1990年和1993年在兰州大学生物学系分别获得理学学士和硕士学位，1996年在中国农业科学院获博士学位，1999年至2003年在比利时根特大学植物遗传系从事博士后研究。

主要从事植物微量营养素代谢及玉米功能基因组学研究.

中国作物营养强化项目（HarvestPlus-China）常务副主任，中国农业生物技术学会常务理事，中国作物学会常务理事，美国植物生理学会会员,中国细胞生物学会会员，中国生物工程学会会员；《中国农业科技导报》执行主编、 《亚热带植物学报》编委、American Journal of Experimental Biology编委。

1、The differential transcription network between embryo and endosperm in the early developing maize seed. 2013.Xiaoduo Lu, Dijun Chen, Defeng Shu, Zhao Zhang, Weixuan Wang, Christian Klukas, Ling-ling Chen, Yunliu Fan, Ming Chen, Chunyi Zhang. Plant Physiology； 2、The mitochondrial folylpolyglutamatesynthetase Gene is required for nitrogen utilization during early seedling development in Arabidopsis. 2013. Ling Jiang, Yanyan Liu, Hong Sun, Yueting Han, Jinglai Li, Changkun Li, WenzhuGuo, HongyanMeng, Sha Li, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang. Plant Physiology； 3、An Arabidopsis gene encoding a C2H2-domain protein with alternatively spliced transcripts is essential for endosperm development. 2012. Xiaoduo Lu, Yuan Li, Yanping Su, Qiuju Liang, HongyanMeng, Sha Li, Songdong Shen, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang. Journal of Experimental Botany； 4、Arabidopsis PlastidialFolylpolyglutamateSynthetase Is Required for Seed Reserve Accumulation and Seedling Establishment in Darkness. 2014. Meng H, Jiang L, Xu B, Guo W, Li J, Chunyi Zhang.PLoS One； 5、FtsHi4 Is Essential for Embryogenesis Due to Its Influence on Chloroplast Development in Arabidopsis. 2014. Lu X, Zhang D, Li S, Su Y, Liang Q,Chunyi Zhang. PLoS One； 6、Expressional and regulatory characterization of Arabidopsis RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1. 2013. Tao Xu, Liang Zhang, Jie Zhen, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang*, Lei Wang* Planta； 7、Genome-wide identification, classification and expression profiling of nicotianamine synthase (NAS) gene family in maize.2013. Xiaojin Zhou, SuZhen Li, Qianqian Zhao, Xiaoqing Liu, Shaojun Zhang, Cheng Sun, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang*, Rumei Chen*. BMC Genomics； 8、EMB1211is required for normal embryo development and influences chloroplast biogenesis in Arabidopsis. 2010. Liang Qiuju, Lu Xiaoduo, Jiang Ling, Wang Chongying, Fan Yunliuand Zhang Chunyi. PhysiologiaPlantarum； 9、Preventing protein aggregation by its hyper-acidic fusion cognates in Escherichia coli. 2011. Zou Zhurong, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang. Protein Expression and Purification； 10、The ArabidopsisMutS homolog AtMSH5 is required for normal meiosis.2008.Xiaoduo Lu, Xiaolin Liu, Lizhe An, Wei Zhang, Jian Sun, Huijuan Pei, HongyanMeng, Yunliu Fan, Chunyi Zhang. Cell Research。