{"id":4882,"date":"2015-06-27T15:40:00","date_gmt":"2015-06-27T19:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T15:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T19:25:14","slug":"zhang","status":"publish","type":"directory","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/","title":{"rendered":"Qi Zhang"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><span class=\"blue\"><em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180237092 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180237092 BCX8\">Associate Chair for Community and Engagement <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<\/em><\/span><em>Arrel Toews Research and Teaching Distinguished Term Professor<\/em><br \/>\n<\/strong><span class=\"discreet\">(PhD &#8211; University of Michigan)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\" \" style=\"text-align: center\"><span class=\"btn btn-large btn-blue xxLargeFont normalSizeFont smallFont\" style=\"color: #ffff00\">ACCEPTING STUDENTS<\/span><span style=\"color: #333333\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-10603\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2019\/08\/Faculty-OGE-Trained-mentor-badge-400dpi-for-website-150x150.png\" alt=\"Trained Faculty Mentor endorsed by Office of Graduate Ed UNC Chapel Hill\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2019\/08\/Faculty-OGE-Trained-mentor-badge-400dpi-for-website-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2019\/08\/Faculty-OGE-Trained-mentor-badge-400dpi-for-website-64x64.png 64w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3><span class=\"blue\">HONORS &amp; AWARDS<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Arrel Toews Research and Teaching\u00a0Distinguished\u00a0Term Professorship, 2025<\/span><\/li>\n<li>NSF CAREER Award, 2017<\/li>\n<li>UNC Jefferson Pilot Fellowship, 2015<\/li>\n<li>The March of Dimes Basil O\u2019Connor Starter Scholar Research Award &#8211; 2013<\/li>\n<li>The Baltimore Family Fellow of the Life Sciences Research Foundation<span class=\"normalSizeFont\"> &#8211; 2008<\/span><\/li>\n<li>The RNA Society\/Scaringe Young Scientist Award<span class=\"normalSizeFont\"> &#8211; 2008<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"blue\">RESEARCH<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-left\" src=\"resolveuid\/09451300a59ab31bb86d4d711804e80d\/@@images\/image\/mini\" \/>The last thirty years have witnessed exciting discoveries of diverse functions carried out by non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), ranging from enzymatic catalysis to gene regulation. Significant progress has been achieved towards understanding the chemical basis for these newly discovered ncRNA functions by solving high-resolution structures at various stages along the functional pathways using X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. However, these static atomic images convey little information regarding how these ncRNAs undergo the structural transitions required to carry out their biological functions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Our laboratory is primarily focusing on developing and applying solution-state NMR methods, together with computational and biochemical approaches, to understand the molecular basis of RNA function. In particular, we aim to visualize, with atomic resolution, the entire dynamic process of ribozyme catalysis, riboswitch-based gene regulation, and co-transcriptional folding of mRNA. The principles deduced from these studies will provide atomic basis for rationally manipulating RNA catalysis and folding, and for de novo design of small molecules that target specific RNA signals involving in cancer and human disease. Research program in the laboratory provides diverse training opportunities in areas of spectroscopy, biophysics, structural biology, computational modeling, and biochemistry.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"blue\">PUBLICATIONS<\/span> <a class=\"external-link\" title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/sites\/myncbi\/14Orp4L9lxB5w\/bibliography\/48103979\/public\/?sort=date&amp;direction=descending\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-inline alignnone\" title=\"pubmed.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2019\/03\/pubmed.png\" alt=\"pubmed.png\" width=\"82\" height=\"33\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/zhangqi.web.unc.edu\/publications\/\"> <span class=\"normalSizeFont\"><span class=\"discreet\">(click<\/span><\/span><span class=\"discreet\"> for full publication list)<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<div>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"blue\">Lab Contact: <\/span><\/h3>\n<div>Lab Rooms: 3023A Genetic Medicine<\/div>\n<div>Lab Phone: 919-843-5865<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><!-- description --> <\/p>\n<p class='lead'>Research: Molecular basis of RNA function<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4883,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-4882","directory","type-directory","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Research: Molecular basis of RNA function\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Biochemistry and Biophysics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uncbiochemistryandbiophysics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-05T19:25:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"188\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"250\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UNC_BCBP\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/\",\"name\":\"Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-06-27T19:40:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-05T19:25:14+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg\",\"width\":188,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"Qi Zhang PhD\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Qi Zhang\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/\",\"name\":\"UNC Biochemistry and Biophysics\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2017\/06\/BiochemistryAndBiophysics_logo_2c_rgb_v.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2017\/06\/BiochemistryAndBiophysics_logo_2c_rgb_v.png\",\"width\":488,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uncbiochemistryandbiophysics\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/UNC_BCBP\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/unc_bcbp\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/unc-dept-of-biochem-biophysics-17a6187b\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics","og_description":"Research: Molecular basis of RNA function","og_url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/","og_site_name":"Biochemistry and Biophysics","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uncbiochemistryandbiophysics\/","article_modified_time":"2025-08-05T19:25:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":188,"height":250,"url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@UNC_BCBP","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/","url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/","name":"Qi Zhang | Biochemistry and Biophysics","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg","datePublished":"2015-06-27T19:40:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-05T19:25:14+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2018\/07\/Zhang_Qi_CROPPED.jpg","width":188,"height":250,"caption":"Qi Zhang PhD"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/directory\/zhang\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Qi Zhang"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/","name":"UNC Biochemistry and Biophysics","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#organization","name":"UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics","url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2017\/06\/BiochemistryAndBiophysics_logo_2c_rgb_v.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2017\/06\/BiochemistryAndBiophysics_logo_2c_rgb_v.png","width":488,"height":400,"caption":"UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uncbiochemistryandbiophysics\/","https:\/\/x.com\/UNC_BCBP","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/unc_bcbp\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/unc-dept-of-biochem-biophysics-17a6187b\/"]}]}},"_upd_display_name":["Qi Zhang"],"_upd_reverse_display_name":["Zhang, Qi"],"_upd_last_name":["Zhang"],"_upd_first_name":["Qi"],"_upd_sortorder_override":[],"_upd_sortorder":["1"],"_upd_gallery_summary":["<em><strong><span class=\"blue\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180237092 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180237092 BCX8\">Associate Chair for Community and Engagement, Arrel Toews Research and Teaching Distinguished Term Professor<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em>\r\n\r\nResearch: Molecular basis of RNA function\r\n\r\n<strong>TRAINED MENTOR<\/strong>\r\n<span style=\"background-color: #4682b4;color: #ffffff\">Accepting Rotation Students<\/span>\r\n\r\nCB# 7260, 3017 Genetic Medicine\r\n120 Mason Farm Road\r\nPhone: 919-966-5770\r\n<a href=\"mailto:qi_zhang@med.unc.edu\">Email<\/a>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/zhangqi.web.unc.edu\/\">Zhang Lab Website<\/a>"],"_upd_no_link":[],"_upd_degree1":[],"_upd_degree2":[],"_upd_email":[[{"email_text":"qi_zhang@med.unc.edu"}]],"_upd_phone":[[{"phone_text":"919-966-5770","phone_type":"Office Phone"}]],"_upd_address":[[{"address":{"address-1":"120 Mason Farm Road, CB# 7260","address-2":"3017 Genetic Medicine Building","campus-box":"","city":"Chapel Hill","state":"NC","zip":"27599-7260"}}]],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory\/4882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/directory"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory\/4882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31871,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory\/4882\/revisions\/31871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/biochem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}