biography
Dr. Zhao is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She has strong experience in molecular genetics, bioinformatics, genetic epidemiology, and bone biology. She has published more than 50 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. Abstracts of her work have been presented at twenty-nine conferences, along with plenary posters and oral presentations. Dr. Zhao is a reviewer for a multitude of scientific journals. She has received numerous awards, including the Alice L. Jee Memorial Young Investigator Award, ASBMR (American Society for Bone and Mineral Research) young investigator award, Young investigator award from International Chinese Hard Tissue Society (ICHTS), and various travel awards.
Area of Interest
Her research interests are focused on identifying and characterizing genetic variants that affecting susceptibility to complex human disorders, such as osteoporosis, obesity, and vitamin D deficiency.
top publication
Selected Publications:
1. Zhao LJ, Zhou Y, Bu F, Travers-Gustafson D, Ye A, Xu X, Hamm L, Gorsage DM, Fang X, Deng HW, Recker RR, Lappe JM. Factors predicting vitamin D response variation in non-Hispanic white postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Aug;97(8):2699-705. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-3401. Epub 2012 May 14.
2. Bu FX, Armas L, Lappe J, Zhou Y, Gao G, Wang HW, Recker RR, Zhao LJ. Comprehensive association analysis of nine candidate genes with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels among healthy Caucasian subjects. Hum Genet. 2010 128(5):549-56. PMID: 20809279
3. Zhou J, Zhao LJ, Watson P, Zhang Q, Lappe JM. The effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on obesity in postmenopausal women: secondary analysis for a large-scale, placebo controlled, double-blind, 4-year longitudinal clinical trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Jul 23;7(1):62.) PMID: 20650013
4. Zhao LJ, Liu XG, Liu YZ, Liu YJ, Papasian CJ, Sha BY, Pan F, Guo YF, Wang L, Yan H, Xiong DH, Tang ZH, Yang TL, Chen XD, Guo Y, Li J, Shen H, Zhang F, Lei SF, Recker RR, Deng HW. Genome-wide association study for femoral neck bone geometry. J Bone Miner Res. 2010 Feb;25(2):320-9. PMID:20175129
5. Deng FY, Zhao LJ, Pei YF, Sha BY, Liu XG, Yan H, Wang L, Yang TL, Recker RR, Papasian CJ, Deng HW. Genome-wide Copy Number Variation Association Study Suggested VPS13B Gene for Osteoporosis in Caucasian. Osteoporos Int. 2010 Apr;21(4):579-87. PMID: 19680589
6. Zhao LJ, Xiong DH, Pan F, Recker, RR, Deng HW. Polymorphisms of the tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 2 gene are associated with obesity phenotypes among 405 Caucasian nuclear families. Hum Genet, 2008 Sep;124(2):171-7. PMID: 18685868
7. Zhao LJ, Jiang H, Papasian CJ, Maulik D, Deng HW. Correlation of Obesity and Osteoporosis - Effect of Fat Mass on the Determination of Osteoporosis. J Bone Miner Res, 2008 Jan;23(1):17-29. PMID:17784844
8. Zhao LJ, Liu YJ, Hamilton J, Recker RR, Deng HW. Relationship of obesity with osteoporosis. J Clin Endocr Metab, 2007, 92: 1640-1646.PMID:17299077
9. Zhao LJ, Xiao P, Liu YJ, Shen H, Xiong DH, Robert RR, Deng HW. A Genome-wide Linkage Scan for Quantitative Trait Loci Underlying Obesity Related Phenotypes in 434 Caucasian Families, Hum Genet, 2007 Mar;121(1):145-8. PMID:17115187
10. Zhao LJ, Guo YF, Xiong DH, Xiao P, Recker RR, Deng HW. Is a gene important for bone resorption a candidate for obesity? An association and linkage study on the RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB) gene in a large Caucasian sample. Hum Genet 2006, 120(4):561-70. PMID:16960694
11. Zhao LJ, Liu PY, Recker RR, Deng HW. Correlation of transmenopausal bone mass in healthy white women: a long-term longitudinal study. Osteoporos Int. 2006, 17(10):1501-5. PMID:16896513
12. Zhao LJ, Deng HW. Forward: Involvement of genetic factors in bone, muscle, and nerves. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact 2006, 6(1):1-2