World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
83
Citations
41283
World Ranking
3422
National Ranking
1725

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2020 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 2019 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Overview

Yifan Cheng is affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco in the United States. Their research spans several fields including Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, with a focus on Molecular Biology, Materials Chemistry, and Structural Biology. Their work also covers subfields such as Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Plant Science.

The scientist's main research topics include:

  • Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
  • RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
  • Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
  • Ion Channels and Receptors
  • Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
  • Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
  • Ion channel regulation and function

Yifan Cheng has contributed to numerous publications across various respected venues. Frequent publication outlets include:

  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Nature Communications
  • Nature
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • Cell

Several recent papers authored by Yifan Cheng include:

  • Structure of hepcidin-bound ferroportin reveals iron homeostatic mechanisms, 2020, Nature
  • AreTomo: An integrated software package for automated marker-free, motion-corrected cryo-electron tomographic alignment and reconstruction, 2022, Journal of Structural Biology X
  • Structural snapshots of TRPV1 reveal mechanism of polymodal functionality, 2021, Cell
  • Irritant-evoked activation and calcium modulation of the TRPA1 receptor, 2020, Nature
  • Cryo-EM Reveals Integrin-Mediated TGF-β Activation without Release from Latent TGF-β, 2020, Cell

The scientist has collaborated frequently with several researchers, including:

  • Zanlin Yu
  • David A. Agard
  • Aashish Manglik
  • Daniel Asarnow
  • David Julius

Yifan Cheng has been recognized with awards such as:

  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2020)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2019)

Best Publications

  • MotionCor2: Anisotropic Correction of Beam-Induced Motion for Improved Cryo-Electron Microscopy

    Shawn Q. Zheng;Eugene Palovcak;Jean Paul Armache;Kliment A. Verba

  • Structure of the TRPV1 ion channel determined by electron cryo-microscopy

    Maofu Liao;Erhu Cao;David Julius;Yifan Cheng

  • Electron counting and beam-induced motion correction enable near-atomic-resolution single-particle cryo-EM

    Xueming Li;Paul Mooney;Shawn Zheng;Shawn Zheng;Christopher R Booth

  • TRPV1 structures in distinct conformations reveal activation mechanisms

    Erhu Cao;Maofu Liao;Yifan Cheng;David Julius

  • EMRinger: side chain-directed model and map validation for 3D cryo-electron microscopy

    Benjamin A Barad;Nathaniel Echols;Ray Yu-Ruei Wang;Yifan Cheng

  • Negative staining and image classification — powerful tools in modern electron microscopy

    Melanie Ohi;Ying Li;Yifan Cheng;Thomas Walz

  • TRPV1 structures in nanodiscs reveal mechanisms of ligand and lipid action.

    Yuan Gao;Erhu Cao;David Julius;Yifan Cheng

  • Lipid-protein interactions in double-layered two-dimensional AQP0 crystals

    Tamir Gonen;Yifan Cheng;Piotr Sliz;Piotr Sliz;Yoko Hiroaki

  • Structure of the human transferrin receptor-transferrin complex.

    Yifan Cheng;Olga Zak;Philip Aisen;Stephen C Harrison;Stephen C Harrison

  • Comparative host-coronavirus protein interaction networks reveal pan-viral disease mechanisms.

    David E. Gordon;Joseph Hiatt;Mehdi Bouhaddou;Veronica V. Rezelj

  • Structure of the TRPA1 ion channel suggests regulatory mechanisms

    Candice E. Paulsen;Jean Paul Armache;Yuan Gao;Yifan Cheng

  • Direct Membrane Association Drives Mitochondrial Fission by the Parkinson Disease-associated Protein α-Synuclein

    Ken Nakamura;Venu M. Nemani;Farnaz Azarbal;Gaia Skibinski

  • Single-Particle Cryo-EM at Crystallographic Resolution

    Yifan Cheng

  • Molecular model for a complete clathrin lattice from electron cryomicroscopy

    Alexander Fotin;Yifan Cheng;Piotr Sliz;Nikolaus Grigorieff

  • HIV Nef is secreted in exosomes and triggers apoptosis in bystander CD4+ T cells.

    Metka Lenassi;Gerard Cagney;Gerard Cagney;Maofu Liao;Tomaž Vaupotič

  • Docking of the Proteasomal ATPases' Carboxyl Termini in the 20S Proteasome's α Ring Opens the Gate for Substrate Entry

    David M. Smith;Shih-Chung Chang;Soyeon Park;Daniel Finley

  • A primer to single-particle cryo-electron microscopy.

    Yifan Cheng;Nikolaus Grigorieff;Pawel A. Penczek;Thomas Walz

  • Automated structure refinement of macromolecular assemblies from cryo-EM maps using Rosetta

    Ray Yu-Ruei Wang;Yifan Song;Benjamin A Barad;Yifan Cheng

  • Aquaporin-0 membrane junctions reveal the structure of a closed water pore

    Tamir Gonen;Piotr Sliz;Piotr Sliz;Joerg Kistler;Yifan Cheng

  • Corrigendum: Lipid–protein interactions in double-layered two-dimensional AQP0 crystals

    Tamir Gonen;Yifan Cheng;Piotr Sliz;Yoko Hiroaki

Frequent Co-Authors

Thomas Walz
Thomas Walz Rockefeller University
David A. Agard
David A. Agard University of California, San Francisco
David Julius
David Julius University of California, San Francisco
Stephen C. Harrison
Stephen C. Harrison Harvard University
Geeta J. Narlikar
Geeta J. Narlikar University of California, San Francisco
Feng Wang
Feng Wang University of California, Berkeley
James D. Marks
James D. Marks University of California, San Francisco
Charles S. Craik
Charles S. Craik University of California, San Francisco
Robert M. Stroud
Robert M. Stroud University of California, San Francisco
Frank DiMaio
Frank DiMaio University of Washington

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Biology and Biochemistry in the USA opens doors to a range of versatile online programs and career opportunities. Many students begin their journeys in healthcare through specialized paths, such as cma to lpn bridge programs online, which provide a fast track from medical assisting to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse.

For those interested in gaining credentials quickly, an accelerated biology degree can offer a solid foundation in the biological sciences—ideal for students eager to jumpstart a career or further their education.

Nursing is another popular pathway, with flexible study options like online nursing programs that prepare graduates for critical roles in patient care and healthcare delivery.

Additionally, students passionate about wellbeing and disease prevention can pursue an online degree in nutrition. This specialized path is ideal for those who want to help others through evidence-based nutrition advice and lifestyle guidance.

Best Scientists Citing Yifan Cheng

Trending Scientists