Three new faculty join Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Mingyuan Zhu, Ph.D., and Bo Zhou, Ph.D. have joined the Texas A&M Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics as assistant professors and Roop Fatima Jaffri, Ph.D., as a lecturer.

Zhu will focus on plant development research and teaching molecular genetics, Zhou is concentrating on genetics and neuroscience research as well as teaching human molecular genetics, and Jaffri. co-teaches lab courses in genetics.

Zhu’s focus on crop root development

With a strong focus on crop development, Zhu is using rice roots as the model system to understand how organisms adapt their growth in response to environmental changes, particularly in a circular movement known as circumnutation. This is key in developing new innovations in precision farming.

Circumnutation allows plants to perform vital tasks such as twine around supports, avoiding shading each other and finding nutrients and water in the soil. Zhu’s lab is conducting studies — on everything from biomolecules to plant organs — to identify what directs circumnutation and to assess natural variations in this behavior. 

Among other approaches to analyzing plant development, Zhu will work to determine which RNA molecules plants produce under different conditions, a field known as transcriptomics.

“By studying crop root development with cutting-edge tools like spatial transcriptomics, we can uncover plant growth at an unprecedented level of detail,” Zhu said. “This knowledge will enable more precise crop breeding and open the door to innovative approaches in precision farming and urban agriculture.”

Zhu, who joined the department in August, earned his doctoral degree in plant biology from Cornell University and his bachelor’s in life sciences from Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“I am excited to join the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” he said. “Surrounded by world-class agricultural experts and research from diverse fields, I know this collaborative environment will bring us fresh ideas and perspectives, driving forward our interdisciplinary work on crop root development.”

Zhou examines DNA structural change effects 

Zhou’s research examines how structural changes in DNA sequences can affect how the brain develops and functions. He will study how these changes may increase the risk for conditions such as autism and schizophrenia, while also providing new insight into what makes the human brain unique.

Zhou’s research examines why certain parts of the human genome are vulnerable to rearrangements and how these changes alter brain development. His work aims to connect genetics with biochemistry and neuroscience to uncover mechanisms that could be targeted for future treatments. 

“Our genomes contain parts that are structurally fragile and prone to spontaneous rearrangements,” Zhou said. “When they do occur, brain-related disorders often arise. These fragile parts exist in our DNA because they may have helped build the complexity of our brains, but they also make us more susceptible to certain development disorders.”

Zhou joined the department in September. He earned his doctoral degree in developmental biology from Stanford University and bachelor’s degrees in biology and biomedical sciences from the University of Pennsylvania.  

“The biochemistry and biophysics department at Texas A&M is a unique, collaborative environment,” he said. “The opportunity to integrate genetics with biochemistry and neuroscience was a huge draw for me. I am excited to work with colleagues across disciplines to push the boundaries of what we know about the human genome and its role in brain development.” 

Jaffri to teach lab courses in genetics

Jaffri currently co-teaches GENE 314, Principles of Genetics, and GENE 312, Comprehensive Genetics. These are large laboratories that accompany fundamental genetics courses. In the future, she may branch out to teaching additional courses or mentoring student researchers.

Jaffri said her teaching philosophy centers on making science approachable and inspiring for students of all backgrounds and learning styles. She focuses on cultivating critical thinking, scientific literacy and confidence, both for students’ academic careers and future pursuits. 

“Biochemistry is a fundamental part of how we understand life,” Jaffri said. “No two people understand the process the exact same way. You have to get creative and find new ways of telling the same story, tailoring it to different audiences, and I find a lot of comfort and fun in that process.”

Jaffri was a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Juan Dong, Ph.D., Sadie Hatfield Professor in the department, before beginning her new position on Oct. 1. 

She earned a doctorate in molecular, cellular and developmental biology from the University of Michigan, where she also served as a graduate student instructor across multiple courses. She earned her bachelor’s in biosciences from the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology in Islamabad, Pakistan. 

Her academic journey has been supported by prestigious awards, including a Fulbright scholarship, and she has a strong foundation in both teaching and research across plant biology, genetics and microscopy.

“Science and the scientific method have been my passion for as long as I can remember,” Jaffri wrote of her teaching philosophy. “It was this drive to learn as much as possible that gave me the courage to leave the familiar behind and start a new life in America. I would love to spend my life passing this gift on to the next generation.”