Dr. Yong Fang Zhu

Assistant Professor of Health Sciences and Biology


Phone: (905) 648-2139   Ext:4245

Email: yzhu@redeemer.ca

Office: 221C

Programs: Health Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry

Education

Ph.D. (2011), Neuroscience & Behavioural Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON    Dissertation: Electrophysiological, immune histochemical and pharmacological studies on an animal model of peripheral neuropathy indicate a prominent role of Aβ sensory neurons in neuropathic pain

M.Sc. (2006), Biochemistry and Biomedical science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

B.Sc. (2003), Computer Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

M.Sc. (1999), Biology Pedagogy, East China Normal University, China

B.Sc. (1990), Biology, Nanjing Normal University, China

Courses

  • Microbiology (BIO-351)
  • Genetics (BIO-261)

About

Yong Fang Zhu joined Redeemer as an assistant professor in 2023. Prior to joining the faculty, she worked in McMaster Universality as a research scientist in the department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute and Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care. Along with teaching, she is presently serving as a Sciences Adjudicator of the Academic Standards Committee at Redeemer University. She lives in Ancaster with her family and enjoys gardening, hiking, painting and sharing food.

Research Interests

Yong Fang’s research interest in peripheral pain has two interdependent aspects: (1) electrophysiology, imaging study to collect experimental measurements and assessments, (2) computational modeling to test hypotheses and plan future experiments. Both help to understand the mechanism of pain sensational pathways and identify effective treatment methods for chronic pain.

Journal Articles

Yong Fang Zhu, Peter Kan, Gurmit Singh. (2022). Differences and similarities in spontaneous activity between animal models of Cancer-induced pain and Neuropathic pain. Journal of Pain Research (accepted).

Robert G Ungard, Yong Fang Zhu, Peter Nakhla, Sarah Yang, Natalka Parzei, Kan Lun Zhu, Gurmit Singh. (2020). Response to pregabalin and progesterone differs in male and female rat models of neuropathic and cancer pain. Canadian Journal of Pain. 4(1), 39-58 

Yong Fang Zhu, Linher-Melville K, Niazmand MJ, Sharma M, Shahid A, Zhu KL, Parzei N, Sidhu J, Haj C, Mechoulam R, Gurmit Singh. (2020). An evaluation of the anti-hyperalgesic effects of cannabidiolic acid-methylester (CBDA-ME) in apreclinical model of peripheral neuropathic pain. Br J Pharmacol. 177(12), 2712-2725

Yong Fang Zhu, Katja Linher-Melville, Jianhan Wu, Jennifer Fazzari , Tanya Miladinovic , Robert Ungard , Kan Lun Zhu, Gurmit Singh. (2020). Bone cancer-induced pain is associated with glutamate signaling in peripheral sensory neurons. Molecular Pain. doi: 10.1177/2F1744806920911536.

Katja Linher-Melville, Yong Fang Zhu, Jesse Sidhu, Natalka Parzei, Ayesha Shahid, Gireesh Seesankar, Danny Ma, Zhi Wang, Natalie Zacal, Vikas Parihar, Ramesh Zacharias, Gurmit Singh. (2020). Evaluation of the preclinical analgesic efficacy of naturallyderived, orally administered oil forms of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and their 1:1 combination. PLOS One. 15(6): e0234176. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Jacek M Kwiecien, Wojciech Dabrowski, Robert Ungard, Kan Lun Zhu, Jan D Huizinga, James L Henry, Gurmit Singh. (2018). Cancer pain and neuropathic pain are associated with A?sensory neuronal plasticity in dorsal root ganglia and abnormal sprouting in lumbar spinal cord. Molecular Pain. 14, 1-15. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Robert Ungard, Natalie Zacal, Jan D. Huizinga, James L. Henry, Gurmit Singh. (2017). Rat modelof cancer-induced bone pain: changes in nonnociceptive sensory neurons in vivo. Pain reports. 2, 1-10. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Wang XY, Parsons SP, Huizinga JD. (2016). Stimulus-induced pacemaker activity in interstitial cells of Cajal associated with the deep muscular plexus of the small intestine. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 28(7), 74. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Ungard R, Seidlitz E, Zacal N, Huizinga J, Henry JL, Gurmit Singh. (2016). Differences in electrophysiological properties of functionally identified nociceptive sensory neurons in an animal model of cancer-induced bone pain. Molecular Pain. 1(12), 1-4. 

Jan D. Huizinga, Sean P. Parsons, Ji-Hong Chen, Andrew Pawelka, Marc Pistilli,1 Chunpei Li, Yuanjie Yu, Pengfei Ye, Qing Liu, Mengting Tong, Yong Fang Zhu, Defei Wei. (2015). Motorpatterns of the small intestine explained by phase-amplitude coupling of two pacemaker activities: the critical importance of propagation velocity.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol.309(6): 403-414. 

Huizinga JD, Chen JH, Yong Fang Zhu, Pawelka A, McGinn RJ. Bardakjian BL, Parsons SP, Kunze WA, Wu RY, Bercik P, Khoshdel A, Chen S, Yin S, Zhang Q, Yu Y, Gao Q, Li K, Hu X, Zarate N, Collins P, Pistilli M, Ma J, Zhang R, Chen D. (2014). The origin of segmentation motor activity in the intestine. Nature Communication. 5, 3326. 

