Dr Min Zhang

Dr. Min Zhang received his clinical medicine degree from Xinxiang Medical University and subsequently obtained MD and PhD from Peking University Health Science Centre. He then pursued postdoctoral training at King’s College London’s British Heart Foundation (BHF) Centre of Research Excellence. Currently, Dr. Zhang is a BHF Specialist Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Biology.

Dr. Zhang’s research primarily focuses on elucidating the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-mediated signaling in various cardiovascular diseases. His work emphasizes the distinct contributions of different NADPH oxidase (NOX) isoforms to cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, heart failure and aortic valve calcification under pathological conditions, as well as cardiac adaptation in physiological contexts such as exercise. Additionally, he explores active compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine and their potential therapeutic applications in cardiovascular diseases.

His studies utilize a broad spectrum of techniques ranging from molecular and cell biology and tissue culture to in vivo physiological approaches to investigate the mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive cardiac changes. His goal is to translate these insights into potential therapeutic strategies. Dr. Zhang’s key findings have been published in leading journals including Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), Circulation, Circulation Research, PNAS, eLife, EMBO Journal, JACC: Basic to Translational Science, and Cardiovascular Research, among others.

Selected publications.

1. Wang L, Lin F, Miao R, Zhao T, Liu Y, Yang L, Zhang M. Cardiac protection of wogonin in mice with pulmonary fibrosis by regulating Sirt1/ γ-H2AX pathway. Front Pharmacol. 2025 Apr 14;16:1551141.
2. Zoccarato A, Smyrnias I, Reumiller CM, Hafstad AD, Chong M, Richards DA, Santos CXC, Visnagri A, Verma S, Bromage DI, Zhang M, Zhang X, Sawyer G, Thompson R, Shah AM. NRF2 activation in the heart induces glucose metabolic reprogramming and reduces cardiac dysfunction via upregulation of the pentose phosphate pathway. Cardiovasc Res. 2025 Apr 22;121(2):339-352. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvae250.
3. Yu F, Sun Y, Ye S, Li Z, Yang D, Zheng R, Guo S, Zhang X, Zhao C, Zhang M, Zhao G, Ai S. Polysomnographic characteristics of patients with heart failure combined with sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med. 2025 Jul;131:106486. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2025.106486. Epub 2025 Mar 29.
4. Shooshtarian AK, O’Gallagher K, Shah AM, Zhang M. SERCA2a dysfunction in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a direct role is yet to be established. Heart Fail Rev. 2025 Jan 23.
5. Murakawa T, Ito J, Rusu MC, Taneike M, Omiya S, Moncayo-Arlandi J, Nakanishi C, Sugihara R, Nishida H, Mine K, Fleck R, Zhang M, Nishida K, Shah AM, Yamaguchi O, Sakata Y, Otsu K. AMPK regulates Bcl2-L-13-mediated mitophagy induction for cardioprotection. Cell Rep. 2024 Dec 24;43(12):115001.
6. Zhang X, Sun Y, Ye S, Huang Q, Zheng R, Li Z, Yu F, Zhao C, Zhang M, Zhao G, Ai S. Associations between insomnia and cardiovascular diseases: a meta-review and meta-analysis of observational and Mendelian randomization studies. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024 Dec 1;20(12):1975-1984. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.11326.
7. Wang L, Lin F, Liu Y, Li W, Ding Q, Duan X, Yang L, Bai Z*, Zhang M* and Guo Y*. Wogonin protects against bleomycin-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis via the inhibition of CDK9/p53-mediated cell senescence. Front Pharmacol. 2024.Jul 8;15:1407891.
8. Zhao Y, Ehteramyan M, Li Y, Bai XF, Huang L, Gao YT, Angbohang A, Yang XP, Lynham S, Margariti A, Shah AM, Tao YL, Cai T, Li T*, Zhang M*, Zeng LF*. A novel nested gene Aff3ir participates in vascular remodelling by enhancing endothelial cell differentiation in mice. Genes & Diseases. 2024 May 27.
9. Ai S, Ye S, Li G, Leng Y, Stone KL, Zhang M, Wing YK, Zhang J, Liang YY. Association of Disrupted Delta Wave Activity During Sleep With Long-Term Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 Apr 30;83(17):1671-1684.
