他的研究工作在植物光周期基因調(diào)控機理和油菜素類酯信號轉(zhuǎn)導(dǎo)等領(lǐng)域獲得了一些突破性的成果。首先提出CCA1是一個與Myb-相關(guān)的轉(zhuǎn)錄因子，結(jié)合在光反應(yīng)基因Lhcb家族保守的啟動子元件上，并介導(dǎo)了光敏色素對此類基因家族的誘導(dǎo)表達。第一個證明CCA1是體內(nèi)條件下光敏色素調(diào)節(jié)基因表達中起重要作用的轉(zhuǎn)錄因子，和在晝夜節(jié)律中的中心作用。通過生化方法證明BR通過與BRI1胞外域作用啟動激酶活性，進而闡明BRI1為油菜素內(nèi)酯的受體，這是該領(lǐng)域研究的重大進展。曾在《CELL》、《NATURE》、《SCIENCE》、《PLANT CELL》、《Dev. Cell》和《PNAS》等重要期刊發(fā)表多篇學(xué)術(shù)論文，其中一些被《植物生物化學(xué)與分子生物學(xué)》引用。他的研究組進一步克隆到參與油菜素調(diào)節(jié)基因表達的細胞核內(nèi)轉(zhuǎn)錄因子BZR1，并闡明油菜素通過受體BRI1、胞內(nèi)激酶BIN2調(diào)節(jié)BZR1磷酸化和降解的分子機制。

主要從事 植物激素油菜素內(nèi)酯（BR）信號轉(zhuǎn)導(dǎo)過程和機理的研究；使用擬南芥、水稻以及棉花為材料，探索BR在植物生長發(fā)育調(diào)控中的功能和機理。主要研究集中在以下方面：

1. 利用生化和細胞學(xué)方法研究BR信號轉(zhuǎn)導(dǎo)中關(guān)鍵轉(zhuǎn)錄因子OsBZR1的生理功能；

2. 通過生物信息學(xué)方法尋找同時參與BR和光信號過程的關(guān)鍵轉(zhuǎn)錄因子家族，研究BR與光信號互作的機理。

3. 通過染色體免疫沉淀結(jié)合超高通量測序技術(shù)大規(guī)模分離BR信號重要調(diào)控因子BZR1的目的基因和響應(yīng)元件，并利用激活標簽技術(shù)篩選抑制bzr1-1D表型的突變體，研究BR影響植物生長發(fā)育過程和生理反應(yīng)的詳細機制。

4. 在水稻T-DNA插入和其它突變體庫中尋找葉夾角和株高異常的突變體，克隆基因并研究機理，系統(tǒng)分析BR如何影響株型結(jié)構(gòu)。

5. 通過蛋白組學(xué)方法分離BR信號轉(zhuǎn)導(dǎo)途徑的新組份。

6. 利用棉花懸浮培養(yǎng)系統(tǒng)和轉(zhuǎn)錄組學(xué)方法研究BR促進棉花纖維發(fā)育的機制。

學(xué)習(xí)工作經(jīng)歷

1992-1998.1:美國加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校分子、細胞發(fā)育生物學(xué)獲博士學(xué)位;

1986-1989.6:中國科學(xué)院植物研究所獲碩士學(xué)位;

1982-1986.6:蘭州大學(xué)生物學(xué)專業(yè)獲學(xué)士學(xué)位.

