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Hua Zhang, PhD, MD

Hua Zhang
Hua Zhang, PhD, MD

Instructional Associate Professor

Contact

Department of Biomedical Sciences
3302 Gaston Ave.
Room 456
Dallas, TX 75246
hzhang@tamu.edu
Phone: 214.828.8487
Fax: 214.874.4538

Biography

Education and Post-Graduate Training

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX (2010-2016)

Ph.D. Pharmacology/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Missouri-Kansas City, MO (2010)

M.S. Medical Pathology, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao, China (1997)

M.D., Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao, China (1994)

Career History

Instructional Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (2024-present)

Instructional Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (2017-2024)

Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (2016-2017)

Visiting Senior Resident, Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China (1999-2000)

Pathologist and Instructor, Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao, China (1997-1999)

Teaching Interests

Teaching responsibilities include Dental Pharmacology (dental), Medical Pharmacology (dental), General Pathology (dental), Gross Anatomy (dental), Cellular and Molecular Biology (dental and graduate).

Research Interests

My research interests include the Roles of bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP1)/tolloid-like I (TLL1) proteinases in dentinogenesis and the roles of FAM20C (Family with sequence similarity 20, member C) and SIBLING (small integrin binding ligands N-linked glycoprotein) family proteins in brain homeostasis.

Recent Grants

  • Family with Sequence Similarity 20, Member C (FAM20C) and Brain Calcification. NIH/NINDS R03NS116744; 05/01/21-09/30/24 (PI)
  • Functions of Family with Sequence Similarity 20 – Member C (FAM20C) and Member A (FAM20A) in Amelogenesis and Dentinogenesis. NIH/NIDCR R01 DE030081; 09/14/2020-08/31/2026 (Co-Investigator)
  • Dentin Sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) in Dentinogenesis Imperfecta (DGI) and Odontoblast Function. NIH/NIDCR R01 DE027345; 07/30/2018-05/31/2025 (Collaborator)

