| Self Recommendation (1) Ping Zhou, MD, PhD CONTENTS 1. Brief note about myself 2. Education and training 3. Employment and position 4. Main techniques and talents 5. Major grants and protocols 6. Important titles and memberships 7. Main achievements · Awards · Books · Papers · Presentations · Citation record of my papers 1. Brief note about myself My name is Ping Zhou. I am a MD, PhD, employed as a Research Associate in the Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology at The University of Chicago. It is anticipated that I will be promoted to Instructor as of October 2001. I completed my medical and research training in medicine and transplantation surgery between 1977 and 1991, which lead to my earning of a Medical Doctor Degree (MD), a Masters Degree, and Doctoral Degree (PhD) in transplantation/surgery from Tongji Medical University, one of the most celebrated medical universities in China. Between 1991 and 1996, I worked as an Associate Chief Surgeon, Associate Professor, and Associate Director at the Institute of Organ Transplantation in the same university. I came to America in 1996. While in China, I became highly experienced in transplantation and general surgery both in clinical practice and in experimental research using different animal models. I received ample funding by the National Natural Sciences Foundation and the Foundation of Ministry of Public Health. Extensive achievements and publications in nationally famous professional journals were produced. I was the pioneer in Asia and one of several pioneers in the world on research and clinical trials in multiple abdominal organ or abdominal visceral cluster transplantation. In March 1994, I successfully performed the first case of multiple abdominal organ transplantation (including the liver, pancreas and partial intestines) in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer in Asia, which was widely reported in all major Chinese media as well as in many other Asian countries (Ref ). Because of my accomplishments using this new technology both in animal models and patients, my hospital, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical University, was listed as one of seven transplant centers that performed multiple abdominal transplantations in the world. Because of this productive work and contribution to the field, I had the honor of being nominated member of the Editorial Board of two major nationally prestigious professional journals, as well as to hold honorary editorships in three other professional journals. I also received five prizes for my other achievements, and published 20 papers in top-ranked professional journals in China of which I was the first author. In an effort to expand my training in experimental basic research, I decided to come to the United States of America in 1996. My research has focused on transplant immunology at The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. My research has resulted in twelve papers, six presentations and one award. All presentations were oral, the most prestigious and highest impact way to present at international and national academic conferences. I won the highly prestigious Young Investigator Award conferred by American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) in 1999. All twelve papers (I am the first author in 5 papers) were peer-viewed and published in American nationally and internationally prestigious professional journals. Due to my contributions to the academic field, I was accepted as a member in two international and two American associations in the academic field. 2. Education and Training Education in summary: · 02/1978 - 12/1982: Bachelor's Degree in Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, Hubei, P.R. of China. · 09/1985 - 06/1988: Master's Degree in Medicine, Tongji Medical University. · 09/1988 - 06/1991: Doctoral Degree (PhD) in Medicine, Tongji Medical University. I finished 5 years of medical education with top score records in Tongji Medical University, Hubei, China in1982. This is one of the most renowned medical universities in China and directly belongs to the Ministry of Public Health of China. Due to the high scores that I had obtained, I was accepted as a resident and permanent employee by the nationally famous Tongji University Hospital after my graduation, which was the most desirable position for a post-doctoral fellow. Furthermore, I was accepted in the most competitive position at the Institute of Organ Transplantation of the university. After completing my residency training in both general surgery and transplantation, I was admitted in the Master's Degree Training Course. In China, to win this opportunity is a very competitive procedure. Only the top applicants out of a national pool are selected, which is less than 10%. Following the selection process, the tutoring professors get to choose the Master's student from the various candidates who applied to study and perform research under his or her guidance. Because I had received the highest scores, I had the immense privilege to be selected by the famous Professor Sui-Sheng Xia. Professor Xia is the most prestigious senior pioneer in surgery and transplantation in China. He is also very well known in Asia and in the world. Under his guidance, I successfully finished a difficult but advanced research project on "Experimental Research and Clinical Trial on Fetal Organ Transplantation". The exciting results from this research filled many knowledge gaps on transplantation of fetal organs. The paper from this research, "Experimental and clinical research on fetal kidney transplantation" won an award, Outstanding Thesis Award, issued by the Chinese Medical Association, Wuhan Branch, in China. I also published two papers in the main professional journal, Chinese Journal of Organ Transplantation, and gave two presentations in national academic conferences based on this research. I