Yan Zhang, MD, PhD
Clinician Scientist
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Dr. Zhang is a clinician by primary training with very strong interest in translational medical research, which is reflected in her decision to first pursue research as part of her M.S. in Ophthalmology and subsequent decisions to pursue research experience at the NEI/NIH. Her primary interest in translational research leads her to join the multidisciplinary Vision Science Graduate Research (Ph.D.) Program at UC Berkeley in 2007. Currently, she is a clinician scientist in Wildseot Lab at University of California, Berkeley, and her research in eye growth regulation and refractive development is funded by NEI/NIH.

zhANG Recent Research

Zhang publications

ZHANG Teaching & mentoring

The emphasis of Dr. Zhang's research is the molecular and cellular processes underlying the eye growth regulation in myopia. Specifically, she investigates the role of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in eye growth regulation. Because of the location of RPE between the neural retina and choroid, it may play a critical role in relaying signals from the retina to choroid and sclera. RPE may also play a more direct role in regulating eye growth through the secretion of growth factors and/or cytokines. She uses animal models to study form-deprivation and lens-induced changes in gene expression in RPE (isolated from myopic and hyperopic chicks) and cell cultures to study the effect of analogs of retinal neurotransmitters, e.g., apomorphine, on RPE expression and secretion of growth factors. Understanding the role of RPE in eye growth regulation may lead to novel pharmacological and genetic approaches to myopia control.

Current and Previous Research Funding and Awards

• NIH Clinical Investigator Award, NEI/NIH (K08, 2013-2018)
• NIH Physician Scientist Award, NEI/NIH (K12, 2013)
• 15th International Myopia Conference Travel Grant (2015)
• Sek-Jin Chew Travel Grant, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, ARVO Annual Meeting  (2011)
• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA, Institutional) (2007-2010)