Weizhi Ji

Distinguished Professor, Kunming University of Science and Technology

Director, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research

E-mail：wji@lpbr.cn

Biography

Prof. Weizhi Ji currently is Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor and Director of Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology /Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research. Graduated from Yunnan University in 1982, Prof. Ji had begun his scientific career as Principal Investigator at Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinses Academy of Sciences since 1983 till 2012, at which he had served as Director for 10 years between 1996-2005. In 1987-1989, Prof. Ji worked as a scientist in Oregon National Primate Research Center and Smithsonian Institution in US. From 1995 to 1997, he held visiting professor position in University of Wisconsin. In 1996, Prof. Ji was named as the director of China-US Joint Primate Biology Laboratory, which was co-established by Kunming Institute of Zoology and Wisconsin Primate Research Center.

Prof. Ji has been engaged in primate reproductive and developmental biology for over 3 decades. His research focuses on mechanism in early embryo development regulation, stem cell pluripotency and nonhuman primate animal models for human diseases. His lab has set up a chain of systems and platforms from in vitro fertilization, early embryonic development, gene editing, stem cell lines that makes his lab a unique and leading institute in nonhuman primate research in the world. His lab reported the first gene-modified rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys via Cas9/RNA-mediated gene targeting in 2014, first proved the feasibility of generate chimeric monkeys using ESCs in 2015 and succeeded in the extended in vitro culture for both monkey and human early embryos in 2019 that gives a rare glimpse into the developmental events of gastrulation in primates and offers insights into the new discoveries of fundamental theories in embryonic development, stem cells and diseases study. Prof. Ji has been providing his expertise in the national committees for reproduction and development biology, stem cells research and takes the lead in a series of state key research projects, including “973 Project”,”863 Project” delegated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, China. His research has been published in internationally recognized journals, including Cell, Science, Nature, Cell Stem Cell, PNAS and others, among which his research of the first primates born with genomes engineered by precision gene-targeting methods published on Cell has been regarded as a milestone work for animal disease model study and listed as one of the 10 technology breakthrough in 2014 by MIT Technology Review, Best Research Article of 2014 by Cell, one of the 8 Success in science of 2014 by Nature.

Publications

1. Ai Z, Niu B, Duan K, Chenyang Si, Sile Wang, Lifeng Xiang, Xiaoqing Zhu, Qingyuan Zhu, Chun Feng, Yu Yin, Shumei Zhao, Ruize Kong, Weizhi Ji, Tianqing Li. Modulation of Wnt and Activin/Nodal supports efficient derivation, cloning and suspension expansion of human pluripotent stem cells. Biomaterials. 2020;249:120015. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.August 2020

2. Fang Wang, Weiqi Zhang, Qiaoyan Yang , Yu Kang , Yanling Fan, Jingkuan Wei , Zunpeng Liu,Shaoxing Dai , Hao Li, Zifan Li, Lizhu Xu , Chu Chu, Jing Qu, Chenyang Si, Weizhi Ji*,Guang-Hui Liu*, Chengzu Long*, Yuyu Niu*. Generation of a Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome monkey model by base editing. Protein Cell (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-020-00740-8.29 July 2020

3. Lifeng Xiang, Yu Yin, Yun Zheng, Yanping Ma, Yonggang Li, Zhigang Zhao, Junqiang Guo, Zongyong Ai, Yuyu Niu, Kui Duan, Jingjing He, Shuchao Ren, Dan Wu, Yun Bai, Zhouchun Shang, Xi Dai, Weizhi Ji, Tianqing Li.A developmental landscape of 3D-cultured human pre-gastrulation embryos.Nature(2019) doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1875-y,12 December 2019

4. Yuyu Niu*,Nianqin Sun,Chang Li,Ying Lei,Zhihao Huang,Jun Wu,Chenyang Si,Xi Dai,Chuanyu Liu,Longqi Liu,Su Feng,Yu Kang,Wei Si,Hong Wang,E. Zhang,Lu Zhao,Ziwei Li,Xi Luo,Guizhong Cui,Guangdun Peng,Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte*,Weizhi Ji*,Tao Tan*. Dissecting primate early post-implantation development using long-term in vitro embryo culture. Science. 366(6467) :15 Nov 2019

