Yanqing Zhang, MD, PhD

My research focuses on the interaction between axons and myelinating glia, and how this interaction organizes axons into functional domains essential for conducting nerve impulses. 

Action potentials are generated at the axon initial segment and regenerated at the Nodes of Ranvier. These electrogenic domains are enriched with a macromolecular complex comprising voltage-gated sodium channels and potassium channels, cell adhesion molecules, and cytoskeletal scaffold proteins. Disruption of these axonal domains contributes to neurological disabilities in demyelinating disorders. My work has elucidated several mechanisms underlying the assembly and maintenance of the molecular complex within these domains.

I am also interested in how secreted factors from myelinating glia, specifically Schwann cells, influence neuronal phenotypes.

We aim to leverage the insights gained from our work to pave the way toward our long-term goal of alleviating demyelination and promoting repair in neurodegenerative disorders.