Dr. Zhang obtained her MD from Capital Medical University in Beijing, China, and her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Following postdoctoral training at the University of Texas at Austin, she joined the University of Akron in 2009, where she served as assistant professor and associate professor before becoming a full professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2023. Driven by a strong passion to improve the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, Dr. Zhang combines her expertise in medicine and biomedical engineering to lead research at the intersection of basic science and clinical translation.

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I pursued my undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering, specializing in tissues and biomaterials, and minoring in chemistry at the University of Akron. I joined Zhang’s lab in January 2023. I am passionate about studying the complex physical and biochemical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix. My work focuses on how we can replicate these in vitro with mesenchymal stem cells to enhance their therapeutic effects for the treatment of heart disease and potentially many other diseases.

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I did my BS in Biomedical Engineering from National Institute of Engineering and Technology (NIET) from Nepal. I joined the lab in August 2022, and my works focuses on investigating how extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived hydrogels derived from native cardiac tissue can be engineered to support cell survival, promote functional integration, and enhance regeneration during cardiac cell therapy.

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I am an undergraduate student in biomedical engineering. I learned about different types of BME research labs at the University of Akron during an event that I attended in high school. When I learned about tissue engineering specifically, my goal became to get involved. It was intriguing to me the thought that you could possibly repair different tissues with cells and biologics alone. I am now working on modifying cell environments with the goal of enhancing cellular function efficacy.

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I am a post-baccalaureate student with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, currently completing pre-medical coursework in preparation for medical school admission in the entering class of 2027. I joined Dr. Zhang’s biomedical research lab in September 2024, inspired by my observations of the diverse responsibilities of biomedical researchers at Stanford Medical Center. My current work focuses on monitoring chemical reagent residuals in cardiac tissue decellularization and contributing to data analysis across multiple projects.

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I am a second-year biomedical engineering major with a strong interest in tissue engineering.  Since joining the lab in 2025, I’ve been trained in the protocols currently used in the lab and have enjoyed applying concepts from my coursework to hands-on research.  I am currently working on varying parameters used in our protocol to make porcine cardiac hydrogels, with the goal of optimizing the procedure to reduce the time spent creating these hydrogels. 

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I am a biomedical engineering student, and I joined the lab in Spring 2025. My current work focuses on producing our natural hydrogel for experimental use and developing a hybrid system that combines it with a synthetic hydrogel. The goal is to achieve mechanical tunability while preserving the bioactive advantages of the natural material.

Graduate Alumni

Undergraduate Alumni

• Abby Emery

• Joe Sabetta

• Andrea Zuccaro
  • BME Research Day Undergraduate Research Poster Award in 2023 (1^st Place) 
• Emma Lipkowaki

• Nicole Dembiczak

• Albert Koomson

• Lauren Cummons

• Jalal Jwayyed

• Ibtehaj Abu-Dawwas

• Riham Alcbed

• Victor Collins

• Samantha Ballash
  • UA Trajectory Award in 2015 
• Tyler Grubb

• Sara Salem

• Elyse Petek 

• Casey Crawford

• Bianca Danut

• Megan Lee

• Gabriel Nkemeh

• Todd Weinberg

• Jena Decker

• John Cavicchia

• Henrietta Deny

• Heather Smeltzer