Fenghuang Zhan, PhD, MD

Research Program: Cancer Biology Faculty Rank: Professor Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Medicine Department: Internal Med Hem-Onc

Cancer Research Interest

• Type of Research: Basic
• Research Interest Statement: I am the Director of myeloma research and my research focuses on myeloma drug resistance and disease progression. My research interests include: 1) Understanding how the genetic alterations in cancer cells contribute to tumor progression, alter treatment response, and create vulnerabilities that may be targeted therapeutically and 2) Develop new therapeutic strategies to overcome chemo and immune therapy resistance.

Contact Information

• Email Address: FZHAN@UAMS.EDU
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Active Grants

• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – 6702-25
  “Toward improvement of BCMA/CST6-CAR-T therapy to target both myeloma cells and bone resorption ”
  Principal Investigator
  7/1/2024 – 6/30/2027
• The Myeloma Solutions Fund – AWD00056033
  “Validating Novel Biologic Mediators and Therapeutic Targets in t(4;14) Myeloma”
  Principal Investigator
  2/28/2024 – 2/28/2027
• NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute – 1U54CA272691
  “Project 1 – Prevention of MGUS progression to MM by modulating the bone marrow microenvironment ”
  Principal Investigator
  9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027
• NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute – 1U54CA272691
  “U54 - Administrative Core ”
  Principal Investigator
  9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027
• NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute – 1R01CA236814
  “Novel NEK2 signaling pathways in myeloma progression ”
  Principal Investigator
  6/1/2020 – 5/31/2026

