Dr Jian Zeng
Dr

Jian Zeng

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Background

Dr Jian Zeng is a statistical geneticist and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) at the University of Queensland (UQ). He received his PhD in animal breeding and genetics at Iowa State University and joined the Program in Complex Trait Genomics (PCTG) at UQ in 2016. His research focuses on the development and application of innovative statistical methods for estimating the genetic architecture and evolutionary signals in complex traits, identifying genetic variants, genes and other molecular intermediates associated with phenotype variation, and predicting trait phenotypes using genome sequence data. In 2019, he was awarded an NHMRC Investigator Emerging Leadership Grant to develop statistical methods and software tools for best predict an individual’s disease risk using genomic and omics data. He was an invited speaker at the prestigious Gordon Research Conference in 2019.

Availability

Dr Jian Zeng is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Bioinformatics and computational biology Biological Sciences Epigenetics (incl. genome methylation and epigenomics) Gene mapping Genetics Genetics not elsewhere classified Genomics Statistical and quantitative genetics

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Iowa

Research interests

  • Understanding genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits

  • Prediction of polygenic scores of complex traits and diseases

  • Mapping causal variants, genes and regulatory elements using multi-omics data

Search Professor Jian Zeng’s works on UQ eSpace

55 works between 2011 and 2025
All (55) Journal Article (43) Conference Publication (6) Other Outputs (6)

1 - 20 of 55 works

Featured

2024

Journal Article

Leveraging functional genomic annotations and genome coverage to improve polygenic prediction of complex traits within and between ancestries

Zheng, Zhili, Liu, Shouye, Sidorenko, Julia, Wang, Ying, Lin, Tian, Yengo, Loic, Turley, Patrick, Ani, Alireza, Wang, Rujia, Nolte, Ilja M., Snieder, Harold, Aguirre-Gamboa, Raul, Deelen, Patrick, Franke, Lude, Kuivenhoven, Jan A., Lopera Maya, Esteban A., Sanna, Serena, Swertz, Morris A., Vonk, Judith M., Wijmenga, Cisca, Yang, Jian, Wray, Naomi R., Goddard, Michael E., Visscher, Peter M., Zeng, Jian and LifeLines Cohort Study (2024). Leveraging functional genomic annotations and genome coverage to improve polygenic prediction of complex traits within and between ancestries. Nature Genetics, 56 (5), 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01704-y

Leveraging functional genomic annotations and genome coverage to improve polygenic prediction of complex traits within and between ancestries

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Joint analysis of GWAS and multi-omics QTL summary statistics reveals a large fraction of GWAS signals shared with molecular phenotypes

Wu, Yang, Qi, Ting, Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M., Zeng, Jian and Yang, Jian (2023). Joint analysis of GWAS and multi-omics QTL summary statistics reveals a large fraction of GWAS signals shared with molecular phenotypes. Cell Genomics, 3 (8) 100344, 100344. doi: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100344

Joint analysis of GWAS and multi-omics QTL summary statistics reveals a large fraction of GWAS signals shared with molecular phenotypes

Featured

2023

Journal Article

mBAT-combo: a more powerful test to detect gene-trait associations from GWAS data

Li, Ang, Liu, Shouye, Bakshi, Andrew, Jiang, Longda, Chen, Wenhan, Zheng, Zhili, Sullivan, Patrick F., Visscher, Peter M., Wray, Naomi R., Yang, Jian and Zeng, Jian (2023). mBAT-combo: a more powerful test to detect gene-trait associations from GWAS data. American Journal of Human Genetics, 110 (1), 30-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.12.006

mBAT-combo: a more powerful test to detect gene-trait associations from GWAS data

2021

Journal Article

Widespread signatures of natural selection across human complex traits and functional genomic categories

Zeng, Jian, Xue, Angli, Jiang, Longda, Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Wu, Yang, Wang, Huanwei, Zheng, Zhili, Yengo, Loic, Kemper, Kathryn E., Goddard, Michael E., Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M. and Yang, Jian (2021). Widespread signatures of natural selection across human complex traits and functional genomic categories. Nature Communications, 12 (1) 1164, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21446-3

Widespread signatures of natural selection across human complex traits and functional genomic categories

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Correction: Genome-wide analyses of behavioural traits are subject to bias by misreports and longitudinal changes

Xue, Angli, Jiang, Longda, Zhu, Zhihong, Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M., Zeng, Jian and Yang, Jian (2021). Correction: Genome-wide analyses of behavioural traits are subject to bias by misreports and longitudinal changes. Nature Communications, 12 (1) 988, 988. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21294-1

Correction: Genome-wide analyses of behavioural traits are subject to bias by misreports and longitudinal changes

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Improved polygenic prediction by Bayesian multiple regression on summary statistics

Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Zeng, Jian, Sidorenko, Julia, Yengo, Loïc, Moser, Gerhard, Kemper, Kathryn E., Wang, Huanwei, Zheng, Zhili, Magi, Reedik, Esko, Tõnu, Metspalu, Andres, Wray, Naomi R., Goddard, Michael E., Yang, Jian and Visscher, Peter M. (2019). Improved polygenic prediction by Bayesian multiple regression on summary statistics. Nature Communications, 10 (1) 5086, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12653-0

