Yu Zhang, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology)Cards
About
Research
Publications
2026
The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: design and rationale for assessment of food intake, physical activity and other behavioral constructs
Leibel R, Mayer L, Rosenbaum M, Goldsmith R, Hirano M, LeDuc C, Roberto C, Seid H, St-Onge M, Whyte K, Zhang Y, Aparicio A, Dratsky D, Goodpaster B, Gu J, Horowitz M, Lin S, McMath A, Mikula C, Nunez J, Picard M, Schebendach J, Sun Y, Wong A, Yu W, Burger K, Das S, Fielding R, Rickels M, Roalf D, Speakman J, Wu G, Zamani P, Chau L, Czernuszenko A, Demastus C, Fernando M, Ghias K, Gomez A, Grosso G, Hambly C, Herman L, Holmes N, Howland A, Mastracchio C, Meierovich S, Saks R, Sayana V, Scharf M, Wellman N, Williams E, Zhou A, Zhu O, Belle S, Benos P, Wahed A, Erickson K, Hallam D, Haller T, Kelley S, Leonard K, Pelesko A, Zourelias M, Kowtha B, Yanovski S. The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: design and rationale for assessment of food intake, physical activity and other behavioral constructs. International Journal Of Obesity 2026, 1-8. PMID: 41514047, DOI: 10.1038/s41366-025-01991-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSelf-report questionnairesWeight loss maintenanceWeight-reduced statePhysical activityFree-living physical activityBehavioral weight loss programEating-related behaviorsLong-term sustained weight lossNIH-funded clinical trialsComputer-based tasksWeight lossEnergy intakeAssessment of food intakeComponents of energy expenditureEnergy expenditureSustained weight lossNeurocognitive factorsStructural neuroimagingWeight loss programBehavioral measuresBody mass indexNeural circuitryBehavioral assessmentLaboratory mealBehavioral constructsSurvival After Intensive Therapy or Clofarabine in Fit Older Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: E2906 Phase 3 Trial
Foran J, Sun Z, Luger S, Claxton D, Lazarus H, Arber D, Rowe J, Paietta E, Racevskis J, Garrett-Bakelman F, Zhang Y, Altman J, Al-Kali A, Zheng H, Pratz K, Broun E, Powell B, O’Dwyer K, Godwin J, Ofran Y, Litzow M, Tallman M. Survival After Intensive Therapy or Clofarabine in Fit Older Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: E2906 Phase 3 Trial. Blood Neoplasia 2026, 100194. DOI: 10.1016/j.bneo.2026.100194.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcute myeloid leukemiaMRD-negative remissionInduction mortalityOverall survivalIntensive therapyMyeloid leukemiaAssociated with 5-year OSSecond-generation purine nucleoside analogNewly diagnosed AMLProspective phase 3 studySecondary acute myeloid leukemiaStandard-intensity therapyMedian Follow-UpAssociated with OSPhase 3 studyMultiparameter flow cytometryPhase 3 trialLow-intensity therapyLong-term outcomesPurine nucleoside analogsNon-inferiority designMRD-positiveInferior OSMRD negativityComplete remission
2025
The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: overview and study design
Mayer L, Ashby-Thompson M, Benasi G, Foerde K, Goldsmith R, Hirano M, LeDuc C, Roberto C, Seid H, St-Onge M, Whyte K, Zhang Y, Aparicio A, Dratsky D, Goodpaster B, Gu J, Horowitz M, Lin S, McMath A, Mikula C, Nunez J, Picard M, Schebendach J, Sun Y, Wong A, Yu W, Burger K, Fielding R, Rickels M, Roalf D, Speakman J, Wu G, Zamani P, Chau L, Czernuszenko A, Demastus C, Fernando M, Ghias K, Gomez A, Grosso G, Hambly C, Herman L, Holmes N, Howland A, Mastracchio C, Meierovich S, Sayana V, Scharf M, Wellman N, Williams E, Zhou A, Zhu O, Benos P, Wahed A, Erickson K, Hallam D, Haller T, Kelley S, Kline C, Leonard K, Pelesko A, Zourelias M, Kowtha B, Laughlin M, Yanovski S, Young-Hyman D. The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: overview and study design. International Journal Of Obesity 2025, 1-9. PMID: 41388149, DOI: 10.1038/s41366-025-01932-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWeight-reduced stateEnergy intakeIntentional weight lossPrimary independent variableEnergy expenditureLower body mass indexWeight lossSelf-report questionnairesBody mass indexWeight changeWL interventionBehavioral interventionsStudy designMass indexWL programPrimary outcomeLife expectancyObjective measuresMetabolic adaptationClinical benefitLost weightClinical centersWeight variabilityMultifactorial diseaseInterventionThe Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: assessing energy balance
