Zhongming Zhao

Zhongming Zhao, PhD, is a Professor and Chair at the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston. He holds the Chair for Precision Health and directs the Center for Precision Health and the UTHealth Cancer Genomics Center. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in bioinformatics, AI-driven healthcare solutions, and translational research. His work spans cancer genomics, pharmacogenomics, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Zhao has authored over 550 papers, secured $190M in grants, and leads interdisciplinary teams in precision medicine.

Education:

• PhD, Human and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (2000)
• MS, Computer Science, University of Houston (2002)
• MS, Biomathematics, University of Texas Health Science Center (1998)
• MS, Genetics, Peking University (1996)
• BS, Biology, Zhejiang University (1991)

Research Focus: Dr. Zhao’s expertise includes genomic sequencing technologies (WGS, RNA-Seq), single-cell omics, drug repositioning, and AI in healthcare. His lab develops computational tools like Deep5mC (DNA methylation prediction) and Dr. Kinase (drug resistance modeling). He investigates mechanisms of cancer immunotherapy resistance, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders through multi-omics integration.

Awards:

• 2023 President’s Scholar Award
• Fellowships: ACMI, FAMIA, AIMBE

Grants & Leadership: He oversees over 100 grants and collaborates with 100+ investigators. His leadership roles include Chief Bioinformatics Officer at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and directorships in bioinformatics resources. Current initiatives focus on precision health, tumor microenvironment reprogramming, and AI-driven diagnostics.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Center for Precision Health and collaborates across departments at UTHealth. His lab develops tools like deCS for single-cell annotations and ImmuneApp for immunopeptidome analysis. Active in translational projects like oncolytic virus therapies and drug repurposing for cancer and neurological diseases.