Education

2013.09-2020.12 Dalian University of Technology, Biochemical Engineering, Ph.D

2018.09-2020.09 University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Microbiology, Joint Ph.D

2009.08-2013.07 Dalian Polytechnic University, Bioengineering, Bachelor

Working Experience

2026.03-present Shenzhen University, Institute for Advanced Study, Assistant Professor

2023.05-2026.02 Shenzhen University, Institute for Advanced Study, Associate Researcher

2021.01-2023.04 Shenzhen University, Institute for Advanced Study, Postdoctoral Researcher

Research interests

My research focuses on the physiology and ecological functions of anaerobic microorganisms, with particular emphasis on obligate anaerobes that are widespread in natural and host-associated ecosystems but remain difficult to isolate and mechanistically characterize. By integrating cultivation, microbial interactions, and energy metabolism, I aim to uncover the fundamental principles governing microbial processes and energy flow in anoxic environments, and to elucidate microbial survival strategies, metabolic interactions, and their ecological significance. Current research interests include:

1. isolation and cultivation of uncultured or difficult-to-culture obligate anaerobic microorganisms;

2. cross-domain interactions between anaerobic bacteria and archaea, including syntrophic and parasitic relationships;

3. extracellular electron transfer processes in anaerobic microorganisms.

Grants

1. National Natural Science Foundation of China, The assembly of multispecies syntrophic communities of Geobacter and Methanosarcina and the mechanism of interspecies electron transfer. 2026.01-2029.12, 500K RMB, PI.

2. National Natural Science Foundation of China, Distribution and mechanism of direct interspecies electron transfer among methanogenic microbial communities in mangrove wetlands. 2023.01-2025.12, 300K RMB, PI.

3. Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, Mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer in sulfate-reducing bacteria and their roles in iron and carbon cycling in mangrove wetlands. 150K RMB, PI.

4. China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Distribution of direct interspecies electron transfer in mangrove wetlands and its impact on methane emissions. 180K RMB, PI.

Publications ( ^#equal contribution; ^*Corresponding Author)

1. Jinjie Zhou^#, Huidan Tan^#, Cui-Jing Zhang, and Meng Li^*. Methanosarcina mangrovi sp. nov. and Methanosarcina sediminis sp. nov., two novel methanogenic archaea isolated from mangrove sediments. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2026, 76(1): 007001.

2. Jinjie Zhou, Cui-Jing Zhang, Dayu Zou, Chengxiang Gu, Meng Li^*. Magnetite drives microbial community restructuring and stimulates aceticlastic methanogenesis of type II Methanosarcina in mangrove sediments. Microbiome, 2025, 13: 174.

3. Caiqin Wang, Sydney E. Holmes, Xinying Liu, Jinjie Zhou^*, Dawn E. Holmes. Competition between Methanothrix and Methanosarcina species isolated from a butyrate-fed anaerobic digester. Bioresource Technology, 2025, 133822.

4. Jinjie Zhou, Jessica A. Smith, Meng Li^*, Dawn E. Holmes. Methane production by Methanothrix thermoacetophila via direct interspecies electron transfer with Geobacter metallireducens. mBio, 2023, 14: e00360-23.

5. Jinjie Zhou, Hanyun Zhang, Cui-Jing Zhang, Meng Li^*. Methanolobus mangrovi sp. nov. and Methanolobus sediminis sp. nov, two novel methylotrophic methanogens isolated from mangrove sediments in China. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2023, 73(11): 006169.

6. Jinjie Zhou, Cui-Jing Zhang, Meng Li^*. Desulfovibrio mangrovi sp. nov., a sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from mangrove sediments: A member of the proposed genus "Psychrodesulfovibrio". Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 2023, 166(6): 499-510.

7. Dawn E. Holmes^#*, Jinjie Zhou^#, Jessica A. Smith, Caiqin Wang, Xinying Liu, Derek R. Lovley. Different outer membrane c‐type cytochromes are involved in direct interspecies electron transfer to Geobacter or Methanosarcina species. mLife, 2022, 1: 272-286.

8. Jinjie Zhou^#, Dawn E. Holmes^#*, Hai-Yan Tang, Derek R. Lovley. Correlation of key physiological properties of Methanosarcina isolates with environment of origin. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2021, 87: e00731-21.

9. Dawn E. Holmes^#*, Jinjie Zhou^#, Toshiyuki Ueki, Trevor Woodard, Derek R. Lovley. Mechanisms for electron uptake by Methanosarcina acetivorans during direct interspecies electron transfer. mBio, 2021, 12: e02344-21.

10. Jin-Jie Zhou, Jun-Tao Shen, Xiao-Li Wang, Ya-Qin Sun, Zhi-Long Xiu^*. Metabolism, morphology and transcriptome analysis of oscillatory behavior of Clostridium butyricum during long-term continuous fermentation for 1, 3-propanediol production. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2020, 13: 191.

11. Jin-Jie Zhou, Jun-Tao Shen, Xiao-Li Wang, Ya-Qin Sun, Zhi-Long Xiu^*. Stability and oscillatory behavior of microbial consortium in continuous conversion of crude glycerol to 1, 3-propanediol. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2018, 102(19): 8291-8305.

12. Jin-Jie Zhou, Jun-Tao Shen, Li-Li Jiang, Ya-Qin Sun, Ying Mu, Zhi-Long Xiu^*. Selection and characterization of an anaerobic microbial consortium with high adaptation to crude glycerol for 1, 3-propanediol production. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2017, 101(15): 5985-5996.

13. Jinjie Zhou, Meng Li. Energy metabolism and extracellular electron transfer of Methanosarcina and Methanothrix. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2026, 42(2): 17-29.

14. Jinjie Zhou, Xudong Wang, Yaqin Sun, Zhilong Xiu. Progress on microbial electrosynthesis of bio-based chemicals Chemical Industry and Engineering Progree, 2016, 35(10): 3005-3015.