Chenming Zhang

Chenming (Mike) Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech and affiliated faculty at the VT-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences. His research integrates nanotechnology with biopharmaceuticals to develop innovative vaccines and protein purification methods.

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University
• M.S., Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Iowa State University
• B.S., Metallurgical Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing

Zhang’s program focuses on: (1) Protein expression and purification for scalable bioprocesses, (2) Nanovaccines targeting psychoactive compounds like nicotine and opioids, and (3) Vaccine development against infectious diseases (e.g., PEDV, PRRSV). His work leverages lipid-PLGA hybrid nanoparticles and computational modeling to optimize immunogenicity and stability.

Recent publications highlight advancements in hybrid nanoparticle engineering, hapten localization, and adjuvant synergy. His team explores molecular mechanisms (e.g., Cathepsin S specificity, interferon-γ activation) to refine vaccine efficacy.

• Excellence in Applied Research Award, Virginia Tech (2022)
• Turner Faculty Fellowship (2016, 2021)
• Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, Virginia Tech (2015)
• NAE Young Investigator Award (2006)

Zhang’s grants include NIH NIDA-funded nanovaccine projects and USDA-NIFA grants for animal disease detection. His lab trains students in bioprocess engineering and vaccine nanotechnology.