Zhang Xiaoming | Pharmacogenomics Modeling | Best Researcher Award

Posted on by Computational Biologists

Dr. Zhang Xiaoming | Pharmacogenomics Modeling | Best Researcher Award 

Associate research fellow at National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, China.

Dr. Xiaoming Zhang is an Associate Professor at the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, with a strong background in molecular biology and biopharmaceutical research. He holds a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Peking University and has held research positions at both Peking University and the National University of Singapore. His work focuses on the development of innovative reporter gene assays for evaluating therapeutic protein and peptide bioactivity. With multiple first-author publications in high-impact journals and international research experience, Dr. Zhang is recognized for his contributions to translational research and regulatory science.

🎓 Academic Background:

Dr. Xiaoming Zhang began his scientific journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Hebei University (2003–2007), laying a strong foundation in biological research. Driven by a deep curiosity for life at the molecular level, he pursued his Ph.D. in Life Sciences at the prestigious Peking University (2007–2012), where he delved into advanced molecular biology and genetics. His academic rigor and commitment to scientific excellence during this formative phase established the groundwork for a successful research career.

Profile:

🧪 Professional Experience:

Dr. Zhang’s professional trajectory is marked by steady progress and international exposure. He first worked as a Research Assistant at the School of Chemical Biology & Biotechnology, Peking University (2012–2013), contributing to innovative biochemical studies. In 2013, he joined the Department of Biochemistry at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, where he served as a Research Fellow for nearly six years. Here, he refined his expertise in translational research and therapeutic bioassays. Since March 2019, Dr. Zhang has been serving as an Associate Professor at the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control in Beijing, playing a key role in therapeutic evaluations and regulatory science.

📚 Research Contributions:

Dr. Zhang is renowned for his pioneering work in the development of reporter gene assays to evaluate the biological activities of therapeutic proteins and peptides. His research spans a broad spectrum—from PEGylated recombinant human growth hormone to glucagon-like peptide-2 analogues, addressing critical needs in drug development. Notably, his recent publications in Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Molecules, and iScience highlight his innovative approaches to bioassay design and therapeutic evaluation. His co-authorship and first-author roles in multiple peer-reviewed journals underscore his direct involvement in impactful discoveries.

🏅 Recognition and Impact:

While Dr. Zhang’s scientific publications speak volumes, his true impact lies in the translation of molecular insights into therapeutic assessment tools. His work contributes significantly to drug safety and efficacy testing, ensuring that biologics are accurately evaluated before reaching patients. As an Associate Professor at a national regulatory institute, his role bridges academic innovation and public health policy, making his contributions both scientifically rigorous and socially relevant.

🚀 Future Potential:

Dr. Xiaoming Zhang’s career demonstrates an upward trajectory with great potential for further leadership in biopharmaceutical regulation and translational research. With continued contributions to therapeutic bioactivity assays, regulatory innovation, and interdisciplinary collaborations, Dr. Zhang stands out as a valuable contributor to global health sciences. He is a strong contender for prestigious recognitions such as the Best Researcher Award, and his journey is a testament to dedication, innovation, and scientific excellence.

Publications:

  1. An improved reporter gene assay for evaluating the biological activity of recombinant human growth hormone
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, 2025

    • Authors: Xiaoming Zhang, Heyang Li, Ying Huang, Ping Lv, Lvyin Wang, Kezheng Xu, Yi Li, Xinyue Hu, Yue Sun, Cheng-gang Liang, Jing Li

  2. Development of a Mechanism of Action-Reflective Cell-Based Reporter Gene Assay for Measuring Bioactivities of Therapeutic Glucagon-like Peptide-2 Analogues
    Molecules, 2025

  3. A Reporter Gene Assay for Measuring the Biological Activity of PEGylated Recombinant Human Growth Hormone
    Molecules, 2025

    • Authors: Shaowang Hu*, Xiaoming Zhang*, Yi Li, Jing Li, Yingwu Wang, Chenggang Liang

    • (Co-first author)

  4. MLL5 regulates Rhodopsin gene expression by acting as a novel coactivator of CRX
    iScience, 2022

    • Authors: Zhang XM, Zhang BW, Xiang L, Wu H, Zhou PP, Alexander SAS, Zhou P, Dai MZ, Wang X, Xiong W, Zhang Y, Jin ZB, Deng LW

  5. MLL5 (KMT2E): structure, function, and clinical relevance
    Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 2017

    • Authors: Zhang XM, Novera W, Zhang Y, Deng LW

  6. Pluripotent Stem Cell Protein Sox2 Confers Sensitivity towards LSD1 Inhibition in Cancer Cells
    Cell Reports, 2013

    • Authors: Xiaoming Zhang, Fei Lu, Jing Wang, Feng Yin, Zhengshuang Xu, Dandan Qi, Yuwen Cao, Weihua Liang, Yuqing Liu, Yundong Wu, Hong Sun, Tao Ye, Hui Zhang

Nazanin Zounemat-Kermani | Computational Systems Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Posted on by Computational Biologists

Dr Nazanin Zounemat-Kermani | Computational Systems Medicine | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nazanin Zounemat-Kermani is an accomplished biomedical data scientist whose research stands at the forefront of precision medicine, respiratory disease, and artificial intelligence. Currently serving as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at both the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) and the Data Science Institute (DSI) at Imperial College London, she has earned international recognition for her leadership in multi-omics data integration and machine learning applications in health sciences.

