Zhenwei Song

Zhenwei Song is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Eshelman School of Pharmacy and a member of the Gene Therapy Center. His research focuses on advancing safer and more effective AAV vectors for liver-targeted gene therapy while addressing critical hepatotoxicity risks through innovative 3D spheroid models.

Education:

• PhD in Biotechnology from Sun Yat-sen University, China
• MS in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Ningxia University, China

Research Interests: Dr. Song's work centers on Gene Therapy and AAV Vector Development with specialization in Liver-Targeted Therapy and Corneal Disease. His expertise spans Stem Cell Research (particularly iPSCs), Biological Therapeutics, Precision Medicine, and Rare Diseases. He addresses FDA safety concerns regarding AAV-induced liver toxicity through hepatotoxicity risk assessment using advanced 3D models.

Publication Trends: Analysis of Dr. Song's recent publications reveals dominant research trajectories in ocular and hepatic AAV gene therapy, including vector administration optimization, limbal stem cell biology, and immune response modulation. His work demonstrates consistent progression from cancer stem cell studies toward specialized gene therapy applications, with recent emphasis on corneal delivery systems and hepatotoxicity mitigation strategies.

Scientific Awards: No awards or honors were documented in the provided materials.

Advising and Grants: Current advising activities and grant funding details were not specified, though Dr. Song is actively recruiting postdoctoral fellows for his laboratory.

Laboratory and Teams: Dr. Song maintains active research operations within the Gene Therapy Center at UNC School of Medicine while contributing to the Drug Optimization division (DPET) in the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. His laboratory focuses on translational gene therapy development with immediate clinical applications in rare diseases.