Jianyi “Jay” Zhang
University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
2023

Jianyi “Jay” Zhang, MD, PhD, is an international leader in the in vivo myocardial bioenergetics, biotechnologies, and cells/cell-products for cardiac repair.  He is a tenured Professor of Medicine, of Engineering; T. Michael and Gillian Goodrich Endowed Chair of Engineering Leadership; and the Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), a joint department of the Heersink School of Medicine and School of Engineering, at the UAB. He came to UAB in October 2015 after he was chosen in a national search to lead the UAB BME department from the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he was the Engdahl Family Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Regenerative Therapies, in addition to being a tenured Professor of medicine, of biomedical engineering, of electrical engineering, and computer engineering. He is the recipient of an Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association (1996) and a First Award from the National Institutes of Health (1993).  Dr. Zhang earned his medical degree from Shanghai Medical University in 1983 and his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1992. He also earned a Master of Science in engineering (1987) and a certificate of business administration (1987) from Tufts University.  Since his arrival at UAB, the Department of Biomedical Engineering rose to the rank of top 10th in the nation in NIH funding (Blue Ridge database) in the 7 years consecutively under Zhang’s leadership. Dr. Zhang has chaired NIH study sections, served on NIH study sections as charter member since 1999, and presently serve on the NHLBI Program Project Review Committee (2022-2026).  Dr. Zhang presently serves as Chair, Council on Cardiovascular Sciences, AHA (2022-2024). Dr. Zhang is an inventor with many patents by his works at both UMN and UAB.  He is currently the Principal Investigator of: a) NIH BIB T32 training grant, b) NIH R01 grants, c) a NIH U01 grant for the NHLBI (PCTC) that continuous through 2023; and d) a PO1 that through 8/2027. He has published >200 papers in high impact peer reviewed journals including Cell Stem Cell, Science Translational Medicine, Circulation, Circulation Research and others. Over the years, the Zhang Research Lab has trained more than 90 trainees (Ph.D. students, post-docs, and cardiology fellows), and led 19 Ph.D. students in biomedical engineering, physiology, or electrical engineering. Dr. Zhang is currently advisor to 6 students earning their Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Pathology, respectively. Scientific journal editorial board member for Circulation, Circulation Research, and others.