Ziheng Yang facts for kids

Ziheng Yang (FRS) was born on November 1, 1964. He is a famous Chinese biologist who studies how living things change over time. He is a professor at University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom. He also leads the R.A. Fisher Centre for Computational Biology at UCL. In 2006, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.

A Scientist's Journey

Ziheng Yang started his science journey in China.

• He earned his first degree (BSc) from Gansu Agricultural University in 1984.
• Then, he got his Master's (MSc) in 1987 and his PhD in 1992 from Beijing Agricultural University.

After finishing his PhD, he moved around to learn more. He worked as a researcher at top universities. These included the University of Cambridge and the University of California at Berkeley. In 1997, he joined University College London as a teacher. He became a full professor there in 2001. In 2010, he was given a special title: the R.A. Fisher Chair in Statistical Genetics. This shows how important his work is.

Understanding How Life Changes

Professor Yang's main work is in molecular evolution and molecular phylogenetics. This means he studies how DNA and proteins change over millions of years. He also looks at how different species are related to each other.

Building Tools for DNA Study

In the 1990s, Professor Yang created many special computer tools. These tools help scientists understand DNA and protein changes. They use math and statistics to figure out how living things evolved. His work helped change how scientists study evolution using DNA.

Spotting Evolution in DNA

One of his big achievements was creating the "codon model" in 1994. He worked with Nick Goldman on this.

• This model helps scientists find signs of natural selection in DNA.
• Natural selection is how living things adapt to their environment.
• His models can show if certain parts of a protein are changing quickly. This might mean they are adapting to something new.

He also developed different ways to look at these changes:

• Branch models look at how evolution happens differently in various groups of animals or plants.
• Site models check if specific parts of a protein are changing more than others.
• Branch-site models combine these ideas. They look for specific changes in certain groups.

Tracing Ancestors with DNA

In 1995, Professor Yang created a way to figure out what ancient DNA sequences might have looked like. This is like being a detective for DNA. It helps scientists guess the DNA of creatures that lived long ago. His method uses probabilities, which makes it more accurate.

Using Statistics to Map Life's Tree

Working with Bruce Rannala, Professor Yang brought Bayesian statistics into the study of evolution in 1996.

• Bayesian statistics is a powerful way to use math to understand complex data.
• It helps scientists build "family trees" for species. These trees show how different species are related.
• This method is now very popular for understanding how life evolved.

He also helped create the "multispecies coalescent model." This model helps scientists understand how different species are related. It looks at DNA from many species at once. It helps figure out the true "species tree" even when different genes tell slightly different stories.

Professor Yang also keeps two important computer programs updated:

• PAML (Phylogenetic Analysis by Maximum Likelihood)
• BPP (Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography)

These programs are used by scientists all over the world.

Awards and Honors

Professor Yang has received many important awards for his work:

• 2023: Darwin–Wallace Medal from the Linnean Society of London. This is a very high honor in biology.
• 2010: Frink Medal for British Zoologists.
• 2009: Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award.
• 2008: President's Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Society for Systematic Biology.
• 2006: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
• 1995: Young Investigator’s Prize from the American Society of Naturalists.

He also served as the President of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution from 2023 to 2025.