received my Master's Degree in surgery in 1998. In the same year, after another competitive screen, I was selected by the same tutor, Professor Xia as his Doctoral Student (PhD student) in transplantation. In China, a PhD student has to earn a Master's Degree before he is qualified to register in a nationwide screen examination. Fewer than 20% of competitors can finally receive a PhD. Of course the percentage is even lower at the top institutions and most desirable programs such as the transplant program at my university hospital. In this program, besides the heavy basic theory courses, students have to design and finish a research protocol independently. In my case, I developed a very difficult and novel research protocol, "Multiple Organ Cluster Transplantation". This type of transplantation is the most difficult one and not much is known in this field. At that time, only the world-famous transplant pioneer, Dr. Thomas Starzle, had performed this type of transplantation in patients in the Pittsburgh Transplant Center. A couple of other American doctors had also attempted these procedures but had been less successful and no one in Asia had ever tried this challenging operation. I was the pioneer of this technique in Asia and one of the pioneers in the world to have explored this new field. In 1991, I successfully completed my research and obtained my Doctoral Degree (PhD). From this research, three papers were published in <<Chinese Journal of Organ Transplantation>> and <<Acta Universitatis Medicinae Tongji>> and six presentations were given at national academic conferences. Two academic awards resulted from this work as 1st Prize in the 4th Annual Natural Scientific Outstanding Academic Paper Award, Hubei Province, for "Research on allogeneic heterotopic abdominal multiple organ transplantation in dogs", in July 1992, and 2nd Prize in the 5th Annual Natural Scientific Outstanding Academic Paper Award, Hubei Province, for "Pathological studies of abdominal organ cluster grafts" in October 1993. This research was just the base for further studies. After received my PhD, I obtained generous funding by national and government science foundations, which led to multiple achievements, including the success of the first human case of multiple abdominal organ cluster transplantation in Asia in 1994, which will be stated in more detail below. In all 14 years of education and training through medical studies (5 years), residency (3 year), Master's Degree studies (3 years), and PhD studies (3years), I was superbly educated and trained in basic and advanced medical knowledge, methods of scientific research and clinical skills. All the knowledge, techniques, skills and experience in transplantation-related research and clinical practice were greatly helpful in my productive career in transplantation, transplant immunology, and surgery in both China and America. 3. Employment and Positions Summary when in China · 12/1982 - 1991: Resident and fellow in General and Transplant Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical University. · 07/1991 - 1994: Assistant Professor, General and Transplant Surgery. Associate Director, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital Tongji Medical University. · 1994 - 09/1996: Associate Professor, Associate Chief Surgeon in General and Transplant Surgery. Associate Director, Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical University Summary when in America · 09/1996 - 04/1997: Research Fellow in Michigan Transplant and Surgical Research Institute, Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan. · 05/1997 - present: Research Associate in the Section of Transplantation, and Section of Rheumatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. All positions I have taken in my career are in the most prestigious institutions both in China and the US. This situation has guaranteed excellent opportunities for me to learn and improve myself continuously. Of course, it also provides good settings for me to use my knowledge and to show my abilities. After my graduation from Tongji Medical University, thanks to my high score in all five years of study, I was accepted as a resident in the famous university hospital, Tongji Hospital. For the next 9 years, I finished residency, Master's Degree, and PhD in the Institute of Organ transplantation of that hospital and university. This institute is the number one institute in the transplant field in China. It belongs to Ministry of Public Health of China, but is associated with Tongji Medical University and Tongji Hospital. This relationship of the institute ensures that it remains a top institute in transplantation in China. The fact that I was selected to serve as its resident, Master's and Doctoral Degree student is a proof of my competitive ability. Furthermore, my accomplishments in this institute underscore the excellency of my work and of the institution in the transplantation field. In June 1991, I obtained my PhD, and was accepted as a permanent employee in the same institute as a result of my excellent work, productive research, and highly experienced clinical skills. After more than one year of work as a Surgeon (clinical title) and Lecturer (teaching and research title) in this institute, I was honorably selected into an accelerated promotion list. In February 1994, I received an early promotion to Associate Professor of Surgery (academic title for teaching and research), and Associate Chief Surgeon (clinical title). I also was assigned a management work as Vice Director of our institute. The Director is the famous Professor Xia mentioned above. I held that position till I came to America in September 1996, when I was in the process of being promoted to Full Professor. I first went to work as an exchange scholar in Michigan Transplant and Surgical Research Institute, Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan. I performed