Dr Jian Zeng
Dr

Jian Zeng

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Background

Dr Jian Zeng is a statistical geneticist, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Group Leader at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland. His research uses large-scale genomic data to understand the genetic basis of complex traits and diseases, improve polygenic risk prediction, and identify the genes, cell types and biological processes through which genetic risk acts.

His group develops statistical methods and software tools across four interconnected areas:

  • genetic architecture and evolutionary signatures of complex traits;
  • polygenic prediction within and across diverse populations;
  • fine-mapping of causal genetic variants and genes;
  • integration of human genetics with functional and single-cell genomics.

This work addresses major challenges in statistical genetics and precision medicine, including the analysis of whole-genome sequencing data, the reduced accuracy of genetic prediction in underrepresented populations, and the biological interpretation of disease-associated variants. His methods are translated into accessible software used by researchers internationally and are applied to psychiatric, neurological, metabolic and other complex diseases.

Dr Zeng received the IMB Impact Award for Enabling Technology and Method Development in 2021 and the UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award in 2025.

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

  • Integration of population genetics with single-cell genomics

Research impacts

Dr Jian Zeng’s research translates advances in statistical genetics into freely available software that helps researchers worldwide analyse genomic data, improve disease-risk prediction, and identify likely causal variants, genes and cell types. His work supports more accurate and equitable precision medicine by enabling earlier identification of disease risk and a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms that could guide prevention and therapeutic discovery.

Search Professor Jian Zeng’s works on UQ eSpace

67 works between 2011 and 2026
All (67) Journal Article (58) Other Outputs (2) Conference Publication (7)

61 - 67 of 67 works

2016

Journal Article

A nested mixture model for genomic prediction using whole-genome SNP genotypes

Zeng, Jian, Garrick, Dorian J., Dekkers, Jack C. and Fernando, Rohan L (2016). A nested mixture model for genomic prediction using whole-genome SNP genotypes. Iowa State University Animal Industry Report, 13 (1). doi: 10.31274/ans_air-180814-452

A nested mixture model for genomic prediction using whole-genome SNP genotypes

2013

Journal Article

Dissecting the genetic architecture of frost tolerance in Central European winter wheat

Zhao, Yusheng, Gowda, Manje, Wuerschum, Tobias, Longin, C. Friedrich H., Korzun, Viktor, Kollers, Sonja, Schachschneider, Ralf, Zeng, Jian, Fernando, Rohan, Dubcovsky, Jorge and Reif, Jochen C. (2013). Dissecting the genetic architecture of frost tolerance in Central European winter wheat. Journal of Experimental Botany, 64 (14), 4453-4460. doi: 10.1093/jxb/ert259

Dissecting the genetic architecture of frost tolerance in Central European winter wheat

2013

Journal Article

Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action

Zeng, Jian, Toosi, Ali, Fernando, Rohan L., Dekkers, Jack C. M. and Garrick, Dorian J. (2013). Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action. Genetics Selection Evolution, 45 (1) 11. doi: 10.1186/1297-9686-45-11

Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action

2013

Journal Article

Genomic prediction of hybrid wheat performance

Zhao, Yusheng, Zeng, Jian, Fernando, Rohan and Reif, Jochen C. (2013). Genomic prediction of hybrid wheat performance. Crop Science, 53 (3), 802-810. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2012.08.0463

Genomic prediction of hybrid wheat performance

2013

Other Outputs

Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action

Zeng, Jian, Toosi, Ali, Fernando, Rohan L., Dekkers, Jack C. M. and Garrick, Dorian J. (2013). Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action. Ames: Iowa State University, Digital Repository. doi: 10.31274/ans_air-180814-1249

Genomic selection of purebred animals for crossbred performance in the presence of dominant gene action

2012

Journal Article

Genomic breeding value prediction and QTL mapping of QTLMAS2011 data using Bayesian and GBLUP methods

Zeng, Jian, Pszczola, Marcin, Wolc, Anna, Strabel, Tomasz, Fernando, Rohan L., Garrick, Dorian J. and Dekkers, Jack C. M. (2012). Genomic breeding value prediction and QTL mapping of QTLMAS2011 data using Bayesian and GBLUP methods. BMC Proceedings, 6 (S2) S7. doi: 10.1186/1753-6561-6-S2-S7

Genomic breeding value prediction and QTL mapping of QTLMAS2011 data using Bayesian and GBLUP methods

2011

Other Outputs

Whole genome association analysis of idiopathic eosinophilic enteritis in brown egg layers

Deng, Xuemei, Arango, Jesus, Kizilkaya, Kadir, Zeng, Jian, Cai, Weiguo, Fulton, Janet, O'Sullivan, Neil and Dekkers, Jack C.M. (2011). Whole genome association analysis of idiopathic eosinophilic enteritis in brown egg layers. Ames, United States: Iowa State University. doi: 10.31274/ans_air-180814-77

Whole genome association analysis of idiopathic eosinophilic enteritis in brown egg layers

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2028
    The Claustrum as a Vulnerability Node: Linking Psychiatric Disease Risk to Circuit Architecture
    The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    Open grant
  • 2026 - 2029
    Developing and Applying Novel Polygenic Score Approaches in ALS for Risk Prediction, Stratification, and Precision Medicine
    FightMND Discovery Grant
    Open grant
  • 2026 - 2028
    Identification of causal variants for complex traits (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2026
    Integrating individual genotypes and phenotypes with single-cell transcriptomic data to enhance disease risk prediction
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
    Open grant
  • 2026 - 2030
    Integrating single-cell omics with genetics: Novel statistical methods to enhance biological understanding and risk prediction of common diseases
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 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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