Xu Dong Zhang

Professor Xu Dong Zhang is an NHMRC Research Fellow and Head of the Melanoma Research Laboratory at the University of Newcastle's School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, within the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. A globally recognized leader in skin cancer research, his work focuses on melanoma pathways, particularly the molecular mechanisms governing tumor resistance and metastasis. Key discoveries include identifying the role of PIB5PA in melanoma progression and its potential as a therapeutic target. His research integrates molecular biology, biochemistry, and clinical translation.

Professor Zhang's education background includes a decade as a cancer surgeon in China before pursuing research at the University of Newcastle since 1995. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications, with collaborations at institutions like the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and the Melanoma Institute Australia. He leads comparative studies on skin cancer biology between Australian and Asian populations, highlighting population-specific treatment differences.

Research interests span apoptosis resistance, endoplasmic reticulum stress responses, and long non-coding RNAs (e.g., MILIP, PLANE) in cancer progression. His lab explores metabolic pathways, such as oxidative phosphorylation dependencies and the Warburg effect, to develop targeted therapies. Notable achievements include an H-index of 31 and editorial roles in top journals.

Current projects address biomarker discovery (e.g., PIB5PA), obesity-melanoma links, and therapeutic strategies against BRAF/MEK inhibitor resistance. Collaborations with Chinese institutions (e.g., University of Science and Technology of China) have yielded over 30 co-authored studies. Grants and awards include NHMRC funding and equipment grants for cancer research infrastructure.