Li Zhong, PhD
Professor of Physiology
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Join year: August 2010
Ph.D., Physiology, Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 1999
M.S., Computer Science, Wayne State University College of Engineering, Detroit, MI, 2000
B.S., Biology, Hebei University, Baoding, China, 1985
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, 1999-2001
Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, COMP, Western University of Health Sciences, 2020-present
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, COMP, Western University of Health Sciences, 2010-2020
Assistant Research Professor, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, 2007-2010
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 2003-2007
Senior Research Associate, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, 2001-2003
Physiology of respiratory system (COMP); Physiology of neuroscience system (COMP); Introduction to Biotechnology (GCBS).
Dr. Zhong’s research interests focus on early cancer detection using autoantibody profiles as biomarkers. His team has developed a novel screening technology for early detection of lung cancer using T7 phage display cDNA libraries and differential biopanning to isolate epitopes reacting with antibodies present specifically in the sera of patients with lung cancer. Using five combined biomarkers, they have achieved both sensitivity and specificity of 91.3 percent for stage I non-small cell lung cancer detection and sensitivity of 82.6 percent and specificity of 87.5 percent for detection of occult (one to five years prior to the radiology diagnosis) non-small cell lung cancer. The results were much more sensitive and specific than the traditional biomarkers for lung cancer.
Research Grant
• NSFC, Zhong (PI), “Combined use of novel serologic biomarkers for early detection of non-small cell lung cancer” 2019-2022
• Genetics Biotechnology Inc., Zhong (PI), “Tumor markers for cancer detection and targeted therapy”, 2014-2020
• NSFC, Zhong (PI), “Profile of autoantibody signatures for assessing susceptibility of NSCLC among heave smokers”, 2015-2018
• British American Tobacco, Zhong (PI), “Early detection of smoking-induced lung cancer”, 2014-2016
• NSFC, Zhong (PI),“Prognosis significance of autoantibody markers in resectable NSCLC”, 2013-2013-2016
• NIH/NCI R21, Zhong (PI), “Profiling autoantibodies for early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma”, 2009-2011
• Research subcontract from NCI, Zhong (PI), “Proteomic approaches to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnostics”, 2008-2010
• NIH R01, Zhong (Co-PI), “Autoantibodies as marker of NSCLC”, 2003 –2009
• VA Merit Review, Zhong (Co-PI), “Detection of Tumor Markers in Peripheral Blood of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients”, 2003 –2005
Publications
- Ly, J.; Chu, Q.; Zhong, L. (2021) Novel therapeutic trends in pneumonia: antibiotics and mesenchymal stem cells. Biomedical Research and Clinical Reviews. 4(5); DOI: 10.31579/2692-9406/082.
- Liu, J.; Zhong, L.; Guo, R. (2021) The role of posttranslational modification and mitochondrial quality control in cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume 2021, Article ID 6635836, 15 pages.
- Liang, G.; Sun, J.; Liu, Y.; Liu, D.; Liang, S.; Guo, R.; Zhong, L. (2021) Identification of tumor associated genes using transcriptome analysis. Cancer Research, Volume 81, Issue 13 Supplement, pp. 2312.
- Liu, Y.; Yin, J.; Dawsey, S.M.;, Liu, B.; Freedman, N.D.; Cui, J.; Taylor, P.R.; Yin, L.; Abnet, C.A.; Fan, J*.; Chen, W*.; Zhong, L*.; Qiao, Y. (2022) Relationships between serum iron and liver diseases in nutrition intervention trials: A nested case-control study. Cancer Epidemiology, Volume 78, June 2022, 102157.
- Zhao, M.; Lian, A.; Zhong, L., Guo, R. The Regulatory Mechanism Between Lysosomes and Mitochondria in the Etiology of Cardiovascular Diseases. (2022) Acta Physiologica, published online https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13757
- Liang, S.; Liang, G.; Zhang, Y.; Zhan, X., Zhong, L*. (2022) Profiling biotoxicities of hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid with human embryonic stem cell-based assays. Journal of Environmental Sciences. 116. 34–42.
