Professor, Shenzhen University International Cancer Center

I received my doctorate degree from Tsinghua University in 2007 and then joined the University of California, San Diego as a postdoctoral fellow. At the end of 2015, I was recruited as an associate professor in Shenzhen University and promoted to be professor on Nov 2023.

My research mainly focuses on characterizing the molecular mechanisms of cell signaling involved in tumorigenesis, metastasis and tumor initiation to identify new targets for cancer therapy; and developing novel immunotherapeutic approaches (e.g., monoclonal antibodies or CAT T cells) to target cancer cells, in particular to target cancer stem cells. I have published 29 articles and reviews in high-profile journals such as PNAS, Cancer Research, Oncogene, which has been cited 2901 (h-index: 20). I also have involved in development of two new drugs for immunotherapy that have entered clinical trials. I have had four invention patents granted in the United States and China, one of which has been commercialized. In 2011, I received the achievement award at the 53rd ASH Annual American Society of Hematology.

Research interest

1.Investigating molecular mechanisms of tumor initiation, progression and relapse

2.Developing immunotherapeutic approaches to target cancer

Research Projects (On-going):

Shenzhen Medical Research Fund - Frontier Exploration (B2302022)

Suping Zhang, PI

Developing immunotherapeutic approaches to target gastrointestinal cancer

01/01/2024 to 12/31/2026, ¥3,000,000

NSFC (China) Project (32170712)

Suping Zhang, PI

Underlying mechanism of receptor tyrosine kinase orphan-receptor regulating Wnt signaling

01/01/2022 to 12/30/2025, ¥580,000

Selected Peer-reviewed Publications:

1.Leng F, Huang J, Wu L, Zhang J, Lin X, Deng R, Zhu J, Li Z, Li Z, Wang Y, Zhang H, Lu D, Kipps TJ, Zhang S*, Targeting ROR2 homooligomerization disrupts ROR2-dependent signaling and suppresses stem-like cell properties of human breast adenocarcinoma, iScience, 2025,28(1):1-15.

2.Zhang J, Lin X, Wu L, Huang J, Jiang W, Kipps TJ, Zhang S*, Aurora B induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition by stabilizing Snail1 to promote basal-like breast cancer metastasis, Oncogene, 2020, 39(12):2550-2567.

3.Zhang S^#, Zhang H, Ghia E M, Huang J, Wu L, Zhang J, Lam S, Lei Y, He J, Cui B, Widhopf G F, Yu J, Schwab R, Messer K, Jiang W, Parker B A, Carson D, Kipps TJ, Inhibition of chemotherapy resistant breast cancer stem cells by a ROR1 specific antibody, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 2019,116(4):1370-1377

4.Zhang S^#, Cui B, Lai H, Liu G, Ghia E M, Widhopf G F, Zhang Z, Wu C C, Chen L, Wu R, Schwab R, Carson D, Kipps TJ, Ovarian cancer stem cells express ROR1, which can be targeted for anti-cancer-stem-cell therapy, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 2014,111:17266-17271

5.Zhang S^#, Kipps TJ, The Pathogenesis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Annual Review of Pathology, Mechanisms of Disease, 2014, 9:103-118

6.Zhang S^#, Wu C, Fecteau J-F, Cui B, Chen L, Zhang L, Wu R, Rassenti L, Lao FS, Weigand S, Kipps TJ, Targeting Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells with a Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Specific for CD44, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), 2013,110:6127-6132