Zongdi Feng

Zongdi Feng is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University and Principal Investigator at the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research within Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He holds a PhD from the University of Illinois (2008) and completed postdoctoral training at UNC-Chapel Hill under Dr. Stan Lemon. His research focuses on hepatitis A and E viruses, with seminal work establishing the 'quasi-enveloped' nature of these pathogens—revealing how they hijack host membranes to evade immune responses and enhance transmission.

Research interests center on:

• Molecular mechanisms of viral entry/release
• Structural biology of quasi-enveloped virions
• Virus-antibody interactions
• Host factors in hepatitis pathogenesis
• Immunity and vaccine development

Recent publications (2021-2024) emphasize hepatitis E virus entry mechanisms, ORF2/ORF3 protein functions, and innovative neutralization assays. Article keywords predominantly span virology, immunology, and cell biology, with subfields including viral membrane trafficking, interferon responses, and host-pathogen coevolution.

Laboratory leadership includes directing the Feng Lab at the Center for Microbe and Immunity Research, where projects investigate viral persistence in humanized models and hepatocyte polarization mechanisms.