Dr Chunfang Zhang - Researcher Profile

Biography

Dr. Chunfang Zhang is a molecular biologist working as a research fellow in the Centre for Green Chemistry. He clones genes from various organisms and puts these genes into bacterial or yeast cells. These surrogate cells then work as factories to manufacture the products specified by the cloned genes. These products, typically proteins of medical or industrial importance, are subsequently purified from the cells. The cloned genes can also be modified to improve the properties of the end-products.

Chunfang’s research interest is in two areas: 1) developing simple and green purification procedures for medically and industrially important proteins in order to maximize product yield and minimize cost and waste; and 2) improving properties of industrially important enzymes by genetically engineering their relevant genes.

Qualifications

PHD. RESEARCH DEPT. OF GENETICS AND DEV. BIOLOGY

Institution: Monash University

Year awarded: 1989

BACHELOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Institution: Beijing Agricultural University, Beijing, China

Year awarded: 1982

Publications

Book Chapters

Zhang, C., Papakonstantinou, T., 2009, Purification of nucleic acids from gels, in Handbook of Nucleic Acid Purification, eds Dongyou Liu, CRC Press, Boca Raton Florida USA, pp. 537-555.

Nagley, P., Zhang, C., 1998, Mitochondrial DNA Mutations in Aging, Disease and Cancer, in Mitochondrial DNA mutations in aging, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Germany, pp. 205-238.

Journal Articles

Widakowich, G., Zhang, C., Harris, S., Mitri, K., Powers, G., Troung, K., Hearn, M., 2011, Effects of IMAC specific peptide tags on the stability of recombinant green fluorescent protein, Biotechnology Progress [P], vol 27, issue 4, Wiley-Blackwell, USA, pp. 1048-1053.

Miller, F.J., Nagley, P., Mariani, J., Ou, R., Liu, V.W.S., Zhang, C., Linnane, A.W., Pepe, S., Rosenfeldt, F.L., 2009, Age-related decline in stress responses of human myocardium may not be explained by changes in mtDNA, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development [P], vol 130, issue 11-12, Elsevier Ireland Ltd, Ireland, pp. 742-747.

Guo, J., Li, X., Fida, S., Gou, K., Malakooti, N., Zhang, C., Morrison, J., Trounson, A., Du, Z., 2009, The potential of rat inner cell mass and fetal neural stem cells to generate chimeras, Zoological Research [P], vol 30, issue 2, Zhongguo Kexueyuan Kunming Dongwu Yanjiusuo, China, pp. 158-164.

Miller, F.J., Rosenfeldt, F.L., Zhang, C., Linnane, A.W., Nagley, P., 2003, Precise determination of mitochondrial DNA copy number in human skeletal and cardiac muscle by a PCR-based assay: lack of change of copy number with age, Nucleic Acids Research, vol 31, issue 11, Oxford University Press, Oxford England, pp. e61-e67.

Nagley, P., Zhang, C., Lim, M.L.R., Merhi, M., Needham, B.E., Khalil, Z., 2001, Mitochondrial DNA deletions parallel age-linked decline in rat sensory nerve function, Neurobiology of Aging, vol 22, issue 4, Elsevier Science Inc, New York NY USA, pp. 635-643.

Lee, H., Lim, M.L., Lu, C., Liu, V.W., Fahn, H., Zhang, C., Nagley, P., Wei, Y., 1999, Concurrent increase of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation together with mitochondrial DNA mutation in human lung tissues during aging: smoking enhances oxidative stress to the aged tissues, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol . 362 issue 2, Academic Press, San Diego CA USA, pp. 309-316.

Zhang, C., Lee, A., Liu, V.W., Pepe, S., Rosenfeldt, F.L., Nagley, P., 1999, Mitochondrial DNA deletions in human cardiac tissue show a gross mosaic distribution, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol . 254 issue 1, Academic Press, San Diego CA USA, pp. 152-157.

Zhang, C., Liu, V.W., Addessi, C.L., Sheffield, D.A., Linnane, A.W., Nagley, P., 1998, Differential occurrence in mutations in mitochondrial DNA of human skeletal muscle during aging, Human Mutation, vol 11, Wiley-Liss Inc, New York NY USA, pp. 360-371.

Liu, V.W., Zhang, C., Pang, C., Lee, H., Lu, C., Wei, Y., Nagley, P., 1998, Independent occurrence of somatic mutation in mitochondrial DNA of human skin from subjects of various ages, Human Mutation, vol 11 no 3, Wiley-Liss Inc, New York NY USA, pp. 191-196.

Liu, V.W., Zhang, C., Nagley, P., 1998, Mutations in mitochondrial DNA accumulate differentially in three different human tissues during ageing, Nucleic Acids Research, vol 26 no 5, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, pp. 1268-1275.

Zhang, C., Sriratana, A., Minamikawa, T., Nagley, P., 1998, Photosensitisation properties of mitochondrially localised green fluorescent protein, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol 242 no 2, Academic Press, San Diego California USA, pp. 390-395.

Zhang, C., Liu, V.W., Nagley, P., 1997, Gross mosaic pattern of mitochondrial DNA deletions in skeletal muscle tissues of an individual adult human subject, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol 233, Academic Press, Orlando FL USA, pp. 56-60.

Zhang, C., Bills, M., Quigley, A., Maxwell, R.J., Linnane, A.W., Nagley, P., 1997, Varied prevalence of age-associated mitochondrial DNA deletions in different species and tissues: a comparison between human and rat, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol 230, Academic Press, Orlando FL USA, pp. 630-635.

Conference Proceedings

Nagley, P., Wright, B., Sriratana, A., Minamikawa, T., Zhang, C., 1998, Photobiological and molecular genetic approaches to studying the role of mitochondrial in mammalian cell death, Proceedings, 23rd Annual Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function, Lorne 8-12 February 1998, Lorne Protein Conference Inc, Melbourne Vic Australia, p. C-85.

Nagley, P., Zhang, C., Liu, V.W., Addessi, C.L., Sheffield, D.A., Wright, B., Minamikawa, T., Sriratana, A., 1997, Human ageing and cell death: role of mitochondria revealed in mutational and photobiological approaches, Bulletin of the Philippine Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Manila, Philippines, 2-5 Dec. 1997, FAOBMB, Manila Philippines, p. A9.

Nagley, P., Liu, V.W., Addessi, C.L., Sheffield, D.A., Zhang, C., 1997, Occurrence of base substitutions and deletions in mitochondrial DNA of human tissues during ageing, Proceedings of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Melbourne, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 1997, Australian Soc. for Biochemistry & Molecular Inc., Kent Town SA, p. B2-38.

Zhang, C., Sriratana, A., Minamikawa, T., Nagley, P., 1997, Photosensitisation properties of mitochondrially localised green fluorescent protein variant GFP5, Proceedings of the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Melbourne, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 1997, Australian Soc. for Biochemistry & Molecular Biol., Kent Town SA, p. B2-2.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Current Supervision

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

Optimising enzymes and developing novel enzyme-catalysed reaction conditions for the hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan.

Supervisors:

Hearn, M (Joint-co), Zhang, C (Joint).

Completed Supervision

Student:

Oktavianawati, I.

Program of Study:

Xylanase-Hydrolysed Reaction on Xylan in Ionic Liquids. (Masters) 2008.

Supervisors:

Hearn, M (Main), Zhang, C (Associate).