Logo for University of Iowa Health Care This logo represents the University of Iowa Health Care

Quan Jiang Zhang, MD, PhD

Contact Information

Office: 4320 PBDB
Phone: 319-335-9615
Faculty Profile


Brief description of current research:

Dr. Zhang currently focuses on elucidating the mechanisms underlying autophagy in the cardiovascular system and its involvement in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, inlucidng cardiac dysfunction, ischemic heart diseases, and obesity-related vascular dysfunction. In addition, Dr. Zhang is investigating the involvement of autophagy in the regulation of the metabolic remodeling during heart development from embryonic to adult period. The current studies have elucidated mechanisms that are responsible for nutrient deficiency-induced and obesity-related autophagy in the heart and demonstrated that insulin signaling to Akt is a key mediator in the regulation of autophagy in the heart. 

His studies mainly focus on: (1) Mechanisms for cardiovascular autophagy with a main focus on the unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 and 2 (ULk1/2). (2) The involvement of autophagic flux in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases in the context of obesity/diabetes and ischemia and cardiac metabolic remodeling. (3) Mechanisms for the “cross-talk” between insulin signaling and the machinery of autophagy and its involvement in metabolic syndrome. (4) Mechanisms for the involvement of autophagy in cardiovascular diseases related to life style (physical inactivity, and excessive diet) and environmental stresses.

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Leena P. Bharath, Ting Ruan, Youyou Li, Anindita Ravindran, Xin Wan, Jennifer Kim Nhan, Matthew Lewis Walker, Lance Deeter, Rebekah Goodrich, Elizabeth Johnson, Derek Munday, Robert Mueller, David Kunz, Deborah Jones, Van Reese, Scott A. Summers, Pon Velayutham Anandh Babu, William L. Holland, Quan-Jiang Zhang, E. Dale Abel, and J. David Symons. Ceramide-Initiated Protein Phosphatase 2A Activation Contributes to Arterial Dysfunction In Vivo. Diabetes. 2015 Nov; 64(11): 3914–3926.
  • Zhang QJ, Holland WL, Wilson L, Tanner JM, Kearns D, Cahoon JM, Pettey D, Losee J, Duncan B, Gale D, Kowalski CA, Deeter N, Nichols A, Deesing M, Arrant C, Ruan T, Boehme C, McCamey DR, Rou J, Ambal K, Narra KK, Summers SA, Abel ED, and Symons JD. Ceramide mediates vascular dysfunction in diet-induced obesity by PP2A-mediated dephosphorylation of the eNOS-Akt complex. Diabetes, 2012, 61: 1848-1859.
  • Li QX, Xiong ZY, Hu BP, Tian ZJ, Zhang HF, Gou WY, Wang HC, Gao F, and Zhang QJ. Aging-associated insulin resistance predisposes to hypertension and its reversal by exercise: the role of vascular vasorelaxation to insulin. Basic Res Cardiol, 2009, 104: 269-284.