Faculty A-Z
Guangju Zhai
Professor, Discipline of Genetics Professor, Discipline of Genetics PhD (Tasmania)BioMedical Sciences
(709) 864-6683
Email:
guangju.zhai@med.mun.ca
Address:
Craig L. Dobbin Genetics Research Centre, Room: M5M326 Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland St. J ohnâ€TMs, NL Canada A1B 3V6
Dr. Zhai is looking for an enthusiastic postdoctoral bioinformatician to join his team to work on the development of bioinformatic and statistical methods and their application to musculoskeletal disease research. Information about this position can be found here.
Research Interests:
Pathogenesis and etiology of osteoarthritis; population genetic structure of Newfoundland & Labrador; metabolomics and genomics of complex traits
Education:
2005: PhD (Medicine), University of Tasmania, Australia
2002: MSc (Genetic Epidemiology), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Professional Experience:
09/2016 – present: Professor, Discipline of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
05/2011 – 09/2016: Associate Professor, Discipline of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
05/2011 – present: Senior Honorary Research Fellow, King’s College London, UK
09/2012 – present: Senior Research Scientist, Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Canada
11/2005 – 05/2011: Senior Genetic Epidemiologist (Postdoctoral Fellow), King’s College London, UK
07/2005 – 11/2005: Research Fellow (Postdoctoral Fellow), Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Australia
Research:
Dr. Zhai’s research is concentrated on population-based genetic epidemiological studies. He is interested in applying genomics and metabolomics approaches to identify novel genetic and metabolic markers for osteoarthritis, which can be used to predict disease risk and help better understand the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. He is also interested in unraveling genetic structure of isolated populations such as the Newfoundland & Labrador population using genome-wide genotype data, and facilitating the efficiency of genetic mapping using this population. In collaboration with other researchers, he applies epigenomics and metabolomics approaches to other complex traits including diabetes, obesity, colorectal cancer, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Current Financial Support:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Research & Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Medical Research Fund
- Seed Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund
Current Group Members:
Ms. Christie Costello (PhD student)
Mr. Robert Gill (MD student)
Nafiza Hague (MSc student)
Mrs. Ming Liu (Lab Technician)
Alecia Robichaud (MSc student)
Mr. Salem Werdyani (PhD student)
Mr. Zikun Xie (Visiting PhD student)
Past Group Members:
Dr. Erfan Aref-Eshghi
Mr. Yuhua Zhang
Ms. Patricia Harper
Mrs. Jieying Xiong
Mrs. Hongwei Zhang
Mrs. Michelle Simms