Research
My research interests encompass molecular evolution and comparative genomics in bats. My research endeavors are twofold: (1) to unravel the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the vast diversity of form, behavior, and immunological function observed in nature, with bats as a model group, and (2) to develop and test evolutionary hypotheses concerning sensory system evolution across vertebrates, using vertebrate taste receptor genes as a model system.
Representative Publications
Tian S, Zeng J, Jiao H, Zhang D, Zhang L, Lei CQ, Rossiter SJ, and Zhao H* (2023). Comparative analyses of bat genomes identify distinct evolution of immunity in Old World fruit bats. Science Advances. 9(18):eadd0141.
Yan H, Jiao H, Liu Q, Zhang Z, Xiong Q, Wang BJ, Wang X, Guo M, Wang LF, Lan K*, Chen Y*, and Zhao H* (2021). ACE2 receptor usage reveals variation in susceptibility to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infection among bat species. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 5(5):600-608.
Jiao H, Xie HW, Zhang L, Zhuoma N, Jiang P, and Zhao H* (2021). Loss of sweet taste despite the conservation of sweet receptor genes in insectivorous bats. PNAS. 118(4):e2021516118.