- Wenjing Zhang, Russell Uyemura, Kun Zhong, Rui Guo, Li Zhong. (2023) Current Advances and Future Perspectives on Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Alzheimer's Disease[J],Aging and Disease ,10.1436
- Congling Zhou, Yixue Yin, Jiarui Wang, Ziqi Ren, Luguang Jiao, Li Zhong, Zaifu Yang. (2023) Corneal wound healing following infrared laser irradiation at the wavelengths of 1.319 and 10.6 μm. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.23749
- Shengxian Liang, Haimei Bo, Yue Zhang, Hongcheng Zhen, Li Zhong.(2023) Alizarin, an Agonist of AHR Receptor, Enhances CYP1A1 Enzyme Activity and Induces Transcriptional Changes in Hepatoma Cells [J],Molecules, 28: 7373.
- Xie, C.; Wang, Z.; Ba, Y.; Aguilar, J.; Kyan, A.; Zhong, L.; Hao, J. (2023) BMP signaling inhibition overcomes chemoresistance of prostate cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2023;13(9):4073-4086.
- Zhang, C.; Li,X.; Zhong,L.;, Liu, B.; Wang, Y.; Yin,J.; Chen,S.; Liu,Y.; Sun,L.; Zhang,X.; Chen, W. (2023) Assessment of the relationships between invasive endocervical adenocarcinoma and human papillomavirus infection and distribution characteristics in China: According to the new WHO classification criteria in 2020. Cancer Epidemiology, Volume 86, 102442.
- Liang,S.; Zhang, Y.; Bo, H.; Duan, W.; Zhong, L. (2023) Insights into the toxicities of UV-328, UV-329, UV-P in HepG2 cells and their roles in AHR-mediated pathway. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Volume 250, 114478.
- Jinlin Liu, Shifang Xu, Bin Gao, Meng Yuan, Li Zhong, Rui Guo. (2024) Protective effect of SERCA2a‑SUMOylation by SUMO‑1 on diabetes‑induced atherosclerosis and aortic vascular injury. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 480:279–293
- Bingqian Zhou, Qin Qin , Yue Fang, Xiaoyu Liu, Mengyu Zhang, Shuo Wang, Li Zhong, Rui Guo. (2024) Exosomes from human bone marrow MSCs alleviate PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-induced myocardial injury in melanoma mice by regulating macrophage polarization and pyroptosis. Life Sciences, Volume 358, 1,123108.
- Zhang, X.; Fang, Y.; Qin, X.; Zhang, Y.; Kang, B.; Zhong, L. Liu, B.; Luo, J.; Wei, Y. (2025) The Role of MCPIP1 in Macrophage Polarization and Cardiac Function Post-Myocardial Infarction. Advanced Science, e2500747.
- Zhang, C.N.; Zhou, H.; Liu, Y.N.; Dai, Y.; Cao, Z.; Wang, Y.K.; Li, X.Y.; Yin,J.; Zhong, L.; Zhang, X.; Sun, L.; Chen,W. (2025) Association of HPV16/18 genotype infection with the Silva pattern classification system in human papilloma virus-associated endocervical adenocarcinomas. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. Volume 170, Issue 2 pp. 893-900.
- Zhang, Y.; Zhao, H.; Feng, Q.; Guo, R.; Zhong, L.; Liang, S.X. (2025) Effects of benzotriazoles UV-328, UV-329, and UV-P on the self-renewal and adipo-osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. Volume 290, 117765.
- Zhao, M.; Zhang R.; Chen X.; Li. P.; Yang, H.;Zhong, L.; Guo, R. (2025) TFEB activator protects against ethanol toxicity-induced cardiac injury by restoring mitophagy and autophagic flux. BBA - Molecular Basis of Disease. Vol:1871: 167668.
More publications of Dr. Li Zhong can be found in the following link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=zhong+L+pomona