Wei Zhu

Wei Zhu's picture
Position/Role
Professor, Empire Innovation Program
Department
Neuroscience Research Institute
Building
Natural Sciences
Room
S-007
Phone
(516)876-4883
E-mail
Email
Degrees
  • Ph.D. from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, Laboratory of Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Zoological Institute, Ph.D.  
  • Post-Doctoral fellowship, Mind Body Medical Institute of Harvard University

Patents:

  • Morphine and morphine precursors United States 8,865,696  Issued October 21, 2014
  • Morphine and morphine precursors United States 8,481,559  Issued July 9, 2013 

Honors and Achievements:

  • Award for Excellent Research, Mitogenetics,   2011
  • Empire State Innovation Award, State University of New York.  2007
  • State University of New York Chancellor Award. 2005
  • Promising Inventor Award, SUNY Research Foundation.  2003 
  • Young Scientist Research Fellowship, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.  1999
  • International Development Fellowship, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. 1995
Research Interests
Selected Examples of Funding Awards
  • Poultry Genomic Project, Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury.2012-2014. 
  • New York State Empire Innovation Award Program, for developing novel technologies in environmental/biomedical science (2007-present)
  • NIH Minority Institutions' Drug Abuse Research Development Program, 2003-09.
  • NIMH-Minority-Research Infrastructure Support Program (M-RISP).  2003-08
  • NIMH COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Program. 2004-09. 
  • Plant Bioactive Chemicals, Cell Dynamic Inc. at SUNY College Old Westbury 2004-2009. 
  • NIMH funded project: “Chronic Opiate Processes in Parasitism”. 2002-2004
Publications
  1. Zhu W, Li Y, Kream RM, Stefano GB. Chronic alcohol exposure increases ganglia endogenous morphine levels. Archives of Medical Science 2010. 6(3): 316-320.
  2. Zhu W, Stefano GB. Comparative aspects of endogenous morphine synthesis and signaling in animals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009. 1163: 330-339.
  3. Zhu W, Cadet P. Mytilus edulis Opiate Processes. Archives of Medical Science 2009. 5(4): 618-625.
  4. Zhu W, Esch T, Kream RM, Stefano GB. Converging cellular processes for substances of abuse: endogenous morphine. Neuro Endocrinal Lett 2008. 29(1): 63-66.
  5. Zhu W. CYP2D6: a key enzyme in morphine synthesis in animals. Med Sci Monit 2008. 14(11): SC15-SC18.
  6. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Kream RM, Cadet P, Stefano GB. Cholinergic regulation of morphine release from human white blood cells: evidence for a novel nicotinic receptor via pharmacological and microarray analysis. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2007. 20(2): 229-237.
  7. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Casares FM, Sheehan MH, Kream RM, Stefano GB. Cholinergic regulation of endogenous morphine release from lobster nerve cord. Med Sci Monit 2006. 12(9): BR295-BR301.
  8. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Casares FM, Cadet P, Kim JW, Bilfinger TV, Kream RM, Khalil S, Singh S, Stefano GB. Alcohol-, nicotine-, and cocaine-evoked release of morphine from invertebrate ganglia: Model system for screening drugs of abuse. Medical Science Monitor 2006. 12(5): BR155-BR161.
  9. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Shen L, Lee B, Stefano GB. Norlaudanosoline and nicotine increase endogenous ganglionic morphine levels: Nicotine addiction. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2006. 26(4-6): 1037-1045.
  10. Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Kream RM, Stefano GB. Response to Comment on "Human White Blood Cells Synthesize Morphine: CYP2D6 Modulation". Journal of Immunology 2006. 176: 5704.
  11. Zhu W, Mantione K, Kream RM, Stefano GB. Alcohol-, Nicotine-, and Cocaine-Evoked Release of Morphine from Human White Blood Cells: Substances of Abuse Actions Converge on Endogenous Morphine Release. Medical Science Monitor 2006. 12(11): BR350-BR354.
  12. Zhu W, Cadet P, Baggerman G, Mantione KJ, Stefano GB. Human white blood cells synthesize morphine: CYP2D6 modulation. Journal of Immunology 2005. 175(11): 7357-7362.
  13. Zhu W, Pryor SC, Putnam J, Cadet P, Stefano GB. Opiate alkaloids and nitric oxide production in the nematode Ascaris suum. Journal of Parasitology 2004. 90(1): 15-22.
