Jinwei Zhang

University of Exeter Medical School

Dr. Jinwei Zhang received his BS in Biology from Fujian Normal University China in 2003. He obtained his PhD in Biotechnology from the Newcastle University UK in 2011, as a BBSRC-Croda Dorothy Hodgkin Scholar, where he studied natural bioactive compounds and their applications in human health. Dr. Zhang then pursued his interest in cellular signalling and drug discovery as MRC Career Development Fellow at the Medical Research Council (MRC)- Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitination Unit (PPU) in Dundee, where he studied LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease, and contributed to the discovery of the most potent LRRK2 kinase inhibitors.  Since 2014, he started his independent research project on CUL3/KLHL3-WNKs-SPAK/OSR1-cation chloride cotransporters (CCCs) signalling in cellular chloride homeostasis and cell volume regulation. He joined the Faculty of the University of Exeter Medical School UK in 2017, while also working as a Visiting Professor at Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, Xiamen University, China, and a Visiting Scholar at the Yale School of Medicine, USA, where his KCC2/ NKCC1 investigations gained greater impact by integration with clinical resources and basic science research.  His laboratory studies ion channels, transporters, and signalling pathways that are associated with human diseases, for example, stroke regulated by WNK-SPAK/OSR1-KCC2/NKCC1, hypertension regulated by WNK-SPAK/OSR1-NCC, and concern about elucidating and targeting ion transporters, kinases, protein-protein interactions using genetic mouse models, small molecules, CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technologies, and electrophysiology to aid in the discovery and validation of new potential drug targets. He is an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Pharmacology, and Frontiers in Physiology. He is currently a member of the editorial boards of 15 scientific journals, as well as a reviewer for more than 40 scientific journals.