Education

B.S. 2009, Wuhan University, Biology
M.S. 2011, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Biology
Ph.D. 2014, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Biology

Professional Experience

2014-2020,School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong,Postdoctoral Fellow 

2020 to Present, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University,Professor

Research Area

(1) Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
(2) Protein Trafficking and Organelle Biogenesis in Plant Cells
(3) Plant Bioreactors for Pharmaceutical Proteins
Our research interests are organelle biogenesis and vesicle trafficking in plants. All plant cells contain an endomembrane system with functionally distinct membrane-bound organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network (TGN), multivesicular body (MVB), autophagosome and vacuole. These organelles are generated accurately and efficiently in a well-organized way so as to exert their essential functions in protein transport, plant growth and responses to the environment. On one hand, we use plant cell biological, genetic, biochemical approaches in combination with 3D electron tomography technique to investigate key genes that regulate organelle biogenesis and vesicle trafficking under developmental and stressful conditions in plants, in the hope of providing novel insights for stress resistance in agriculture. On the other hand, we are also actively developing and using plant organelles (such as the vacuole and the ER) as bioreactor compartments to express and store target recombinant proteins, with further analysis on their physicochemical properties and biological activities.

Selected Publications (*Corresponding author, #co-first author)

1. Li, Y., Tao, R., Zhang, H., Wen, X., Leung, S.K.P., Qi, Q., Zheng, X., Guo, H., Wu, C., Fu, Z., Huang, X., Lau, W.C.Y.*, Jiang, L.*, Cui, Y.* (2026) SNX-mediated biogenesis of a plant-unique vesicle derived from the multivesicular body. Nature Communications. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-71067-x.

2. Zheng, X., Zhan, X., Tang, S., Li, Y., Zhang, H., Qi, Q., Gao, J., Wu, C., Fu, Z., Lau, W.C.Y., Ueda, T., Jiang, L., Cui, Y.* (2026) SH3P2-mediated autophagosomal targeting of the CCZ1-MON1-RAB7 module regulates autophagosome-vacuole fusion in Arabidopsis. Autophagy. 22(2):298-315.
3. Gao, J., Li, Y., Zhang, S., He, Y., Liu, Z., Wang, J., Hua, J., Chen, J., Zhong, J., Zhong, H., Xia, Y., Cui, Y.* Jiang, L.* (2026) Structural and Functional Characterization of EXPO-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Plants. Advanced Science. 12:e06163. doi: 10.1002/advs.202506163.
4. Cui, Y.* Gao, J., Li, Y., Zhang, H., Zheng, X., Qi, Q., Zhang, S., Kang, B.H., and Jiang, L.* (2025) Seeing is believing: Whole-cell electron tomography models of vacuole morphology and formation in the early-stage root cortex of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 2;37(4):koaf057.
5. Li, Y., Zhong, J., Zhang, H., Jiang, L., and Cui, Y.* (2024). Whole-Cell Electron Tomography Analysis of Vacuole Biogenesis. Methods Mol. Biol. 2841, 179-188.
6. Gao, J., Chen, J., Zhang, H., Jiang, L., and Cui, Y.* (2024). Extracellular Vesicle Isolation and Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomic Analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Methods Mol. Biol. 2841, 75-83.
7. Li, Y., Qi, Q., Zheng, X., Xu, Y.*, and Cui, Y.* (2022). Progress on plant endomembrane trafficking regulatory mechanism in plant cells and related advanced electron microscopy application. Journal of Xiamen University (Natural Science) , 61, 446-458.
8. Liu, Z.1, Gao, J.1, Cui, Y.1 Klumpe, S., Xiang, Y., Erdmann, P.S., and Jiang, L.* (2021). Membrane imaging in the plant endomembrane system. Plant Physiol. , 185, 562-576. (Cover Article).
9. Cui, Y.*, Zhao, Q., Hu, S., and Jiang, L.* (2020). Vacuole Biogenesis in Plants: How Many Vacuoles, How Many Models? Trends Plant Sci. 25, 538-548.
10. Cui, Y.*, Gao, J., He, Y., and Jiang, L.* (2020). Plant extracellular vesicles. Protoplasma, 257, 3-12.
11. Cui, Y.*, Cao, W., He, Y., Zhao, Q., Wakazaki, M., Zhuang, X., Gao, J., Zeng, Y., Gao, C., Ding, Y., Wong, H.Y., Wong, W.S., Lam, H.K., Wang, P., Ueda, T., Rojas-Pierce, M., Toyooka, K., Kang, B.H., and Jiang, L.* (2019). A whole-cell electron tomography model of vacuole biogenesis in Arabidopsis root cells. Nature Plants 5, 95-105.
12. Cui, Y.*, Zhuang, X.*, Shen, J.*, Gao, C.*, and Jiang, L.* (2019). Organelle biogenesis and function in plants (in Chinese). Sci. Sin. Vitae, 49, 1679–1694.
13. Zhao, Q.1, Shen, J.1, Gao, C.1, Cui, Y.1, Wang Y., Cui, J., Cheng L., Cao, W., Zhu, Y., Huang, S., Zhou, Q., Leong, C.K., Leung, K.P., Chen, X., and Jiang, L.* (2019). Identification of RST1 involvement in negatively regulating vacuolar trafficking as FREE1 suppressor in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 31, 2152-2168.
14. Cui, Y.*, He, Y., Cao, W., Gao, J., and Jiang, L.* (2018). The multivesicular body and autophagosome pathways in plants. Front. Plant Sci. , 9, 1837.
15. Cui, Y., Zhao, Q., Xie, H.T., Wong, W.S., Wang, X., Gao, C., Ding, Y., Tan, Y., Ueda, T., Zhang, Y., and Jiang, L.* (2017). MONENSIN SENSITIVITY1 (MON1)/CALCIUM CAFFEINE ZINC SENSITIVITY1 (CCZ1)-Mediated Rab7 activation regulates tapetal programmed cell death and pollen development in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. , 173, 206-218.
16. Zhuang, X.1, Chung, K.P.1, Cui, Y.1, Lin, W., Gao, C., Kang, B.H., Jiang, L.* (2017). ATG9 regulates autophagosome progression from the endoplasmic reticulum in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 114, E426-E435.
17. Cui, Y., Shen, J., Gao, C., Zhuang, X., Wang, J., and Jiang, L.* (2016). Biogenesis of Plant Prevacuolar Multivesicular Bodies. Mol. Plant, 9, 774-786. (Cover Article).
18. Cui, Y.*, Gao, C., Zhao, Q., and Jiang, L.* (2016). Using fluorescent protein fusions to study protein subcellular localization and dynamics in plant cells. Methods Mol. Biol. , 1474, 113-123.
19. Zhuang, X.1, Cui, Y.1, Gao, C., and Jiang, L.* (2015). Endocytic and autophagic pathways crosstalk in plants. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. , 28, 39-47.
20. Cui, Y., Zhao, Q., Gao, C., Ding, Y., Zeng, Y., Ueda, T., Nakano, A., and Jiang, L.* (2014). Activation of the Rab7 GTPase by the MON1-CCZ1 Complex Is Essential for PVC-to-Vacuole Trafficking and Plant Growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 26, 2080-2097.