Hanrui Zhang, PhD

  • Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)

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Overview

Dr. Hanrui Zhang is a macrophage biologist whose research focuses on macrophage heterogeneity and plasticity in cardiometabolic diseases. Her laboratory investigates the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic potential of macrophage-driven processes in these disorders. She established her independent research program in July 2018 as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiometabolic Genomics Program, Department of Medicine – Cardiology.

Dr. Zhang's PhD research explored immune cell–vascular crosstalk in diabetes-related vascular complications. Her postdoctoral studies further examined macrophage lipid metabolism and inflammation in cardiometabolic diseases, utilizing patient-derived and CRISPR-edited human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophages.

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences (in Medicine)

Gender

  • Female

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • BM, 2003 Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
  • MM, 2006 Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
  • PhD, 2011 Pharmacology, University of Missouri - Columbia

Committees, Societies, Councils

  • 2007 - Present: Member, American Heart Association (AHA)
  • 2024 - Present: Chair, ATVB Women’s Leadership Committee (WLC)
  • 2024 - Present: Chair-Elect, ATVB & PVD Shobha Ghosh Investigator in Training Award Selection Committee

Research

The goal of the Zhang laboratory is to elucidate the mechanisms and therapeutic implications of macrophage heterogeneity and plasticity in cardiometabolic diseases.

The Zhang laboratory in the Department of Medicine – Cardiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center seeks to understand the dynamic role of macrophages in cardiometabolic diseases with the aim of finding novel mechanisms and new treatments. The laboratory applies technologies for high-throughput functional genomics, human iPSC and CRISPR gene editing, transgenic mouse models, human genetics, and a variety of cell and molecular techniques.

The main areas of study in the laboratory include:

  1. Functional genomics and mechanistic studies of candidate genes and genetic variants inspired by human genome-wide association studies of cardiometabolic traits.
  2. Unbiased CRISPR screening to discover novel regulators of macrophage function, in particular, macrophage efferocytosis, and investigate their roles in homeostasis and diseases, including atherosclerosis.
  3. Disease modeling and functional genomic studies in human iPSC-derived macrophages.

Research Interests

  • Atherosclerosis
  • CRISPR Gene Editing
  • Disease Modeling
  • Functional Genomics
  • Genomics
  • Human Genetics
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
  • Macrophage Biology
  • Transgenic Mouse Models