Selected Publications

  1. Lee AM, Wright JM, Abraham C, Zhang H, Woo VL. Gingival squamous cell carcinoma: an epidemiologic, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical study of 419 cases. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2025 Sep 18; S2212-4403(25)01210-6
  2. Peraza-Labrador A, Wright J, Woo V, Kowalski M, Tikkhanarak K, Handoo NQ, Wongpattaraworakul W, Bilodeau E, Nor F, Smith MH, Kesterke M, Zhang H, Barros P, Shrestha M. Comparative study of the clinicopathologic characteristics and immunohistochemical expression of recurrent and nonrecurrent glandular odontogenic cysts: a retrospective longitudinal cohort multicenter study. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2025 Aug 22; S2212-4403(25)01169-1.
  3. Siddiqui MF, Li J, Wang S, Zhang H, Qin C, Lu Y. FAM20A is a golgi-localized Type II transmembrane protein. Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 18; 14(1):6518.
  4. Xu Q, Li J, Zhang H, Wang S, Qin C, Lu Y. Constitutive expression of spliced X-box binding protein 1 inhibits dentin formation in mice. Front Physiol. 2024 Jan 10; 14:1319954.
  5. Zhang H (first author/corresponding author), Lu Y, Kramer P. R., Benson M. D., Cheng Y.-S. L., & Qin C. Intracranial calcification in Fam20c-deficient mice recapitulates human Raine syndrome. Neurosci Lett. 2023 Apr 1; 802:137176.
  6. Barnts K, Feng J, Qin C, Zhang H, Cheng Y. Adenomatoid Odontogenic Tumor, Evidence for A Mixed Odontogenic Tumor, Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol, 2022 Jun;133(6):675-683. 
  7. Huang Y, Chen H, Zhang H, Lu Y, Qin C. FAM20C plays a critical role in the development of mouse vertebra. Spine J. 2022 Feb; 22(2):337-348.
  8. Liang T, Xu Q, Zhang H, Wang S, Diekwisch TGH, Qin C, Lu Y. Enamel Defects Associated With Dentin Sialophosphoprotein Mutation in Mice. Front Physiol. 2021 Sep 24; 12:724098.
  9. Zhang H (first author/corresponding author), Xu Q, Lu Y, Qin C. Effect of high phosphate diet on the formation of dentin in Fam20c-deficient mice. Eur J Oral Sci. 2021 Jun; 129(3):e12795.
  10. Xu Q, Zhang H, Wang S, Qin C, Lu Y. Constitutive expression of spliced XBP1 causes perinatal lethality in mice. Genesis. 2021 Apr 23; 59:e23420.
  11. Jani P, Zhang H, Benson MD, Qin C. Noggin inhibition of mouse dentinogenesis. J Oral Biosci. 2020 Mar; 62(1):72-79.
  12. Zhang H (first author/corresponding author), Li L, Kesterke MJ, Lu Y, Qin C. High-Phosphate Diet Improved the Skeletal Development of Fam20c-Deficient Mice. Cells Tissues Organs. 2019; 208(1-2):25-36.
  13. Li L, Saiyin W, Zhang H, Wang S, Xu Q, Qin C, Lu Y. FAM20A is essential for amelogenesis, but is dispensable for dentinogenesis. J Mol Histol. 2019 Dec;50(6):581-591.
  14. Saiyin W, Li L, Zhang H, Lu Y, Qin C. Inactivation of FAM20B causes cell fate changes in annulus fibrosus of mouse intervertebral disc and disc defects via the alterations of TGF-β and MAPK signaling pathways. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2019 Dec 1;1865(12):165555.
  15. Liang T, Zhang H, Xu Q, Wang S, Qin C, Lu Y. Mutant Dentin Sialophosphoprotein Causes Dentinogenesis Imperfecta. J Dent Res. 2019 Jul;98(8):912-919.
  16. Liu X, Li N, Zhang H, Liu J, Zhou N, Ran C, Chen X, Lu Y, Wang X, Qin C, Xiao J, Liu C. Inactivation of Fam20b in the neural crest-derived mesenchyme of mouse causes multiple craniofacial defects. Eur J Oral Sci. 2018 Oct;126(5):433-436.
  17. Jani P, Liu C, Zhang H, Younes K, Benson MD, Qin C. The role of bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4 in mouse dentinogenesis. Arch Oral Biol. 2018 Jun;90:33-39.
  18. Zhang H, Xie X, Liu P, Liang T, Lu Y, Qin C. Transgenic expression of dentin phosphoprotein (DPP) partially rescued the dentin defects of DSPP-null mice. PLoS One. 2018;13(4):e0195854.
  19. Liu C, Zhang H, Jani P, Wang X, Lu Y, Li N, Xiao J, Qin C. FAM20C regulates osteoblast behaviors and intracellular signaling pathways in a cell-autonomous manner. J Cell Physiol. 2018 Apr;233(4):3476-3486.
  20. Liu C, Zhou N, Wang Y, Zhang H, Jani P, Wang X, Lu Y, Li N, Xiao J, Qin C. Abrogation of Fam20c altered cell behaviors and BMP signaling of immortalized dental mesenchymal cells. Exp Cell Res. 2018 Feb 15;363(2):188-195.
  21. Liu P, Ma S, Zhang H, Liu C, Lu Y, Chen Li, Qin C. Specific ablation of mouse Fam20C in cells expressing type I collage leads to skeletal defects and hypophosphatemia. Sci. Rep. 2017 Jun 15; 7(1):3590.
