Zhang Chengcheng

Dr. Zhang Chengcheng (Alec) is a Professor in the Department of Physiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he holds the Hortense L. and Morton H. Sanger Professorship in Oncology and the Michael L. Rosenberg Scholar in Medical Research. His lab explores ITIM-receptors and ligands at the intersection of cancer, immunology, and stem cell research.

• Undergraduate: University of Science & Technology China (Molecular & Cell Biology)
• Graduate: Chinese Academy of Sciences-Shanghai (Biotechnology), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Biochemistry)

Research focuses on immune checkpoint receptors like LILRB family proteins, angiopoietin-like ligands, and PD-L1 regulation of hematopoietic stem cells. His team investigates cancer-type-dependent effects of fasting and develops novel therapies targeting LILRB proteins for leukemia and solid tumors.

Recent work highlights LILRB3's role in myeloid cell immunosuppression, Eph-LILRB5 signaling in tumors, and fasting's therapeutic potential for ALL. Articles span immunology, cancer biology, and stem cell metabolism.

• Hortense L. and Morton H. Sanger Professorship in Oncology
• Michael L. Rosenberg Scholar in Medical Research
• Basil O'Connor Scholar (ASH)
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar Award

Lab members include Samuel John (Assistant Professor Pediatrics), Jingjing Xie (Instructor), Qi Lou (Assistant Instructor), Xing Yang (Postdoc Associate), Caroline Smith (Assistant Instructor Pediatrics), and Adnan Khan (Research Assistant). Collaborations span cancer immunology, stem cell metabolism, and tumor microenvironment studies.