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Zheng-Rong Lu

M. Frank Rudy and Margaret Domiter Rudy Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Investigates novel MRI contrast agents, molecular imaging, drug delivery and therapeutics for retinal diseases
Office: 427 Wickenden
Phone Number: (216) 368-0187
Email: zxl125@case.edu

Education

Ph.D., Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1990

Research Interests

Novel MRI contrast agents<br>Molecular imaging<br>Drug delivery<br>Therapeutics for treating retinal diseases<br>Gene delivery<br>Nanomedicine

Teaching Interests

Drug delivery<br>Molecular imaging<br>Nanomedicine<br>Biomolecular Engineering

Other Affiliations

2017 - PRESENT, Founder, Board Member (or Manager), Chief Scientific Officer, , U.S. Motek, LLC
2017 - PRESENT, Founder, Chair of Board of Directors, President, China Jiansu Motek, Inc.,
2014 - PRESENT, Founder, Board Member (or Manager), Chief Scientific Officer, Molecular Theranostics, LLC,

Publications

Hall, R., Ayat, N., Qiao, P., Vaidya, A., Ma, D., Aminoshariae, A., ... Lu, Z. (2020). Preclinical Assessment of the Effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Molecular Imaging of Extradomain-B Fibronectin for Detection and Characterization of Oral Cancer. Molecular Imaging and Biology, 22 (6), 1532-1542.
Qiao, P., Ayat, N., Vaidya, A., Gao, S., Sun, W., Chou, S., ... Lu, Z. (2020). Magnetic Resonance Molecular Imaging of Extradomain B Fibronectin Improves Imaging of Pancreatic Cancer Tumor Xenografts. Frontiers in Oncology, 10 ().
Vaidya, A., Wang, H., Qian, V., Gilmore, H., & Lu, Z. (2020). Overexpression of Extradomain-B Fibronectin is Associated with Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells. Cells, 9 (8).
Sun, D., Schur, R., Sears, A., Gao, S., Sun, W., Naderi, A., ... Lu, Z. (2020). Stable Retinoid Analogue Targeted Dual pH-Sensitive Smart Lipid ECO/ pDNA Nanoparticles for Specific Gene Delivery in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 3 (5), 3078-3086.
Sun, D., Schur, R., Sears, A., Gao, S., Vaidya, A., Sun, W., ... Lu, Z. (2020). Non-viral Gene Therapy for Stargardt Disease with ECO/pRHO-ABCA4 Self-Assembled Nanoparticles. Molecular Therapy, 28 (1), 293-303.
Vaidya, A., Ayat, N., Buford, M., Wang, H., Shankardass, A., Zhao, Y., ... Lu, Z. (2020). Noninvasive assessment and therapeutic monitoring of drug-resistant colorectal cancer by MR molecular imaging of extradomain-B fibronectin. Theranostics, 10 (24), 11127-11143.
Qiao, S., & Lu, Z. (2020). Fibronectin in the Tumor Microenvironment.. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1245 (), 85-96.
Ayat, N., Sun, Z., Sun, D., Yin, M., Hall, R., Vaidya, A., ... Lu, Z. (2019). Formulation of Biocompatible Targeted ECO/siRNA Nanoparticles with Long-Term Stability for Clinical Translation of RNAi. Oligonucleotides, ().
Han, Z., Zhang, S., Fujiwara, K., Zhang, S., Li, Y., Liu, H., ... Liu, G. (2019). Extradomain-B Fibronectin-Targeted Dextran-Based Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Magnetic Resonance Imaging Probe for Detecting Pancreatic Cancer. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 30 (5), 1425-1433.
Sun, D., Sun, Z., Jiang, H., Vaidya, A., Xin, R., Ayat, N., ... Lu, Z. (2019). Synthesis and Evaluation of pH-Sensitive Multifunctional Lipids for Efficient Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 in Gene Editing. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 30 (3), 667-678.
Vaidya, A., Sun, Z., Ayat, N., Schilb, A., Liu, X., Jiang, H., ... Lu, Z. (2019). Systemic Delivery of Tumor-Targeting siRNA Nanoparticles against an Oncogenic LncRNA Facilitates Effective Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 30 (3), 907-919.
Han, Z., Sergeeva, O., Roelle, S., Cheng, H., Gao, S., Li, Y., ... Lu, Z. (2019). Preparation and Evaluation of ZD2 Peptide 64 Cu-DOTA Conjugate as a Positron Emission Tomography Probe for Detection and Characterization of Prostate Cancer. ACS Omega, 4 (1), 1185-1190.
