Zhaohui Wang, DVM, MA

Professional Titles

• Assistant Professor

Research Interests

My research focuses on translational transplant immunology, ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), cancer immunotherapy, and the development of immune-targeted therapeutics. My current research encompasses three major areas: (1) investigating the roles of Galectin-3 and Fas in ischemia-associated tissue injury, inflammation, and apoptosis to develop strategies for improving graft preservation and transplantation outcomes; (2) targeting regulatory T cells (Tregs) and profiling the tumor microenvironment (TME) to better understand and overcome tumor-associated immunosuppression; and (3) developing and evaluating targeted therapeutics for cancer treatment. My broader research interests include transplant tolerance, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and immune reconstitution. My expertise spans rodent and large-animal transplantation models, humanized mouse systems, immune profiling, and therapeutic protein development, including immunotoxins, fusion proteins, and nanobody-based biologics. My long-term goal is to integrate mechanistic immunology, preclinical disease models, and therapeutic development to advance clinically relevant strategies for transplantation, immune modulation, and cancer treatment.

Publications

• Ma J, Wang Z, Mintzlaff D, Zhang H, Ramakrishna R, Davila E, Witkowski MT, Lucia MS, Schwartz MS, Pomfret EA, Mathes DW, Wang Z. Bivalent CD47 immunotoxin for targeted therapy of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2025 Jan 30;145(5):508-519. PubMed PMID: 39561285
• Wang Z, Ramakrishna R, Wang Y, Qiu Y, Ma J, Mintzlaff D, Zhang H, Li B, Hammell B, Lucia MS, Pomfret E, Su AA, Washington KM, Mathes DW, Wang Z. Toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity studies of CCR4-IL2 bispecific immunotoxin in rats and minipigs. Eur J Pharmacol. 2024 Apr 5;968:176408. PubMed PMID: 38367684
• Ma J, Wang Z, Mintzlaff D, Zhang H, Ramakrishna R, Davila E, Witkowski MT, Lucia MS, Schwartz MS, Pomfret EA, Mathes DW, Wang Z. Bivalent CD47 Immunotoxin for Targeted Therapy of T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Blood. 2024 Nov 19. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39561285
• Blades CM, Greyson MA, Dumanian ZP, Yu JW, Wang Y, Li B, Wang Z, Washington KM, Huang CA, Navarro-Alvarez N, Mathes DW. Development of a Porcine VCA Model Using an External Iliac Vessel-Based Vertical Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous Flap. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2024 Aug 6. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39106899
• Ng PK, Yoeli D, Huang JL, Luo Y, Wang Y, Li B, Wang Z, Schold J, Jain S, Su AA, Mathes DW, Washington KM, Farkash E, Jani AH, Huang CA. Successful Extension of Vascularized Composite Allograft Perfusion Cold Storage to 24 h in a Rat Hindlimb Transplant Model. Transplant Direct. 2024 Jun;10(6):e1623. PubMed PMID: 38757052
• Navarro-Alvarez, N., Wang, Z., Duran-Struuck, R., Neville, P., Liu, A., Chen, S., ... & Huang, C. A. (2024). P. 547: Tolerogenic properties of CD3 immunotoxin induction therapy and progress toward clinical trials in transplantation. Transplantation, 108(9S).
• Blades, C. M., Navarro-Alvarez, N., Dumanian, Z. P., Slade, J. B., Arrowsmith, P., Wang, Z., ... & Huang, C. A. (2024). P. 546: A porcine vascularized composite allotransplantation model for assessing early prognostic biomarkers of rejection. Transplantation, 108(9S).
• Wang Z., Ng P., Luo Y., Huang J., Wang Y., Dumanian Z., Mathes D., Huang C. Gene Disruption of Galectin-3 Leads to Decreased Muscle Apoptosis during Ischemic Cold Storage in Galectin-3 Knock Out Rat Model AJT, Volume 24, Issue 6, Supplement 1.
• Wang, Z., Navarro-Alvarez, N., Duran-Struuck, R., Neville, P., Liu, A., Chen, S., ... & Huang, C. A. (2024) Tolerogenic properties of CD3 immunotoxin induction therapy and progress toward clinical trials in transplantation. ASTCT+EBMT Basic and Translational Scientific Meeting