Selected Publications

  1. Wu X *, Wang Z, Croce KR, Li F, Cui J, D’Agati VD, Soni R, Khalid S, Saleheen D, Tabas I, Yamamoto A, Zhang H *, Macrophage WDFY3, a protector against autoimmunity. bioRxiv 2024.08.17.608411. PMID: 39229152.
  2. Wu X *, Wang Z, Shern T, Zhang H *, Efferocytosis assay to quantify the engulfment and acidification of apoptotic cells by macrophages using flow cytometry. STAR Protocols. 2024 Sep 20;5(3):103215.
  3. Wu X, Zhang H *. Omics Approaches Unveiling the Biology of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques. Am J Pathol. 2024 Apr;194(4):482-498.
  4. Li F *, Flynn E, Shi J, Wu X, Wang Z, Xue C, Cheng H, Meng Y, Cui J, Zhu Y, Rozenblyum A, Chun J, Hernandez-Ono A, Razani B, Westerterp M, Bauer RC, Suh Y, Hao K, Lappalainen T, Zhang H *. Decoding the Variant-to-Function Relationship for LIPA, a Risk Locus for CAD. BioRxiv/2022/516293.
  5. Chen ZB *, Aikawa E, Alfaidi M, Ali K, Clift CL, Erbay E, Fredman G, Gomez D, Huang NF, Lu HS, Nguyen PK, Darc Oliveira S, Rodriguez-Miguelez P, SenthilKumar G, Zhang H *. Institutional Support for the Career Advancement of Women Faculty in Science and Academic Medicine: Successes, Challenges, and Future Directions. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2024 Jul 3.
  6. Shi J,# Wu X,# Wang Z, Li F, Meng Y, Moore RM, Cui J, Xue C, Croce KR, Yurdagul Jr A, Doench JG, Li W, Zarbalis KS, Tabas I, Yamamoto A, Zhang H *, A Genome-wide CRISPR Screen Identifies WDFY3 as a Regulator of Macrophage Efferocytosis. Nature Communications. 2022 Dec 24;13(1):7929. PMID: 36566259.
  7. Li F, Zhang H *. Targeting Epsins to reverse atherosclerosis. Circ Res, 2023;132:7–9.
  8. Shi H, Wang X, Li F, Gerlach1 BD, Yurdagul, Jr. A, Moore M, Zeldin S, Zhang H, Cai B, Zheng Z, Valenti L, Tabas I. CD47-SIRPα axis blockade in NASH promotes necroptotic hepatocyte clearance by liver macrophages and decreases hepatic fibrosis. Science Translational Medicine. 2022 Nov 23;14(672):eabp8309. PMID: 36417485.
  9. Bi X, Stankov S, Lee PC, Wang Z, Wu X, Li L, Ko YA, Cheng L, Zhang H, Hand NJ, Rader DJ. ILRUN Promotes Atherosclerosis Through Lipid-Dependent and Lipid-Independent Factors. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2022 Sep;42(9):1139-1151; PMID: 35861973.
  10. Zhang H *, Chen ZB, Fredman G, Gomez D, Grumbach IM, Huang NF, Nguyen PKP, Ouimet M, Sutton NR, Aikawa E. What Makes a Great Mentor: Interviews With Recipients of the ATVB Mentor of Women Award. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2021 Nov;41(11):2641-2647.
  11. Li F, Shi J, Lu HS, Zhang H*. Functional Genomics and CRISPR Applied to Cardiovascular Research and Medicine. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2019 Sep;39(9):e188-e194.
  12. Li F, Zhang H*. Lysosomal Acid Lipase in Lipid Metabolism and Beyond. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2019 Mar 14:ATVBAHA119312136.
  13. Shi J, Xue C, Liu W, Zhang H*. Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Macrophages For Disease Modeling and Functional Genomics. Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology. 2019 Feb;48(1):e74.
  14. Westerterp M, Fotakis P, Ouimet M, Bochem AE, Zhang H, Molusky MM, Wang W, Abramowicz S, la Bastide-van Gemert S, Wang N, Welch CL, Reilly MP, Stroes ES, Moore KJ, Tall AR. Cholesterol Efflux Pathways Suppress Inflammasome Activation, NETosis and Atherogenesis. Circulation. 2018 Aug 28;138(9):898-912.
  15. Zhang H*, Xue C, Wang Y, Shi J, Zhang X, Li W, Nunez S, Foulkes AS, Lin J, Hinkle CC, Yang W, Morrisey EE, Rader DJ, Li M, and Reilly MP*. Deep RNA-sequencing uncovers a repertoire of human macrophage lincRNAs that is modulated by macrophage activation and associates with cardiometabolic diseases. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Nov 13;6(11).
  16. Zhang H*, Shi J, Hachet MA, Xue C, Bauer RC, Jiang H, Li W, Tohyama J, Millar J, Billheimer J, Phillips MC, Razani B, Rader DJ, Reilly MP. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing in Human iPSC-Derived Macrophage Reveals Lysosomal Acid Lipase Function in Human Macrophages. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2017 Nov;37(11):2156-2160.
  17. Nurnberg ST, Zhang H, Hand NJ, Bauer RC, Saleheen D, Reilly MP and Rader DJ. From Loci to Biology: Functional Genomics of Genome-Wide Association for Coronary Disease. Circulation Research. 2016;118:586-606.
  18. Zhang H, Xue C, Shah R, Bermingham K, Hinkle CC, Li W, Rodrigues A, Tabita-Martinez J, Millar JS, Cuchel M, Pashos EE, Liu Y, Yan R, Yang W, Gosai SJ, VanDorn D, Chou ST, Gregory BD, Morrisey EE, Li M, Rader DJ, Reilly MP. Functional analysis and transcriptomic profiling of iPSC-derived macrophages and their application in modeling Mendelian disease. Circulation Research. 2015 Jun 19;117(1):17-28.

For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov