Medical Training
Dr. Zhou earned her medical degree from Tongji Medical College at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China. After medical school, she received clinical and research training in ophthalmology at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, the top academic ophthalmology center in China. She then completed a research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Achievements/Accomplishments/Milestones
During her training at Johns Hopkins Medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Zhou published the first study demonstrating that the ocular surface, including the cornea and conjunctiva, can serve as a gateway for the virus to enter the human body. The paper was recognized as a highly cited article and received coverage in multiple media outlets. Dr. Zhou’s research has focused on the role of immune cells in retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy. She has led several studies describing how immune cells contribute to retinal disease progression and revealed GLP-1 receptor agonists as a potential therapeutic strategy for advanced diabetic retinopathy. To date, she has more than 25 peer-reviewed publications in biomedical research.
Service
Dr. Zhou is committed to community service. While training at Johns Hopkins, she took part in several outreach efforts, including the engAGE with Heart vision screening program, a Baltimore-based initiative that provides free cardiovascular health and vision screening to local communities.
Outside Interests & Hobbies
Dr. Zhou enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures and natural landscapes. Earlier this year she took a memorable trip to the Pamirs Plateau – the “Roof of the World” – where she was inspired by breathtaking views at elevations exceeding 16,400 feet. The experience has motivated her to pursue more mountain climbing in the future.