  14. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Shen L, Stefano GB. In vivo and in vitro L-DOPA exposure increases ganglionic morphine levels. Medical Science Monitor 2005. 11(5): MS1-MS5.
  15. Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Shen L, Cadet P, Esch T, Goumon Y, Bianchi E, Sonetti D, Stefano GB. Tyrosine and tyramine increase endogenous ganglionic morphine and dopamine levels in vitro and in vivo: CYP2D6 and tyrosine hydroxylase modulation demonstrates a dopamine coupling. Medical Science Monitor 2005. 11: BR397-BR404.
  16. Zhu W, Stefano GB. Reticuline exposure to invertebrate ganglia increases endogenous morphine levels. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2004. 25(5): 323-330.
  17. Zhu W, Mantione K, Jones D, Salamon E, Cho JJ, Cadet P, Stefano GB. The Presence of 17- estradiol in Mytilus edulis Gonadal Tissues: Evidence for Estradiol Isoforms. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2003. 24(3-4): 137-140.
  18. Zhu W, Ma Y, Stefano GB. Presence of isoquinoline alkaloids in molluscan ganglia. Neuroendocrinol Lett 2002. 23(4): 329-334.
  19. Zhu W, Ma Y, Cadet P, Yu D, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Stefano GB. Presence of reticuline in rat brain: A pathway for morphine biosynthesis. Mol Brain Res 2003. 117(1): 83-90.
  20. Zhu W, Ma Y, Bell A, Esch T, Guarna M, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Stefano GB. Presence of morphine in rat amygdala: Evidence for the mu3 opiate receptor subtype via nitric oxide release in limbic structures. Med Sci Monit 2004. 10(12): BR433-BR439.
  21. Zhu W, Bilfinger TV, Baggerman G, Goumon Y, Stefano GB. Presence of endogenous morphine and morphine 6 glucuronide in human heart tissue. International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2001. 7(4): 419-422.
  22. Zhu W, Bilfinger TV, Baggerman G, Goumon Y, Stefano GB. Presence of endogenous morphine and morphine 6 glucuronide in human heart tissue. International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2001. 7(4): 419-422.
  23. Zhu W, Baggerman G, Secor WE, Casares F, Pryor SC, Fricchione GL, Ruiz-Tiben E, Eberhard ML, Bimi L, Stefano GB. Dracunculus medinensis and Schistosoma mansoni contain opiate alkaloids. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 2002. 96(3): 309-316.
  24. Zhu W, Baggerman G, Nachman JR, Goldsworthy G, Verhaert P, De Loof A, Schoofs L. Sulfakinins reduce food intake in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria J Insect Physiol 2000. : 1259-1265.
  25. Zhu W, Baggerman G, Goumon Y, Zenk MH, Stefano GB. Identification of morphine and morphine-6-glucuronide in the adrenal medullary chromaffin PC-12 cell line by nano electrospray ionization double quadrupole orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass spectrometry. Eur J of Mass Spect 2001. 7: 25-28.
  26. Zhu W, Baggerman G, Goumon Y, Casares F, Brownwell B, Stefano GB. Presence of morphine and morphine-6-glucuronide in the marine mollusk Mytilus edulis ganglia determined by GC/MS and Q-TOF-MS. Starvation increases opiate alkaloid levels. Mol Brain Res 2001. 88: 155-160.
  27. Zhu W, Baggerman G, Goumon Y, Casares F, Brownawell B, Stefano GB. Presence of morphine and morphine-6-glucuronide in the marine mollusk Mytilus edulis ganglia determined by GC/MS and Q-TOF-MS. Starvation increases opiate alkaloid levels. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 2001. 88(1-2): 155-160.
  28. Zhu W, Vandingenen A, Huybrechets R, Baggerman G, De Loof A, Poulos CP, Velentza A, Breuer M. In vitro degradation of the Neb-Trypsin Modulating Oostatic Factor (Neb-TMOF) in gut luminal content and hemolymph of the grey fleshfly, Neobellieria bullata. Insect Biochem and Molec Biol 2000. 
  29. Weeks BS, Alston J, Cadet P, Zhu W, Rialas CM, Stefano GB. Morphine reduces herpes Simplex virus-1 pathogenesis in murine flank. International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2001. 8(3): 303-307.
  30. Stefano GB, Zhu W, Mantione K, Jones D, Salamon E, Cho JJ, Cadet P. 17--estradiol down regulates ganglionic microglial cells via nitric oxide release: Presence of a fragment for estrogen receptor . Neuroendocrinology Letters 2003. 24(3-4): 130-136.
  31. Stefano GB, Zhu W, Cadet P, Salamon E, Mantione KJ. Music alters constitutively expressed opiate and cytokine processes in listeners. Medical Science Monitor 2004. 10(6): MS18-MS27.