Profile:

🎓 Educational Background:

Dr. Kermani’s academic journey reflects a rare interdisciplinary blend of computer science and biomedical research. She holds a PhD in Biomedicine from Imperial College London (2020), following dual master’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Amsterdam (2011) and Machine Learning and Robotics from the University of Tehran (2004). Her academic roots trace back to a Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (2002).

💼 Professional Experience:

Since 2020, Dr. Kermani has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Imperial College London, after several years as a Research Assistant and PhD candidate in Zoltan Takats’ Lab. Her academic trajectory within one of the world’s top institutions reflects both her scientific rigor and leadership capabilities.

🎓🤝 Academic Mentorship:

Dr. Nazanin Zounemat-Kermani is widely respected not only for her scientific contributions but also for her unwavering commitment to mentorship and academic leadership. Throughout her career, she has actively nurtured the growth of early-career scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. As a senior member of interdisciplinary consortia such as AI-RESPIRE, PRISM, and U-BIOPRED, she has led cross-functional teams spanning clinical science, data engineering, and machine learning—mentoring junior colleagues in both technical development and scientific publishing. Her leadership style is inclusive and empowering, emphasizing hands-on guidance in areas such as statistical modeling, research communication, and responsible data science.

🏆 Awards and Honors:

Dr. Kermani has received numerous accolades, including the MSACL Young Investigator Award (2016), Scholar Awards from the American Thoracic Society (2022, 2023), and multiple research grants from prestigious bodies such as the UKRI, MRC, and EPSRC. She has also been invited to present her research by eminent scholars at institutions like Oxford University and Amsterdam UMC.

🌍 Global Projects and Leadership

Dr. Kermani has led and contributed to numerous high-impact international projects, including:

  • RASP-UK: She developed a robust data management platform supporting clinical and omics data integration for asthma research.

  • PIONEER: Co-led machine learning initiatives in prostate cancer, resulting in a key senior-author publication.

  • U-BIOPRED: Coordinated Europe’s largest severe asthma cohort study, publishing over 20 peer-reviewed articles and acting as corresponding author on influential multi-omics studies.

  • UK-Korea PRISM: Leads cross-national efforts in asthma pathophysiology using advanced analytics and single-cell data.

  • AI-RESPIRE: Heads AI model development for environmental and physiological time-series data, mentoring early-career researchers.

  • DeVENT and PROmics: Oversees analysis in critical care and deep learning integration in patient-reported outcomes.

📚 Publications:

  1. CC16 Confers Protection Against Influenza A Virus Infection in Human Airway Epithelium
    H. Kimura, N.Z. Kermani, N. Kimura, M.M. Siddiq, D. Francisco, I.M. Adcock, et al.
    American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 211 (Abstracts), 2025.

  2. Distinct Single-Cell Transcriptional Profile in CD4⁺ T-Lymphocytes Among Obese Children With Asthma
    V. Tejwani, R. Wang, A. Villabona-Rueda, K. Suresh, T.D. Wu, I.M. Adcock, et al.
    American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Vol. 328(3), 2025.

  3. Female Sex Hormones and the Oral Contraceptive Pill Modulate Asthma Severity Through GLUT-1
    A.C. Brown, O.R. Carroll, J.R. Mayall, N. Zounemat-Kermani, S.L.E. Vinzenz, et al.
    Mucosal Immunology, 2025.

  4. Neutrophilic Inflammation in Sputum or Blood Does Not Define a Clinically Distinct Asthma Phenotype in ATLANTIS
    P.J.M. Kuks, T.M. Kole, M. Kraft, S. Siddiqui, L.M. Fabbri, K.F. Rabe, A. Papi, et al.
    ERJ Open Research, Vol. 11(1), 2025.

  5. The Role of WNT5a and TGF‐β1 in Airway Remodelling and Severe Asthma
    T. Daud, S. Roberts, N. Zounemat-Kermani, M. Richardson, L.G. Heaney, et al.
    Allergy, 2025.