research on "Adhesion molecules in liver ischemia and reperfusion injury using the model of 90-munite total liver ischemia with portal vein to jugular vein bypass in rats" and "Adhesion molecule in preservation and reperfusion injury in an orthotopic rat liver transplant model". Seven months later, I decided to move to the more prestigious research and clinical institution in transplantation, the Section of Transplantation at The University of Chicago. In May 1997, The University of Chicago hired me as a Research Associate to work in the research team of the Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation, in the laboratory of Professor J. Richard Thistlethwaite. I worked there until a recent transfer to the Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology in the same university, as a result of a restructuring of the transplantation research at The University of Chicago. These two laboratories are actually part of the same research group under the university's Committee of Immunology. My research at The University of Chicago is focused on experimental models of transplant immunology. Using the new technologies that I brought to this transplant group, we have completed several scientific projects, published many primary articles, and given multiple oral presentations over these past five years. Our research requires specific transplant models in special strains of mice. The extremely delicate microsurgical techniques that I utilize have been vital to this research. I am at present the only one to possess all of this technology in the university. Some of the most difficult techniques such as second set cervical heart transplantation, can only be performed by a handful people in the world. Given the very nice research environment and facilities in the University of Chicago, these last five years have been the most productive years in my life. One Young Investigator Award, twelve papers and six oral presentations have occurred in this time. Many more accomplishments are expected in the near future. 4. Main Techniques and Talents Summary of my fields of specialization · Transplantation (both clinical and experimental) · General surgery (both clinical and experimental) · Experimental microsurgery · Transplant immunology Summary of my clinical expertise · Expert (in both surgical operations and postoperative care) in transplantation of all abdominal organs · Very experienced surgeon in general surgery Summary of my research techniques · Extremely skillful in every kind of animal models in transplant and general surgery in mice, rats, dogs, and swine. Very experienced in animal anesthesia/intubation, vessel isolation/cannulation, tissue sampling, animal recovery and chronic physiological monitoring · Expert at islets isolation and transplantation · Some in vitro and in vivo studies, such as flow cytometry, mixed lymphocyte reactions, vital-dye cell labeling, graft versus host reaction models, polymerase chain reaction assays · Cell purification and culture · Sample preparation and processing. Histology and immunohistochemistry studies · Proficient computer and application skills Transplantation is my first specialty. In clinical practice, I have performed more than one hundred cases of renal transplantation, several liver transplantations, one multiple abdominal organ transplantation, and other kinds of transplantation with extremely high success rate, and without technical failures. Patients trusted me so much that some were even willing to give up donor opportunities if I did not have time to perform the operation myself. The success of the multiple abdominal visceral cluster transplantation, which needs extremely high level of surgical techniques, is a proof that I possess advanced surgical techniques and talents. In experimental transplantation research, I also gained a high reputation in the transplant field in China. Obtaining the two highest transplant grants in the transplant field in nation, plenty of transplant related academic papers, the Membership in the Editorial Board of <<Journal of Organ Transplantation>>, etc. are the proofs of my recognition in this specialty. My skills in general surgery are just as good as I am a very experienced general surgeon. During my clinical work, most of my time was spent performing general surgery because of the limited donors for transplantation. I can perform almost most operations in the general field of surgery, including the most complicated radical operations for advanced cancers in the thyroid gland, the liver, the pancreas, the stomach, colon, etc. I did not do advanced research in this field, but my clinical experience and techniques gained high reputation for me in the local specialty field. Some of my patients with advanced cancer absolutely requested me as their surgeon. I had too many patients but always did my best to satisfy them. Experimental surgical and microsurgical techniques are my major talents in research. Most of my projects require complicated transplant models in animals. I have performed many types of transplantations in hundreds of dogs and swine. Transplantation in these animals is more difficult than in humans because animals cannot tolerate major transplant operations, such as liver or multiple organ transplantations. But I could always get satisfactory stable models. However the most difficult transplant models are those in rodents, including mice, as vessels in these animals are extremely small and surgery needs to be done under the microscope. My extremely delicate microsurgical techniques enable me to perform the most difficult and delicate transplants in the world in the smallest mice with a very high success rate. Thousands of mice were successfully transplanted in the last five years, some of which received cervical cardiac transplants. The cervical second set heart transplant model can be performed successfully by only a handful of people in very