2008年和2013年分别在中国农业大学获得学士和博士学位。2013至2018年先后在中国农业大学、美国斯坦福大学和美国内布拉斯加大学（林肯分校）作博士后研究，期间在美国明尼苏达大学作访问学者6个月。2019年1月到中国科学院植物研究所工作，担任研究组组长，并入选中科院人才计划。正在指导博士后1名，博士生和硕士生8名。

主要研究工作：

1.玉米雄穗发育的调控机理解析

以玉米为材料，利用各种组学手段，着重研究玉米雄穗发育过程中花药和生殖细胞的染色质修饰动态，并致力于解析表观遗传调控在雄穗发育上的生物学功能。

2.逆境胁迫对雄穗发育以及花粉育性的影响

以玉米经典关联群体为材料，利用GWAS方法，挖掘逆境胁迫下雄穗发育和花粉育性相关的关键位点，并试图解析这些关键位点响应逆境胁迫的机制。

主持和参加的科研项目：

[1] 中国科学院人才计划，中国科学院项目（2022.1-2024.12），主持人。

[2] “玉米高产优质性状的分子基础”， 中国科学院，战略性先导科技专项（A类）（2019.11-2024.12），子课题负责人。

[3] “G2P：农作物基因资源阐析-农作物多元环境下重要性状形成的分子基础”，国家重点研发计划 (2020.6-2024.6)，项目骨干。

[4] “膜受体复合物的结构与温度感知”，国家重点研发计划课（2020.12-2025.11），子课题负责人。

[5] “玉米雄性不育基因MS305的功能及调控网络研究”， 国家自然科学基金委，面上项目，（2021.01-2024.12），主持人。

研究论文（注*为通讯作者，#为共同第一作者）：

2022

Han Y, Hu M, Ma X, Yan G, Wang C, Jiang S, Lai J, Zhang M*. 2022. Exploring key developmental phases and phase-specific genes across the entirety of anther development in maize. J Integr Plant Biol. 64(7): 1394-1410.

Xu Q, Wu L, Luo Z, Zhang M, Lai J, Li L, Springer NM, Li Q*. 2022. DNA demethylation affects imprinted gene expression in maize endosperm. Genome Biol. 23(1):77.

2021

Zhang M^#*, Ma X^#, Wang C, Li Q, Meyers BC, Springer NM, Walbot V^#. 2021. CHH DNA methylation increases at 24-PHAS loci depend on 24-nt phasiRNAs in maize meiotic anthers. New Phytol. 229(5): 2984–2997.

2020

Xu G, Lyu J, Li Q, Liu H, Wang D, Zhang M, Springer NM, Ross-Ibarra J, Yang J*. 2020. Evolutionary and functional genomics of DNA methylation in maize domestication and improvement. Nat Commun., 11(1):5539.

2018

Sun S, Zhou Y, Chen J, Shi J, Zhao H, Zhao H, Song W, Zhang M, Cui Y, Dong X, Liu H, Ma X, Jiao Y, Wang B, Wei X, Stein JC, Glaubitz JC, Lu F, Yu G, Liang C, Fengler K, Li B, Rafalski A, Schnable PS, Ware DH, Buckler ES, Lai J. 2018. Extensive intraspecific gene order and gene structural variations between Mo17 and other maize genomes. Nat Genet. 50(9):1289-1295.

Dong X, Chen J, Li T, Li E, Zhang X, Zhang M, Song W, Zhao H, Lai J. 2018. Parent-of-origin-dependent nucleosome organization correlates with genomic imprinting in maize. Genome Res. 28(7):1020-1028.

2017

Dong X^#, Zhang M^#, Chen J^#, Peng L, Zhang N, Wang X, Lai J. 2017. Dynamic and Antagonistic Allele-Specific Epigenetic Modifications Controlling the Expression of Imprinted Genes in Maize Endosperm. Mol Plant. 6;10(3):442-455. (# Equal Contribution)

2015

Lei L, Shi J, Chen J, Zhang M, Sun S, Xie S, Li X, Zeng B, Peng L, Hauck A, Zhao H, Song W, Fan Z, Lai J. 2015. Ribosome profiling reveals dynamic translational landscape in maize seedlings under drought stress. Plant J. 84(6):1206-18.

2014

Zhang M^#, Xie S^#, Dong X^#, Zhao X, Zeng B, Chen J, Li H, Yang W, Zhao H, Wang G, Chen Z, Sun S, Hauck A, Jin W, Lai J. 2014. Genome-wide high resolution parental-specific DNA and histone methylation maps uncover patterns of imprinting regulation in maize. Genome Res. 24(1):167-76. (# Equal Contribution)

Chen J, Zeng B, Zhang M, Xie S, Wang G, Hauck A, Lai J. 2014. Dynamic transcriptome landscape of maize embryo and endosperm development. Plant Physiol. 166(1):252-64.

2012

Jiang Y, Zeng B, Zhao H, Zhang M, Xie S, Lai J. 2012.Genome-wide transcription factor gene prediction and their expressional tissue-specificities in maize. J Integr Plant Biol. 54(9):616-30.

Jiao Y, Zhao H, Ren L, Song W, Zeng B, Guo J, Wang B, Liu Z, Chen J, Li W, Zhang M, Xie S, Lai J. 2012. Genome-wide genetic changes during modern breeding of maize. Nat Genet. 44(7):812-5.

Zhao Y, Lu X, Liu C, Guan H, Zhang M, Li Z, Cai H, Lai J. 2012. Identification and fine mapping of rhm1 locus for resistance to Southern corn leaf blight in maize. J Integr Plant Biol. 54(5):321-9.

2011

Jiao Y^#, Song W^#, Zhang M^#, Lai J. 2011. Identification of novel maize miRNAs by measuring the precision of precursor processing. BMC Plant Biol. 11: 141. (# Equal Contribution)

Zhang M^#, Zhao H^#, Xie S^#, Chen J, Xu Y, Wang K, Zhao H, Guan H, Hu X, Jiao Y, Song W, Lai J. 2011. Extensive, clustered parental imprinting of protein-coding and noncoding RNAs in developing maize endosperm. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108: 20042-7. (# Equal Contribution)

Dong Y, Lu X, Song W, Shi L, Zhang M, Zhao H, Jiao Y, Lai J. 2011. Structural characterization of helitrons and their stepwise capturing of gene fragments in the maize genome. BMC Genomics. 12: 609.

2010

Lai J, Li R, Xu X, Jin W, Xu M, Zhao H, Xiang Z, Song W, Ying K, Zhang M, Jiao Y, Ni P, Zhang J, Li D, Guo X, Ye K, Jian M, Wang B, Zheng H, Liang H, Zhang X, Wang S, Chen S, Li J, Fu Y, Springer NM, Yang H, Wang J, Dai J, Schnable PS, Wang J. 2010. Genome-wide patterns of genetic variation among elite maize inbred lines. Nat Genet. 42(11):1027-30.