Zhen Zheng, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Biography
Dr. Zheng commenced his academic pursuit in the field of medicine at Hubei Medical University in China, where he was awarded a Bachelor in Medicine in 1994, followed by a Master’s degree in Internal Medicine in 2002. Continuing his educational journey, he embarked on post-doctoral training in Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in the United States. This path of learning exemplifies his ongoing dedication to expanding his medical knowledge and making meaningful contributions to the healthcare sector. His primary focus lies in unraveling the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tissue fibrosis, demonstrating his commitment to advancing medical science in this specialized area.
Contributions
View Dr. Zheng's publications at his Google Scholar page.
Awards & Recognitions
Dr. Zhen Zheng of the Zhou Lab was recognized at the 2026 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference in Orlando, Florida, where he received a Young Investigator Award from PF Warriors during a special Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR) awards ceremony held on May 17.
Dr. Zheng was selected as one of the 2026 ATS Abstract Winners for his research abstract, “Mechanoniche-dependent Alternative Splicing of a6-integrin Regulates Alveolar Mesenchymal Niche Cell Fate During Lung Repair.” As part of the conference, he also delivered remarks at the award reception and presented the Zhou Lab’s scientific research to attendees.
PF Warriors is an international organization dedicated to providing support, education, advocacy, and hope to individuals and families affected by pulmonary fibrosis. Through the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable, PF Warriors sponsors abstract scholarships and young investigator awards recognizing outstanding research contributions and promising early-career scientists advancing pulmonary fibrosis research.
The award highlights Dr. Zheng’s contributions to lung repair and pulmonary fibrosis research and reflects the continued impact of Tulane School of Medicine investigators in advancing translational and respiratory science.
A new work co-led and co-first authored by Zhen Zheng, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Zhou laboratory, was published in Nature Communications and reports a transcriptomic “address label” that enables selective targeting and functional testing of a key transitional epithelial cell state implicated in pulmonary fibrosis.
