Education

• Post-doctoral Research Associate, Food Biophysics Group, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, 2011 – 2015
• Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, Wuhan University, China, 2011
• B.Sc. in Chemistry, Wuhan University, China, 2006

Biography

Research Interest

(i)development of novel, safe encapsulation and delivery systems for targeted compounds, including antimicrobials, drugs, nutrients, and colorants; (ii) determination of the bioactivity and physic chemistry properties of targeted compounds and their mechanisms; (iii) investigation of protein stability and determination of the structure-function correlations

Professional Activities:

Assistant Professor –Food physical chemistry (50% Research, 50% Teaching); Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; August, 2015-present Postdoctoral Research Associate –Food biophysics lab; Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee; August, 2011- July, 2015
Graduate Research Assistant  – Thermochemistry lab;  Department  of Chemistry, Wuhan University, China; September, 2006- June, 2011

Graduate Teaching Assistant – Physical Chemistry Experiment; Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, China; September, 2006- June, 2007

Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

1. Ma, Q.; Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q., Physical and antimicrobial properties of chitosan films incorporated with lauric arginate, cinnamon oil, and ethylenediaminetetraacetate. LWT - Food Science and Technology 2016, 65, 173-179.
2. Ma, Q.; Zhang, Y.; Critzer, F.; Davidson, P. M.; Zivanovic, S.; Zhong, Q., Physical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of chitosan films with microemulsions of cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil. Food Hydrocolloids 2016, 52, 533-542.
3. Zhang, Y.; Ma, Q.; Critzer, F.; Davidson, P. M.; Zhong, Q., Effect of alginate coatings with cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil on quality and microbiological safety of cantaloupe. International Journal of Food Microbiology 2015, 215, 25-30.
4. Zhang, Y.; Ma, Q.; Critzer, F.; Davidson, P. M.; Zhong, Q., Physical and antibacterial properties of alginate films containing cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil. LWT - Food Science and Technology 2015, 64, 423-430.
5. Zhang, Y.; Campbell, R.; Drake, M.; Zhong, Q., Decolorization of Cheddar cheese whey by activated carbon. Journal of Dairy Science 2015, 98, 2982-2991.
6. Chen, H. Q.; Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q. X., Physical and antimicrobial properties of spray-dried zein-casein nanocapsules with co-encapsulated eugenol and thymol. Journal of Food Engineering 2015, 144, 93-102.
7. Luo, Y. C.; Zhang, Y.; Pan, K.; Critzer, F.; Davidson, P. M.; Zhong, Q., Self-emulsification of alkaline-dissolved clove bud oil by whey protein, gum arabic, lecithin, and their combinations. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2014, 62, 4417-4424.
8. Fan, X. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, J.; Yang, L. Y.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Exploring the interaction between rotenone and human serum albumin. Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics 2014, 69, 186-192.(co-first author)
9. Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q. X., Probing the binding between norbixin and dairy proteins by spectroscopy methods. Food Chemistry 2013, 139, 611-616.
10. Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q. X., Encapsulation of bixin in sodium caseinate to deliver the colorant in transparent dispersions. Food Hydrocolloids 2013, 33, 1-9.
11. Zhang, Y.; Wright, E.; Zhong, Q. X., Effects of pH on the molecular binding between beta-lactoglobulin and bixin. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2013, 61, 947-954.
12. Zhang, Y.; Tian, F. F.; Xiao, Q.; Hu, Y. J.; Li, J. H.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Exploiting the role of resveratrol in rat mitochondrial permeability transition. Journal of Membrane Biology 2013, 246, 365-373.
13. Zhang, Y.; Pan, K.; Zhong, Q. X., Characteristics of activated carbon and carbon nanotubes as adsorbents to remove annatto (norbixin) in cheese whey. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2013, 61, 9230-9240.
14. Li, Y. S.; Zhang, Y.; Sun, S. F.; Zhang, A. Q.; Liu, Y., Binding investigation on the interaction between Methylene Blue (MB)/TiO2 nanocomposites and bovine serum albumin by resonance light-scattering (RLS) technique and fluorescence spectroscopy. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B-Biology 2013, 128, 12-19.
15. Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q. X., Binding between bixin and whey protein at pH 7.4 studied by spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2012, 60, 1880-1886.
16. Zhang, Y.; Zhong, Q. X., Effects of thermal denaturation on binding between bixin and whey protein. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2012, 60, 7526-7531.
17. Zhang, Y.; Xu, Z. Q.; Liu, X. R.; Qi, Z. D.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Conformation and thermodynamic properties of the binding of vitamin C to human serum albumin. Journal of Solution Chemistry 2012, 41, 351-366.
18. Li, J. H.; Liu, X. R.; Zhang, Y.; Tian, F. F.; Zhao, G. Y.; Yu, Q. L. Y.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Toxicity of nano zinc oxide to mitochondria. Toxicology Research 2012, 1, 137-144.
19. Zhang, Y.; Li, J. H.; Liu, X. R.; Jiang, F. L.; Tian, F. F.; Liu, Y., Spectroscopic and microscopic studies on the mechanisms of mitochondrial toxicity induced by different concentrations of cadmium. Journal of Membrane Biology 2011, 241, 39-49.
20. Zhang, Y.; Li, J. H.; Ge, Y. S.; Liu, X. R.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Biophysical studies on the interactions of a classic mitochondrial uncoupler with bovine serum albumin by spectroscopic, isothermal titration calorimetric and molecular modeling methods. Journal of Fluorescence 2011, 21, 475-485.
21. Liu, X. R.; Li, J. H.; Zhang, Y.; Ge, Y. S.; Tian, F. F.; Dai, J.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Mitochondrial permeability transition induced by different concentrations of zinc. Journal of Membrane Biology 2011, 244, 105-112.
22. Li, J. H.; Zhang, Y.; Xiao, Q.; Tian, F. F.; Liu, X. R.; Li, R.; Zhao, G. Y.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Mitochondria as target of Quantum dots toxicity. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2011, 194, 440-444.
23. Tian, F. F.; Jiang, F. L.; Han, X. L.; Xiang, C.; Ge, Y. S.; Li, J. H.; Zhang, Y.; Li, R.; Ding, X. L.; Liu, Y., Synthesis of a novel hydrazone derivative and biophysical studies of its interactions with bovine serum albumin by spectroscopic, electrochemical, and molecular docking methods. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2010, 114, 14842-14853.
24. Li, Y. S.; Zhang, Y.; Chen, Z. Z.; Zhang, A. Q.; Tang, H. W.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Microcalorimetric and microscopic studies on the inhibitory activities of methylene blue/TiO2 nanocomposites on Staphylococcus aureus and the mechanism of cell damage. Thermochimica Acta 2010, 501, 8-12.
25. Li, Y. S.; Ge, Y. S.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, A. Q.; Sun, S. F.; Jiang, F. L.; Liu, Y., Interaction of coomassie brilliant blue G250 with human serum albumin: Probing of the binding mechanism and binding site by spectroscopic and molecular modeling methods. Journal of Molecular Structure 2010, 968, 24-31.
26. Hu, Y. J.; Ou-Yang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Liu, Y., Affinity and specificity of ciprofloxacin-bovine serum albumin interactions: spectroscopic approach. Protein Journal 2010, 29, 234-241.
27. Zhou, B.; Zhang, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Li, R.; Xiao, Q.; Liu, Y.; Li, Z. Y., Binding of cationic porphyrin to human serum albumin studied using comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2009, 98, 105-113.
28. Zhang, Y.; Qi, Z. D.; Zheng, D.; Li, C. H.; Liu, Y., Interactions of chromium (III) and chromium (VI) with bovine serum albumin studied by UV spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and fluorimetry. Biological Trace Element Research 2009, 130, 172-184.
29. Zhou, B.; Li, R.; Zhang, Y.; Liu, Y., Kinetic analysis of the interaction between amphotericin B and human serum albumin using surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences 2008, 7, 453-459.
30. Qi, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Liao, F. L.; Ou-Yang, Y. W.; Liu, Y.; Yang, X., Probing the binding of morin to human serum albumin by optical spectroscopy. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 2008, 46, 699-706.
31. Zheng, D.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Chen, X. J.; Shen, Y. F., Microcalorimetric investigation of the toxic action of Cr(VI) on the metabolism of Tetrahymena thermophila BF5 during growth. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 2006, 22, 121-127.