Gallagher D, Leibel R, Mayer L, Rosenbaum M, Ashby-Thompson M, Benasi G, Foerde K, Goldsmith R, Hirano M, LeDuc C, Roberto C, Seid H, St-Onge M, Whyte K, Zhang Y, Aparicio A, Dratsky D, Gu J, Horowitz M, Lin S, McMath A, Mikula C, Nunez J, Picard M, Schebendach J, Sun Y, Wong A, Yu W, Goodpaster B, Roberts S, Lowe M, Gomez A, Meierovich S, Saks R, Scharf M, Williams E, Zhou A, Zhu O, Allison K, Hayes M, Rickels M, Roalf D, Wu G, Zamani P, Chau L, Czernuszenko A, Demastus C, Fernando M, Ghias K, Grosso G, Herman L, Holmes N, Mastracchio C, Sayana V, Wellman N, Krupa Das S, Fielding R, Howland A, Burger K, Speakman J, Hambly C, Belle S, King W, Hallam D, Haller T, Kelley S, Kline C, Leonard K, Pelesko A, Zourelias M, Benos P, Jakicic J, Wahed A, Erickson K, Laughlin M, Yanovski S, Kowtha B, Young-Hyman D. The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: assessing energy balance. International Journal Of Obesity 2025, 1-9. PMID: 41249847, DOI: 10.1038/s41366-025-01935-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTwenty-four-hour energy expenditureDual X-ray absorptiometryResting Energy ExpenditureBody mass indexWeight-reduced stateBehavioral weight lossEnergy intakeWeight lossWeight regainSelf-reported dietary intakeEnergy expenditureSupervised weight lossX-ray absorptiometryPost-weight lossPrimary outcome variableActivity energy expenditureDietary intakeLean massMass indexGrip strengthWeight stabilityPrimary dependent variableHealthy adultsDiscussionThis manuscriptBody weightCurrent Advances in Anticancer Properties of Heptamethine Carbocyanine DZ‐1 Conjugated to Artesunate: Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species
Narayanasamy B, Helmueller S, Zhang Y, Lee Y. Current Advances in Anticancer Properties of Heptamethine Carbocyanine DZ‐1 Conjugated to Artesunate: Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species. Journal Of Cellular Biochemistry 2025, 126: e70062. PMID: 40891511, PMCID: PMC12706113, DOI: 10.1002/jcb.70062.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCancer cellsMechanism of actionGeneration of reactive oxygen speciesReactive oxygen speciesN-acetyl cysteine treatmentKilling of cancer cellsCell linesDUTP nick end labeling assayDose-dependent cytotoxic activityNick end labeling assayTransferase dUTP nick end labeling assayBax-deficient HCT116 cellsTerminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assayDeoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assayCell survival assayOVCAR-3 cell lineMitochondrial outer membrane potentialTreated cancer cellsInvolvement of apoptosisSuppression of ROS generationWild-type cellsOuter membrane potentialCancer cell linesAnticancer propertiesJC-1 assaySignificantly higher incidence of circulating fatty objects in portal blood samples compared to peripheral blood samples in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Wang R, Park K, Gaddam S, Liu Q, Watson R, Lim A, Ou Y, Zhang Y, Edderkaoui M, Lewis M, Lo S, Pandol S. Significantly higher incidence of circulating fatty objects in portal blood samples compared to peripheral blood samples in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Frontiers In Oncology 2025, 15: 1611872. PMID: 40963865, PMCID: PMC12436445, DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1611872.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaPeripheral blood samplesPortal blood samplesBlood samplesDuctal adenocarcinomaEndoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirationUltrasound-guided fine-needle aspirationPortal samplingFine-needle aspirationPortal vein samplingBlood cell fractionsSystem abnormalitiesClinical cancerPortal veinCancer patientsPeripheral samplesVascular occlusionVein samplingCFosVessel embolizationBile lipidsPatientsAdenocarcinomaParallel studiesBileDZ-1-Artesunate Induces Apoptosis Via a Bid-, Bax-, and Bak-Independent Caspase-3 Activation Pathway.