limited research centers in the world. This technique was used in my research on the roles of costimulation and STAT4/STAT6 in transplantation. The related papers published are as follow: · Ping Zhou, Gregory L. Szot, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, J. Richard Thistlethwaite et al. Absence of host B7 expression is sufficient for long-term murine vascularized heart allograft survival. Transplantation 2000; 69(5): 904. [Published erratum correction on authorship appears in Transplantation August 27, 2000, Vol.70(5), 707] · Ping Zhou, Greg L. Szot, Christine Guo, Oliver Kim, Gang He, Jun Wang, Michael J. Grusby, Kenneth A. Newell, J. Richard Thistlethwaite, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Maria-Luisa Alegre. Role of STAT4 and STAT6 signaling in allograft rejection and CTLA-Ig-mediated tolerance. Journal of Immunology 2000; 165(10): 5580-5587. · Ping Zhou, Greg L. Szot, Zhong Guo, Gang He, Jun Wang, Kenneth A. Newell, J. Richard Thistlethwaite, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Maria-Luisa Alegre. Signaling through STAT4 and STAT6 in not required for acute allograft rejection or for the induction of tolerance by CTLA4-Ig treatment in a murine cardiac model. Transplantation 2000; 69(8): S379. · Ping Zhou, Greg L. Szot, Zhong Guo, Oliver Kim, Gang He, Jun Wang, Michael J. Grusby, Kenneth A. Newell, J. Richard Thistlethwaite, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Maria-Luisa Alegre. STAT6 signaling may be necessary for tolerance induction by CTLA-Ig. Transplantation Proceedings, 33:214-216, 2001. · Maria-Luisa Alegre, Francesca Fallarino, Ping Zhou, Ken Frauwirth, Kenneth A. Newell, Thomas Gajewski. Immune regulation through the CD28/CTLA4/B7 pathway. Transplantation Proceedings 33(1 - 2): 209-211, 2001. · Greg L. Szot, Ping Zhou, Jun Wang, Zhong Guo, Kenneth A. Newell, J. Richard Thistlethwaite, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Maria-Luisa Alegre. Role of CD8+ T cells in cardiac allograft rejection in wild type and CD28-deficient mice. Transplantation 2000; 69(8): S413. As a result of my devotion and contribution to the field of experimental microsurgery, I was honorably accepted as member of ISEM (International Society of Experimental Microsurgery). The developments in surgical techniques and transplantation immunology caused the main breakthroughs in transplantation in the fifty years since the first transplantations performed in humans. Nowadays, more and more experienced transplant surgeons become available in most major centers in the world. The surgical technology for transplantation is no longer the main obstacle for better results of transplantation. Instead, the importance of immunology becomes more and more recognized in the transplantation field. Most recent developments are all related to the new findings in transplant immunology. America possesses the most advanced position in this area in the world. This is the main reason I came to America to pursue a highest level of research in transplant immunology. In my five years in America, almost all my projects were in this field. And all eleven papers, six presentations and award produced from my research were related to transplantation immunology. As an award of my contribution to the community, I was accepted as a member of AAI (American Association of Immunologists). 5. Major Grants and Protocols Summary of major grants and protocols when in China · 1985-1988, "Experimental and clinical research on fetal organ transplantation", financed by the State Education Committee of China · 1988-1991, "Experimental research on heterotopic abdominal multivisceral transplantation", financed by the State Education Committee of China · 1992-1994, "Experimental and clinical research on orthotopic multiple abdominal visceral transplantation", funded by the Scientific Research Foundation of Ministry of Public Health of China · 1992-1994, "Multiple organ transplantation and the related immunology", funded by National Natural Sciences Foundation of China · 1993-1996, "Creation of multiple organ preservation solution--TJO solution", funded by institute research funds · 1994-1996, "The mechanism and the immunosuppressive effect of cordycepin in organ transplantation", supported by National 9th Five-Year-Plan Foundation Summary of major grants and protocols when in America · 1998-2000, "Role of co-stimulatory pathway in allogenic transplant immunity", funded by NIH (National Institute of Health) · 2000-2001, "Characterization of the Signaling Properties of Alloreactive T Cells in Models of Rejection and Tolerance to Islet Allografts", funded by the State of Illinois · 2000-2003, "Role of Costimulatory Molecules in Cardiac Allograft Rejection", funded by Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation I have received many research funds and belonged to several research protocols at different levels. Considering the extremely difficult economical situation in China before I came to America, one can imagine how hard it was to get research funding. Only the very top applicants meet the high level requirements. Even so, the funds are usually limited and very tight for this very expensive type of advanced research. However, in China, salaries are not paid by funding resources but by the university or government. In addition, most experimental materials and other costs are much cheaper in China than those are in America. So people can still manage to perform extremely competitive research with limited funds. My first fund is from the State Education Committee of China for the research "Experimental and clinical research on fetal organ transplantation", in1985-1988 for my research in the Master's Degree course. It is a global amount allocated to the Master's Degree students. This amount was not nearly enough for my research and the Institute of Organ Transplantation has to complement it with institutional research