  32. Stefano GB, Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione K. Morphine enhances nitric oxide release in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract via the 3 opiate receptor subtype: A hormonal role for endogenous morphine. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2004. 55(1 Pt 2): 279-288.
  33. Stefano GB, Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione K, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Guarna M. A hormonal role for endogenous opiate alkaloids: Vascular tissues. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2002. 23(1): 21-26.
  34. Stefano GB, Murga J, Benson H, Zhu W. Nitric oxide inhibits norepinephrine stimulated contraction of human internal thoracic artery and rat aorta. Pharmacol Res 2001. 43(2): 199-203.
  35. Stefano GB, Mantione K, Jones D, Zhu W, Casares F, Cadet P. Immunocytes modulate ganglionic nitric oxide release which later affects their activity level. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2004. 25(1-2): 57-61.
  36. Stefano GB, Kream RM, Mantione KJ, Sheehan M, Cadet P, Zhu W, Bilfinger TV, Esch T. Endogenous morphine/nitric oxide-coupled regulation of cellular physiology and gene expression: implications for cancer biology. Semin Cancer Biol 2008. 18(3): 199-210.
  37. Stefano GB, Kim E, Liu Y, Zhu W, Casares F, Mantione K, Jones DA, Cadet P. Nitric oxide modulates microglial activation. Med Sci Monit 2004. 10(2): BR17-BR22.
  38. Stefano GB, Fulop ZI, Rialas CM, Cadet P, Zhu W, Rotondo M, Ghuman P, Koutsovasilis G, Spalluto S, Smith M, Fricchione GL, Benson H. Nitric oxide is involved in the relaxation response. 2001. 
  39. Stefano GB, Esch T, Zhu W, Liu Y. New concepts and technologies highlight Chinese traditional medical techniques: Commonalities between different therapeutic approaches. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2005. 
  40. Stefano GB, Esch T, Cadet P, Zhu W, Mantione K, Benson H. Endocannabinoids as autoregulatory signaling molecules: Coupling to nitric oxide and a possible association with the relaxation response. Med Sci Monit 2003. 9(4): RA63-RA75.
  41. Stefano GB, Cadet P, Zhu W, Rialas CM, Mantione K, Benz D, Fuentes R, Casares F, Fricchione GL, Fulop ZI, Slingsby BT. The blueprint for stress can be found in invertebrates. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2002. 23(2): 85-93.
  42. Stefano GB, Cadet P, Rialas CM, Mantione K, Casares F, Goumon Y, Zhu W. Invertebrate opiate immune and neural signaling. In: Immune Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia. 2003. pp. 126-147.
  43. Stefano GB, Cadet P, Rialas CM, Mantione K, Casares F, Goumon Y, Zhu W. Invertebrate Opiate Immune and Neural Signaling. In: Machelska, H and Stein, C, eds. Immune Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia. Plenum Publ.:New York, NY. 2003. pp. 126-147.
  44. Stefano GB, Cadet P, Mantione K, Cho JJ, Jones D, Zhu W. Estrogen signaling at the cell surface coupled to nitric oxide release in Mytilus edulis nervous system. Endocrinology 2003. 144(4): 1234-1240.
  45. Stefano GB, Cadet P, Kream RM, Zhu W. The presence of endogenous morphine signaling in animals. Neurochemical Research 2008. 33(10): 1933-1939.
  46. Stefano GB, Bianchi E, Guarna M, Fricchione GL, Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Casares FM, Kream RM, Esch T. Nicotine, alcohol and cocaine coupling to reward processes via endogenous morphine signaling: The dopamine-morphine hypothesis. Med Sci Monit 2007. 13(6): RA91-102.
  47. Salamon E, Zhu W, Stefano GB. Nitric oxide as a possible mechanism for understanding the therapeutic effects of osteopathic manipulative medicine (Review). Int J Mol Med 2004. 14(3): 443-449.
  48. Rasmussen M, Zhu W, Tonnesen J, Cadet P, Tonnesen E, Stefano GB. Effects of morphine on tumour growth. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2002. 23(3): 193-198.
  49. Pryor SC, Zhu W, Cadet P, Bianchi E, Guarna M, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphine: opening new doors for the treatment of pain and addiction. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2005. 5(7): 893-906.
  50. Olsen P, Rasmussen M, Zhu W, Tonnesen E, Stefano GB. Human gliomas contain morphine. Medical Science Monitor 2005. 11(5): MS18-MS21.
  51. Mantione KJ, Zhu W, Kream RM, Esch T, Stefano GB. Regulation of the Transcription of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Gene by Morphine and Epinephrine. Activitas Nervosa Superior Rediviva 2010. 52(1): 51-56.
  52. Mantione KJ, Sheehan M, Gerber S, Kream RM, Zhu W, Kalra-Lall A, Balakumar A, Cadet P, Stefano GB. Microarray Validation of Vertebrate Biogenic Amine and Acetylcholine Signaling in Invertebrates. Biogenic Amines 2009. 23(3): 135-144.