Han, Z., Wu, X., Roelle, S., Chen, C., Schiemann, W., & Lu, Z. (2018). Author Correction: Targeted gadofullerene for sensitive magnetic resonance imaging and risk-stratification of breast cancer. Nature Communications, 9 (1).
Lu, Z., Steinmetz, N., & Zhu, C. (2018). New Directions for Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 15 (9), 3601-3602.
Ayat, N., Qin, J., Cheng, H., Roelle, S., Gao, S., Li, Y., ... Lu, Z. (2018). Optimization of ZD2 Peptide Targeted Gd(HP-DO3A) for Detection and Risk-Stratification of Prostate Cancer with MRI. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 9 (7), 730-735.
Han, Z., Cheng, H., Parvani, J., Zhou, Z., & Lu, Z. (2018). Magnetic resonance molecular imaging of metastatic breast cancer by targeting extradomain-B fibronectin in the tumor microenvironment: MR Molecular Imaging of Metastatic Breast Cancer. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 79 (6), 3135-3143.
Qutaish, M., Zhou, Z., Prabhu, D., Liu, Y., Busso, M., Izadnegahdar, D., ... Wilson, D. L. (2018). Cryo-Imaging and Software Platform for Analysis of Molecular MR Imaging of Micrometastases.. International journal of biomedical imaging, 2018 (), 9780349.
Lu, Z., & Qiao, P. (2018). Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy, Quo Vadis?. Molecular Pharmaceutics, ().
Schur, R., Gao, S., Yu, S., Chen, Q., Maeda, A., Palczewski, K., ... Lu, Z. (2018). New GABA modulators protect photoreceptor cells from light-induced degeneration in mouse models.. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, (), fj201701250R.
Schur, R., Gao, S., Yu, G., CHEN, P., Maeda, A., Palczewski, K., ... Lu, Z. (2018). New GABA modulators protect photoreceptor cells from light-induced degeneration in mouse models. The FASEB Journal, ().
Qutaish, M., Zhou, Z., Prabhu, D., Liu, Y., Busso, M., Izadnegahdar, D., ... Wilson, D. L. (2018). Cryo-Imaging and Software Platform for Analysis of Molecular MR Imaging of Micrometastases. International Journal of Biomedical Imaging, 2018 (), 16-Jan.
Li , Y., Zhang, Z., Roelle, S., DeSanto, A., Sabatelle, R., Schur, R., ... Lu, Z. (2017). Synthesis and Assessment of Peptide Gd-DOTA Conjugates Targeting Extradomain B Fibronectin for Magnetic Resonance Molecular Imaging of Prostate Cancer.. Molecular pharmaceutics, 14 (11), 3906-3915.
Zhang, Z., Cheng, C., Parvani, J., Zhou, Z., & Lu, Z. (2017). Magnetic resonance molecular imaging of metastatic breast cancer by targeting extradomain-B fibronectin in the tumor microenvironment.. Magnetic resonance in medicine, ().
Sun, D., Schur, R., & Lu, Z. (2017). A novel nonviral gene delivery system for treating Leber's congenital amaurosis.. Therapeutic delivery, 8 (10), 823-826.
Zhang, Z., Wu, Y., Roelle, S., Cheng, C., Schiemann, W., & Lu, Z. (2017). Targeted gadofullerene for sensitive magnetic resonance imaging and risk-stratification of breast cancer.. Nature communications, 8 (1), 692.
Sun, D., Sahu, B., Gao, S., Schur, R., Vaidya, A., Maeda, A., ... Lu, Z. (2017). Targeted Multifunctional Lipid ECO Plasmid DNA Nanoparticles as Efficient Non-viral Gene Therapy for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis.. Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids, 7 (), 42-52.
Zhang, Z., Li , Y., Roelle, S., Zhou, Z., Liu, Y., Sabatelle, R., ... Lu, Z. (2017). Targeted Contrast Agent Specific to an Oncoprotein in Tumor Microenvironment with the Potential for Detection and Risk Stratification of Prostate Cancer with MRI.. Bioconjugate chemistry, 28 (4), 1031-1040.
Zhou, Z., & Lu, Z. (2017). Molecular imaging of the tumor microenvironment.. Advanced drug delivery reviews, 113 (), 24-48.
Zhang, Z., Li , Y., Roelle, S., Zhou, Z., Liu, Y., Sabatelle, R., ... Lu, Z. (2017). Targeted Contrast Agent Specific to an Oncoprotein in Tumor Microenvironment with the Potential for Detection and Risk Stratification of Prostate Cancer with MRI.. Bioconjugate chemistry, ().