Recent Publications

• Mohan Lal B, Pandey T, Alzubi M, [et al., including Zhan F]. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a real-world experience. Bone marrow transplantation. 2025. PMID: 40246944.
• Gai D, Caviness PC, Lazarenko OP, [et al., including Zhan F]. Cystatin M/E Ameliorates Multiple Myeloma-Induced Hyper Osteolytic Bone Resorption. Cancers. 2025 17(5). PMID: 40075680. PMCID: PMC11899016.
• Mohan Lal B, Alzubi M, Alrawabdeh J, [et al., including Zhan F]. Prior Exposure to Belantamab Mafodotin Influences Outcomes with Idecabtagene Vicluecel in Patients with Multiple Myeloma. Blood advances. 2025. PMID: 39938011. PMCID: PMC12051553.
• Qin L, Moreno Rueda LY, Ray U, [et al., including Zhan F]. Targeting Caseinolytic Mitochondrial Matrix Peptidase, a Novel Contributor to High-risk Behavior, in Multiple Myeloma. Blood. 2025. PMID: 39912779.
• Moreno Rueda LY, Wang H, Akagi K, [et al., including Zhan F]. Single-cell analysis of neoplastic plasma cells identifies myeloma pathobiology mediators and potential targets. Cell reports. Medicine. 2025:101925. PMID: 39855192. PMCID: PMC11866523.
• Al Hadidi S, Ababneh O, Schinke C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Long Term Follow up of Total Therapy IV: A Phase III Clinical Trial for Standard Risk Multiple Myeloma. Blood advances. 2024. PMID: 39786380. PMCID: PMC11934280.
• Cheng Y, Sun F, Alapat DV, [et al., including Zhan F]. Multi-omics reveal immune microenvironment alterations in multiple myeloma and its precursor stages. Blood cancer journal. 2024 14(1):194. PMID: 39505839. PMCID: PMC11541562.
• Xia J, Zhao H, Edmondson JL, [et al., including Zhan F]. Role of NEK2 in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Trends in molecular medicine. 2024. PMID: 39181803. PMCID: PMC11717647.
• Al Hadidi S, Ababneh O, Schinke C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Second primary malignancies after tandem autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma. American journal of hematology. 2024. PMID: 39109821.
• Xian M, Wang Q, Xiao L, [et al., including Zhan F]. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B1 (LILRB1) protects human multiple myeloma cells from ferroptosis by maintaining cholesterol homeostasis. Nature communications. 2024 15(1):5767. PMID: 38982045. PMCID: PMC11233649.
• Guo W, Strouse C, Mery D, [et al., including Zhan F]. A Risk Stratification System in Myeloma Patients with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation. Cancers. 2024 16(6). PMID: 38539451. PMCID: PMC10969019.
• Li JR, Arsang-Jang S, Cheng Y, [et al., including Zhan F]. Enhancing prognostic power in multiple myeloma using a plasma cell signature derived from single-cell RNA sequencing. Blood cancer journal. 2024 14(1):38. PMID: 38443358. PMCID: PMC10915134.
• Caviness PC, Lazarenko OP, Blackburn ML, [et al., including Zhan F]. Phenolic acids prevent sex-steroid deficiency-induced bone loss and bone marrow adipogenesis in mice. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry. 2024 127:109601. PMID: 38367948.
• Guo W, Zhan Y, Mery D, [et al., including Zhan F]. Prognostic value of ferritin in ASCT MM patients: integration with GEP models and ISS series systems. Blood cancer journal. 2024 14(1):30. PMID: 38355688. PMCID: PMC10866867.
• Mao X, Yan W, Mery D, [et al., including Zhan F]. Development and validation of an individualized and weighted Myeloma Prognostic Score System (MPSS) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. American journal of hematology. 2024. PMID: 38247315. PMCID: PMC10947864.
• Sun F, Cheng Y, Wanchai V, [et al., including Zhan F]. Bispecific BCMA/CD24 CAR-T cells control multiple myeloma growth. Nature communications. 2024 15(1):615. PMID: 38242888. PMCID: PMC10798961.
• Patel TH, Bachu R, Shrivastava T, [et al., including Zhan F]. Psychological Impact in Individuals with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma. Clinical hematology international. 2024 6(3):54-60. PMID: 39345654. PMCID: PMC11428156.
• Al Hadidi S, Ababneh O, Schinke C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Three Years Maintenance with VRD in Multiple Myeloma: Results of Total Therapy IIIB with a 15-Year Follow Up. Blood advances. 2023. PMID: 38052037. PMCID: PMC10845028.