Improved polygenic prediction by Bayesian multiple regression on summary statistics

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Genome-wide association analyses identify 143 risk variants and putative regulatory mechanisms for type 2 diabetes

Xue, Angli, Wu, Yang, Zhu, Zhihong, Zhang, Futao, Kemper, Kathryn E., Zheng, Zhili, Yengo, Loic, Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Sidorenko, Julia, Wu, Yeda, eQTLGen Consortium, McRae, Allan F., Visscher, Peter M., Zeng, Jian and Yang, Jian (2018). Genome-wide association analyses identify 143 risk variants and putative regulatory mechanisms for type 2 diabetes. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 2941, 2941. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04951-w

Genome-wide association analyses identify 143 risk variants and putative regulatory mechanisms for type 2 diabetes

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits

Zeng, Jian, de Vlaming, Ronald, Wu, Yang, Robinson, Matthew R., Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Yengo, Loic, Yap, Chloe X., Xue, Angli, Sidorenko, Julia, McRae, Allan F., Powell, Joseph E., Montgomery, Grant W., Metspalu, Andres, Esko, Tonu, Gibson, Greg, Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M. and Yang, Jian (2018). Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits. Nature Genetics, 50 (5), 746-753. doi: 10.1038/s41588-018-0101-4

Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits

Wu, Yang, Zeng, Jian, Zhang, Futao, Zhu, Zhihong, Qi, Ting, Zheng, Zhili, Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Marioni, Riccardo E., Martin, Nicholas G., Montgomery, Grant W., Deary, Ian J., Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M., McRae, Allan F. and Yang, Jian (2018). Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits. Nature Communications, 9 (918) 918, 918. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03371-0

Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits

2025

Journal Article

MUTATE: a human genetic atlas of multiorgan artificial intelligence endophenotypes using genome-wide association summary statistics

Boquet-Pujadas, Aleix, Zeng, Jian, Tian, Ye Ella, Yang, Zhijian, Shen, Li, Zalesky, Andrew, Davatzikos, Christos and Wen, Junhao (2025). MUTATE: a human genetic atlas of multiorgan artificial intelligence endophenotypes using genome-wide association summary statistics. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 26 (2) bbaf125. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbaf125

MUTATE: a human genetic atlas of multiorgan artificial intelligence endophenotypes using genome-wide association summary statistics

2025

Journal Article

Connecting genomic results for psychiatric disorders to human brain cell types and regions reveals convergence with functional connectivity

Yao, Shuyang, Harder, Arvid, Darki, Fahimeh, Chang, Yu-Wei, Li, Ang, Nikouei, Kasra, Volpe, Giovanni, Lundström, Johan N., Zeng, Jian, Wray, Naomi R., Lu, Yi, Sullivan, Patrick F. and Hjerling-Leffler, Jens (2025). Connecting genomic results for psychiatric disorders to human brain cell types and regions reveals convergence with functional connectivity. Nature Communications, 16 (1) 395, 395. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-55611-1

Connecting genomic results for psychiatric disorders to human brain cell types and regions reveals convergence with functional connectivity

2025

Journal Article

Trans-ancestry genome-wide study of depression identifies 697 associations implicating cell types and pharmacotherapies

Adams, Mark J., Streit, Fabian, Meng, Xiangrui, Awasthi, Swapnil, Adey, Brett N., Choi, Karmel W., Chundru, V. Kartik, Coleman, Jonathan R.I., Ferwerda, Bart, Foo, Jerome C., Gerring, Zachary F., Giannakopoulou, Olga, Gupta, Priya, Hall, Alisha S.M., Harder, Arvid, Howard, David M., Hübel, Christopher, Kwong, Alex S.F., Levey, Daniel F., Mitchell, Brittany L., Ni, Guiyan, Ota, Vanessa K., Pain, Oliver, Pathak, Gita A., Schulte, Eva C., Shen, Xueyi, Thorp, Jackson G., Walker, Alicia, Yao, Shuyang ... McIntosh, Andrew M. (2025). Trans-ancestry genome-wide study of depression identifies 697 associations implicating cell types and pharmacotherapies. Cell, 188 (3), 640-652.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.12.002

Trans-ancestry genome-wide study of depression identifies 697 associations implicating cell types and pharmacotherapies

2025

Journal Article

Tracing human trait evolution through integrative genomics and temporal annotations

Zeng, Jian (2025). Tracing human trait evolution through integrative genomics and temporal annotations. Cell Genomics, 5 (2) 100767, 100767-2. doi: 10.1016/j.xgen.2025.100767

Tracing human trait evolution through integrative genomics and temporal annotations

2024

Journal Article

DINGO: increasing the power of locus discovery in maternal and fetal genome-wide association studies of perinatal traits