  53. Mantione KJ, Cadet P, Zhu W, Kream RM, Sheehan M, Fricchione GL, Goumon Y, Esch T, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphine signaling via nitric oxide regulates the expression of CYP2D6 and COMT: autocrine/paracrine feedback inhibition. Addict Biol 2008. 13(1): 118-123.
  54. Mantione KJ, Cadet P, Casares F, Zhu W, Stefano GB. Seasonal variations in mu opiate receptor signaling in the nervous system of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis: Temperature controls physiological processes. Invertebrate Survival Journal 2010. 7(1): 141-145.
  55. Mantione K, Zhu W, Rialas C, Casares F, Franklin A, Tonnesen J, Stefano GB. Morphine-6-glucuronide stimulates nitric oxide release in mussel neural tissues: Evidence for a morphine-6-glucuronide opiate receptor subtype. Cellular & Molecular Life Sciences 2002. 59(3): 570-574.
  56. Kream RM, Sheehan M, Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Zhu W, Casares FM, Stefano GB. Persistence of evolutionary memory: Primordial six-transmembrane helical domain mu opiate receptors selectively linked to endogenous morphine signaling. Medical Science Monitor 2007. 13(12): SC5-SC6.
  57. Goumon Y, Casares F, Zhu W, Stefano GB. The presence of morphine in ganglionic tissues of Modiolus deminissus: A highly sensitive method of quantitation for morphine and its derivatives. Mol Brain Res 2001. 86: 184-188.
  58. Ghelardini C, Galeotti N, Vivoli E, Norcini M, Zhu W, Stefano GB, Guarna M, Bianchi E. Molecular interaction in the mouse PAG between NMDA and opioid receptors in morphine-induced acute thermal nociception. J Neurochem 2008. 105(1): 91-100.
  59. Fricchione G, Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Bromfield E, Madsen J, DeGirolami U, Dworetzky B, Vaccaro B, Black P, Stefano GB. Identification of endogenous morphine and a mu3-like opiate alkaloid receptor in human brain tissue taken from a patient with intractable complex partial epilepsy. Medical Science Monitor 2008. 14(6): CS45-CS49.
  60. Esch T, Guarna M, Bianchi E, Zhu W, Stefano GB. Commonalities in the central nervous system's involvement with complementary medical therapies: Limbic morphinergic processes. Medical Science Monitor 2004. 10(6): MS6-MS17.
  61. Casares FM, McElroy A, Mantione KJ, Baggerman G, Zhu W, Stefano GB. The American lobster, Homarus americanus, contains morphine that is coupled to nitric oxide release in its nervous and immune tissues: Evidence for neurotransmitter and hormonal signaling. Neuroendocrinology Letters 2005. 26(2): 89-97.
  62. Cadet P, Zhu W, Mantione K, Rymer M, Dardik I, Reisman S, Hagberg S, Stefano GB. Cyclic exercise induces anti-inflammatory signal molecule increases in the plasma of Parkinson's patients. Int J Mol Med 2003. 12(4): 485-492.
  63. Cadet P, Zhu W, Mantione K, Baggerman G, Stefano GB. Cold stress alters Mytilus edulis pedal ganglia expression of  opiate receptor transcripts determined by real-time RT-PCR and morphine levels. Brain Research: Molecular Brain Research 2002. 99(1): 26-33.
  64. Cadet P, Rasmussen M, Zhu W, Tonnesen E, Mantione KJ, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphinergic signaling and tumor growth. Frontiers in Bioscience 2004. 9: 3176-3186.
  65. Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Zhu W, Kream RM, Sheehan M, Stefano GB. A functionally coupled mu3-like opiate receptor/nitric oxide regulatory pathway in human multi-lineage progenitor cells. Journal of Immunology 2007. 179(9): 5839-5844.
  66. Benz D, Cadet P, Mantione K, Zhu W, Stefano GB. Tonal nitric oxide and health: Anti-bacterial and -viral actions and implications for HIV. Medical Science Monitor 2002. 8(2): RA27-RA31.
  67. Benz D, Cadet P, Mantione K, Zhu W, Stefano GB. Tonal nitric oxide and health: A free radical and a scavenger of free radicals. Medical Science Monitor 2002. 8(1): 1-4.
  68. Goumon Y, Bouret S, Casares F, Zhu W, Beauvillain JC, Stefano GB. Lipopolysaccharide increases endogenous morphine levels in rat brain. Neuroscience Letters 2000. 293(2): 135-138.

Patent Application

  • NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT COMPOSITIONS
    Publication number: 20140128420
  • MORPHINE AND MORPHINE PRECURSORS
    Patent number: 8865696
  • MORPHINE AND MORPHINE PRECURSORS
    Publication number: 20140348953
  • NITRIC OXIDE AND ITS BIOMEDICAL SIGNIFICANCE
    Publication number: 20130261146