10. Ma CX, Wei ZR, Sun T, Yang MH, Sun YQ, Kai KL, Shi JC, Zhou MJ, Wang ZW, Chen J, Li W, Wang TQ, Zhang SF, Xue L, Zhang M, Yin Q, Zang MX. Circ-sh3rf3/GATA-4/miR-29a regulatory axis in fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation and myocardial fibrosis. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2023 Jan 24;80(2):50.
11. Visnagri A, Kmiotek-Wasylewska K, Zhang M, Zoccarato A, Shah AM. Nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase-mediated signalling in cardiac remodelling. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2023 Feb;38(4-6):371-387.
12. Wang X, Zhang M* and Wang X*. Editorial: Chronic inflammation and pharmacological interventions in cardiovascular diseases. Front Pharmacol. 2022 August 24.13:993569.
13. Li Z, Zhang J, Duan X, Zhao G, Zhang M. Celastrol: A Promising Agent Fighting against Cardiovascular Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Aug 18;11(8):1597.
14. Islam MMT, Tarnowski D, Zhang M, Trum M, Lebek S, Mustroph J, Daniel H, Moellencamp J, Pabel S, Sossalla S, El-Armouche A, Nikolaev VO, Shah AM, Eaton P, Maier LS, Sag CM, Wagner S. Enhanced Heart Failure in Redox-Dead Cys17Ser PKARIα Knock-In Mice. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Oct 5;10(19):e021985.
15. Trevelin SC, Sag CM, Zhang M, Alves-Filho JC, Cunha TM, Santos CXD, Sawyer G, Murray T, Brewer A, Laurindo FRM, Protti A, Lopes LR, Ivetic A, Cunha FQ, Shah AM. Endothelial Nox2 Limits Systemic Inflammation and Hypotension in Endotoxemia by Controlling Expression of Toll-Like Receptor 4. Shock. 2021 Aug 1;56(2):268-277.
16. Greenberg HZE, Zhao G, Shah AM, Zhang M. Role of oxidative stress in calcific aortic valve disease and its therapeutic implications. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Apr 21:cvab142.
17. Angbohang A, Huang L, Li Y, Zhao Y, Gong Y, Fu Y, Mao C, Morales J, Luo P, Ehteramyan M, Gao Y, Margariti A, Gu W, Zhang M, Smith A, Shah AM, Li T, Kong W, Zeng L. X-box binding protein 1-mediated COL4A1s secretion regulates communication between vascular smooth muscle and stem/progenitor cells. J Biol Chem. 2021 Jan-Jun;296:100541.
18. Wang M, Murdoch CE, Brewer AC, Ivetic A, Evans P, Shah AM, Zhang M. Endothelial NADPH oxidase 4 protects against angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis and inflammation. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Apr;8(2):1427-1437.
19. Liu HB, Wang LB, Pan YT, Wang XH, Ding Y, Zhou CY, Shah AM, Zhao GA, Zhang M. Celastrol alleviates aortic valve calcification via inhibition of NADPH oxidase-2 in valvular interstitial cells. JACC Basic Transl Sci. 2020;5(1):35–49.
20. Schnelle M, Sawyer I, Anilkumar N, Mohamed BA, Richards DA, Toischer K, Zhang M, Catibog N, Sawyer G, Mongue-Din H, Schröder K, Hasenfuss G, Shah AM. Cardiovasc Res. 2019 Dec 10. pii: cvz331.
21. Yang J, Moraga A, Xu J, Zhao Y, Luo P, Lao KH, Margariti A, Zhao Q, Ding W, Wang G, Zhang M, Zheng L, Zhang Z, Hu Y, Wang W, Shen L, Smith A, Shah AM, Wang Q, Zeng L. Stem Cells. 2019 Nov 13.
22. Rudyk O, Rowan A, Prysyazhna O, Krasemann S, Hartmann K, Zhang M, Shah AM, Ruppert C, Weiss A, Schermuly RT, Ida T, Akaike T, Zhao L, Eaton P. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Jun 25;116(26):13016-13025.