Hwang, Liang-Dar, Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel, Yengo, Loic, Zeng, Jian, Toivonen, Jarkko, Arvas, Mikko, Beaumont, Robin N., Freathy, Rachel M., Moen, Gunn-Helen, Warrington, Nicole M. and Evans, David M. (2024). DINGO: increasing the power of locus discovery in maternal and fetal genome-wide association studies of perinatal traits. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 9255, 1-14. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-53495-9

DINGO: increasing the power of locus discovery in maternal and fetal genome-wide association studies of perinatal traits

2024

Conference Publication

Genome-wide Fine-mapping Improves Identification Of Causal Variants

Zeng, Jian, Wu, Yang, Zheng, Zhili, Thibaut, Loic, Goddard, Michael, Wray, Naomi and Visscher, Peter (2024). Genome-wide Fine-mapping Improves Identification Of Causal Variants. World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics WCPG 2024, Singapore, 15-19 October 2024. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.08.037

Genome-wide Fine-mapping Improves Identification Of Causal Variants

2024

Journal Article

Brain cell-type shifts in Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and schizophrenia interrogated using methylomics and genetics

Yap, Chloe X., Vo, Daniel D., Heffel, Matthew G., Bhattacharya, Arjun, Wen, Cindy, Yang, Yuanhao, Kemper, Kathryn E., Zeng, Jian, Zheng, Zhili, Zhu, Zhihong, Hannon, Eilis, Vellame, Dorothea Seiler, Franklin, Alice, Caggiano, Christa, Wamsley, Brie, Geschwind, Daniel H., Zaitlen, Noah, Gusev, Alexander, Pasaniuc, Bogdan, Mill, Jonathan, Luo, Chongyuan and Gandal, Michael J. (2024). Brain cell-type shifts in Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and schizophrenia interrogated using methylomics and genetics. Science Advances, 10 (21) adn7655, eadn7655. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn7655

Brain cell-type shifts in Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and schizophrenia interrogated using methylomics and genetics

2024

Journal Article

Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits

Keaton, Jacob M., Kamali, Zoha, Xie, Tian, Vaez, Ahmad, Williams, Ariel, Goleva, Slavina B., Ani, Alireza, Evangelou, Evangelos, Hellwege, Jacklyn N., Yengo, Loic, Young, William J., Traylor, Matthew, Giri, Ayush, Zheng, Zhili, Zeng, Jian, Chasman, Daniel I., Morris, Andrew P., Caulfield, Mark J., Hwang, Shih-Jen, Kooner, Jaspal S., Conen, David, Attia, John R., Morrison, Alanna C., Loos, Ruth J. F., Kristiansson, Kati, Schmidt, Reinhold, Hicks, Andrew A., Pramstaller, Peter P., Nelson, Christopher P. ... ICBP Consortium (2024). Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits. Nature Genetics, 56 (5), 1-14. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01714-w

Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits

2024

Journal Article

Unravelling the complex causal effects of substance use behaviours on common diseases

Xue, Angli, Zhu, Zhihong, Wang, Huanwei, Jiang, Longda, Visscher, Peter M., Zeng, Jian and Yang, Jian (2024). Unravelling the complex causal effects of substance use behaviours on common diseases. Communications Medicine, 4 (1) 43, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s43856-024-00473-3

Unravelling the complex causal effects of substance use behaviours on common diseases

2023

Journal Article

Developing flexible models for genetic evaluations in smallholder crossbred dairy farms

Costilla, R., Zeng, J., Al Kalaldeh, M., Swaminathan, M., Gibson, J.P., Ducrocq, V. and Hayes, B.J. (2023). Developing flexible models for genetic evaluations in smallholder crossbred dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science, 106 (12), 9125-9135. doi: 10.3168/jds.2022-23135

Developing flexible models for genetic evaluations in smallholder crossbred dairy farms

2023

Journal Article

HOPX-associated molecular programs control cardiomyocyte cell states underpinning cardiac structure and function

Friedman, Clayton E., Cheetham, Seth W., Negi, Sumedha, Mills, Richard J., Ogawa, Masahito, Redd, Meredith A., Chiu, Han Sheng, Shen, Sophie, Sun, Yuliangzi, Mizikovsky, Dalia, Bouveret, Romaric, Chen, Xiaoli, Voges, Holly K., Paterson, Scott, De Angelis, Jessica E., Andersen, Stacey B., Cao, Yuanzhao, Wu, Yang, Jafrani, Yohaann M.A., Yoon, Sohye, Faulkner, Geoffrey J., Smith, Kelly A., Porrello, Enzo, Harvey, Richard P., Hogan, Benjamin M., Nguyen, Quan, Zeng, Jian, Kikuchi, Kazu, Hudson, James E. and Palpant, Nathan J. (2023). HOPX-associated molecular programs control cardiomyocyte cell states underpinning cardiac structure and function. Developmental Cell, 59 (1), 91-107.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.012

HOPX-associated molecular programs control cardiomyocyte cell states underpinning cardiac structure and function

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Statistical methods and tools to integrate genetic and non-genetic data for risk prediction of common diseases
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Jian Zeng is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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