5. Shanshan Li, Lei Ao, Yaping Yan, Jiang Jiang, Bingbing Chen, Yanchao Duan, Fei Shen, Jinbao Chen,Briauna Inglis, Renmin Ni, Weizhi Ji* and Wei Si*.Differential motility parameters and identification of proteomic profiles of human sperm cryopreserved with cryostraw and cryovial. Clin Proteom. 16, 24 (2019) doi:10.1186/s12014-019-9244-2,19 June 2019

6. Lei Shi, Xin Luo, Jin Jiang, Yongchang Chen, Cirong Liu, Ting Hu, Min Li, Qiang Lin, Yanjiao Li, Jun Huang, Hong Wang, Yuyu Niu, Yundi Shi, Martin Styner, Jianhong Wang, Yi Lu, Xuejin Sun, Hualin Yu, Weizhi Ji, Bing Su, Transgenic rhesus monkeys carrying the human MCPH1 gene copies show human-like neoteny of brain development, National Science Review, Volume 6, Issue 3, May 2019, Pages 480–493,27 March 2019

7. Hong Wang, Yaping Yan, Xiaoyan Yi, Yanchao Duan, Junfeng Wang, Shanshan Li Lilin Luo, Tianzhuang Huang, Briauna Inglis, Xi Li, Weizhi Ji, Tao Tan* and Wei Si*. Histopathologilal Features and Composition Of Gut Microbiota in Rhesus Monkey of Alcoholic Liver disease Frontiers in Microbiology. Front Microbiol,Volume 10,165. 08 February 2019

8. Zhang B, Zhou Z, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Ma Y, Niu Y, Ji W, Chen Y.Social-valence-related increased attention in Rett syndrome cynomolgus monkeys: An eye-tracking study. Autism Res. Volume12, Issue11,November 2019,1585-1597,07 August 2019

9. Tianqing Li*,Zongyong Ai,Weizhi Ji*.Primate stem cells: bridge the translation from basic research to clinic application. SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences. 2019 62(1):12-21,09 August 2018

10. Chu Chu, Zhaohui Yang, Jiayin Yang, Li Yan, Chenyang Si, Yu Kang, Zhenzhen Chen, Yongchang Chen,Weizhi Ji and Yuyu Niu*.Homologous recombination-mediated targeted integration in monkey embryos using TALE nucleases. BMC Biotechnology. 19, 7 (2019),doi:10.1186/s12896-018-0494-2,15 January 2019

11. Bin Jiang, Xufeng Fu, Li Yan, Shanshan Li, Dongliang Zhao, Xiaoyan Wang, Yanchao Duan,Yaping Yan, Enqin Li, Kunhua Wu, Briauna Marie Inglis, Weizhi Ji, Ren-He Xu, Wei Si.Transplantation of human ESC-derived mesenchymalstem cell spheroids ameliorates spontaneous osteoarthritis in rhesus macaques. Theranostics. 2019,9(22): 6587–6600. 2019 Aug 21

12. Li Yan, Bin Jiang, Yuyu Niu, Hongxuan Wang, Enqin Li, Yaping Yan, Huiyan Sun, Yanchao Duan,Shaohui Chang, Guokai Chen, Weizhi Ji*, Ren-He Xu* and Wei Si*.Intrathecal delivery of human ESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheres promotes recovery of a primate multiple sclerosis model. Cell Death Discovery. 4, 89 (2018):1551-4005. 20 August 2018

13. Shuang Wang,Lichuan Yang, Raoxian Bai, Shuaiwei Ren, Yuyu Niu, Weizhi Ji,Yuanye Ma,Yongchang Chen*.Interaction of p53 and ASPPs Regulates Rhesus Monkey Embryonic Stem Cells Conversion to Neural Fate Concomitant with Apoptosis. Cell Cycle. 17(9):1146-1153, 25 Jul 2018

