About the PI
Guizhi (Julian) Zhu, PhD
Dr. Zhu is Ara G. Paul Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of Michigan. He received his BS (2008) in Biotechnology from Nankai University, China, and completed Ph.D. (2013) in Medical Sciences at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Zhu was a postdoc at NIBIB/NIH. His research interests lie at the interface of immune-oncology, nucleic acid therapeutics and vaccines, and drug/vaccine delivery.
Training and positions
Ara G. Paul Associate Professor (2023 - present)
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences || Biointerfaces Institue, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Assistant Professor (2018 - 2023)
Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences || Department of Pharmaceutics , School of Pharmacy , Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, VA.
Associate Member, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Massay Cancer Center
Postdoc (2014 - 2018)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), NIH, Bethesda, MD. (Advisor: Dr. Shawn Chen)
Ph.D. (2008 - 2013), Medical Sciences - Physiology & Pharmacology
Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (Advisor: Dr. Weihong Tan)
B.S. (2004 - 2008), Biotechnology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
Awards and Honors
2022 Emerging Leader Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
2022 Mary Ann Liebert publishers Young Investigator Award, Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS)
2022 Excellence in Research Award, VCU School of Pharmacy
2022 Nanoscale Emerging Investigator
2021 VCU Commercialization Fund award
2021 NIH MIRA award
2021 Emerging Faculty Scholar Award, VCU School of Pharmacy
2021 AAPS Best Abstract Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
2020 Member, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
2020 METAvivor Early Career Investigator Award
2020 Invited Speaker, TEDx Youth @ RVA
2018 KL2 Mentored Clinical Research Scholar Award, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
2017 Top 15 Abstract, World Molecular Imaging Congress Meeting
2017 Distinguished Scientist Award, NIH CSSA
2014 Travel Award, Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society
2013 Dr. Alan M. Gewirtz Memorial Scholarship, Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society
2013 Early Career Investigator Fellowship, Nanotechnologies in Cancer, the New York Academy of
Sciences
2008 Grinter Fellowship, College of Medicine, University of Florida
2008 Travel Award, College of Medicine, University of Florida
2005-2007 Outstanding Student Fellowship, Nankai University