Zongmin Zhao
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Full Member, University of Illinois Cancer Center
Contact
Address:
IL, 60612, United States
Office Phone:
Email:
Related Sites:
About
Overview:
Zhao Lab website:
https://www.zongminzhao.com/
Research Interests:
Drug delivery, biomaterials, cellular engineering, immunomodulation.
Teaching and Supervision
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PDAT 4: Immunology/Respiratory (PHAR 504), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PDAT 4: Immunology/Respiratory (PHAR 504), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PDAT 4: Immunology/Respiratory (PHAR 504), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PDAT 4: Immunology/Respiratory (PHAR 504), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PDAT 4: Immunology/Respiratory (PHAR 504), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 6/16/2025 – 8/8/2025
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 1/13/2025 – 5/2/2025
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
Selected Grants
Regenerative function of myeloid derived suppressor cells in the damaged bone marrow endothelial niche, National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)., 8/15/2025 - 5/31/2029, Obligated Amount: $461132; Anticipated Amount: $1844528
Regeneration of the bone marrow hematopoietic niche by Jagged1-expressing myeloid derived suppressor cells, US Department of Defense., 12/1/2024 - 11/30/2026, Obligated Amount: $284658; Anticipated Amount: $284658
Nanoparticle-coated macrophages for targeted disruption of YAP/TEAD interactions in breast cancer brain metastasis, National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute)., 6/1/2024 - 5/31/2026, Obligated Amount: $411143; Anticipated Amount: $411143
Nanoparticle-boosted dendritic cell therapy for treating high-grade serous ovarian cancer, Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer Louisa M McGregor Ovarian Cancer Foundation (TEAL)., 12/1/2023 - 11/30/2024, Obligated Amount: $10000; Anticipated Amount: $10000
Combinatorial cytokine-coated macrophages for targeted immunomodulation in acute lung injury, National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)., 8/1/2023 - 7/31/2026, Obligated Amount: $425757; Anticipated Amount: $425757
Multiscale approaches to engineering living cells for nanotherapeutic delivery, National Institutes of Health (National Institute of General Medical Sciences)., 7/1/2023 - 4/30/2028, Obligated Amount: $1180113; Anticipated Amount: $1966855
Engineered macrophages for regulating inflammations in ARDS, Vahteich Award., 4/2023 - 3/2024, Obligated Amount: $50000; No Anticipated Amount Set
Selected Publications
He, Shan, Zhao, Zongmin. (2024). Genetically engineered cell-derived nanovesicles for cancer immunotherapy. Nanoscale, 16, (17), 8317-8334. doi:10.1039/d3nr06565k.
Phan, Philana, Mitragotri, Samir, Zhao, Zongmin. (2023). Digital therapeutics in the clinic. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 8, (4), e10536. doi:10.1002/btm2.10536.
Li, Bingbing, Teng, Chao, Yu, Huiling, Jiang, Xiaohong, Xing, Xuyang, Jiang, Qi, Lin, Chenshi, Zhao, Zongmin, Zhang, Ruifeng, He, Wei. (2023). Alleviating experimental pulmonary hypertension via co-delivering FoxO1 stimulus and apoptosis activator to hyperproliferating pulmonary arteries. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 13, (6), 2369-2382. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2022.12.002.
Liao, Xue, Gong, Guidong, Dai, Mengyuan, Xiang, Zhenyu, Pan, Jiezhou, He, Xianglian, Shang, Jiaojiao, Blocki, Anna Maria, Zhao, Zongmin, Shields, C Wyatt, Guo, Junling. (2023). Systemic Tumor Suppression via Macrophage‐Driven Automated Homing of Metal‐Phenolic‐Gated Nanosponges for Metastatic Melanoma. Advanced Science, 10, (18), 2207488. doi:10.1002/advs.202207488.
Chao, Chih-Jia, Zhang, Endong, Zhao, Zongmin. (2023). Engineering cells for precision drug delivery: New advances, clinical translation, and emerging strategies. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 197, 114840. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2023.114840.
Zhang, Endong, Phan, Philana, Zhao, Zongmin. (2023). Cellular nanovesicles for therapeutic immunomodulation: A perspective on engineering strategies and new advances. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 13, (5), 1789-1827. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2022.08.020.
Gao, Yongsheng, Ikeda‐Imafuku, Mayumi, Zhao, Zongmin, Joshi, Maithili, Mitragotri, Samir. (2023). A polymer‐based systemic hemostat for managing uncontrolled bleeding. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 8, (3), e10516. doi:10.1002/btm2.10516.
Chopade, Puja, Chopade, Neha, Zhao, Zongmin, Mitragotri, Samir, Liao, Rick, Suja, Vineeth Chandran. (2023). Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease therapies in the clinic. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 8, (1), e10367. doi:10.1002/btm2.10367.
Curreri, Alexander, Sankholkar, Disha, Mitragotri, Samir, Zhao, Zongmin. (2023). RNA therapeutics in the clinic. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, 8, (1), e10374. doi:10.1002/btm2.10374.
Professional Leadership
Prologue and Moderator, Cell as carriers of therapies: from factories to hitchhiking, 10/2022 - Present
Controlled Release Society (CRS) Bioengineering Focus Group, 8/2022 - Present
Notable Honors
2022, Emerging Voice in Drug Delivery (Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews), Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
2022, Emerging Leaders in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (Pharmaceutical Research), Pharmaceutical Research
Education
Degrees:
Ph.D., Virginia Tech, United States, 2017
B.S., East China University of Science and Technology, China, 2013
Postgraduate Training:
Postdoc, Harvard University, United States, 2021
Selected Presentations
Zhao, Zongmin. (2022 October 01). Cell-Inspired Strategies for Precision Therapy and Drug Delivery. 2022 AAPS PharmSci360. Boston.