• Zhang Z, Zhan F. Type 2 Cystatins and Their Roles in the Regulation of Human Immune Response and Cancer Progression. Cancers. 2023 15(22). PMID: 38001623. PMCID: PMC10670837.
• Sun F, Cheng Y, Chen JR, [et al., including Zhan F]. BCMA- and CST6-specific CAR T cells lyse multiple myeloma cells and suppress murine osteolytic lesions. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2023. PMID: 37883186. PMCID: PMC10760955.
• Cheng Y, Sun F, Alapat DV, [et al., including Zhan F]. High NEK2 expression in myeloid progenitors suppresses T cell immunity in multiple myeloma. Cell reports. Medicine. 2023 4(10):101214. PMID: 37794587. PMCID: PMC10591052.
• McCrury M, Swafford K, Shuttleworth SL, [et al., including Zhan F]. Bifunctional inhibitor reveals NEK2 as a therapeutic target and regulator of oncogenic pathways in lymphoma. Molecular cancer therapeutics. 2023. PMID: 37816504. PMCID: PMC10932871.
• Strouse C, Mott SL, Smith BJ, [et al., including Zhan F]. Transplant conditioning with bortezomib, thalidomide, and melphalan and intensive 2 year post-transplant therapy for multiple myeloma in older patients. Bone marrow transplantation. 2023. PMID: 37816907. PMCID: PMC10781621.
• Fahmawi S, Schinke C, Thanendrarajan S, [et al., including Zhan F]. Under-representation of black patients with multiple myeloma in studies supporting International Myeloma Working Group guidelines. Journal of cancer policy. 2023 37:100433. PMID: 37468042.
• Caviness PC, Gai D, Lazarenko OP, [et al., including Zhan F]. Decreased bone resorption in Ezh2 myeloid cell conditional knockout mouse model. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2023 37(7):e23019. PMID: 37272906.
• Xu L, Wang Y, Wang G, [et al., including Zhan F]. Aberrant activation of TRIP13-EZH2 signaling axis promotes stemness and therapy resistance in multiple myeloma. Leukemia. 2023 37(7):1576-1579. PMID: 37157015.
• Sun F, Cheng Y, Ying J, [et al., including Zhan F]. A gene signature can predict risk of MGUS progressing to multiple myeloma. Journal of hematology & oncology. 2023 16(1):70. PMID: 37386588. PMCID: PMC10308756.
• Mohan M, Gong Z, Ashby TC, [et al., including Zhan F]. Concomitant deletion of the short arm (del(1p13.3)) and amplification or gain (1q21) of chromosome 1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization are associated with a poor clinical outcome in multiple myeloma. Cancer. 2023. PMID: 37282609.
• Abu Za'nouneh FJ, Ababneh O, Schinke C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Variability of definition of high-risk multiple myeloma across phase III clinical trials. EJHaem. 2023 4(2):454-458. PMID: 37206288. PMCID: PMC10188470.
• Mazahreh F, Mazahreh L, Schinke C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Risk of infections associated with the use of bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma: a pooled analysis. Blood advances. 2023. PMID: 36857755. PMCID: PMC10331406.
• Choudhury S, Byrum SD, Alkam D, [et al., including Zhan F]. Expression of integrin β-7 is epigenetically enhanced in multiple myeloma subgroups with high-risk cytogenetics. Clinical epigenetics. 2023 15(1):18. PMID: 36737807. PMCID: PMC9898982.
• Bloedjes TA, de Wilde G, Khan GH, [et al., including Zhan F]. AKT supports the metabolic fitness of multiple myeloma cells by restricting FOXO activity. Blood advances. 2022. PMID: 36322819. PMCID: PMC10182179.
• Eliason S, Hong L, Sweat Y, [et al., including Zhan F]. Extracellular vesicle expansion of PMIS-miR-210 expression inhibits colorectal tumour growth via apoptosis and an XIST/NME1 regulatory mechanism. Clinical and translational medicine. 2022 12(9):e1037. PMID: 36116139. PMCID: PMC9482803.
• Alqazaqi R, Schinke C, Thanendrarajan S, [et al., including Zhan F]. Geographic and Racial Disparities in Access to Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cells and Bispecific Antibodies Trials for Multiple Myeloma. JAMA network open. 2022 5(8):e2228877. PMID: 36018590. PMCID: PMC9419017.
• Gai D, Chen JR, Stewart JP, [et al., including Zhan F]. CST6 suppresses osteolytic bone disease in multiple myeloma by blocking osteoclast differentiation. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2022. PMID: 35881476. PMCID: PMC9479617.
