Biography
Dr. Zhou is a Research Investigator in the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan. After obtaining his PhD degree at the University of Science and Technology of China, he joined Dr. Weiping Zou's lab at the University of Michigan as a research fellow, focusing on studying tumor immunity. In 2023, Dr. Zhou became a research faculty member in the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Zhou's research interests lie in cancer immunotherapy, an effective treatment approach aimed at generating long-lasting protective immunity mediated by effector T cells, ultimately leading to tumor eradication in patients. While immunotherapy holds great promise in restoring and enhancing immune cell function, a significant challenge arises from the tumor microenvironment, which often acts as a barrier to effective T cell response. This hampers T cell trafficking, functionality, and the efficacy of current immunotherapeutic strategies. Dr. Zhou focused on investigating the role of MDM2 in regulating T cell signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) stability, T cell survival, and antitumor immunity (Nature Immunology, 2021). This research aims to shed light on the mechanisms underlying T cell function within the tumor microenvironment.
Dr. Zhou's current research focuses on exploring the JAK-STAT signaling pathway to understand its impact on antigen presentation and T cell function within the tumor microenvironment.