Fan Zhang, Ph.D.

Lab website: https://zhang.pharmacy.ufl.edu/

Fan Zhang, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in Materials Science & Engineering. His graduate work established the guiding principles for designing nanomedicines to target neuroinflammation. To expand the clinical impact of his research, he then undertook postdoctoral training at the clinical research division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. This experience solidified his foundation in immuno-oncology, cell & gene therapy, and experimental tumor models. His work has led to the development of a polymer-based platform that genetically programs immune cells for cancer treatment, which is under clinical translation. His work has led to four patents and contributed to the foundation of two start-up companies. His current research focuses on harnessing myeloid cell recruitment for enhanced drug delivery. To this end, his research program leverages materials science, cell engineering, and immunology to determine the fundamental principles that govern nanoparticle’s interaction with immune cells and their tissue tropism, and to elucidate how immune cell recruitment affects nanotherapeutic in vivo targeting behaviors.

Dr.Zhang’s research focuses on developing synthetic nanoplatforms to direct immune cells as ‘living therapeutics’. To this end, his laboratory integrates materials science, immunology, synthetic biology, and translational medicine to create novel nanotherapeutics for controlled modulation of the immune system. The overarching goal of his research is to establish a fundamental understanding of nanotherapeutic design and the ways it interacts with the immune system. The ultimate goal of his research is to translate nanomedicine to the clinic. Dr.Zhang’s laboratory seeks to create a unique working environment by fostering interdisciplinary and translational collaboration. The current research focuses include: (1) engineering synthetic nanoplatforms; (2) engineering synthetic cell-based therapy; (3) physiology-guided drug delivery.