Yanyan Zhao, PhD profile page

Dr. Yanyan Zhao is a dedicated researcher specializing in neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on developing pre-clinical positron emission tomography imaging tracers and investigating protein misfolding in disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. She is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge, working in Professor Franklin Aigbirhio’s group within the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Zhao earned her PhD in food science and engineering from China Agricultural University, where she studied biophysical interactions between polyphenols and proteins, producing multiple first-author publications. Transitioning to neuroscience, she joined Cambridge in 2014 and has since contributed to pioneering research on imaging techniques and protein aggregation, resulting in high-impact publications in journals such as Nature Communications, Chemical Science and ACS Chemical Neuroscience. Her work is characterized by interdisciplinary collaboration, partnering with chemists, cell biologists, radiochemists and clinicians across Europe. An advocate for knowledge exchange, Zhao has presented her research at prestigious conferences like ADPD and AAIC and engages with the public through forums such as the Cambridge Imaging Festival and Clinical Neuroscience PPI days.