Profile photo FZhang

After obtaining my PhD in Biomedical Science at University of Warwick, I joined the research group led by Professor Chris Goldring in the MRC Centre for Drug Safety Sciences at University of Liverpool.  Initially, I was involved in the Stem Cells for Safer Medicines consortium, carrying out phenotypic and toxicological assessment of stem cell derived hepatocytes versus primary human hepatocytes as predictive in vitro models for drug-induced liver injury. Subsequent work was concerned with evaluating the phenotype and function of primary human hepatocytes in the 3D LiverChip system versus conventional 2D culture. Another area of my research interest has been the role of Nrf2 in liver regeneration using a mouse model of partial hepatectomy. This work involves the use of preclinical imaging modalities to monitor liver volume and function.

In June 2016 I joined the UKRMP Safety Hub as a research associate under the supervision of Professor Golding. In collaboration with the Universities of Sheffield, Edinburgh and UCL, my research concerns a key safety issue in regenerative medicine therapy. The safety issue of stem cell therapies will be address by developing a mouse model of tumourigenicity, in which the tumourigenic properties of a specific stem cell genetic abnormality will be tested. The performance of in vivo bioluminescence imaging in detecting tumourigenicity will also be assessed.

Publications

Chris S. Pridgeon, Fang Zhang, James A. Heslop, Charlotte M.L. Nugues, Neil R. Kitteringham, B. Kevin Park, Chris E.P. Goldring. 2016. Application of pluripotent stem cells in drug-induced liver injury safety assessment. In: Yvonne Will, J. Eric McDuffie, Andrew J. Olaharski, Brandon D. Jeffy. Drug Discovery Toxicology: From Target Assessment to Translational Biomarkers. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, pp. 333-45. 

E. P. Goldring, A Norris, N Kitteringham, M. D. Aleo, D Antoine, J Heslop, B. A. Howell, M Ingelman-Sundberg, R Kia, L Kamalian, S Koerber, JC Martinou, A Mercer, J Moggs, D. J. Naisbitt, C Powell, J Sidaway, R Sison-Young, J Snoeys, B Water, P. B. Watkins, R. J. Weaver, A Wolf, F Zhang, B. K. Park. (2015) Mechanism-based markers of drug-induced liver injury to improve the physiological relevance and predictivity of in vitro models. Applied In Vitro Toxicology. 1(3): 175-186.

R Kia, L Kelly, R. L. C. Sison-Young, F Zhang, C. S. Pridgeon, J. A. Heslop, P Metcalfe, N. R. Kitteringham, M Baxter, S Harrison, N. A. Hanley, Z. D. Burke, M. P. Storm, D Tosh, B Küppers-Munther, J Edsbagge, F Bonner, E Harpur,  J Sidaway,  J Bowes, S. W. Fenwick, H Malik, C. E. P. Goldring, B. K. Park. (2014) MicroRNA-122: a novel hepatocyte-enriched in vitro marker of drug-induced cellular toxicity. Toxicological Sciences.

M Baxter, S Withey, S Harrison, CP Segeritz, F Zhang, R Atkinson-Dell, C Rowe, D. T. Gerrard, R Sison-Young, R Jenkins, J Henry, A. A. Berry, L Mohamet, M Best, S. W. Fenwick, H Malik, N. R. Kitteringham, C. E. Goldring, K. P. Hanley, L Vallier, N. A. Hanley. (2014) Phenotypic and functional analyses show stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells better mimic fetal rather than adult hepatocytes. Journal of Hepatology.

Funded by

BBSRC
epsrc
MRC