Assistant Professor
Office: Biomed 1, B306F
Phone: 501-686-7936
Email: ZDing@uams.edu
Education and Training
- Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
2016- - Instructor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
2014-2015 - Post-doctoral training, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
2011-2014 - Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
2005-2010 - B.S. in Bioengineering, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, China
2001-2005
Research Interests
Our primary research interests focus on hemodynamic shear stress, inflammation (e.g. NLRP3 inflammasome and TLR4), mitochondrial DNA damage, programmed cell death (e.g., apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis) and efferocytosis, and their roles in the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and aging. Our studies also focus on stem cell therapy, such as use of mesenchymal stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, to treat cardiovascular diseases. One of our current studies is trying to computationally integrate state-of-the-art single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with bulk RNA-sequencing and mass spectrometry-driven proteomics to generate a multi-omics whole organ resource of molecular/cellular alterations.
Research Support
Ongoing
- R01 NHLBI R01HL162958 Ding (PI)
Impact of hemodynamics on efferocytosis in endothelial cells 04/01/2022 – 03/31/2027 - R21 NIA R21AG075548 Ding (PI)
Mechanisms of PCSK9 in endothelial aging 01/01/2022-11/30/2023 - UAMS Bronson Foundation Ding (PI)
Mechanisms of endothelial efferocytosis in vascular aging 01/01/2022-12/31/2022
Recent and Selected Publications
- Stolarz AJ, Mu S, Zhang H, Fouda AY, Rusch NJ, Ding Z*. Endothelial Cells – Macrophage-Like Gatekeepers? Front Immunol. 2022;13:902945.
- Li X, Brickell A, Wang X, Zhou S, Ding Z*. NADPH oxidase promotes PCSK9 secretion in macrophages. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2021, 153:42-43.
- Wang X, Li X, Liu S, Brickell A, Zhang J, Wu Z, Zhou S, Ding Z*. PCSK9 regulates pyroptosis via mtDNA damage in chronic myocardial ischemia. Basic Res Cardiol. 2020, 115:66.
- Liu S, Deng X, Zhang P, Wang X, Fan Y, Zhou S, Mu S, Mehta JL, Ding Z*. Blood flow patterns regulate PCSK9 secretion via MyD88 mediated proinflammatory cytokines. Cardiovasc Res. 2020; 116:1721-32.
- Ding Z*, Pothineni NVK, Goel A, Lüscher TF, Mehta JL. PCSK9 and inflammation: Role of shear stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines and LOX-1. Cardiovasc Res. 2020;116:908-915.
- Ding Z*, Wang X, Liu S, Zhou S, Kore R, Mu S, Deng X, Fan Y, Mehta JL. NLRP3 inflammasome via IL-1β regulates PCSK9 secretion. Theranostics. 2020, 10:7100-7110.
- Ding Z*, Wang X, Liu S, Shahanawaz J, Theus S, Fan Y, Deng X, Zhou S, Mehta JL. PCSK9 expression in the ischemic heart and its relationship to infarct size, cardiac function and development of autophagy. Cardiovasc Res. 2018;114:1738-1751.
- Ding Z*, Liu S, Wang X, Theus S, Deng X, Fan Y, Zhou S, Mehta JL. PCSK9 regulates expression of scavenger receptors and ox-LDL uptake in macrophages. Cardiovasc Res. 2018;114:1145-1153.
- Ding Z, Liu S, Wang X, Mathur P, Dai Y, Theus S, Deng X, Fan Y, Mehta JL. Cross-talk between PCSK9 and damaged mtDNA in vascular smooth muscle cells: role in apoptosis. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2016, 25:997-1008.
- Ding Z, Liu S, Wang X, Dai Y, Deng X, Fan Y, Sun C, Wang Y, Mehta JL. Hemodynamic shear stress via ROS modulates PCSK9 expression in human vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells and along the mouse aorta. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2015, 22:760-771.
- Ding Z, Liu S, Wang X, Deng X, Fan Y, Shahanawaz J, Shmookler Reis R, Varughese KI, Sawamura T, Mehta JL. Cross-talk between LOX-1 and PCSK9 in vascular tissues. Cardiovasc Res. 2015, 107:556-67.
- Ding Z, Liu S, Wang X, Dai Y, Khaidakov M, Deng X, Fan Y, Xiang David, Mehta JL. LOX-1, mtDNA damage and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages: implications in atherogenesis. Cardiovasc Res. 2014, 103:619-28.