marina, Tan, Siew Zhuan, Alvarez, Yanina D., Sun, Yuliangzi, Chen, Xiaoli, Zhao, Qiongyi, Kim, Daniel, Yang, Pengyi, Hill, Timothy A., Jones, Alun, Fairlie, David P., Pébay, Alice, Hewitt, Alex W., Tam, Patrick P.L., White, Melanie D., Nefzger, Christian M. and Palpant, Nathan J. (2024). Wnt dose escalation during the exit from pluripotency identifies tranilast as a regulator of cardiac mesoderm. Developmental Cell, 59 (6), 705-722.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.01.019
Friedman, Clayton E., Cheetham, Seth W., Negi, Sumedha, Mills, Richard J., Ogawa, Masahito, Redd, Meredith A., Chiu, Han Sheng, Shen, Sophie, Sun, Yuliangzi, Mizikovsky, Dalia, Bouveret, Romaric, Chen, Xiaoli, Voges, Holly K., Paterson, Scott, De Angelis, Jessica E., Andersen, Stacey B., Cao, Yuanzhao, Wu, Yang, Jafrani, Yohaann M.A., Yoon, Sohye, Faulkner, Geoffrey J., Smith, Kelly A., Porrello, Enzo, Harvey, Richard P., Hogan, Benjamin M., Nguyen, Quan, Zeng, Jian, Kikuchi, Kazu, Hudson, James E. and Palpant, Nathan J. (2023). HOPX-associated molecular programs control cardiomyocyte cell states underpinning cardiac structure and function. Developmental Cell, 59 (1), 91-107.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.012
Cao, Yuanzhao, Redd, Meredith A., Fang, Chen, Mizikovsky, Dalia, Li, Xichun, Macdonald, Peter S., King, Glenn F. and Palpant, Nathan J. (2023). New drug targets and preclinical modelling recommendations for treating acute myocardial infarction. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 32 (7), 852-869. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2022.12.015
Cao, Yuanzhao and Palpant, Nathan J. (2022). The ins and outs of cellular pH during cardiac ischemia. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 174, 133-134. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.12.004
Lu, Jiaqi, Cheng, Kuoyuan, Zhang, Bo, Xu, Huan, Cao, Yuanzhao, Guo, Fei, Feng, Xudong and Xia, Qing (2015). Novel mechanisms for superoxide-scavenging activity of human manganese superoxide dismutase determined by the K68 key acetylation site. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 85, 114-126. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.04.011
Lu, Jiaqi, Cao, Yuanzhao, Cheng, Kuoyuan, Xu, Bo, Wang, Tianchang, Yang, Qi, Yang, Qin, Feng, Xudong and Xia, Qing (2015). Berberine regulates neurite outgrowth through AMPK-dependent pathways by lowering energy status. Experimental Cell Research, 334 (2), 194-206. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2015.04.006
Cheng, Kuo-Yuan, Guo, Fei, Lu, Jia-Qi, Cao, Yuan-Zhao, Wang, Tian-Chang, Yang, Qi and Xia, Qing (2015). MnTM-4-PyP modulates endogenous antioxidant responses and protects primary cortical neurons against oxidative stress. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, 21 (5), 435-445. doi: 10.1111/cns.12373
Ramamurthy, S., Chang, E., Cao, Y., Zhu, J. and Ronnett, G. V. (2014). AMPK activation regulates neuronal structure in developing hippocampal neurons. Neuroscience, 259, 13-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.11.048
Huang, Hai-Feng, Guo, Fei, Cao, Yuan-Zhao, Shi, Wen and Xia, Qing (2012). Neuroprotection by manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mimics: antioxidant effect and oxidative stress regulation in acute experimental stroke. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, 18 (10), 811-818. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2012.00380.x

Conference Papers

Cao, Yuanzhao, Redd, Meredith A., Shim, Woo Jun, Fang, Chen, Chiu, Han, Azofeifa, Daniela Rojas, Thomas, Ulrich, Lemme, Marta, Dragicevic, Elena, Stoelzle-Feix, Sonja and Palpant, Nathan J. (2023). Disease modeling utilizing human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and physiological characterization. Safety Pharmacology Society Annual Meeting, Brussels, Belgium, 18-21 September 2023. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.vascn.2023.107267
Cheng, Kuoyuan, Guo, Fei, Lu, Jiaqi, Cao, Yuanzhao and Xia, Qing (2015). MnTM-4-PyP protects cortical neurons against oxidative stress via induction of cellular antioxidant responses. Joint Meeting of the 20th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Developmental-Neuroscience / 5th Annual NeuroDevNet Brain Development Conference, Montreal Canada, Jul 19-24, 2014. OXFORD: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.04.276