2008年在中国农业大学获得学士学位，2013年在中国农业大学获得博士学位。2013至2018年主要在美国斯坦福大学作博士后研究。2019年1月到中国科学院植物研究所工作，担任研究组组长，并入选中国科学院人才计划。在Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A、The Plant Cell、Molecular Plant、New Phytologist等期刊发表SCI论文20余篇。

主要研究工作：

随着全球气候变暖的加剧，极端高温热害、旱害等频繁发生，给玉米生产带来严重影响。热害导致的生殖器官发育异常是导致玉米减产的主要原因之一。因此，挖掘玉米生殖器官发育及耐热关键基因，解析其分子机制，构建玉米热胁迫分子调控网络，将为玉米抗性改良提供基因资源和新思路。

本研究组以玉米为主要研究材料，开展生殖器官发育和高温胁迫相关的分子机理研究，主要研究方向为：（1）关键耐热基因挖掘及分子机制解析；（2）玉米雄穗发育的分子机理解析；（3）分子设计育种。

主持和参加的科研项目：

[1] “玉米雄性不育基因MS305的功能及调控网络研究”（2021.01-2024.12），国家自然科学基金委，面上项目，主持人。

[2] “玉米高产优质性状的分子基础”（2019.11-2024.12）， 中国科学院战略性先导科技专项（A类），子课题负责人。

[3] “膜受体复合物的结构与温度感知”（2020.12-2025.11），国家重点研发计划，子课题负责人。

研究论文（注*为通讯作者，#为共同第一作者）：

2024

Li Z, Li Z, Ji Y, Wang C, Wang S, Shi Y, Le J, Zhang M*. 2024. The heat shock factor 20-HSF4-cellulose synthase A2 module regulates heat stress tolerance in maize. Plant Cell. 36(7): 2652-2667.

2023

Wang X, Ma X*, Yan G, Hua L, Liu H, Huang W, Liang Z, Chao Q, Hibberd JM, Jiao Y*, Zhang M*. 2023. Gene duplications facilitate C4-CAM compatibility in common purslane. Plant Physiol. 193(4): 2622-2639.

2022

Han Y, Hu M, Ma X, Yan G, Wang C, Jiang S, Lai J, Zhang M*. 2022. Exploring key developmental phases and phase-specific genes across the entirety of anther development in maize.J Integr Plant Biol. 64(7): 1394-1410.

Xu Q, Wu L, Luo Z, Zhang M, Lai J, Li L, Springer NM, Li Q*. 2022. DNA demethylation affects imprinted gene expression in maize endosperm. Genome Biol. 23(1):77.

2021

Zhang M^#*, Ma X^#, Wang C, Li Q, Meyers BC, Springer NM, Walbot V^#. 2021. CHH DNA methylation increases at 24-PHAS loci depend on 24-nt phasiRNAs in maize meiotic anthers. New Phytol. 229(5): 2984–2997.

2020

Xu G, Lyu J, Li Q, Liu H, Wang D, Zhang M, Springer NM, Ross-Ibarra J, Yang J*. 2020. Evolutionary and functional genomics of DNA methylation in maize domestication and improvement. Nat Commun. 11(1):5539.

2019年及以前

Sun S, Zhou Y, Chen J, Shi J, Zhao H, Zhao H, Song W, Zhang M, Cui Y, Dong X, Liu H, Ma X, Jiao Y, Wang B, Wei X, Stein JC, Glaubitz JC, Lu F, Yu G, Liang C, Fengler K, Li B, Rafalski A, Schnable PS, Ware DH, Buckler ES, Lai J. 2018. Extensive intraspecific gene order and gene structural variations between Mo17 and other maize genomes. Nat Genet. 50(9):1289-1295.

Dong X, Chen J, Li T, Li E, Zhang X, Zhang M, Song W, Zhao H, Lai J. 2018. Parent-of-origin-dependent nucleosome organization correlates with genomic imprinting in maize. Genome Res. 28(7):1020-1028.

Dong X^#, Zhang M^#, Chen J^#, Peng L, Zhang N, Wang X, Lai J. 2017. Dynamic and Antagonistic Allele-Specific Epigenetic Modifications Controlling the Expression of Imprinted Genes in Maize Endosperm. Mol Plant. 6;10(3):442-455. (# Equal Contribution)

Lei L, Shi J, Chen J, Zhang M, Sun S, Xie S, Li X, Zeng B, Peng L, Hauck A, Zhao H, Song W, Fan Z, Lai J. 2015. Ribosome profiling reveals dynamic translational landscape in maize seedlings under drought stress. Plant J. 84(6):1206-18.

Zhang M^#, Xie S^#, Dong X^#, Zhao X, Zeng B, Chen J, Li H, Yang W, Zhao H, Wang G, Chen Z, Sun S, Hauck A, Jin W, Lai J. 2014. Genome-wide high resolution parental-specific DNA and histone methylation maps uncover patterns of imprinting regulation in maize. Genome Res. 24(1):167-76. (# Equal Contribution)

Chen J, Zeng B, Zhang M, Xie S, Wang G, Hauck A, Lai J. 2014. Dynamic transcriptome landscape of maize embryo and endosperm development. Plant Physiol. 166(1):252-64.

Jiang Y, Zeng B, Zhao H, Zhang M, Xie S, Lai J. 2012.Genome-wide transcription factor gene prediction and their expressional tissue-specificities in maize. J Integr Plant Biol. 54(9):616-30.

Jiao Y, Zhao H, Ren L, Song W, Zeng B, Guo J, Wang B, Liu Z, Chen J, Li W, Zhang M, Xie S, Lai J. 2012. Genome-wide genetic changes during modern breeding of maize. Nat Genet. 44(7):812-5.

Zhao Y, Lu X, Liu C, Guan H, Zhang M, Li Z, Cai H, Lai J. 2012. Identification and fine mapping of rhm1 locus for resistance to Southern corn leaf blight in maize. J Integr Plant Biol. 54(5):321-9.

Jiao Y^#, Song W^#, Zhang M^#, Lai J. 2011. Identification of novel maize miRNAs by measuring the precision of precursor processing. BMC Plant Biol. 11: 141. (# Equal Contribution)

Zhang M^#, Zhao H^#, Xie S^#, Chen J, Xu Y, Wang K, Zhao H, Guan H, Hu X, Jiao Y, Song W, Lai J. 2011. Extensive, clustered parental imprinting of protein-coding and noncoding RNAs in developing maize endosperm. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108: 20042-7. (# Equal Contribution)

Dong Y, Lu X, Song W, Shi L, Zhang M, Zhao H, Jiao Y, Lai J. 2011. Structural characterization of helitrons and their stepwise capturing of gene fragments in the maize genome. BMC Genomics. 12: 609.

Lai J, Li R, Xu X, Jin W, Xu M, Zhao H, Xiang Z, Song W, Ying K, Zhang M, Jiao Y, Ni P, Zhang J, Li D, Guo X, Ye K, Jian M, Wang B, Zheng H, Liang H, Zhang X, Wang S, Chen S, Li J, Fu Y, Springer NM, Yang H, Wang J, Dai J, Schnable PS, Wang J. 2010. Genome-wide patterns of genetic variation among elite maize inbred lines.Nat Genet. 42(11):1027-30.