• Wang, Z., Ma, J., Zhang, H., Ramakrishna, R., Mintzlaff, D., Mathes, D. W., Pomfret, E. A., Lucia, M. S., Gao, D., Haverkos, B. M., & Wang, Z. (2023). CCR4-IL2 bispecific immunotoxin is more effective than brentuximab for targeted therapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in a mouse CTCL model. FEBS open bio, 13(7), 1309–1319. https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13625
• Yoeli, D., Mack, C. L., Luo, Y., Chaidez, A., De La Rosa, N. L., Wang, Z., Cervantes-Alvarez, E., Huang, C. A., & Navarro-Alvarez, N. (2023). Galectin-3 in biliary atresia and other pediatric cholestatic liver diseases. Hepatology research : the official journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology, 10.1111/hepr.13987. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/hepr.13987
• Investigating galectin-3 as a novel therapeutic target to block inflammation and reduce ischemia reperfusion injury during vascular composite allotransplantation
• A Porcine Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Model for Assessing Early Prognostic Biomarkers of Rejection
• Wang, Z., Yoeli, D., Nakra, N., Huang, J., Li, B., Wang, Y., ... & Huang, C. A. (2022). 422.2: Investigating Galectin-3 as a Novel Therapeutic Target To Block Inflammation and Reduce Ischemia Reperfusion Injury During Vascular Composite Allograft Transplantation. Transplantation, 106(9S), S455.
• Wang, Z., Li, B., Wang, Y., Yoeli, D., Nakra, N., La Rosa, D., ... & Huang, C. A. (2022, June). Circulating Galectin-3 Levels Increase in Syngeneic Rat Recipients of Vascularized Composite Allografts Subjected to Prolonged Ischemia. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (Vol. 22, pp. 632-633). 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY.
• MHSRS-22-07596 - POSTER SESSION 2 - #243 Galectin-3 Blockade Reduces Macrophage Infiltration Associated with Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Hind Limb Transplant Model
• Qiu, Y., Qi, Z., Wang, Z., Cao, Y., Lu, L., Zhang, H. ... Wang, Z. (2023). EGF-IL2 bispecific and bivalent EGF fusion toxin efficacy against syngeneic head and neck cancer mouse models. Oncology Reports, 49, 37. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2022.8474
• Qi Z, Qiu Y, Wang Z, Zhang H, Lu L, Liu Y, Mathes D, Pomfret EA, Gao D, Lu SL, Wang Z. A novel diphtheria toxin-based bivalent human EGF fusion toxin for treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Oncol. 2021 Apr;15(4):1054-1068. PubMed PMID: 33540470
• Wang H, Wang Z, Zhang H, Qi Z, Johnson AC, Mathes D, Pomfret EA, Rubin E, Huang CA, Wang Z. Bispecific human IL2-CCR4 immunotoxin targets human cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Mol Oncol. 2020 May;14(5):991-1000. PubMed PMID: 32107846
• Wang Z, Louras NJ, Lellouch AG, Pratts SG, Zhang H, Wang H, Huang CA, Cetrulo CL Jr, Madsen JC, Sachs DH, Wang Z. Dosing optimization of CCR4 immunotoxin for improved depletion of CCR4(+) Treg in nonhuman primates. Mol Oncol. 2018 Aug;12(8):1374-1382. PubMed PMID: 29873181
• Wang Z, Zheng Q, Zhang H, Bronson RT, Madsen JC, Sachs DH, Huang CA, Wang Z. Ontak-like human IL-2 fusion toxin. J Immunol Methods. 2017 Sep;448:51-58. PubMed PMID: 28551309
• Zheng Q, Wang Z, Zhang H, Huang Q, Madsen JC, Sachs DH, Huang CA, Wang Z. Diphtheria toxin-based anti-human CD19 immunotoxin for targeting human CD19(+) tumors. Mol Oncol. 2017 May;11(5):584-594. PubMed PMID: 28306193
• Wang Z, Pratts SG, Zhang H, Spencer PJ, Yu R, Tonsho M, Shah JA, Tanabe T, Powell HR, Huang CA, Madsen JC, Sachs DH, Wang Z. Treg depletion in non-human primates using a novel diphtheria toxin-based anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin. Mol Oncol. 2016 Apr;10(4):553-65. PubMed PMID: 26643572
• Wang Z, Wei M, Zhang H, Chen H, Germana S, Huang CA, Madsen JC, Sachs DH, Wang Z. Diphtheria-toxin based anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin for targeting human CCR4(+) cells in vivo. Mol Oncol. 2015 Aug;9(7):1458-70. PubMed PMID: 25958791