Wang XY1, Chen JH, Li K, Yong Fang Zhu, Wright GW, Huizinga JD. (2014). Discrepancies betweenc-Kit positive and Ano1 positive ICC-SMP in the W/Wv and wild-type mouse colon. Neyrogastroenterol Motil. 26(9), 1298-1310. 

Huizinga JD, Chen JH, Mikkelsen HB, Wang XY, Parsons SP, Yong Fang Zhu. (2013). Interstitial cells of Cajal,from structure to function. Frontiers in neuroscience. 7, 1-2. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Wang XY, Lowie BJ, Parsons S, White L, Kunze W, Pawelka A, Huizinga JD. (2013). Enteric sensory neurons communicate with interstitial cells of Cajal to affect pacemaker activity in the small intestine. Pflugers Archiv: European journal of physiology. 466, 1467-1475. 

Yong Fang Zhu , Wu Q, Henry JL (2012). Changes in functional properties of A-type but not C-type sensory neurons in vivo in a rat model of peripheral neuropathy. J Pain Res. 5, 175-192. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S26367. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Henry JL (2012). Excitability of Aβ sensory neurons is altered in an animal model of peripheral neuropathy. BMC Neurosci. 13,15. doi: 10.1186/1471-2202-13-15. 

Pau VP, Yong Fang Zhu, Yuchi Z, Hoang QQ, Yang DS. (2007). Characterization of the C-terminal domain of a potassium channel from Streptomyces lividans (KcsA). The Journal of biological chemistry. 282, 29163-29169. 

Conference Publications

Yong Fang Zhu, Katja Linher-Melville, Jianhan Wu, Tanya Miladinovic , Robert Ungard , Jennifer Fazzari , Kan Lun Zhu , Jacek Kwiecien , James L. Henry , Gurmit Singh. Bone cancer pain is associated with glutamatergic signaling in peripheral sensory neurons. 17th IASP World Congress on Pain, Boston, MA, 2018. 

Yong Fang Zhu, Eric Seidlitz, Robert Ungard, Jan D. Huizinga, James L. Henry, Gurmit Singh. Electrophysiological studies on an animal model of cancer induced bone pain indicate a different role of mechanical sensory neurons in cancer pain. 16th IASP World Congress on Pain, Yokohama, Japan, 2016.

Yong Fang Zhu, Robert Ungard, Gurmit Singh. Differences in electrophysiological properties of functionally identified nociceptive sensory neurons in an animal model of cancer-induced bone pain. Persistent Post-Surgical Pain – A Model for the Study of Chronic Pain, Hamilton, ON, 2015.

Yong Fang Zhu, Robert Ungard, Eric Seidlitz, Natalie Zacal, Jan Huizinga, James L. Henry, Gurmit Singh. Ectopic activity of nociceptive sensory neurons in an animal model of bone cancer pain. Neuroscience 2015- Society of Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, 2015.

Yong Fang Zhu, Wu Q, James L. Henry. Functional changes in A-type but not C-type in an animal model of peripheral neuropathy, Canadian Pain Society, Calgary, AB, 2012. 

Wu Q, Yong Fang Zhu, James L. Henry. Comparison of changes in physiological properties of large diameter DRG neurons in animal models of osteoarthritis & neuropathic pain. IASP, 12th World Congress on Pain. Glasgow, Scotland, UK, 2008.

Yong Fang Zhu, Wu Q, James L. Henry. Increased excitability of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurones in an animal model of neuropathic pain. Neuroscience, the 38th Annual Meeting of the Society of Neuroscience, Washington, DC, 2008.

Speaking Invitations

A preliminary trial for computational analysis and modeling on peripheral pain, McMaster Research Day for Pain at RBG, Canada, 2022.

Differences in spontaneous activity between animal models of Cancer-induced pain and Neuropathic pain. International Symposium on Biomedical Engineering and Computational Biology, China, 2021.

Differences in electrophysiological properties of functionally identified nociceptive sensory neurons in an animal model of cancer-induced bone pain Persistent Post-Surgical Pain – A Model for the Study of Chronic Pain, Canada, 2015.

Enteric sensory neurons communicate with interstitial cells of Cajal to affect pacemaker activity in the small intestine, Canadian Digestive Diseases Week, Canada, 2014.

ICC and nervous system VIIth International Symposium on Interstitial cells of Cajal, Italy, 2012.

Awards and Certifications 

  • Pain Research & Care Seed Grants Award, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2022-2023.
  • Clinical Trials Certification, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2014-2015.
  • Michael G. DeGroote Postdoctoral Fellowship Award for Pain, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2014-2016.
  • CDDW 2014 Exhibit Draw Winners, Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, 2014.
  • Programs Award for Graduate Students, Faculty of Health Sciences Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2011.
  • Canadian Pain Society Membership, Canadian Pain Society, 2008.
  • Lillian Rose Stegne Memorial Stipend, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2008-2009.
  • Medical Science Entrance scholarship, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON 2007-2008
  • Dean’s Honor List, Computer Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, 2002. 
  • Top 10 Young People in Shanghai Awards, Shanghai Youth Union, China, 1999
  • Petrochemical Industrial Scholarship, East China Normal University, China, 1996-1999
  • Top Graduate Student Awards, Nanjing Normal University, China, 1990.