Hongquan Zhang

Hongquan Zhang serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta. His research program develops cutting-edge bioanalytical tools for ultrasensitive and point-of-care detection of biological targets, with a particular focus on infectious disease diagnostics.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Alberta (2009)
• M.Sc., Northwest University, Xi'an, China (1999)
• B.Sc., Northwest University, Xi'an, China (1997)

Dr. Zhang's research explores binding-induced DNA assembly to create innovative diagnostic platforms. His laboratory specializes in developing fluorescent nanosensors for real-time detection in cellular environments, constructing target-triggered DNA nanomachines, and engineering novel affinity ligands through manipulation of functional nucleic acids. His work has made significant contributions to CRISPR-based diagnostics, particularly for SARS-CoV-2 detection, where his team has developed multiple point-of-care testing approaches that integrate nucleic acid amplification with CRISPR technology.

Analysis of Dr. Zhang's recent publications reveals a strong research trajectory focused on integrating DNA nanotechnology with CRISPR systems to create streamlined diagnostic platforms. His work consistently addresses the challenge of moving complex molecular diagnostics from laboratory settings to point-of-care applications, with particular emphasis on sample preparation, signal amplification, and visual readout systems that eliminate the need for sophisticated equipment. The interdisciplinary nature of his research bridges chemistry, molecular biology, nanotechnology, and clinical medicine.

Teaching:

• LABMP 551: Laboratory Research Methods
• LABMP 552: NSERC CREATE Course