Jian Zhang, PhD

Research Program: Cancer Biology Faculty Rank: Assistant Professor Campus: University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Department: Biomedical Engineering

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: Breast, No Specific Disease Site
• Research Focus Area: Diagnosis/ Prognosis, Carcinogenesis, Treatment, Prevention
• Type of Research: Basic
• Research Keywords: Cancer mechanobiology, Cancer bioenergetics, Cancer migration and invasion, Tumor microenvironment
• Research Interest Statement: My research is focused on studying how the crosstalk between the physical tumor microenvironment and cellular bioenergetics influences cancer behaviors, including cell migration and proliferation and their impact on cancer metastasis. For this purpose, my lab is also developing novel bioengineering and computational tools to understand cancer and other invasive diseases.

Contact Information

• Email Address: jianz@uark.edu

Recent Publications

• Zhang J, Mosier JA, Wu Y, [et al.]. Cellular Energy Cycle Mediates an Advection-Like Forward Cell Flow to Support Collective Invasion. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 2024 11(32):e2400719. PMID: 39189477. PMCID: PMC11348062.
• Goliwas KF, Libring S, Berestesky E, [et al., including Zhang J]. Mitochondrial transfer from cancer-associated fibroblasts increases migration in aggressive breast cancer. Journal of cell science. 2023 136(14). PMID: 37358264. PMCID: PMC10400000.
• Zhang J, Reinhart-King CA. Analysis of Energy-Driven Leader-Follower Hierarchy During Collective Cancer Cell Invasion. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 2023 2608:247-262. PMID: 36653712.
• Katiyar A, Zhang J, Antani JD, [et al.]. The Nucleus Bypasses Obstacles by Deforming Like a Drop with Surface Tension Mediated by Lamin A/C. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 2022 9(23):e2201248. PMID: 35712768. PMCID: PMC9376816.
• Fabiano E, Zhang J, Reinhart-King CA. Tissue density in the progression of breast cancer: Bedside to bench and back again. Current opinion in biomedical engineering. 2022 22. PMID: 35463199. PMCID: PMC9031620.
• Zanotelli MR, Zhang J, Ortiz I, [et al.]. Highly motile cells are metabolically responsive to collagen density. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2022 119(18):e2114672119. PMID: 35471912. PMCID: PMC9170068.
• Zanotelli MR, Zhang J, Reinhart-King CA. Mechanoresponsive metabolism in cancer cell migration and metastasis. Cell metabolism. 2021 33(7):1307-1321. PMID: 33915111. PMCID: PMC9015673.
• Wu Y, Zanotelli MR, Zhang J, Reinhart-King CA. Matrix-driven changes in metabolism support cytoskeletal activity to promote cell migration. Biophysical journal. 2021 120(9):1705-1717. PMID: 33705759. PMCID: PMC8204337.
• Zhang J, Reinhart-King CA. Targeting Tissue Stiffness in Metastasis: Mechanomedicine Improves Cancer Therapy. Cancer cell. 2020 37(6):754-755. PMID: 32516585.