Zhibin Zhang Laboratory
Zhibin Zhang, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Areas of Research
- Immunology Research
The Zhang Laboratory focuses on programmed necrotic cell death pyroptosis and its roles in cancer immunology. The lab hopes to develop pyroptosis-based immunotherapy to help prevent or eliminate cancer.
Selected Publications
* Co-first authors, # Corresponding authors
Deng W, Bai Y, Deng F, Pan Y, Mei S, Zheng Z, Min R, Wu Z, Li W, Miao R, Zhang Z, Kupper TS, Lieberman J, Liu X. Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B cleaves GSDMA and triggers pyroptosis. Nature. 2022 Feb 2:1-7.
Liu X*#, Xia S*, Zhang Z*, Wu H#, Lieberman J#. Channeling inflammation: gasdermins in physiology and disease. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021 May;20(5):384-405. PMID: 33692549; PMCID: PMC7944254.
Xia S, Zhang Z, Magupalli VG, Pablo JL, Dong Y, Vora SM, Wang L, Fu TM, Jacobson MP, Greka A, Lieberman J, Ruan J, Wu H. Gasdermin D pore structure reveals preferential release of mature interleukin-1. Nature. 2021 May;593(7860):607-611. PMID: 33883744; PMCID: PMC8588876.
Zheng Z, Deng W, Bai Y, Miao R, Mei S, Zhang Z, Pan Y, Wang Y, Min R, Deng F, Wu Z, Li W, Chen P, Ma T, Lou X, Liberman J, Liu X. The lysosomal Rag-Ragulator complex licenses RIPK1–and caspase-8–mediated pyroptosis by Yersinia. Science. 2021 Jun 25;372(6549):eabg0269.
Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Lieberman J. Lighting a Fire: Can We Harness Pyroptosis to Ignite Antitumor Immunity? Cancer Immunol Res. 2021 Jan;9(1):2-7. PMID: 33397791; PMCID: PMC7789047.
Zhang Z, Lieberman J. Lighting a fire on the reef. Sci Immunol. 2020 Dec 4;5(54):eabf0905. PMID: 33277372; PMCID: PMC7900804.
Hu JJ*, Liu X*#, Xia S, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Ruan J, Luo X, Lou X, Bai Y, Wang J, Hollingsworth LR, Magupalli VG, Zhao L, Luo HR, Kim J, Lieberman J#, Wu H#. FDA-approved disulfiram inhibits pyroptosis by blocking gasdermin D pore formation. Nat Immunol. 2020 Jul;21(7):736-745. PMID: 32367036; PMCID: PMC7316630.
Zhang Z*#, Zhang Y*, Xia S, Kong Q, Li S, Liu X, Junqueira C, Meza-Sosa KF, Mok TMY, Ansara J, Sengupta S, Yao Y, Wu H, Lieberman J#. Gasdermin E suppresses tumor growth by activating anti-tumor immunity. Nature. 2020 Mar;579(7799):415-420. PMID: 32188940; PMCID: PMC7123794.
Liu X, Fu R, Pan Y, Meza-Sosa KF, Zhang Z, Lieberman J. PNPT1 Release from Mitochondria during Apoptosis Triggers Decay of Poly(A) RNAs. Cell. 2018 Jun 28;174(1):187-201. PMID: 29779946.
Liu X*, Zhang Z*, Ruan J*, Pan Y, Magupalli VG, Wu H, Lieberman J. Inflammasome-activated gasdermin D causes pyroptosis by forming membrane pores. Nature. 2016 Jul 7;535(7610):153-8. PMID: 27383986; PMCID: PMC5539988.
Open Positions
Postdoc: This candidate will work on the role of pyroptosis in cancer immunology. Candidates with experience in immunology, tumor biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology and related fields are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to candidates with prior experience of mouse tumor models. Please send your CV, research statement, and contact information of three references.
Graduate student: The Zhang Laboratory welcomes graduate students who are interested in rotating.
Contact Us
Zhibin Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Immunology
MD Anderson Cancer Center
7455 Fannin St., Unit 902
Houston, TX 77030
Email: ZZhang16@mdanderson.org
Phone: 713-834-6997
Fax: 713-5633-3357