Kai Zhang

Kai Zhang, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University. His research focuses on molecular parasitology, specifically lipid metabolism in Leishmania parasites and their role in pathogenesis.

• University: Texas Tech University
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Academic Rank: Professor

Dr. Zhang's work investigates how Leishmania parasites adapt to harsh environments in sandflies and mammalian hosts. His lab employs molecular biology, cell biology, animal models, and lipidomic approaches to study sphingolipids, phospholipids, and sterols' roles in parasite survival and virulence. This research aims to identify novel drug targets for leishmaniasis treatment.

His recent publications highlight lipid metabolism's critical role in Leishmania virulence, stress tolerance, and drug resistance. Key areas include sphingolipid pathways, sterol biosynthesis, membrane lipid dynamics, and genetic regulation of lipid homeostasis. Techniques involve gene knockout studies, lipidomic profiling, and toxin interaction analyses.

Dr. Zhang teaches courses such as MBIO 3401 (Principles of Microbiology), MBIO 3400 (Microbiology for non-biology students), and MBIO4367/MBIO6367 (Molecular Pathogenesis of Protozoans, fulfilling Communication Literacy Requirement). He is based in Biology 205 (Office) and Biology 203-204 (Lab), Lubbock, TX.