Zhibin Zhang, Ph.D.
Department of Immunology, Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2014 | National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, CN, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ph.D |
| 2008 | Wuhan University, Wuhan, CN, Life Science and Biotechnology, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2015-2019 | Research Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital / Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2014-2014 | Research Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Instructor, Boston Children's Hospital / Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2019 - 2021
Editorial Activities
Associate Editor, Journal of Innate Immunity, 2023 - Present
Guest Editor, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2023
Honors & Awards
| 2022 - 2023 | Elsa U. Pardee Foundation Research Grant Award |
| 2022 | UT System Rising STARs Award |
| 2021 | Irving Scholar, Arthur and Sandra Irving Cancer Immunology Symposium |
| 2020 | Harvard Chinese Life Science Distinguished Research Award |
| 2019 | Best Poster Award, 2019 Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine (PCMM) Retreat |
| 2018 - 2020 | Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Research Fellowship |
| 2012 | National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing (NIBS), Outstanding Graduate Student Award |
| 2011 | National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing Normal University Joint Ph.D. Program, Outstanding Graduate Student Award |
| 2006 - 2007 | Wuhan University Scholarship |
| 2004 | Wuhan University Freshmen Scholarship |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Regional Presentations
- 2024. 2024 Pyroptosis in Cancer Immunology. Conference. 9th International Conference on Cancer Research & Drug Development. Boston, Massachusetts, US.
- 2023. Alternative splicing of GSDMB modulates killer lymphocyte-triggered pyroptosis. Conference. Alternative splicing of GSDMB modulates killer lymphocyte-triggered pyroptosis, US.
- 2022. Pyroptosis: a new avenue for cancer cell elimination. Conference. Pyroptosis: a new avenue for cancer cell elimination, US.
- 2022. Pyroptosis in anti-tumor immunity. Conference. Pyroptosis in anti-tumor immunity, US.
National Presentations
- 2023. Cancer-associated pyroptosis: a new license to kill tumors. Conference. Cancer-associated pyroptosis: a new license to kill tumors, US.
Formal Peers
- 2025. Pyroptosis and Antitumor Immunity Work-in-Progress Seminar. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Pyroptosis in cancer immunology. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Pyroptosis in cancer immunology. Invited. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Pyroptosis: a new license to kill tumor. Invited, US.
- 2022. Pyroptosis: a new way to activate anti-tumor immunity. Invited. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2020. Exploring the implications of pyroptosis in human disease by studying Gasdermin proteins. Invited, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2026 - 2029 |
| Title: | Engineering Cytotoxic Lymphocytes to Reprogram Cell Death and Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RP270484 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2030 |
| Title: | Engineering Cytotoxic Granules for Cell Death Reprogramming and Protein Delivery |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00028695 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2030 |
| Title: | Engineering Killer Lymphocytes to Induce Pyroptosis and Promote Antitumor Immunity |
| Funding Source: | The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00027682 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Dissecting a New Pyroptotic Mechanism Driven by Gasdermin-A Activation |
| Funding Source: | NIAID |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 R01 AI192472 - 01A1 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2028 |
| Title: | The Role of DFNB59 in GSDME-Mediated Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 R21 CA 316626 - 01 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Deciphering and Reprogramming Gasdermin-mediated Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00028187 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Engineering Killer Lymphocytes to Induce Pyroptosis and Promote Anti-Tumor Immunity |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 DP2 OD040749 - 01 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2031 |
| Title: | Modulating GSDMB Splicing to Trigger Antitumor Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R01CA311267-01 |
| Date: | 2026 - 2026 |
| Title: | Dissecting a Novel Form of Pyroptosis Mediated by GSDMA |
| Funding Source: | Elsa U Pardee Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00027804 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Harnessing Killer Lymphocyte Cytotoxic Granules for Protein Delivery and Therapeutic Interventions |
| Funding Source: | OD |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1DP2OD038509-01 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Dissecting a New Pyroptotic Mechanism Driven by Gasdermin A Activation |
| Funding Source: | NIAID |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R01AI192472-01 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Exploring Novel Mechanisms Underlying Pyroptosis Regulation |
| Funding Source: | NIGMS |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1R35GM160653-01 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2026 |
| Title: | Investigate Granzyme M-mediated Cell Death |
| Funding Source: | MDACC Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Fellowship Award |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2025 - 2025 |
| Title: | Investigate the Interplay Between Apoptosis, Pyroptosis and Paraptosis During ER Stress |
| Funding Source: | Institutional Research Grant (IRG) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Engineering Killer Lymphocytes to Trigger Anti-tumor Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 DPO D0 36607-01 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | Regulatory Mechanisms of Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIGMS |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 1 R35 GM 155321-01 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | A Novel Mechanism Safeguards Anti-tumor Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RP240252 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Pyroptosis in Cancer Immunology |
| Funding Source: | Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | N/A |
| Date: | 2023 - 2028 |
| Title: | Alternative Splicing Modulates Cancer-Associated Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00018025 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2027 |
| Title: | Exploring the Novel Mechanisms Underlying the Activation of Killer Lymphocyte-Triggered Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00017940 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Exploring the Negative Regulation of Cancer-Associated Pyroptosis by a Gasdermin Protein |
| Funding Source: | The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00017897 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | The NCI Transition Career Development Award |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | K22 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2025 |
| Title: | UT System Rising STARs Award |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas System |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 124356 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2026 |
| Title: | Start-Up Funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Funds: 124094, 124095, 124096 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Xu L, Peng F, Luo Q, Ding Y, Yuan F, Zheng L, He W, Zhang SS, Fu X, Liu J, Mutlu AS, Wang S, Nehring RB, Li X, Tang Q, Li C, Lv X, Dobrolecki LE, Zhang W, Han D, Zhao N, Jaehnig E, Wang J, Wu W, Graham DA, Li Y, Chen R, Peng W, Chen Y, Catic A, Zhang Z, Zhang B, Mustoe AM, Koong AC, Miles G, Lewis MT, Wang MC, Rosenberg SM, O'Malley BW, Westbrook TF, Xu H, Zhang XH, Osborne CK, Li JB, Ellis MJ, Rimawi MF, Rosen JM, Chen X. IRE1alpha silences dsRNA to prevent taxane-induced pyroptosis in triple-negative breast cancer. Cell 187(25):7248-7266.e34, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39419025.