14. Shuang Wang,Shuaiwei Ren,Raoxian Bai,Puhao Xiao,Qin Zhou,Yin Zhou,Zhigang Zhou,Yuyu Niu,Weizhi Ji and Yongchang Chen.No off-target mutations in functional genome regions of aCRISPR/Cas9-generated monkey model of musculardystrophy. JBC ACCELERATED COMMUNICATION. 293,11654-11658. June 25, 2018

15. Yiqiang Cui,Yuyu Niu,Jiankui Zhou,Yongchang Chen, Yiwei Cheng, Shangang Li,Zongyong Ai, Chu Chu, Hong Wang, Bo Zheng,Xuejin Chen, Jiahao Sha, Xuejiang Guo,Xingxu Huang, Weizhi Ji. Generation of a precise Oct4-hrGFP knockin cynomolgusmonkey model via CRISPR/Cas9-assisted homologous recombination. Cell Research.28,(2018):383-386.12 January 2018

16. Xufeng Fu, Bin Jiang, Bingrong Zheng, Yaping Yan, Junfeng Wang,Yanchao Duan, Shanshan Li, Li Yan, Hong Wang, Bingbing Chen,Xiongbo Sang, Weizhi Ji, Ren-He Xu* and Wei Si*. Heterogenic transplantation of bone marrow-derived rhesus macaque mesenchymal stem cells ameliorates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride in mouse. Peer J.6:e4336. February 12, 2018

17. Yu Kang, Zongyong Ai, Kui Duan, Chenyang Si, Yong Wang, Yun Zheng, Jingjing He, Yu Yin, Shumei Zhao, Baohua Niu, Xiaoqing Zhu, Li Liu, Lifeng Xiang, Linming Zhang, Yuyu Niu, Weizhi Ji, and Tianqing Li*. Improving Cell Survival in Injected Embryos Allows Primed Pluripotent Stem Cells to Generate Chimeric Cynomolgus Monkeys. Cell Reports. 25(9),2563-2576,27 November 2018

18. Yuyu Niu, Tianqing Li and Weizhi Ji*.Paving the road for biomedicine: genome editing and stem cells in primates[J]. Stem Cell Research. Volume 4, Issue 4, July 2017, 543–549, 25 August 2017

19. Gao F,Niu YY,Sun YE,Lu HL,Chen YC,Li SG,Kang Y, Luo YP,Si CY, Yu JH,Li C,Sun NQ,Si W,Wang H,Ji WZ*,Tan T*.De novo DNA methylation during monkey pre-implantation embryogenesis[J]. Cell Res. 27, 526–539(2017),24 February 2017

20. Chen YC*,Yu JH,Niu YY,Qin DD,Liu HL,Li G,Hu YZ,Wang JJ,Lu Y,Kang Y, Jiang Y,Wu KH,Li SG,Wei JK,He J,Wang JB,Liu XJ,Luo YP,Si CY,Bai RX,Zhang KS,Liu J,Huang SY,Chen ZZ,Wang S,Chen XY,Bao XH,Zhang QP,Li FX,Geng R,Liang AB,Shen DG,Jiang TZ,Hu XT,Ma YY,Ji WZ*,Sun YE*. Modeling Rett Syndrome Using TALEN-Edited MECP2 Mutant Cynomolgus Monkeys[J]. Cell. Volume 169, Issue 5, 945-955.e10, 18 May 2017

21. Chen B, Li S, Yan Y, Duan Y, Chang S, Wang H, Ji W*, Wu X*, Si W*.Cryopreservation of cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) sperm with glycerol and ethylene glycol, and its effect on sperm-specific ion channels - CatSper and Hv1. Theriogenology. Volume 104, 37-42,, December 2017

22. Zhuo Y,Feng SQ,Huang SY,Chen XL,Kang Y,Si CY,Li ZF,Zhou Y,Zhou L,Zhang T,Ji WZ,Niu YY*,Chen YC*.Transabdominal Ultrasound-guided Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction in 10 Cases of Monkeys. Biology of Reproductio. Volume 97, Issue 5, November 2017, 758–761, 23 October 2017

