Associate Investigator
Sjӧgren’s syndrome is a prevalent and systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by immune system attacking self-salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to xerostomia and keratoconjunctivitis sicca as major clinical manifestations. This disease also can cause various systemic complications that greatly decrease the quality of life, and even worse, an increased risk for developing fatal B cell lymphoma. To date, there is no effective intervention available for Sjӧgren’s syndrome.
The research interests in Zhou lab include:
1) Understanding innate immune cell-mediated pathogenesis of Sjögren’s syndrome.
2) Characterizing strategies promoting stem/progenitor cells-based salivary gland restoration.
3) Harnessing T cell plasticity to ameliorate autoimmune inflammation.
Dr. Zhou hopes the research in her lab could identify new molecular and cellular targets for the therapeutics in Sjögren’s syndrome, as well as provide insight into the treatment of salivary gland disorder caused by radiation, medications or aging, and other autoimmune diseases that share similarities in pathogenesis.
Background
Jilin University, China, PhD, 2009, Immunology