- Zhang Y, Naderi Yeganeh P, Zhang H, Wang SY, Li Z, Gu B, Lee DJ, Zhang Z, Ploumakis A, Shi M, Wu H, Greer EL, Hide W, Lieberman J. Tumor editing suppresses innate and adaptive antitumor immunity and is reversed by inhibiting DNA methylation. Nat Immunol 25(10):1858-1870, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39169233.
- Miao R, Jiang C, Chang WY, Zhang H, An J, Ho F, Chen P, Zhang H, Junqueira C, Amgalan D, Liang FG, Zhang J, Evavold CL, Hafner-Bratkovic I, Zhang Z, Fontana P, Xia S, Waldeck-Weiermair M, Pan Y, Michel T, Bar-Peled L, Wu H, Kagan JC, Kitsis RN, Zhang P, Liu X, Lieberman J. Gasdermin D permeabilization of mitochondrial inner and outer membranes accelerates and enhances pyroptosis. Immunity 56(11):2523-2541.e8, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37924812.
- Kong Q, Xia S, Pan X, Ye K, Li Z, Li H, Tang X, Sahni N, Yi SS, Liu X, Wu H, Elowitz MB, Lieberman J, Zhang Z. Alternative splicing of GSDMB modulates killer lymphocyte-triggered pyroptosis. Sci Immunol 8(82):eadg3196, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37115914.
- Meza-Sosa KF, Miao R, Navarro F, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Hu JJ, Hartford CCR, Li XL, Pedraza-Alva G, Pérez-Martínez L, Lal A, Wu H, Lieberman J. SPARCLE, a p53-induced lncRNA, controls apoptosis after genotoxic stress by promoting PARP-1 cleavage. Mol Cell 82(4):785-802.e10, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35104452.
- Deng W, Bai Y, Deng F, Pan Y, Mei S, Zheng Z, Min R, Wu Z, Li W, Miao R, Zhang Z, Kupper TS, Lieberman J, Liu X. Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B cleaves GSDMA and triggers pyroptosis. Nature 602(7897):496-502, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35110732.
- Zheng Z, Deng W, Bai Y, Miao R, Mei S, Zhang Z, Pan Y, Wang Y, Min R, Deng F, Wu Z, Li W, Chen P, Ma T, Lou X, Lieberman J, Liu X. The Lysosomal Rag-Ragulator Complex Licenses RIPK1 and Caspase-8-mediated Pyroptosis by Yersinia. Science 372(6549), 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 35058659.
- Xia S, Zhang Z, Magupalli VG, Pablo JL, Dong Y, Vora SM, Wang L, Fu TM, Jacobson MP, Greka A, Lieberman J, Ruan J, Wu H. Gasdermin D pore structure reveals preferential release of mature interleukin-1. Nature 593(7860):607-611, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33883744.
- Liu Y, Zhong X, Zhang Z, Lan J, Huang X, Tian H, Li X, Zhang Y. Receptor-like kinases MDS1 and MDS2 promote SUMM2-mediated immunity. J Integr Plant Biol 63(2):277-282, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32497412.
- Hu JJ, Liu X, Xia S, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Ruan J, Luo X, Lou X, Bai Y, Wang J, Hollingsworth LR, Magupalli VG, Zhao L, Luo HR, Kim J, Lieberman J, Wu H. FDA-approved disulfiram inhibits pyroptosis by blocking gasdermin D pore formation. Nat Immunol 21(7):736-745, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32367036.
- Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Xia S, Kong Q, Li S, Liu X, Junqueira C, Meza-Sosa KF, Mok TMY, Ansara J, Sengupta S, Yao Y, Wu H, Lieberman J. Gasdermin E suppresses tumour growth by activating anti-tumour immunity. Nature 579(7799):415-420, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32188940.
- Liu X, Fu R, Pan Y, Meza-Sosa KF, Zhang Z, Lieberman J. PNPT1 Release from Mitochondria during Apoptosis Triggers Decay of Poly(A) RNAs. Cell 174(1):187-201.e12, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29779946.
- Li X, Zhang Z, Li L, Gong W, Lazenby AJ, Swanson BJ, Herring LE, Asara JM, Singer JD, Wen H. Myeloid-derived cullin 3 promotes STAT3 phosphorylation by inhibiting OGT expression and protects against intestinal inflammation. J Exp Med 214(4):1093-1109, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28280036.
- Zhang Z, Liu Y, Huang H, Gao M, Wu D, Kong Q, Zhang Y. The NLR protein SUMM2 senses the disruption of an immune signaling MAP kinase cascade via CRCK3. EMBO Rep 18(2):292-302, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 27986791.
- Liu X, Zhang Z, Ruan J, Pan Y, Magupalli VG, Wu H, Lieberman J. Inflammasome-activated gasdermin D causes pyroptosis by forming membrane pores. Nature 535(7610):153-8, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27383986.
- Kong Q, Sun T, Qu N, Ma J, Li M, Cheng YT, Zhang Q, Wu D, Zhang Z, Zhang Y. Two Redundant Receptor-Like Cytoplasmic Kinases Function Downstream of Pattern Recognition Receptors to Regulate Activation of SA Biosynthesis. Plant Physiol 171(2):1344-54, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27208222.
- Zhang Z, Liu Y, Ding P, Li Y, Kong Q, Zhang Y. Splicing of receptor-like kinase-encoding SNC4 and CERK1 is regulated by two conserved splicing factors that are required for plant immunity. Mol Plant 7(12):1766-75, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25267732.
- Zhao C, Gillette DD, Li X, Zhang Z, Wen H. Nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) is required for NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasome activation. J Biol Chem 289(24):17020-9, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24798340.
- Kong Q, Qu N, Gao M, Zhang Z, Ding X, Yang F, Li Y, Dong OX, Chen S, Li X, Zhang Y. The MEKK1-MKK1/MKK2-MPK4 kinase cascade negatively regulates immunity mediated by a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 24(5):2225-36, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22643122.
- Zhang Z, Wu Y, Gao M, Zhang J, Kong Q, Liu Y, Ba H, Zhou J, Zhang Y. Disruption of PAMP-induced MAP kinase cascade by a Pseudomonas syringae effector activates plant immunity mediated by the NB-LRR protein SUMM2. Cell Host Microbe 11(3):253-63, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22423965.
- Xu S, Zhang Z, Jing B, Gannon P, Ding J, Xu F, Li X, Zhang Y. Transportin-SR is required for proper splicing of resistance genes and plant immunity. PLoS Genet 7(6):e1002159, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21738492.
- Ge J, Xu H, Li T, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Li S, Liu L, Shao F. A Legionella type IV effector activates the NF-kappaB pathway by phosphorylating the IkappaB family of inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106(33):13725-30, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19666608.
- Gao M, Wang X, Wang D, Xu F, Ding X, Zhang Z, Bi D, Cheng YT, Chen S, Li X, Zhang Y. Regulation of cell death and innate immunity by two receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis. Cell Host Microbe 6(1):34-44, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19616764.
- Gao M, Liu J, Bi D, Zhang Z, Cheng F, Chen S, Zhang Y. MEKK1, MKK1/MKK2 and MPK4 function together in a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade to regulate innate immunity in plants. Cell Res 18(12):1190-8, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18982020.
Invited Articles
- Zhang, Z, Lieberman, J. MALAT1 protects dormant tumor cells from immune elimination. Nature Cancer 5(2):218-220, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38195934.
- Zhang Z, Lieberman J. Lighting a fire on the reef. Sci Immunol 5(54), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33277372.
Review Articles
- Zhang Z, Lieberman J. Pyroptosis: Turning Up the Heat on Cancer. Annu. Rev. Immunol, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41729721.
- Zhang, Z, Zhang, Y, Lieberman, J. Innate immunity in tumour immunoediting and immunosurveillance. EMBO Journal 45(1):7-29, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41315764.
- Kong Q, Zhang Z. Cancer-associated pyroptosis: A new license to kill tumor. Front Immunol 14:1082165, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36742298.
- Liu X, Xia S, Zhang Z, Wu H, Lieberman J. Channelling inflammation: gasdermins in physiology and disease. Nat Rev Drug Discov 20(5):384-405, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33692549.
- Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Lieberman J. Lighting a Fire: Can We Harness Pyroptosis to Ignite Antitumor Immunity?. Cancer Immunol Res 9(1):2-7, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33397791.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 22, 2026