• Cheng Y, Sun F, Thornton K, [et al., including Zhan F]. FOXM1 regulates glycolysis and energy production in multiple myeloma. Oncogene. 2022. PMID: 35794249. PMCID: PMC9355869.
• Lin J, Huang D, Xu H, [et al., including Zhan F]. Macrophages: A communication network linking Porphyromonas gingivalis infection and associated systemic diseases. Frontiers in immunology. 2022 13:952040. PMID: 35967399. PMCID: PMC9363567.
• Roy Choudhury S, Ashby C, Zhan F, van Rhee F. Epigenetic Deregulation of Telomere-Related Genes in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients. Cancers. 2021 13(24). PMID: 34944968. PMCID: PMC8699806.
• Sun F, Cheng Y, Riordan JD, [et al., including Zhan F]. WDR26 and MTF2 are therapeutic targets in multiple myeloma. Journal of hematology & oncology. 2021 14(1):203. PMID: 34876184. PMCID: PMC8650373.
• Gu C, Wang W, Tang X, [et al., including Zhan F]. CHEK1 and circCHEK1_246aa evoke chromosomal instability and induce bone lesion formation in multiple myeloma. Molecular cancer. 2021 20(1):84. PMID: 34090465. PMCID: PMC8178856.
• Li C, Xia J, Franqui Machin R, [et al., including Zhan F]. TRIP13 modulates protein deubiquitination and accelerates tumor development and progression of B cell malignancies. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2021. PMID: 34061780. PMCID: PMC8279583.
• Schinke CD, Boerma M, Bird JT, [et al., including Zhan F]. PHF19 inhibition as a therapeutic target in multiple myeloma. Current research in translational medicine. 2021 69(3):103290. PMID: 33894670. PMCID: PMC8316274.
• Jiang F, Tang X, Tang C, [et al., including Zhan F]. HNRNPA2B1 promotes multiple myeloma progression by increasing AKT3 expression via m6A-dependent stabilization of ILF3 mRNA. Journal of hematology & oncology. 2021 14(1):54. PMID: 33794982. PMCID: PMC8017865.
• Wendlandt EB, Darbro B, Xu H, [et al., including Zhan F]. Genetic Analysis of Multiple Myeloma Identifies Cytogenetic Alterations Implicated in Disease Complexity and Progression. Cancers. 2021 13(3). PMID: 33572851. PMCID: PMC7866300.
• Boyle EM, Deshpande S, Tytarenko R, [et al., including Zhan F]. The molecular make up of smoldering myeloma highlights the evolutionary pathways leading to multiple myeloma. Nature communications. 2021 12(1):293. PMID: 33436579. PMCID: PMC7804406.
• Chen JR, Zhao H, Wankhade UD, [et al., including Zhan F]. GPR109A mediates the effects of hippuric acid on regulating osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in mice. Communications biology. 2021 4(1):53. PMID: 33420329. PMCID: PMC7794563.
• Pisano M, Cheng Y, Sun F, [et al., including Zhan F]. Laboratory Mice - A Driving Force in Immunopathology and Immunotherapy Studies of Human Multiple Myeloma. Frontiers in immunology. 2021 12:667054. PMID: 34149703. PMCID: PMC8206561.
• Li Z, Liu L, Du C, [et al., including Zhan F]. Therapeutic effects of oligo-single-stranded DNA mimicking of hsa-miR-15a-5p on multiple myeloma. Cancer gene therapy. 2020 27(12):869-877. PMID: 31988477.
• Deshpande S, Tytarenko RG, Wang Y, [et al., including Zhan F]. Monitoring treatment response and disease progression in myeloma with circulating cell-free DNA. European journal of haematology. 2020. PMID: 33107092.
• Gu C, Lu T, Wang W, [et al., including Zhan F]. RFWD2 induces cellular proliferation and selective proteasome inhibitor resistance by mediating P27 ubiquitination in multiple myeloma. Leukemia. 2020. PMID: 32901100.
• Mao XH, Zhuang JL, Zhao DD, [et al., including Zhan FH]. IgH translocation with undefined partners is associated with superior outcome in multiple myeloma patients. European journal of haematology. 2020 105(3):326-334. PMID: 32421883.
• Yu T, Du C, Ma X, [et al., including Zhan F]. Polycomb-like Protein 3 Induces Proliferation and Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma and Is Regulated by miRNA-15a. Molecular cancer research : MCR. 2020 18(7):1063-1073. PMID: 32312841.
• Xu J, Tan HB, Zhang YJ, [et al., including Zhan F]. Catalyst-Free One-Pot Synthesis of Densely Substituted Pyrazole-Pyrazines as Anti-Colorectal Cancer Agents. Scientific reports. 2020 10(1):9281. PMID: 32518332. PMCID: PMC7283261.
• Tong J, Xu X, Zhang Z, [et al., including Zhan F]. Hypoxia-induced long non-coding RNA DARS-AS1 regulates RBM39 stability to promote myeloma malignancy. Haematologica. 2020 105(6):1630-1640. PMID: 31289203. PMCID: PMC7271587.