The Zhou Laboratory
Vascular Niche in Lung Repair, Regeneration, and Rejuvenation
Our Team
Bisheng Zhou, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Email: bisheng@uic.edu
Dr. Zhou earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China and completed his postdoctoral training in lung vascular biology and immunology in the US. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago.
Dr. Zhou’s research program focuses on vascular biology, inflammation, regeneration, and aging, with an emphasis on understanding how endothelial cells and the vascular niche regulate tissue homeostasis and recovery from injury. His work integrates vascular biology, immunology, epigenetics, cellular metabolism, and lung pathophysiology to define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern endothelial dysfunction, vascular repair, and tissue regeneration. His research has been published in leading journals, including Nature Immunology and Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB).
Dr. Zhou serves as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Immunology and is a member of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO), American Heart Association (AHA), Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI), and American Aging Association (AGE).
The Zhou Lab seeks to define how the vascular niche functions as a dynamic signaling and regenerative platform during injury, repair, aging, and rejuvenation. A major goal of the laboratory is to identify endothelial, immune, metabolic, and epigenetic mechanisms that determine tissue regenerative capacity and to leverage these discoveries toward new therapeutic strategies for acute lung injury, pulmonary vascular disease, and age-related vascular dysfunction.
Yuyang Feng, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate
Dr. Feng received her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Her previous research focused on metabolism and immunology.
In the Zhou Lab, Dr. Feng investigates the immune, metabolic, and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate endothelial and vascular function in the context of lung injury and repair.
Lissette Magaña, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate
Dr. Magaña received her PhD in Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her previous research focused on immune dysregulation following respiratory infection.
In the Zhou Lab, Dr. Magaña investigates vascular and immune dysfunction in the lung and other organs following respiratory infections and sepsis, with a particular focus on uncovering the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.
Juliet Peterka, BS, Research Assistant
Juliet recently graduated from DePaul University with a B.S. in Cellular/Molecular Neuroscience, where she researched neuronal hypoxia and plasticity. She Joined the Zhou lab as a research assistant in September 2026 and plans to pursue a PhD and career in research. In her free time, she enjoys learning piano and guitar!
Karen Huang, BS, Research Assistant
Karen received her B.S. in Biology with minors in Chemistry, Neuroscience, and Philosophy, as well as Certificate in Conceptual Foundation of Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh. In the Zhou lab, Karen manages daily laboratory operations and performs and performs core experimental techniques while supporting mouse colony maintanace.
