1984年3月出生于安徽省濉溪县，2008年和2013年分别在中国农业大学获得学士和博士学位。2013年至2014年在中国农业大学做博士后，2014年至2015年在美国明尼苏达大学作访问学者。2015年至2018年6月在美国斯坦福大学生物系作博士后研究。2018年7月至12月在美国内布拉斯加大学（林肯分校）作博士后研究。2019年1月到中国科学院植物研究所工作。

主要研究工作：

1.雄穗发育的调控机理解析

主要以玉米为材料，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生殖细胞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。

研究论文（注*为通讯作者）：

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.

PMID: 22660547

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.