1. Tang WQ, Kim TW, Oses-Prieto JA, Sun Y, Deng ZP, Zhu SW, Wang RJ, Burlingame AL,Wang ZY. Brassinosteroid-signaling Kinases(BSKs) mediate signal transduction from the receptor kinase BRI1 in Arabidopsis. Science, 2008，321：557-60.
2. Tang WQ*, Deng ZP*, Oses-Prieto JA*, Suzuki N, Zhu SW, Zhang X, Burlingame AL, andWang ZY. Proteomic studies of brassinosteroid signal transduction using prefractionation and 2-D DIGE (* These authors contributed equally to this paper). Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2008, 7(4): 728-38.
3. Gampala SS, Kim TW, He JX, Tang W, Deng Z, Bai MY, Guan S, Lalonde S, Sun Y, Gendron JM, Chen H, Shibagaki N, Ferl RJ, Ehrhardt D, Chong K, Burlingame AL,Wang ZY. An essential role for 14-3-3 proteins in brassinosteroid signal transduction in Arabidopsis. Dev Cell. 2007 13(2):177-89.
4. Bai MY, Zhang LY, Gampala SS, Zhu SW, Song WY, Chong K,Wang ZY. Functions of OsBZR1 and 14-3-3 proteins in brassinosteroid signaling in rice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 21: 104(34): 13839-44.
5. Shi YH, Zhu SW, Mao XJ, Feng JX, Qin YM, Zhang L, Cheng J, Wei LP,Wang ZYand Zhu YX. Transcriptome profiling, molecular biology and physical studies reveal a major role for ethylene in cotton fiber cell elongation. The Plant Cell, 2006. 18: 651-64.
6.Wang ZY, Wang Q, Chong K, Wang F, Wang L, Bai M, Jia C. (2006). The brassinosteroid signal transduction pathway. Cell Res. 16(5):427-34.
7. Shi, Y-H., Zhu, S-W., Mao, X-Z., Feng, J-X., Zhang, L., Cheng, J., Wei, L-P.,Wang, Z-Y., Zhu, Y-X. (2006) Transcriptome Profiling, Molecular Biological and Physiological Studies Reveal a Major Role for Ethylene in Cotton Fiber Cell Elongation. Plant Cell, 18(3):651-64.
8. Jun-Xian He, Joshua M. Gendron, Yu Sun, Srinivas S. L. Gampala, Nathan Gendron, Catherine Qing Sun, andZhi-Yong Wang(2005). BZR1 is a transcriptional repressor with dual roles in brassinosteroid homeostasis and growth responses. Science 307, 1634-1638.
9.Wang, Zhi-Yongand He, Jun-Xian (2004). Brassinosteroid signal transduction: Choices of signals and receptors. Trends in Plant Science, 9 (2), 91-96.
10. He, J-X., Gendron, J. M., Yang, Y. Li, J.,Wang, Z-Y. (2002). The GSK3-like kinase BIN2 phosphorylates and destabilizes BZR1, a positive regulator of the brassinosteroid signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci, 99, 10185-10990.
11. Green, R.M., Tingay, S.,Wang, Z-Y, Tobin, E.M. (2002). Circadian rhythms confer a higher level of fitness to Arabidopsis plants. Plant Physiology 129, 576-584.
12. Yin, Y.,Wang, Z-Y, Mora-Garcia, S., Li, J., Yoshida, S., Asami, T., Chory, J. (2002). BES1 accumulates in the nucleus in response to brassinosteroids to regulate gene expression and promote stem elongation. Cell 109, 181-191.
13.Wang, Z-Y. et al., (2002). Nuclear-localized BZR1 mediates brassinosteroid-induced growth and feedback suppression of brassinosteroid biosynthesis. Dev. Cell, 2, 505-513.
14.Zhi-Yong Wang, Hideharu Setu, Shozo Fujioka, Shigeo Yoshida, and Joanne Chory (2001). BRI1 is a critical component of a plasma membrane receptor for plant steroids. Nature, 410, 380-382.
15. Zuhua He,Zhi-Yong Wang, Jianming Li, Qun Zhu, Chris Lamb, Pamela Ronald, Joanne Chory. (2000) Perception of brassinosteroids by the extracellular domain of the receptor kinase BRI1. Science, 288, 2360-3.
16. Detlef Weigel, Ji Hoon Ahnu2020, Miguel A. Blázquezu2020, Justin Borevitzu2020, Sioux K. Christensenu2020, Christian Fankhauseru2020, Cristina Ferrándizu2020, Igor Kardailskyu2020, Michael M. Neffu2020, Jasmine Thuy Nguyenu2020, Shusei
Satou2020,Zhi-Yong Wangu2020, Yiji Xiau2020, Richard Dixon, Maria J. Harrison, Chris J. Lamb, Martin F. Yanofsky, and Joanne Chory. (2000). Activation tagging in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 122, 1003-1013. (u2020 These authors contributed equally to this work).
17.Wang, Z-Y, Tobin, E. M. (1998). Constitutive expression of the CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) gene disrupts circadian rhythms and suppresses its own expression. Cell 93, 1207-1217.
18. Sugano, S., Andronis, C., Green, R. M.,Wang, Z-Y, and Tobin, E. M. (1998). Protein kinase CK2 interacts with and phosphorylates the Arabidopsis circadian clock-associated 1 protein. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 95, 11020-11025.
19.Wang, Z-Y, Kenigsbuch, D., Sun, L., Harel, E., Ong, M.S., Tobin, E.M. (1997). A Myb-related transcription factor is involved in the phytochrome regulation of an Arabidopsis Lhcb gene. Plant Cell 9, 491-507.
20.Wang, Z-Y, Tang, P-H, (1990). Analysis of S-specific proteins in anther of Brassica pekinensis L. by 2-dimensional electrophoresis. Chinese Journal of Botany (English) 2: 109-115.
Review Articles, Book and Symposium Chapters
21.Wang, Z.-Y.* and Chory, J. (2000). Zhi-yong Wang and Joanne Chory. 2000. Recent advances in molecular genetic studies of the functions of brassinolide, A steroid hormone in plants. in Recent Advances in Phytochemistry, Vol. 34. Evolution of Metabolic Pathways, Eds. J.T. Romeo, R. Ibrahim, L. Varin, and V. DeLuca (Elsevier Science. Ltd. Oxford, UK). pp 409-431. (*corresponding author).
22.Tobin, E. M., Degenhardt, J., Harel, E., Kenigsbuch, D., Ong, M. S., Sugano, S., Sun, L.,Wang, Z-Y, and Weatherwax, S. C. (1996) Phytochrome-regulated Lhcb promoters. in: Regulation of Plant Growth and Development by Light, Eds. Briggs, R., Heath, R.L., and Tobin, E.M.(American Society of Plant Physiologists, Maryland), pp. 57-66.