Haining Zhu

Professor, Pharmacology & Toxicology
R. Ken and Donna Coit Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Co-Director, Coit Center for Longevity & Neurotherapeutics
Professor, BIO5 Institute
Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry

The Zhu laboratory studies RNA binding proteins and RNA metabolism including protein translation and stress granules under physiological and pathological conditions. We are also interested in protein phase separation and aggregation in vitro and in vivo and their relevance in human diseases. We strive to better understand the molecular mechanisms for neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and other diseases such as cancer. In addition, we are interested in therapeutic development targeting the molecules identified in the mechanistic studies.

Other Affiliations
Member, University of Arizona Cancer Center
Member, Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center
Member, Neuroscience GIDP
Member, Cancer Biology GIDP

Post Graduate Training
Postdoctoral Training, Proteomics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2002

Areas of Research
Neurodegenerative diseases
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
RNA binding proteins in neurodegenerative diseases
Regulation of RNA metabolism and protein translation in neurodegenerative diseases
Stress granules in neurodegenerative diseases and other human health conditions\
Protein homeostasis, misfolding, aggregation and turnover\
Mass spectrometry, proteomics and functional genomics
Protein chemistry, biophysics, structure and function relationship

Degree(s)

  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 2000
  • B.S., Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 1994