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THE ZHANG LAB
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Wei Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
National Center for Food Safety and Technology
Division of Biology, BCPS Department
Illinois Institute of Technology
6502 S. Archer Rd, Summit, IL 60501
Ph: 708-563-2980, Fax: 708-563-1873
Email: zhangw@iit.edu
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My main research experience and interests are in the areas of molecular detection, genotyping, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of foodborne bacteria of public health significance. The overall goal of my research is to use comparative genomics, proteomics and molecular biology tools to better understand the virulence, evolution, and transmission of these pathogens from environment to foods and from foods to human host.
The pathogenesis of foodborne bacteria is a very complicated interaction between bacteria, environments and host species. Foodborne pathogens provide ideal models for studying infectious diseases, in particular, the survival of bacterial cells in diverse environmental niches, as well as the emergence and evolution of new virulence characteristics related to the ability of bacteria to infect and colonize in human hosts.
My research is focused on foodborne bacterial pathogens that commonly cause human infectious diseases, including (i) Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram-positive bacterium that can contaminate a wide variety of foods and cause a rare, but severe (fatality rate ~25%) human disease among high-risk populations; and (ii) Escherichia coli O157:H7, a Gram-negative bacterium which is a recently emerged enterohaemorrhagic pathogen and has caused numerous human infections both in the U.S. (~75,000 cases per year) and worldwide. A significant theme in my present and future research is the use of an interdisciplinary approach that employs genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and DNA microarrays.
Study of foodborne pathogens has broad applications in: (i) rapid detection in foods and environments; (ii) diagnosis of infectious diseases; (iii) tracking and control of pathogen contamination; (iv) development of effective vaccines; (v)understanding bacterial evolution, virulence, pathogenesis; and (vi) development of educational programs to increase public awareness of microbial food safety.
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