23. Fu X, Yan Y, Li S, Wang J, Jiang B, Wang H, Duan Y, Tan T, Gao F, Gong D, Niu Y, Ji W*, Zheng B, Si W*.Vitrification of Rhesus Macaque Mesenchymal Stem Cells and the Effects on Global Gene Expression. Stem Cells International. Volume 2017,14 ,24 October 2017

24. Chen Y, Niu Y, Ji W. Genome editing in nonhuman primates: approach to generating human disease models[J]. J Intern Med. Volume280, Issue3,September 2016, 246-251. 25 April 2016

25. Zhu XQ,Li B,Ai ZY,Xiang Z,Zhang KS,Qiu XY,Chen YC,Niu YY,Hu XT, Sun YE,Ji WZ*,Li TQ*.A Robust Single Primate Neuroepithelial Cell Clonal Expansion System for Neural Tube Development and Disease Studies[J]. Stem Cell Reports. Volume 6, Issue 2,228-242, 9 February 2016

26. He JJ,Xiang Z,Zhu XQ,Ai ZY,Shen JS,Huang TZ,Liu LG,Ji WZ,Li TQ*. Neuroprotective Effects of 7, 8-dihydroxyflavone on Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons in MPP+-treated Monkeys[J].Scientific Reports.6,34339 (2016),12 October 2016

27. Ai ZY,Xiang Z,Li YM,Liu GK,Wang H,Zheng Y,Qiu XY,Zhao SM,Zhu XQ,Li YH,Ji WZ,Li TQ*. Conversion of monkey fibroblasts to transplantable telencephalic neuroepithelial stem cells[J]. Biomaterials. Volume 77, January 2016, Pages 53-65.

28. Lu HL,Yuan ZM,Tan T,Wang JW,Zhang, JY,Luo HJ,Xia YD,Ji WZ,Gao F*. Improved tagmentation-based whole-genome bisulfite sequencing for input DNA from less than 100 mammalian cells[J]. Epigenomics. Vol.7,No.1:47-56.17 Feb 2015

29. Zhang JJ,Li TJ,Ji WZ,Yu Y*,Tan T*. Rho GDIalpha Modulates Rabbit Trophoblast Stem Cell Survival and Migration[J]. Biol Reprod. Volume 93, Issue 6, 144, 1-9, 01 December 2015

30. Jiang B,Xiang Z,Ai ZY,Wang H,Li YJ,Ji WZ*,Li TQ. Generation of cardiac spheres from primate pluripotent stem cells in a small molecule-based 3D system[J]. Biomaterials.Volume 65, October 2015, Pages 103-114.

31. Chen YC,Zheng YH, Kang Y,Yang WL,Niu YY,Guo XY,Tu ZC,Si CY,Wang H,Xing RX,Pu XQ,Yang SH,Li SH,Ji WZ,Li XJ*. Functional disruption of the dystrophin gene in rhesus monkey using CRISPR/Cas9[J]. Hum Mol Genet. Volume 24, Issue 13, 1 July 2015, Pages 3764–3774. 09 April 2015

32. Chen YC,Niu YY,Li YJ,Ai ZY,Kang Y,Shi H,Xiang Z ,Yang ZH,Tan T,Si W,Li W,Xia XS,Zhou Q*,Ji WZ,Li TQ. Generation of Cynomolgus Monkey Chimeric Fetuses using Embryonic Stem Cells[J]. Cell Stem Cell. Volume 17, Issue 1, 2 July 2015, Pages 116-124

33. Niu YY,Guo XY,Chen YC,Wang CE,Gao JQ,Yang WL,Kang Y ,Si W,Wang H,Yang SH,Li SH,Ji WZ*,Li XJ. Early Parkinson's disease symptoms in alpha-synuclein transgenic monkeys[J]. Hum Mol Genet. Volume 24, Issue 8, 15 April 2015, Pages 2308–2317,30 December 2014

