Hao Zhu

Hao Zhu, M.D., is an Associate Professor at the Children's Research Institute (CRI) at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He leads a research laboratory focused on understanding the relationship between liver regeneration, wound healing, and cancer formation. Dr. Zhu was one of the first faculty members recruited to join Sean Morrison, Ph.D., at CRI when it was established. His work bridges clinical medicine and basic science, with a particular emphasis on how somatic mosaicism influences chronic liver disease and liver cancer development.

Dr. Zhu earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Duke University, followed by an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and MIT. His educational background provided a strong foundation for his dual focus on clinical medicine and scientific research, particularly in the areas of liver biology and cancer.

Dr. Zhu's research primarily investigates how injury, regeneration, and wound healing influence organ function and cancer formation, using the liver as a model system. His lab believes that understanding somatic mosaicism is key to deconvoluting the complexity of wound healing. In chronic liver disease, genetically altered clones are selected for or against based on their contribution to tissue healing. His team employs human genomic approaches, in vivo genetic screening, and lineage tracing to understand the functional implications of somatic mosaicism.

Dr. Zhu's recent publications reveal several key trends in his research. His work increasingly focuses on identifying the cellular sources of liver regeneration and understanding how somatic mutations in non-cancerous liver tissue can either promote or inhibit disease progression. A significant theme is the zonal heterogeneity of the liver and how different regions (zones 1, 2, and 3) contribute differently to regeneration and cancer development. His lab has made important discoveries about midlobular zone 2 hepatocytes as the main source of new hepatocytes during both homeostasis and after injury.

Dr. Zhu has received several notable awards for his research, including the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Emerging Leader Award in 2021, recognition as a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar in Cancer Research, and being named to D Magazine's Dallas 40. These awards acknowledge his innovative approaches to understanding liver cancer and regeneration.

Dr. Zhu mentors a diverse group of trainees including M.D./Ph.D. students, Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, and research technicians. His lab has successfully trained numerous scientists who have gone on to faculty positions, industry roles, and clinical careers. Dr. Zhu's research is supported by various grants, including the Mark Foundation award which funds innovative work on immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in cancer.

The Zhu Lab operates within the Children's Research Institute at UT Southwestern, leveraging shared facilities including the Moody Flow Cytometry, Metabolomics, Mouse Genome Engineering, and Sequencing facilities. The lab maintains an interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in genetics, cell biology, and clinical medicine to tackle complex questions about liver regeneration and cancer.