Guiling Zhao

Guiling Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Her research focuses on calcium signaling, microcirculation, and electro-metabolic signaling in cardiovascular regulation.

• Primary Appointment: Pharmacology & Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Email: gzhao@som.umaryland.edu

Dr. Zhao earned her PhD in Pathophysiology from Southern Medical University, China, and completed postdoctoral training in Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Her work explores how Ca²⁺ signaling proteins and ion channels control vascular and cardiac function, with a current emphasis on coronary blood flow via the Z-Prep ex vivo model.

Her 15 most recent publications highlight pericyte-mediated blood flow regulation, K_ATP channel dynamics, and mitochondrial permeability mechanisms. These studies span disciplines like Physiology, Cardiovascular Biology, and Imaging Technology, with subfields addressing microcirculation, vascular hyporeactivity, and electro-metabolic coupling.

Scientific recognition includes

• Editorial highlights in Science and PNAS
• Commentary in PNAS by Grainger and Santana
• Journal Club features in Journal of General Physiology