Xinyi Huang

Xinyi Huang

Postdoctoral Fellow

Email: xinyi.huang@ubc.ca
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Research Interests

My research mainly focuses on the physiological responses and biochemical profiles of different plants under diverse conditions. For my PhD program, I studied the ionic effects of soil salinity on willows (Salix spp.), and how their tolerance and salt management are reflected by their metabolic and transcriptomic profiles. One of my current projects investigates the complex metabolic composition of black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) through HPLC-timsTOF-MS/MS. This work has the potential to uncover previously unidentified metabolites and biochemical pathways, which could have significant implications in both plant biology and industrial applications. In addition to willow and black bamboo, I have worked with species such as poplar, potato, sorghum, and mint. I also contribute to collaborative projects involving fungi and food nutrition.

Education

PhD in Forestry | Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Canada (2022)

BSc in Seed Science and Engineering | China Agricultural University, China (2014)

Publications

Tan, Jinyi, Zhengxi Gong, Xinyi Huang, Shawn D. Mansfield, and Xin Li. “Reverse Genetic Analyses of Hydrophobins in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Revealed Their Diverse Roles in Development, Environmental Survival, and Virulence.” Pathogens 14, no. 11 (2025): 1131. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111131

Zhang, Cheng, Yan Xu, Lin Li, Mingsong Wu, Zheyi Fang, Jinyi Tan, Jeffery Rollins, Honghui Lin, Xinyi Huang, Shawn Mansfield, Xin Li, and Yuelin Zhang. “A GDP-mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase as a potential HIGS target against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.” PLOS Pathogens 21, no. 5 (May 2025): e1013129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013129

Huang, Xinyi, Charles A. Hefer, Raju Y. Soolanayakanahally, Robert D. Guy, and Shawn D. Mansfield. “The Overlooked Ion: Unraveling the Effects of Magnesium-Specific Toxicity on Willows Under Sulphate Salinity.” Environmental and Experimental Botany 219 (March 2024): 105634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2023.105634

McKinley, Brian A., Manish Thakran, Starla Zemelis‑Durfee, Xinyi Huang, Federica Brandizzi, William L. Rooney, Shawn D. Mansfield, and John E. Mullet. “Transcriptional Regulation of the Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides Pathway in Sorghum bicolor Reveals Potential Roles in Leaf Sucrose Transport and Stem Sucrose Accumulation.” Frontiers in Plant Science 13 (December 2022): 1062264. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1062264

Huang, Xinyi, Raju Y. Soolanayakanahally, Robert D. Guy, Arun SK Shunmugam, and Shawn D. Mansfield. “Differences in Growth, and Physiological and Metabolic Responses among Canadian Native and Hybrid Willows (Salix Spp.) under Salinity Stress.” Tree Physiology 40, no. 5 (January 2020): 652–666. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaa017

Tao, Yongfu, Qingcai Liu, Honghong Wang, Yanjun Zhang, Xinyi Huang, Baobao Wang, Jinsheng Lai, Jianrong Ye, Baoshen Liu, and Mingliang Xu. “Identification and Fine-Mapping of a QTL, QMrdd1, That Confers Recessive Resistance to Maize Rough Dwarf Disease.” BMC Plant Biology 13, no. 1 (September 2013): 145. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-13-145

Conference Presentations

Huang X, Harley O.W. Gordon, Xinchun Lin, Mansfield SD. (2024). Plant Canada 2024. Characterizing the culm skin pigments of black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra). Plant Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Poster presentation. July 7-10.

Huang X, Soolanayakanahally R, Guy RD, Mansfield SD. (2018) It is a salty situation: salt type impacts tolerance in willows (Salix spp.). Plant Biology 2018. The Canadian Society of Plant Biologists (CSPB) and the American Society of Plant Biologists. Montreal, Québec, Canada. Poster presentation. July 14-18.

Huang X, Soolanayakanahally R, Guy RD, Mansfield SD. (2017) Untangling salt stress on growth and photosynthetic performance of Salix spp.. Plants from Sea to Sky. The CSPB and the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Poster Presentation. July 4-7.

Huang X, Soolanayakanahally R, Unda F, Guy RD, Mansfield SD. (2016) From tree leaves to root: physiological adaptations to combat soil salinization. Plant Biotech 2016. The CSPB and the Canadian Association for Plant Biotechnology. Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Poster Presentation. June 19-21.

Awards, Grants and Scholarships

  • Donald S McPhee Fellowship, UBC (2019)
  • Peter Rennie Memorial Award, UBC (2018)
  • Peter Rennie Memorial Award, UBC (2017)
  • Donald S McPhee Fellowship, UBC (2016)
  • China Scholarship Council – UBC Doctoral scholarship (2014-present)
  • Donald S McPhee Fellowship, UBC (2015)