  22. Zhang H, Jani P, Liang T, Lu Y, Qin C. Inactivation of bone morphogenetic protein 1 (Bmp1) and tolloid-like 1 (Tll1) in cells expressing Type I collagen leads to dental and periodontal defects in mice,  J Mol Histol. 2017 Apr; 48(2): 83-98.
  23. Zhang H, Wang J. Disruption of type I–IFN signaling decreases autoimmune development and kidney damage, but not anxiety-like behaviors in lupus NZB mice. J Depress Anxiety. 2017; 6:271.
  24. Xie X, Liu C, Zhang H, Jani PH, Lu Y, Wang X, Zhang B, Qin C. Abrogation of epithelial BMP2 and BMP4 causes Amelogenesis Imperfecta by reducing MMP20 and KLK4 expression. Sci. Rep. 2016 May 5; 6:25364.
  25. Zhang H, Liu P, Wang S, Liu C, Jani P, Lu Y, Qin C. Transgenic expression of dentin phosphoprotein inhibits skeletal development. Eur J Histochem. 2016 Mar 11; 60 (1): 2587.
  26. Jani PH, Gibson MP, Liu C, Zhang H, Wang X, Lu Y, Qin C. Transgenic expression of Dspp partially rescued the long bone defects of Dmp1-null mice. Matrix Biol. 2016 May-Jul; 52-54:95-112.
  27. Meng T, Huang Y, Wang S, Zhang H, Dechow PC, Wang X, Qin C, Shi B, D’Souza RN, Lu Y. Twist 1 is essential for tooth morphogenesis and odontoblast differentiation. J Bio Chem. 2015 Dec 4; 290(49): 29593-602.
  28. Feng JQ, Zhang H, Qin C. Letter to the Editor, “Osterix regulates tooth root formation in a site-specific manner’’. J Dent Res. 2015 Sep; 94(9): 1326.
  29. Mobley CG, Kuzynski M, Zhang H, Jani P, Qin C, Napierala D. Dspp-independent Effects of Transgenic Trps1 Overexpression on Dentin Formation. J Dent Res. 2015 Aug; 94(8): 1128-34.
  30. Liu C, Wang X, Zhang H, Xie X, Liu P, Liu Y, Jani PH, Lu Y, Chen S, Qin C. Immortalized Mouse Floxed Fam20c Dental Papillar Mesenchymal and Osteoblast Cell Lines Retain Their Primary Characteristics. J Cell Physiol. 2015 Nov; 230(11):2581-7
  31. Liu P, Zhang H, Liu C, Wang X, Chen L, Qin C. Inactivation of Fam20C in cells expressing type I collagen causes periodontal disease in mice. PLoS One. 2014 Dec 5; 9(12):e114396.
  32. Cao Z, Liu R, Zhang H, Liao H, Zhang Y, Hinton RJ, Feng JQ. Osterix controls cementoblast differentiation through down regulation of Wnt-signaling via enhancing DKK1 expression. Int J Biol Sci. 2015 Feb 5: 11(3): 335-44.
  33. Zhang H, Jiang Y, Qin C, Liu Y, Ho SP, Feng JQ. Essential Role of Osterix for Tooth Root but not Crown Dentin Formation. J Bone Miner Res. 2015 Apr; 30(4):742-6.
  34. Lin SX, Zhang Q, Zhang H, Yan K, Ward L, Lu YB, Feng JQ. Nucleus-targeted Dmp1 transgene fails to rescue dental defects in Dmp1 null mice. Int J Oral Sci. 2014 Sep; 6(3): 133-41.
  35. Huang Y, Meng T, Wang S, Zhang H, Mues G, Qin C, Feng JQ, D'Souza RN, Lu Y. Twist1- and Twist2-haploinsufficiency results in reduced bone formation. PLoS One. 2014 Jun 27; 9(6):e99331.
  36. Lin S, Zhang Q, Cao Z, Lu Y, Zhang H, Yan K, Liu Y, McKee MD, Qin C, Chen Z, Feng JQ. Constitutive nuclear expression of dentin matrix protein 1 fails to rescue the Dmp1-null phenotype. J Biol Chem. 2014 Aug 1; 289(31):21533-43.
  37. Chen S, Feng J, Zhang H, Jia M, Shen Y, Zong Z. Key role for the transcriptional factor, osterix, in spine development. Spine J. 2014 Apr; 14(4):683-94.
  38. Cao Z*, Zhang H* (*co-first authors), Zhou X, Han X, Ren Y, Gao T, Xiao Y, de Crombrugghe B, Somerman MJ, Feng JQ. Genetic evidence for the vital function of osterix in cementogenesis. J Bone Miner Res. 2012 May; 27(5): 1080-92.
  39. Sun Y, Chen L, Ma S, Zhou J, Zhang H, Feng JQ, Qin C. Roles of DMP1 processing in osteogenesis, dentinogenesis and chondrogenesis. Cells Tissues Organs. 2011; 194 (2-4): 199-204.
  40. Zhou X, Zhang Z, Feng JQ, Dusevich VM, Sinha K, Zhang H, Darnay BG, de Crombrugghe B. Multiple functions of osterix are required for bone growth and homeostasis in postnatal mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2010 Jul 20; 107(29); 12919-24.
  41. Zhang H, Tian Z, Wang J. Behavioral evaluation of transgenic mice with CNS expression of IFN-α by elevated plus-maze and Porsolt swim test. Neuroscience letters. 2010 Aug 2; 479(3):287-91.
  42. Wang J, Dunn AJ, Roberts AJ, Zhang H. Decreased immobility in swimming test by homologous interferon-alpha in mice accompanied with increased cerebral tryptophan level and serotonin turnover. Neuroscience letters. 2009, 452: 96-100.
  43. Wang J, Campbell IL, Zhang H. Systemic interferon-alpha directly regulates interferon-stimulated genes in the central nervous system. Molecular Psychiatry. 2008, 13 (3): 293-301.