34. Wan HF,Feng CJ,Teng F,Yang SH,Hu BY,Niu YY,Xiang AP,Fang WZ,Ji WZ,Li W,Zhao XY,Zhou Q*. One-step generation of p53 gene biallelic mutant Cynomolgus monkey via the CRISPR/Cas system[J]. Cell Res. 25, 258–261 (2015),28 November 2014

35. Chen YC,Cui YQ,Shen B,Niu YY,Zhao XY,Wang L,Wang JY,Li W,Zhou Q, Ji WZ,Sha JH,Huang XX*. Germline acquisition of Cas9/RNA-mediated gene modifications in monkeys[J]. Cell Res. 25, 262–265 (2015),23 December 2014

36. Kang Y,Zheng B,Shen B, Chen YC,Wang L,Wang JY,Niu YY,Cui YQ,Zhou JK, Wang H,Guo XJ,Hu B,Zhou Q,Sha JH,Ji WZ,Huang, XX*. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Dax1 knockout in the monkey recapitulates human AHC-HH[J]. Hum Mol Genet. Volume 24, Issue 25, 20 December 2015, Pages 7255–7264

37. Wang H,Tan T,Wang JF,Niu YY,Yan YP,Guo XY,Kang Y,Duan YC,Chang SH,Liao JP,Si CY,Ji WZ*,Si W. Rhesus monkey model of liver disease reflecting clinical disease progression and hepatic gene expression analysis[J]. Sci Rep. 5, 15019 (2015),07 October 2015

38. Liu HL,Chen YC,Niu YY,Zhang KS,Kang Y,Ge WH,Liu XJ,Zhao EF,Wang CC,Lin SY,Jing B,Si CY,Lin Q,Chen XY,Lin HJ,Pu XQ,Wang YY,Qin BL,Wang F,Wang H,Si W,Zhou J,Tan T,Li TQ,Ji SH,Xue ZG,Luo YP,Cheng LM,Zhou Q,Li SG*,Sun YE,Ji WZ. TALEN-mediated gene mutagenesis in rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys[J]. Cell Stem Cell. Volume 14, Issue 3, 6 March 2014, Pages 323-328

39. Niu Y, Shen B, Cui Y, Chen Y, Wang J, Wang L, Kang Y, Zhao X, Si W, Li W, Xiang AP, Zhou J, Guo X, Bi Y, Si C, Hu B, Dong G, Wang H, Zhou Z, Li T, Tan T, Pu X, Wang F, Ji S, Zhou Q, Huang X*, Ji W*, Sha J*. Generation of Gene-Modified Cynomolgus Monkey via Cas9/RNA-Mediated Gene Targeting in One-Cell Embryos. Cell, Volume 156, Issue 4, 836-843, 30 January 2014

40. Liu H, Chen Y, Niu Y, Zhang K, Kang Y, Ge W, Liu X, Zhao E, Wang C, Lin S, Jing B, Si C, Lin Q, Chen X, Lin H, Pu X, Wang Y, Qin B, Wang F, Wang H, Si W, Zhou J, Tan T, Li T, Ji S, Xue Z, Luo Y, Cheng L, Zhou Q, Li S*, Sun YE*, Ji W*. TALEN-Mediated Gene Mutagenesis in Rhesus and Cynomolgus Monkeys. Cell Stem Cell, Volume 14, Issue 3, 323-328, 13 February 2014

41. Zhang YF,Zhang Y,Shi JC,Zhang H, Cao ZH,Gao X, Ren WH,Ning YN,Ning LN,Cao YJ,Chen YC,Ji WZ,Chen ZJ,Chen Q,Duan, EK*. Identification and characterization of an ancient class of small RNAs enriched in serum associating with active infection[J]. J Mol Cell Biol. Volume 6, Issue 2, April 2014, Pages 172–174,30 December 2013

42. Tan T,Lu B,Zhang J,Niu YY,Si W,Wei Q,Ji WZ*. Notch1 signaling antagonizes transforming growth factor-beta pathway and induces apoptosis in rabbit trophoblast stem cells[J]. Stem Cells Dev. Volume: 23 Issue 8: November 19, 2013

43. Tan T, Lu B, Zhang J, Niu YY, Si W, Wei Q, Ji WZ 2013 Notch1 Signaling Antagonizes Transforming Growth Factor-β Pathway and Induces Apoptosis in Rabbit Trophoblast Stem Cells. Stem Cells and Development.doi:1089/scd.2013.0280

44. Chen Y, Niu Y, Ji W. 2012 Transgenic nonhuman primate models for human diseases: approaches and contributing factors. J Genet Genomics. 39(6):247-51.

