Zhen Q. Wang

Zhen Q. Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo. His research focuses on synthetic biology and plant natural products, particularly the sustainable production of plant-derived medicines through metabolic engineering. He leads the Zhen Wang Lab, which investigates terpene biosynthesis and the genetic mechanisms underlying cardiac glycoside production in plants like foxglove.

Education:

• PhD in Biological Sciences, Michigan State University
• Postdoctoral Research in Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Research Interests:

• Engineering microbial systems (E. coli, yeast) to produce plant-based pharmaceuticals
• Biosynthesis pathways of cardenolides (e.g., digoxin) and terpenes
• Development of synthetic biology tools for multi-gene assembly and metabolic pathway optimization

Lab & Projects:

• Zhen Wang Lab: Specializes in metabolic engineering and plant natural product biosynthesis
• Key Projects: Digoxin biosynthesis elucidation, terpene production optimization, and plant-microbe interactions

Grants & Recognition:

• Listed among faculty award winners at the University at Buffalo
• Recipient of patents for lipid detection techniques (e.g., phosphatidic acid quantification)