Dr. Lan Zhou earned her MD from Shanghai Medical University in 1991. Dr. Zhou then received her PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from State University of New York at Buffalo, NY. While a graduate student, she studied gap junction protein regulation by Src oncogene. She then joined the lab of Dr. John Lowe for postdoctoral training in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, where she worked on Notch fucosylation modification in hematopoiesis. She completed her Clinical Pathology Residency training followed by Transfusion Medicine Fellowship training at University of Michigan Hospitals. In 2005, Dr. Zhou joined Case Western Research University School of Medicine in the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor. She became the Director of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in 2007. She is currently an Associate Professor with tenure. Dr. Zhou is board certified in American Board of Clinical Pathology/Transfusion Medicine and American Board of Molecular Genetic Pathology.
My labs studies Notch signaling in stress hematopoiesis, hematopoietic stem cell niche, and leukemia microenvironment. Additional projects include pathogenesis of inflammation-associated colorectal cancer mouse models and targeting pancreatic cancer metabolic vulnerability and drug resistance.
Research Information
Research Interests
The research in Dr. Zhou’s laboratory focuses on Notch in hematopoiesis and in cancer biology.
Dr. Zhou’s long term research goals include:
- Define the mechanism(s) of which Notch2 regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) quiescence, niche retention and egress
- Develop a Notch- ligand targeting strategy to facilitate HSC mobilization and to improve HSC activity in hematopoietic cell therapy
- Define the significance of fucosylglycans in the pathogenesis of colitis
- Define the role of Hes1 in colon epithelial homeostasis, immunity, and carcinogenesis
- Explore the function of aberrant Notch signaling in leukemia micro-environment;
- Develop a deeper understanding of pathophysiology of pancreatic cancer biomarkers (including PrP, Notch, and CRABP-II) in pancreatic cancer metabolism, metastasis and chemo-resistance.
Her research employs a combination of tools including genetically modified animal models, glycomics, state-of-the-art intravital microscopy, scRNA-seq, pre-clinical models of mobilization and transplantation, and digital RNA counting and spatial profiling of human cancer tissues. Dr. Zhou’s clinical research focuses on the application of cutting-edge molecular diagnostic tools in infectious diseases and transfusion medicine.
External Appointments
Publications
- Zhou L, Kasperak EM, Nicholson BJ. (1999) . Journal Cell Biology. 144 (5): 1033-1045.
- Zhou L, Giacherio D, Cooling L, Davenport RD. . Transfusion. 2005 Jul;45(7):1056-63.
- Zhou L, Wei LL, Yan Q, Petryniak B, Man Y, Su C, Shim J, Chervin S, Lowe JB. . Blood. 2008 Jul 15;112(2):308-19. * Comment in Blood. 2008 Jul 15;112(2):214-5: “Unsweetened Notch leads to myeloproliferation”.
- Yan Q, Yao D, Wei L, Huang Y, Zhang L, Xin W, Shin J, Man Y, Gerson S, Lowe J, Zhou L. . American Journal of Pathology. 2010 June 176 (6): 2921-2934.
- Myers J, Huang Y, Wei L, Yan Q, Huang A, Zhou L. . Transfusion. 2010 Dec 50(12):2660-9.
- Yao D, Huang Y, Huang X, Wang W, Yan Q, Wei L, Xin W, Myers J, Lowe J, Gerson S, Staley P, Zhou L. . Blood. 2011 May 26;117(21):5652-62.
- Xiao W, Hong H, Awadallah A, Zhou L, Xin W. . 2014 PLoS ONE 9(1): e86853. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086853
- Xiao W, Hong H, Awadallah A, Yu S, Zhou L, Xin W. . 2014 Human PathologyJune 45(6):1177-83
- Yu V.WC, Saez B, Lotinu S, Cook C, Rusuf RZ, Ferraro F, Lymper S, Wang Y, Pardo-Saganta A, Raaijmakers MGP, Wu JY, Zhou L, Rajagopal J, Kronenberg HM, Baron R, Scadden DT. J Exp Med. 2015 May 4;212(5):759-74.
- Wang W, Yu S, Myers J, Wang Y, Huang X, Zimmerman G, Huang D, Shim J, Yu V, Huang Y, Xin W, Qiao P, Yan M, Scadden D, Lowe J, Xin W, Huang A, Stanley P, Siebel C, Zhou L. . Stem Cells. 2015 Jul;33(7):2280-93
- Conde P, Rodriguez M, van der Touw W, Burns M, Miller J, Brahmachary M, Chen H, Boros P, Rausell-Palamos F, Yun TJ, Riquelme P, Rastrojo A, Aguado B, Stein-Streilein J, Tanaka M, Zhou L, Zhang J, Lowary T, Ginhoux F, Park, CG, Cheolho C, Brody J, Turley S, Lira S, Bronte V, Gordon S, Heeger P, Merad M, Hutchinson J, Chen S, Ochando J. . Immunity. 2015 Jun 16;42(6):1143-58.
- Cui M, Awadallah A, Liu W, Zhou L, Xin W. L. American Journal of Surgical Pathology 2016;40:113-9.
- Wang W, Zimmerman G, Huang X, Yu S, Myers J, Wang Y, Moreton S, Nthale J, Awadallah A, Beck R, Xin W, Wald D, Huang AY, Zhou L. . Cancer Research 2016 Mar 15;76(6):1641-52.
- Wang Y, Huang D, Cui M, Chen K, Wang W, Huang X, Amadellah A, Li Q, Friedman A, Di Martino L, Cominelli F, Miron A, Chan R, Shen X, Fox J, Yan X,Kalady M, Markowitz S, Maillard I, Lowe J, Xin W, Zhou L. . Gastroenterology (in revision). 2016
- Wang W, Yu S, Myers J, Wang Y, Xin WW, Albakri M, Xin A, Li M, Huang AY, Xin W, Siebel CW, Lazarus HM, Zhou L. . Hematologica. 2017; Oct;102(10):1785-1795.
- Kong G, You X, Wen Z, Chang YI, Loh M, Hofmann I, Yang D, Zhong X, Padron E, Zhou L, Pear WS, Zhang J. . Leukemia 2019 Mar;33(3):671-685