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Zhening Zhang

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People / Zhening ZhangCryo-Electron Microscopy
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CryoEM Staff Scientist
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Current Research:

staff scientist
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Biography

Dr. Zhang earned both her bachelor’s degree and PhD in structural biology from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, where he studied under Professor Ted Baker.

She previously served as the Assistant Director of the Columbia Cryo-EM Core Facility (6 years), where she managed daily operations, implemented new technologies, and provided user training across the entire cryoEM workflow, from sample preparation to image processing and atomic model building. Her leadership supported numerous collaborative projects that led to multiple peer-reviewed publications, including time-resolved studies using microfluidic platforms and investigations into SARS-CoV-2 spike-mediated membrane fusion.

Before joining Columbia, Dr. Zhang was a Staff Scientist (6 years) at the New York Structural Biology Center (NYSBC), where she developed the grid preparation automation system Spotion and collaborated on a wide range of cryo-EM projects involving insulin-degrading enzyme, RNA polymerase, membrane proteins, and chromatin complexes.

Dr. Zhang has authored numerous publications, with many structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Her interdisciplinary collaborations and facility leadership reflect a strong commitment to advancing structural biology and supporting the broader scientific community through high-quality Cryo-EM resources.

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Education

Bachelor of Science (2003), University of Auckland, New Zealand
PhD (2008), Biology, University of Auckland, New Zealand
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