David Zhi-Zhou He, MD, PhD

David Zhi-Zhou He, MD, PhD

David Zhi-Zhou He, MD, PhD

Professor
School of Medicine, Omaha Campus

Expertise/Specializations

  • Neuroscience
  • Audiology Neurobiology
  • Physiology

Academic Appointments

Department

  • Biomedical Sciences

Position

  • Professor

Teaching Activity

  • BMS Introduction to Auditory Physiology
  • BMS404 Human Physiology
  • Research Method

Biography

David Z. He graduated from Medical School of Southeast University with MD in 1983.  He studied with Dr. Zhi-An Liang at the Shanghai Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and received his PhD in Physiology in 1990.  His postdoctoral training in the area of neuroscience was with Dr. Peter Dallos at Northwestern University.  He was an Associate Professor at Creighton University School of Medicine between 2003 and 2007 and promoted to professor with tenure in 2007. Dr. He has published his studies on prestin, mechanotransduction, and hair cell development and repair in the prestigious journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Neuroscience, and PNAS.  He was a regular member of NIH AUD Study Section between 2006 and 2010 and a regulate member of the CDRC/NIDCD study section between 2016 and 2020.  He reviews manuscripts for Nature Neuroscience, Nature Review Neuroscience, Neuron, PNAS, and the Journal of Neuroscience.  He has been invited to give seminars at Institutions in the US, Europe, Japan and China. He has received several awards, including the Sandy and David Marshall Award for Excellence in Auditory Science from American Hearing Research Foundation, Distinguished Research Career Award from Creighton University School of Medicine and University Research Award. 

Publications and Presentations

Books

  • , I
  • , III, 5-12

Articles

  • , 8(24), e171140
  • , 26, 106535
  • , 14, 584928
  • , 49, eabd0561
  • , 380, 435-448
  • , 2019 Oct 18;13:1117, doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01117
  • , 8, 15119
  • , 9(11)
  • , 5, 4984
  • , 34, 11080
  • , 9(6), e99840
  • , 731, 3-11
  • , 1333, 28-35
  • , 67, 43-55
  • , 29
  • , 389, 569-574
  • , 238, 1897-1908
  • , 58, 333
  • , 69, 153
  • , 1210, 20
  • , 58, 333
  • , 234, 52
  • , 104, 12542
  • , 580, 451-461
  • , 27, 1006-1014
  • , 261-269
  • , 209, 119-134
  • , 8, 1028-1034
  • , 429, 766-770
  • , 148, 19-25
  • , 23, 9089-9096
  • , 546, 511-520
  • , 175, 183-189
  • , 181-184
  • , 419, 300-304
  • , 7, 277-288

Publications

  • , 39
  • , 8
  • , 33, 484
  • , 33, 577
  • , 33, 32

Presentations

Research and Scholarship

Research and Scholarship Interests

  • Inner and outer hair cells (IHCs and OHCs) are the two types of mechanoreceptor cells in the mammalian cochlea of the inner ear that transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical activity. IHCs are the true sensory receptor cells that transmit auditory input to the brain. OHCs are a mammalian innovation with a unique capability to change length in response to changes in receptor potential. Using RNA-seq analysis of adult and aging mouse cochleae, we identified genes that are differentially expressed in these two cell types. The goal is to characterize genes underlying the unique structure and function of IHCs and OHCs as well as molecular mechanisms of biological aging of hair cells.  We employ a variety of in vitro and in vivo experimental techniques including electrophysiology (system and cellular), immunocytochemistry, advanced imaging (electron and confocal microscopy), mouse genetics and molecular biology.

Current Research Projects

  • Three lines of research in He laboratory:
    1.      Characterizing genes underlying the unique structure and function of IHCs and OHCs
    2.      Identifying genes whose mutations can cause hearing loss
    3.      Elucidating molecular and cellular mechanisms of biological aging of hair cells
     

Awards and Honors

  • ZRG1 IFCN-E Study Section, 2021
  • Intramural Research Award, 2006