Yizhi Jane Tao, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
Professor of Biosciences, Rice University
​
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard University, 2002
Ph.D., Purdue University, 1999
B.Sc., Peking University, 1992
ytao@rice.edu
(713) 348-4910
​
Postdoctoral Researcher
Hanqiao Chen
​
Research: Infection mechanism of the Orsay virus mediated by delta and CP-delta proteins.
​
Ph.D., Huazhong Agricultural University
​
​
​
![ZLRLAVI4V5N3Y]{GFVYN76X.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/88d21f_6920ea1cce504a2ea6121ae29fb29360~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_49,y_0,w_2267,h_3088/fill/w_138,h_188,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ZLRLAVI4V5N3Y%5D%7BGFVYN76X.jpg)
Graduate Students
Kai Ye
Ph.D. Candidate​
​
Research: The structure and function of the influenza D NS1 and NS2 proteins, which may provide insight towards viral strategies for infection, proliferation and host-directed antagonism.
​
B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Imperial College London, 2017
​
Clark Hamor
Ph.D. Candidate​
​
Research: Characterization of the capsid structures, non-structural genes and replication cycles of viruses implicated in coral bleaching and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
​
B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of St. Thomas, Houston, 2019
​
​
Jesse Zhang
Ph.D. Candidate​
​
Research: Structure and function of the influenza virus proteins including HA and M2
​
B.Sc. in Biochemistry, USC, 2022
​
​
Visiting Scholars
Khadija Zahid
Ph.D. Candidate​, University of the Punjab
​
Research: Production of Recombinant Collagen Type 1 in Serum Free Adapted 293T Cell Line Using Ubiquitous Chromatin Opening Element Containing Lentiviral Vector
.
​
Undergraduate Researchers
Pranav Mandyam
Class of 2025
​
Research: Biochemical and structural characterization of a filamentous dsRNA virus.
​
​
Mitchell Han
Class of 2025
​
Research: Purification and structural analysis of the human astrovirus VP90.
​
​
Andrew Kim
Class of 2025
​
Research: Influenza D virus NS1 nuclear import
​
​
​
Jennifer Yu
Class of 2025
​
Research: The mechanism of Orsay virus entry mediated by the CP-delta protein
​
​
Recent Former Members
Matthew Ykema​
Ph.D. (2022)
​
Research: The structure and protease-dependent maturation process of the human astrovirus, a non-enveloped icosahedral virus that causes severe gastric pathogenesis in infant and elderly populations.
​
Fulbright Scholar to the Netherlands, Bosma Lab, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2015-2016
B.S. in Molecular Biology/Biotechnology and Economics, Arizona State University, 2015
​
Jim Zhang
BS-MS (2022)
​
Research: The native-condition structure and entry mechanism of the nematode virus Orsay, the first and only known virus to naturally infect the model organism C. elegans.
​
B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology,
Rice University, 2022
M.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology,
Rice University, 2022
​
Allison Wang​
BS (2022)
​
Research: The Purification and Imaging of the Proteins Encoded by CCFV-1, a filamentous shaped dsRNA virus
​
B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology,
Rice University, 2022
Ying Zhou
Research Scientist​
​
Research: The genetic interactions and pathways within C. elegans that facilitate Orsay viral infection and determine subsequent animal behavior.
​
Ph.D., Huazhong Agricultural University, 2015
B.Sc., Northeast Agricultural University, 2010
Xiaotong Lu
Ph.D. 2023
​
Research: The structure and function of the influenza D matrix protein, a promising therapeutic target responsible for facilitating viral entry, genome release, and budding.
​
B.S., Jilin University, 2016
.jpeg)
Yu Ouyang
Ph.D. 2023
​
Research: The host and assembly mechanism of picobirnavirus, a small bi-segmented double stranded RNA virus suspected to cause diarrhea in children and immunocompromised patients.
​
B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Boston University, 2017
​