Book chapters

1. Qixin Zhong, Huaiqiong Chen, Yue Zhang, Kang Pan, and Wan Wang, Chapter 5: Delivery systems: an overview of entrapment, release, and dispersion properties, InNano- and micro-scale vehicles for effective delivery of bioactive ingredients in functional foods. Editors:
   C. M. Sabliov, H. Chen and R. Yada. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.

Conference published abstracts

1. Y. Zhang, Q. Ma, P. M. Davidson, F. Critzer, Q. Zhong, 2015. Organic thyme oil emulsion as alternative washing solution to enhance the microbial safety of organic cantaloupes. The 2015 IFT Annual Meeting, July 12-14, Chicago, IL. Paper # 125-076 (poster presentation).
2. Y. Zhang, Q. Ma, P. M. Davidson, F. Critzer, Q. Zhong, 2015. Effects of alginate coatings with cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil on quality and safety of cantaloupes. The 2015 IFT Annual Meeting, July 12-14, Chicago, IL. Paper # 094-066 (poster presentation).
3. Y. Zhang, Q. Ma, P. M. Davidson, F. Critzer, Q. Zhong, 2015. Physical and antibacterial properties of alginate films incorporated with cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil. The 2015 IFT Annual Meeting, July 12-14, Chicago, IL. Paper # 031-110 (poster presentation).
4. Y. Zhang, P. M. Davidson, Q. Zhong, 2014. Physical and antimicrobial properties of eugenol nanoemulsions prepared with sodium caseinate. The 2014 IFT Annual Meeting , June 21-24, New Orleans, CA. Paper # 174-36 (poster presentation).