Dr. Zhang began her career as an ophthalmologist at Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Eye Center. While treating patients, she became increasingly interested in the genetic causes of eye diseases. As a result, she pursued her PhD studies in eye genetics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. After earning her degree, she continued postdoctoral training at Purdue University, the University of Cincinnati, and Johns Hopkins University. In 2022, she started her own research program at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins as an assistant professor. Her lab uses zebrafish models to investigate the molecular mechanisms of inherited retinal degeneration and screen small molecules for potential treatments. In 2025, she joined the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh to further her research on retinal degeneration, regeneration, and new therapeutic strategies.
- Johns Hopkins University, University of Cincinnati, and Purdue University, Postdoctoral Scholar
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, PhD
- Peking University Health Science Center, Bachelor of Medicine
Education & Training
Zhang L, Xiao H, Marshall R, Shi X, Cha A, Liu E, Saxena M. Neuroprotectant screening in a novel zebrafish model of retinitis pigmentosa with pde6gb mutation. The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2024 Annual Meeting. 2024 May; Seattle, WA, USA.
Zhang L. Novel Zebrafish Models of Retinal Degenerative Disease – Large-Scale Drug Discovery and Mechanistic Studies. University of Pittsburgh, Department of Ophthalmology Seminar. 2024 March; Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Zhang L. Large-scale Phenotypic Drug Screen in Zebrafish Models of Retinitis Pigmentosa. The Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) Seminar. 2023 November; Baltimore, MD, USA.
Zhang L, Shi X, Cha A, Liu E, Xiao H, Marshall R, Saxena M, Mumm J. Identification of Neuroprotectants Promoting Rod Photoreceptor Survival in Novel Zebrafish Models of Retinitis Pigmentosa - pde6b Mutants. The XXth International Symposium of Retinal Degeneration - RD 2023. 2023 October; Torremolinos, Spain.
Zhang L. Neuroprotectant Screen in New Zebrafish Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa - pde6b Mutant. Zebrafish Disease Model Society Annual Meeting - ZDM16. 2023 October; Durham, NC, USA.
The goal of Dr. Zhang’s research is to understand the pathological process underlying retinal degenerative disorders and develop innovative therapies for patients. Zebrafish is a well-established vertebrate model system, demonstrating distinctive advantages for retinal research and large-scale screening. The Zhang lab is interested in using zebrafish to model a variety of retinal degeneration, identifying signaling pathways regulating retinal cell degeneration and regeneration, as well as discovering therapeutic agents with the potential for clinical translation to preserve or restore vision in patients.
National Eye Institute (NIH)
Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Pediatric Ophthalmology Research Grants