Zhong Wang, Ph.D.

Zhong Wang, PhD

Professor of Cardiac Surgery

Biography

Dr. Zhong Wang has been a tenured Professor in the Department of Cardiac Surgery since September 2023. Dr. Wang studied with Dr. Matthew S. Sachs and received his Ph.D. in 2000 from OGI School of Science and Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University. He joined the laboratory of Dr. Robert Tjian at University of California – Berkeley as a postdoctoral fellow in 1999. Dr. Zhong Wang was recruited as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Assistant Biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in October 2005. He then joined the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Michigan in February 2013.

The long-term goal of the Wang Laboratory is to develop heart therapies to effectively prolong and improve the life of heart patients. To achieve this goal, the laboratory focuses on epigenetic regulation in heart disease, heart repair, and heart regeneration. The laboratory has made significant progress in four research directions:

  1. Defining the epigenetic mechanism mediated by ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling in cardiac progenitor specification and differentiation.
  2. Defining essential cross-talks between energy metabolism and epigenetics in heart repair and regeneration.
  3. Identifying epigenetic and post-translational modification mechanism and related molecules in stimulating reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes for heart regeneration.
  4. Exploring novel strategies combining optimal cardiovascular cell types and bioengineering/biomaterials for heart cell therapy.

Education

  • 1990 – Fudan University, China, B.S., Microbiology
  • 1993 – Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, M.S., Biochemistry
  • 2000 – Oregon Health and Science University, Ph.D., Biochem. & Mol. Biol.
  • 1999-2005 – University of California, Berkeley, Postdoctoral, Biochem. & Genetics

Appointments

  • 09/2023-Present - Professor with tenure, Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan
  • 09/2015-08/2023 – Associate Professor with tenure, Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan
  • 02/2013-08/2015 – Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan
  • 10/2008-02/2013 – Principal Faculty Member, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA
  • 01/2008-02/2013 – Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
  • 10/2005-02/2013 – Assistant Biologist, Principal Investigator, Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
  • 09/1999-06/2005 – Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
  • 09/1994-07/1999 – Graduate Research Assistant, OGI School, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR
  • 12/1993-08/1994 – Engineer, Beijing Institute of Industrial Fermentation, Beijing, P.R. China

Honors & Awards

  • 2023 – Finalist, International Society for Heart Research North American Section Mid-Career Investigator Research Scholarship Award
  • 2019 - C. Steve Baum Stem Cell Research Award, University of Michigan
  • 2018 - MCubed Research Award, University of Michigan
  • 2016 - MCubed Research Award, University of Michigan
  • 2016 - Inaugural Grant Award, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan
  • 2014-2016 - Pilot Grant Award, Joint Institute of Michigan Health System and Peking University Health Science Center
  • 2014 - Inaugural Grant Award, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan
  • 2011-2012 - Massachusetts General Hospital Formulaic Bridge Award
  • 2010-2012 - Junior Faculty Program Award, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
  • 2008-2010 - Seed Grant Award, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
  • 2003-2005 - Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowship, Prostate Cancer Research Program, Department of Defense
  • 2000-2002 - Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, American Cancer Society, California Division
  • 1994 - Presidential Award by Chinese Academy of Sciences for Excellent Graduate Research

Published Articles or Reviews