45. Chen Y, Niu Y, Yang S, He X, Ji S, Si W, Tang X, Xie Y, Wang H, Lv Y, Zhou Q and Ji W. 2012 The Available Time Window for Embryo Transfer in the Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology. 74 (2):165–173

46. Chen Y, Wang Z, Xie Y, Guo X, Tang X, Wang S, Yang S, Chen K, Niu Y, Ji W.2012Folic acid deficiency inhibits neural rosette formation and neuronal differentiation from rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells. J Neurosci Res. 90(7):1382-91

47. Tn T, Tang X, Zhang J, Niu Y, Chen H, Li B, Wei Q, Ji W. 2011 Generation of trophoblast stem cells from rabbit embryonic stem cells with BMP4. Plos One Volume 6 | Issue 2 | e17124.

48. Yang S, Ping S, Si W, He X, Wang X, Lu Y, Ji S, Niu Y, Ji W. 2011 Optimization of ethylene glycol concentrations, freezing rates and holding times in liquid nitrogen vapor for cryopreservation of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) sperm. J Vet Med Sci. 73(6):717-23.

49. Yang S, Ping S, Ji S, Lu Y, Niu Y, Wang H, Ji W, Si W. 2011 The positive effects of seminal plasma during the freezing process on cryosurvival of sperm with poor freezability in the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). J Reprod Dev. 57(6):737-43.

50. Niu Y, Yu Y, Bernat A, Yang S, He X, Guo X, Chen D, Chen Y, Ji S, Si W, Li Y, Tan T, Wei Q, Wang H, Shi L, Guan J, Zhu X, Afanassieff M, Savatier P, Zhang K, Zhou Q, Ji W. 2010 Transgenic rhesus monkeys produced by gene transfer into early cleavage stage embryos using a simian immunodeficiency virus-based vector. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 12:107(41):17663-7.

51. Wang Y, Hai T, Liu Z, Zhou S, Lv Z, Ding C, Liu L, Niu Y, Zhao X, Tong M, Wang L, Jouneau A, Zhang X, Ji W, Zhou Q. 2010 HSPC117 deficiency in clonedembryos causes placental abnormality and fetal death. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 397(3):407-12.

52. Chen HW, Wei Q, Zhang J, Xu CK, Tan T, Ji WZ 2010 Netrin-1 signaling mediates O-induced glial precursor migration and accumulation. Cell Research advance online publication 19 January 2010; doi: 10.1038/cr.2010.7

53. Chen X, Li T Li X, Xie Y, Guo X, Ji S, Niu Y, Yu Y, Ding C, Yao R, Yang S, Ji W, Zhou Q 2009 Neural progenitors derived from monkey embryonic stem cells in a simple monoculture system. Reproductive BioMedicine 19: 426-433.

54. Ren G, Su J, Zhang L, Zhao X, Ling W, L'huillie A, Zhang J, Lu Y, Roberts AI, Ji W, Zhang H, Rabson AB, Shi Y. 2009 Species variation in the mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cell-mediated immunosuppression. Stem Cells. 27(8):1954-62.

55. Jin LF, Ji SH, Shen Y, Tang XH, Guo XY, Lu YQ, Chen HW, Deng HK, Yan XY, Zhou Q, Ji WZ. 2009 Isolation and characterization of liver epithelial progenitor cells from normal adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Cell Research 19：268-270.

56. Yang S, He X, Niu Y, Hildebrandt TB, Jewgenow K, Goeritz F, Tang X, Chang Y, Zhou Q, Ji W. 2009 Ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation in juvenile rhesus monkeys. Theriogenology 72: 243-50.