Doctor Zhong-Hua Chen

• Biography
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Grants / Current Projects
• Awards and Recognition
• Selected Publications
• Memberships and Engagement
• Contact Details

Biography

Dr Zhonghua Chen is an early-career researcher with expertise in plant physiology, molecular biology, and systems biology. Dr Chen obtained his PhD in Plant Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Tasmania in 2008. He finished his Masters Study in Crop Physiology and Bachelor of Agricultural Science in Zhejiang University (China) in 2003 and 2002, respectively. He has been working in a few research institutions as a University Research Associate in Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (2003~2005), a postdoctoral research fellow in Glasgow University and partly in Cambridge University (2008~2011), and a visiting scholar in Zhejiang University (2011) before joining the University of Western Sydney as a Research Lecturer.

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Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

Plant Physiology, Plant Abiotic Stress, Electrophysiology, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology

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Grants / Current Projects

2011-2012 Electrophysiological applications for drought tolerance in crops. Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science & Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Foreign Expert Affairs, China
2011 111 Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (B06014), Zhejiang University & State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs, China
2008-2011 Quantitative modelling of Membrane Transport and Homeostasis for the Dynamics of Stomatal Guard Cells. BBSRC, UK

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Awards and Recognition

2007 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad
2005-2008 Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, Australia
2005-2008 Australian Postgraduate Award, Australia
2003-2005 Research scholarship, Department of Education, Science and Technology, Australia
2003 Postgraduate Student Award for Research Excellence, Zhejiang University, China

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Selected Publications

Book Chapters
Chen ZH, Wu Dezhi, Eisenach C, Hills A, Zhang G, Blatt M.R. (2011) Studying plant salt tolerance with voltage clamp. Methods in Molecular Biology (accepted)

Chen ZH, Blatt MR (2010) Guard cell membrane transport. In Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester.

Refereed Journal Articles
Eisenach C, Chen ZH, Grefen C, Blatt MR (2011) The trafficking protein SYP121 of Arabidopsis connects programmed stomatal closure and K+ channel activity with vegetative growth. The Plant Journal (accepted)

Wu D, Qiu L, Xu L, Ye L, Chen M, Sun D, Chen ZH, Zhang H, Jin X, Dai F, Zhang G (2011) Genetic variation of HvCBF genes and their association with salinity tolerance in Tibetan annual wild barley. PLoS One 6(7): e22938.

Chen ZH, Grefen C, Donald N, Hills A, Blatt MR. (2011) A bicistronic, Ubiquitin-10 promoter-based vector cassette for transient transformation and functional analysis of membrane transport demonstrates the utility of quantitative voltage clamp studies on intact Arabidopsis root epidermis. Plant, Cell and Environment 34: 554–564

Caesar K, Elgass K, Chen ZH, Huppenberger P, Witthöft J, Schleifenbaum F, Blatt MR, Oecking C, Harter K (2011) A fast brassinolide-regulated response pathway in the plasma membrane of Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Journal 66: 528-540

Grefen C, Chen ZH, Honsbein A, Donald N, Hills A, Blatt MR (2010) A novel motif essential for SNARE interaction with the K+ channel KC1 and channel gating in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 22: 3076-3093

Chen ZH, Hills A, Lim CK, Blatt MR (2010) Dynamic regulation of guard cell anion channels by cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration and protein phosphorylation. The Plant Journal 61: 816–825

Shabala S, Shabala, L, Cuin T, Pang J, Percey W, Chen ZH, Conn S, Eing C, Wegner L (2010) Xylem ionic relations and salinity tolerance in barley. The Plant Journal 61: 839-853

Zheng LP, Zhang B, Zou T, Chen ZH, Wang JW (2010) Nitric oxide interacts with reactive oxygen species to regulate oligosaccharide-induced artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua hairy roots. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 4: 758-765
Honsbein A, Sokolovski S, Grefen C, Pratelli R, Campanoni P, Chen ZH, Johansson I, Paneque M, Blatt MR. (2009) A tripartite SNARE-K+ channel complex mediates in channel-dependent K+ nutrition in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 21: 2859–2877

Chen ZH, Shabala S, Mendham NJ, Newman I, Zhang G, Zhou M (2008) Heritability of K+ efflux trait and salt tolerance in barley. Crop Science 48:1382–1388

Zhou M, Li H, Chen ZH, Mendham NJ (2008) Combining ability of barley flour pasting properties. Journal of Cereal Science 48: 789–793

Zepeda-Jazo I, Shabala S, Chen ZH, Pottosin II (2008) Na+-K+ transport in roots under salt stress. Plant Signaling and Behavior 3: 401–403

Chen ZH, Pottosin II, Cuin TA, Fuglsang AT, Tester M, Jha D, Zepeda-Jazo I, Zhou M, Palmgren MG, Newman IA, Shabala S (2007) Root plasma membrane transporters controlling K+/Na+ homeostasis in salt stressed barley. Plant Physiology 145: 1714–1725

Chen ZH, Cuin TA, Zhou M, Twomey A, Naidu BP, Shabala S (2007) Compatible solute accumulation and stress mitigating effects in barley genotypes contrasting in their salt tolerance. Journal of Experimental Botany 58: 4245–4255

Chen ZH, Zhou M, Newman IA, Mendham NJ, Zhang G, Shabala S (2007) Potassium and sodium relations in salinised barley tissues as a basis of differential salt tolerance. Functional Plant Biology 34: 150–162

Tajbakhsh M, Zhou M, Chen ZH, Mendham NJ (2006) Physiological and cytological response of salt-tolerant and non-tolerant barley to salinity during germination and early growth. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46: 555–562

Shabala S, Shabala L, Gradmann D, Chen ZH, Newman IA, Mancuso S (2006) Oscillations in plant membrane transport: model predictions, experimental validation, and physiological implications. Journal of Experimental Botany 57: 171–184

Chen ZH, Newman IA, Zhou M, Mendham NJ, Zhang G, Shabala S (2005) Screening plants for salt tolerance by measuring K+ flux: a case study for barley. Plant, Cell and Environment 28: 1230–1246

Chen ZH, Wu F, Wang X, Zhang G (2005) Heterosis in CMS hybrids of cotton for photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Euphytica 144: 353–361

Hassan MJ, Zhang G, Wu F, Wei K, Chen ZH (2005) Zinc alleviates growth inhibition and oxidative stress caused by cadmium toxicity in rice. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 168: 255–261

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Memberships and Engagement

Member of Australian Society of Plant Scientists (ASPS)
Member of American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB)

Reviewer for the Journal of Experimental Botany

President of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association in Tasmania, Australia, 2007-2008

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