Narayanasamy B, Helmueller S, Zhang Y, Gangi A, Lee H, Song C, Woo H, Lee Y. DZ-1-Artesunate Induces Apoptosis Via a Bid-, Bax-, and Bak-Independent Caspase-3 Activation Pathway. Journal Of Oncology Research And Therapy 2025, 10 PMID: 41323565, PMCID: PMC12662740.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCancer cell linesCaspase-3-dependent pathwayCaspase-3 activation pathwayMitochondria-mediated apoptosisPro-apoptotic activityCaspase-3 activityCell linesDZ-1Dose-limiting toxicityIntracellular traffickingTumor-specific deliveryOrganic anion transporting polypeptideHuman cancer cell linesTime-dependent cytotoxicityClinical applicationCaspase-3Targeted delivery strategiesApoptotic activityCell deathAnion transporting polypeptideOff-target effectsFunctional studiesCancer cellsApoptosisIn vivo studiesDesign and Evaluation of Novel Ginger 6‑Shogaol-Inspired Phospholipase C Inhibitors to Enhance β‑Agonist-Induced Relaxation in Human Airway Smooth Muscle
Luković E, Zhu Y, Zhang Y, Genualdi J, Sang S, Emala C. Design and Evaluation of Novel Ginger 6‑Shogaol-Inspired Phospholipase C Inhibitors to Enhance β‑Agonist-Induced Relaxation in Human Airway Smooth Muscle. Journal Of Medicinal Chemistry 2025, 68: 12626-12640. PMID: 40489244, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c00378.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStructure-activity analysisHuman airway smooth muscleHuman airway smooth muscle cellsPhenol moietyAirway smooth muscle cellsHuman tracheal tissueHydroxyl groupsAirway smooth musclePhospholipase C inhibitorSmooth muscle cellsMouse lung tissuePoor symptom controlDerivativesIntracellular calciumSmooth muscleMuscle cellsAsthma treatmentLung tissueC inhibitorTherapeutic potentialNovel therapeuticsTracheal tissueEnhanced inhibitionSymptom controlInositol phosphatesTumor targeting chlorin e6 heptamethine cyanine conjugates: Theranostic agent for cancer imaging and photodynamic therapy.
Ou Y, Wang R, Xiao L, Chordia M, Edderkaoui M, Lim A, Pandol S, Zhang Y. Tumor targeting chlorin e6 heptamethine cyanine conjugates: Theranostic agent for cancer imaging and photodynamic therapy. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2025, 43 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e15132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOrganic anion transporting polypeptideCancer cell uptakeCancer cellsCancer treatmentPET imagingIn vitroBreast cancer cellsAnion transporting polypeptideMouse xenograft modelTheranostic agentsIn vivo imaging studiesNon-specific tissue damageTumor-SpecificTumor visualizationHypoxia-inducible factorImage-guidedTherapeutic efficacyXenograft modelMouse xenograftsMultifunctional theranostic agentMHI-148NIRF imagingImaging studiesCancerPhotodynamic therapyTMEM16A Antagonism: Therapeutic Potential with Desensitization of β-Agonist Responsiveness in Asthma.
Wu A, Kuforiji A, Zhang Y, Xu D, Perez-Zoghbi J, Emala C, Danielsson J. TMEM16A Antagonism: Therapeutic Potential with Desensitization of β-Agonist Responsiveness in Asthma. American Journal Of Respiratory Cell And Molecular Biology 2025, 72: 510-519. PMID: 39560606, PMCID: PMC12051930, DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2024-0231oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAirway smooth muscleHuman ASM cellsTMEM16A antagonistsFunctional desensitizationASM cellsB-adrenoceptorB agonistAirway smooth muscle relaxationHuman airway smooth muscleRelaxes airway smooth muscleCalcium-activated chloride channelBronchial airway smooth muscleTransmembrane member 16AMurine airway smooth muscleContractility studiesWire myographyChronic pretreatmentAcute antagonismContractile mediatorsPrevented desensitizationSmooth muscleUpper airwayCAMP productionChloride channelsTMEM16A