23. Hancock M, Hafstad AD, Nabeebaccus AA, Catibog N, Logan A, Smyrnias I, Hansen SS, Lanner J, Schröder K, Murphy MP, Shah AM*, Zhang M*. Myocardial NADPH oxidase-4 regulates the physiological response to acute exercise. Elife. 2018 Dec 27;7.
24. Zhang M*, Mongue-Din H, Martin D, Catibog N, Smyrnias I, Zhang X, Yu B, Wang M, Brandes RP, Schröder K, Shah AM*. Both cardiomyocyte and endothelial cell Nox4 mediate protection against hemodynamic overload-induced remodeling. Cardiovasc Res. 2018 Mar 1;114(3):401-408.
25. Pandey P, Hawkes W, Hu J, Megone WV, Gautrot J, Anilkumar N, Zhang M, Hirvonen L, Cox S, Ehler E, Hone J, Sheetz M, Iskratsch T. Cardiomyocytes Sense Matrix Rigidity through a Combination of Muscle and Non-muscle Myosin Contractions. Dev Cell. 2018 Feb 5;44(3):326-336.
26. Schnelle M, Catibog N, Zhang M, Nabeebaccus AA, Anderson G, Richards DA, Sawyer G, Zhang X, Toischer K, Hasenfuss G, Monaghan MJ, Shah AM. Echocardiographic evaluation of diastolic function in mouse models of heart disease. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2018 Jan;114: 20-28.
27. Heloise Mongue-Din, Ashish S. Patel, Yee H. Looi, David J. Grieve, Narayana Anilkumar, Alexander Sirker, Xuebin Dong, Alison C. Brewer, Min Zhang, Alberto Smith and Ajay M. Shah. NADPH Oxidase-4 Driven Cardiac Macrophage Polarization Protects Against Myocardial Infarction–Induced Remodeling. JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 2017 Dec 25;2(6):688-698.
28. Nabeebaccus AA, Zoccarato A, Hafstad AD, Santos CX, Aasum E, Brewer AC, Zhang M, Beretta M, Yin X, West JA, Schröder K, Griffin JL, Eykyn TR, Abel ED, Mayr M, Shah AM. Nox4 reprograms cardiac substrate metabolism via protein O-GlcNAcylation to enhance stress adaptation. JCI Insight. 2017 Dec 21;2(24).
29. Trevelin SC, Dos Santos CX, Ferreira RG, de Sá Lima L, Silva RL, Scavone C, Curi R, Alves-Filho JC, Cunha TM, Roxo-Júnior P, Cervi MC, Laurindo FR, Hothersall JS, Cobb AM, Zhang M, Ivetic A, Shah AM, Lopes LR, Cunha FQ. Apocynin and Nox2 regulate NF-κB by modifying thioredoxin-1 redox-state. Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 4; 6:34581.
30. Sirker A, Murdoch CE, Protti A, Sawyer GJ, Santos CX, Martin D, Zhang X, Brewer AC, Zhang M*, Shah AM*. Cell-specific effects of Nox2 on the acute and chronic response to myocardial infarction. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2016 Sep; 98:11-7.
31. Santos CX, Hafstad AD, Beretta M, Zhang M, Molenaar C, Kopec J, Fotinou D, Murray TV, Cobb AM, Martin D, Zeh Silva M, Anilkumar N, Schröder K, Shanahan CM, Brewer AC, Brandes RP, Blanc E, Parsons M, Belousov V, Cammack R, Hider RC, Steiner RA, Shah AM. EMBO J. 2016 Jan 7. pii: e201592394.
32. Zhang M, Prosser BL, Bamboye MA, Gondim A, Santos CX, Martin D, Ghigo A, Perino A, Brewer AC, Ward CW, Hirsch E, WJ Lederer, Shah AM. Contractile function during Angiotensin-II activation: Increased Nox2 activity modulates cardiac calcium handling via phospholamban phosphorylation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015; 66(3):261-272.
33. Vogel J, Figueiredo de Rezende F, Rohrbach S, Zhang M, Schröder K. Nox4 is dispensable for exercise induced muscle fibre switch. PLOS ONE. 2015 Jun 17;10(6): e0130769.