  6. Clinical Importance of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Severe Asthma: Results from U-BIOPRED
    R. Meys, F.M.E. Franssen, A.J. Van ‘t Hul, P.S. Bakke, M. Caruso, B. Dahlén, et al.
    Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, Vol. 22(1), Article 109, 2024.

  7. Radiomultiomics: Quantitative CT Clusters of Severe Asthma Associated With Multiomics
    N.Z. Kermani, K.F. Chung, G. Macis, G. Santini, F.A.A. Clemeno, A. Versi, K. Sun, et al.
    European Respiratory Journal, Vol. 64(5), 2024.

  8. S12 Association Between Disease Duration and FEV1 in Severe Asthma Phenotypes and Endotypes
    F. Yang, N. Zounemat-Kermani, P. Dixey, I.M. Adcock, C.I. Bloom, K.F. Chung
    Thorax, Vol. 79(Suppl 2), A15–A16, 2024.

  9. S120 Post-Hoc Analysis of Transcriptomic and Clinical Predictors of Remission in the ATLANTIS Cohort
    A.A. Kumar, T.M. Kole, M.C. Nawijn, K.F. Rabe, A. Papi, C. Brightling, D. Singh, et al.
    Thorax, Vol. 79(Suppl 2), A83–A84, 2024.

  10. Discovery and Validation of a Volatile Signature of Eosinophilic Airway Inflammation in Asthma
    R. Peltrini, R.L. Cordell, M. Wilde, S. Abuhelal, E. Quek, N. Zounemat-Kermani, et al.
    American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 210(9), pp. 1101–1112, 2024.

  11. Cardiovascular Events in CML Patients Treated With Nilotinib: Validation of the HFA-ICOS Baseline Risk Score
    M. Andres, F. Fernando, S. Claudiani, N. Kermani, G. Ceccarelli, J. Apperley, et al.
    European Heart Journal, Vol. 45(Suppl 1), ehae666.3169, 2024.

  12. Scientific Business Abstracts
    F. Cooles, G. Vidal-Pedrola, N. Naamane, A. Pratt, B. Barron-Millar, et al.
    QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, Article hcae157, 2024.

  13. A Severe Asthma Phenotype of Excessive Airway Haemophilus influenzae Relative Abundance Associated With Sputum Neutrophilia
    A. Versi, A. Azim, F.X. Ivan, M.I. Abdel-Aziz, S. Bates, J. Riley, M. Uddin, et al.
    Clinical and Translational Medicine, Vol. 14(9), e70007, 2024.

  14. Host-Microbial Interactions Differ With Age of Asthma Onset
    A. Versi, A. Azim, F.X. Ivan, M.I. Abdel-Aziz, S. Bates, J. Riley, et al.
    European Respiratory Journal, 2024.

  15. Cardiovascular Events in CML Patients Treated With Nilotinib: Validation of the HFA-ICOS Baseline Risk Score
    F. Fernando, M.S. Andres, S. Claudiani, N.Z. Kermani, G. Ceccarelli, A.J. Innes, et al.
    Cardio-Oncology, Vol. 10(1), Article 42, 2024.

  16. Endotypes of Severe Neutrophilic and Eosinophilic Asthma From Multi-Omics Integration of U-BIOPRED Sputum Samples
    N.Z. Kermani, C.X. Li, A. Versi, Y. Badi, K. Sun, M.I. Abdel-Aziz, M. Bonatti, et al.
    Clinical and Translational Medicine, Vol. 14(7), e1771, 2024.

  17. IL-33 Induced Gene Expression in Activated Th2 Effector Cells Is Dependent on IL-1RL1 Haplotype and Asthma Status
    A.K.S. Jayalatha, M.E. Ketelaar, L. Hesse, Y.E. Badi, N. Zounemat-Kermani, et al.
    European Respiratory Journal, Vol. 63(6), 2024.

  18. Comparison of Asthma Phenotypes in Severe Asthma Cohorts (SARP, U-BIOPRED, ProAR and COREA) From Four Continents
    S.Y. Park, S. Fowler, D.E. Shaw, I.M. Adcock, A.R. Sousa, R. Djukanovic, et al.
    Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, Vol. 16(4), p. 338, 2024.

  19. Enose-Derived Response Clusters in Severe Asthmatics Treated With Anti-IL5/5R Biologics
    P. Dixey, N. Zounemat-Kermani, K. Raby, P.K. Bhavsar, K.F. Chung
    B16. Novel Insights Into Asthma Pathogenesis, A3013, 2024.

  20. Association of CC16 Expression in the Airways With Signature Expression of Multi-Omics Data
    H. Kimura, N.Z. Kermani, I.M. Adcock, K.F. Chung, M. Kraft
    D91. Bridging the Gap: Translational Studies in ARDS, Pneumonia, and Sepsis, 2024.