funds. This research was successfully performed and resulted in two papers, two awards and two presentations. The second came in 1989-1991, for "Experimental research on heterotopic abdominal multivisceral transplantation", financed by the State Education Committee of China. The total amount was about $10,000. It is a general amount for a PhD student's research. This novel research project led to three papers, six presentations and two awards. Because of the very productive results and the high potential of multiple organ transplantation research, after I graduated from PhD, I successfully competitively obtained two major national and governmental research grants: · 1991-1994, "Experimental and clinical research on orthotopic multiple abdominal visceral transplantation", funded by the Scientific Research Foundation of Ministry of Public Health of China. The amount awarded was $50,000. · 1991-1994, "Multiple organ transplantation and the related immunology", funded by National Natural Sciences foundation of China. The amount awarded was $50,000. They are the highest funding level for individual principle researcher at the time in China. These sums of money were great for research at that time in China. I was the highest funded person in the whole university in that couple of years. As a result of the strong support from those funds, I continued my research and clinical trials on abdominal multiple visceral cluster transplantation. Based on the knowledge and experience obtained from the research in the past five years, I decided that I was ready to perform these procedures in patients. As a result, in March 1994, I successfully performed the first case of abdominal multiple organ transplantation in Asia, which was widely reported in all major Chinese media as well as in many other Asian countries [Ref ]. Because of my accomplishments using this new technology both in animal models and patients, my hospital, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical University, was listed as one of seven transplant centers that performed multiple abdominal transplantation in the world [Ref ]. Out of this serial research on multiple organ transplantation, a total of four awards, five papers and five conference presentations were produced. After that, I was funded by other two means: · 1993-1996, "Creation of multiple organ preservation solution--TJO solution", funded by institutional research funds. · 1994-1996, "The mechanism and the immunosuppressive effect of cordycepin in organ transplantation", as one important part of bigger protocol on CORDYCEPIN, a traditional Chinese medicine, supported by National 9th Five-Year-Plan Foundation. I performed these projects for more than one year, and promising results were obtained. Unfortunately, I could not finish those studies before I decided to go to America to pursue more advanced research opportunities. I left China in September 1996, and left those projects behind awaiting a suitable follower to undertake them. After September 1996, I participated in many research projects in America. Since most research funds or grants can only be applied by and granted to American citizens or permanent residents, I was not Principal Investigator in any grant. However, I have been key personnel and co-researcher in several research protocols. Between 09/1996 and 04/1997, when I was a research fellow in Michigan Transplant and Surgical Research Institute, Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan, I designed and dominated the research on "Adhesion molecules in liver ischemia and reperfusion injury using the model of 90-minute total liver ischemia with cecal (branch of portal vein) to jugular vein bypass in rats" and "Adhesion molecule in preservation and reperfusion injury in an orthotopic rat liver transplant model". The animal model 90-minute total liver ischemia with cecal to jugular vein bypass was the critical part in those projects. I was the only one could get a stable model with more than 95% success rate in the institution. The other model of rat orthotopic liver transplantation was the other key part in the research of adhesion molecules. I was the only one can who could perform this operation in that institution. The research went well, but the opportunities were limited. As I decided to move to a better research institute, The University of Chicago, the research stopped after I left because no other researcher could establish those models in the institution. After 05/1997, as a Research Associate in Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, I performed studies on "Transgene-therapy in liver transplantation using a rat liver transplant model", which was funded by a company research support and department research funds. This protocol lasted only less than a year due to my total involvement in another more important research program funded by NIH. So I didn't have time to finish the protocol and produce any paper from the research above. Then as a key co-researcher, I attended a NIH (National Institute of Health) funded research program on transplant immunology, including the research on costimulatory pathways, the role of STAT4 and STAT6 signaling, the role of CD4/CD8 in cardiac allograft rejection. Since the principle researcher, famous professor in immunology field, Dr Jeferry Bluestone has moved to the University of California in San Francisco, the program has to be moved with him. I don't have original program data with me, but the record in Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation showed that my present funding source at the time was NIH [Ref ]. Yet, stopped on that fund, I still produced one prestigious Young Investigator Award, at least 5-7 papers and 3-4 presentations (Some later papers in the same research field come from the continuous research supported by Roche Organ Transplantation Research Foundation). (To be continued) Click here to Part 2 |