34. Vogel J, Kruse C, Zhang M, Schröder K. Nox4 supports proper capillary growth in exercise and retina neo-vascularization. J Physiol. 2015 May 1;593(9):2145-54.
35. Smyrnias I, Zhang X, Zhang M, Murray TV, Brandes RP, Schröder K, Brewer AC, Shah AM. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase-4-Dependent Upregulation of Nuclear Factor Erythroid-Derived 2-Like 2 Protects the Heart During Chronic Pressure Overload. Hypertension. 2015 Mar;65(3):547-53.
36. Murdoch CE, Chaubey S, Zeng L, Yu B, Ivetic A, Walker SJ, Vanhoutte D, Heymans S, Grieve DJ, Cave AC, Brewer AC, Zhang M, Shah AM. Endothelial NADPH oxidase-2 promotes interstitial cardiac fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction through proinflammatory effects and endothelial-mesenchymal transition. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Jun 24;63(24):2734-41.
37. Zhang M, Shah A. ROS signalling between endothelial cells and cardiac cells. Cardiovasc Res. 2014. May 1;102(2):249-57.
38. Murray TV, Smyrnias I, Schnelle M, Mistry RK, Zhang M, Beretta M, Martin D, Anilkumar N, de Silva SM, Shah AM, Brewer AC. Redox regulation of cardiomyocyte cell cycling via an ERK1/2 and c-Myc-dependent activation of cyclin D2 transcription. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2014;79C:54-68.
39. Drozdov I, Didangelos A, Yin X, Zampetaki A, Abonnenc M, Murdoch C, Zhang M, Ouzounis CA, Mayr M, Tsoka S, Shah AM. Gene network and proteomic analyses of cardiac responses to pathological and physiological stress. Circ Cardiovasc Genet. 2013;6(6):588-97.
40. Zhang M, Perino A, Ghigo A, Hirsch E, Shah AM. NADPH Oxidases in Heart Failure: Poachers or Gamekeepers? Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013 Mar 20;18(9):1024-41.
41. Schröder K*, Zhang M*, Benkhoff S, Mieth A, Pliquett R, Kosowski J, Kruse C, Luedike P, Michaelis UR, Weissmann N, Dimmeler S, Shah AM, Brandes RP. Nox4 Is a Protective Reactive Oxygen Species Generating Vascular NADPH Oxidase. Circ Res. 2012;110(9):1217-25.
42. Sirker A, Zhang M, Shah AM. NADPH oxidases in cardiovascular disease: insights from in vivo models and clinical studies. Basic Res Cardiol. 2011;106(5):735-47.
43. Brewer AC, Murray TV, Arno M, Zhang M, Anilkumar NP, Mann GE, Shah AM. Nox4 regulates Nrf2 and glutathione redox in cardiomyocytes in vivo. Free Radic Biol Med. 2011;51(1):205-15.
44. Murdoch CE, Alom-Ruiz SP, Wang M, Zhang M, Walker S, Yu B, Brewer A, Shah AM. Role of endothelial Nox2 NADPH oxidase in angiotensin II-induced hypertension and vasomotor dysfunction. Basic Res Cardiol. 2011;106(4):527-38.
45. Ray R, Murdoch CE, Wang M, Santos CX, Zhang M, Alom-Ruiz S, Anilkumar N, Ouattara A, Cave AC, Walker SJ, Grieve DJ, Charles RL, Eaton P, Brewer AC, Shah AM. Endothelial Nox4 NADPH oxidase enhances vasodilatation and reduces blood pressure in vivo. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31(6):1368-76.
46. Santos CX, Anilkumar N, Zhang M, Brewer AC, Shah AM. Redox signaling in cardiac myocytes.  Free Radic Biol Med. 2011;50 (7):777-93.
47. Nabeebaccus A, Zhang M, Shah AM. NADPH oxidases and cardiac remodelling. Heart Fail Rev. 2011;16(1):5-12.
48. Zhang M*, Brewer AC, Schröder K, Santos CX, Grieve DJ, Wang M, Anilkumar N, Yu B, Dong X, Walker SJ, Brandes RP, Shah AM*. NADPH oxidase-4 mediates protection against chronic load-induced stress in mouse hearts by enhancing angiogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(42):18121-6.