Zhang, Z., & Lu, Z. (2017). Targeting Fibronectin for Cancer Imaging and Therapy.. Journal of materials chemistry. B, 5 (4), 639-654.
Lee, J., Ayat, N., Tandle, A., Lu, Z., & Camphausen, K. (2017). Abstract B42: Silencing of DNA repair proteins with ECO/siRNA nanoparticles for the enhancement of radiation response in glioblastoma. Cancer Research, 77 (2 Supplement), B42-B42.
Parvani, J., Gujrati, M., Mack, M., Schiemann, W., & Lu, Z. (2017). Abstract B45: Silencing ß3 integrin by targeted ECO/siRNA nanoparticles inhibits EMT and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Research, 77 (2 Supplement), B45-B45.
Sun, D., Sahu, B., Gao, S., Schur, R., Vaidya, A., Akiko, M., ... Lu, Z. (2017). Targeted Multifunctional Lipid ECO Plasmid DNA Nanoparticles as Efficient Non-Viral Gene Therapy for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids, ().
Han, Z., & Lu, Z. (2017). Targeting fibronectin for cancer imaging and therapy. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, ().
Gujrati, M., Vaidya, A., Mackey, M., Snyder, D., Malamas, A., & Lu, Z. (2016). Targeted Dual pH-Sensitive Lipid ECO/siRNA Self-Assembly Nanoparticles Facilitate In Vivo Cytosolic sieIF4E Delivery and Overcome Paclitaxel Resistance in Breast Cancer Therapy.. Advanced healthcare materials, 5 (22), 2882-2895.
Collins, C., Mondjinou, Y., Loren, B., Torregrosa-Allen, S., Simmons, C., Elzey, B., ... Thompson, D. (2016). Influence of Molecular Structure on the In Vivo Performance of Flexible Rod Polyrotaxanes.. Biomacromolecules, 17 (9), 2777-86.
Malamas, A., Jin, Y., Gujrati, M., & Lu, Z. (2016). Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI Assessing the Antiangiogenic Effect of Silencing HIF-1α with Targeted Multifunctional ECO/siRNA Nanoparticles.. Molecular pharmaceutics, 13 (7), 2497-506.
Zhou, Z., Zhang, Z., & Lu, Z. (2016). A targeted nanoglobular contrast agent from host-guest self-assembly for MR cancer molecular imaging.. Biomaterials, 85 (), 168-79.
Gujrati, M., Vaidya, A., & Lu, Z. (2016). Multifunctional pH-Sensitive Amino Lipids for siRNA Delivery.. Bioconjugate chemistry, 27 (1), 19-35.
Malamas, A., Jin, E., Gujrati, M., & Lu, Z. (2016). Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI Assessing the Antiangiogenic Effect of Silencing HIF-1a with Targeted Multifunctional ECO/siRNA Nanoparticles. Molecular Pharmaceutics [15438384], 13 (7), 2497-2506.
Collins, C., Mondjinou, Y., Loren, B., Torregrosa-Allen, S., Simmons, C., Elzey, B., ... Thompson, D. (2016). Influence of Molecular Structure on the In Vivo Performance of Flexible Rod Polyrotaxanes. Biomacromolecules [15257797], 17 (9), 2777-2786.
Zhou, Z., & Lu, Z. (2016). Molecular imaging of the tumor microenvironment. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews [0169409X], ().
Gujrati, M., Vaidya, A., & Lu, Z. (2016). Multifunctional pH-Sensitive Amino Lipids for siRNA Delivery. Bioconjugate Chemistry [10431802], 27 (1), 19-35.
Gujrati, M., Vaidya, A., Mack, M., Snyder, D., Malamas, A., & Lu, Z. (2016). Targeted Dual pH-Sensitive Lipid ECO/siRNA Self-Assembly Nanoparticles Facilitate In Vivo Cytosolic sieIF4E Delivery and Overcome Paclitaxel Resistance in Breast Cancer Therapy. Advanced Healthcare Materials [21922640], 5 (22), 2882-2895.
Wu, X., Han, Z., Schur, R., & Lu, Z. (2016). Targeted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Delivering Arsenic Trioxide with Environment Sensitive Drug Release for Effective Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering [23739878], 2 (4), 501-507.
Ye, Z., Zhou, Z., Ayat, N., Wu, Y., Jin, Y., Joshi-Imre, A., ... Lu, Z. (2016). A neutral polydisulfide containing Gd(III) DOTA monoamide as a redox-sensitive biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agent.. Contrast media & molecular imaging, 11 (1), 32-40.
Huang, Y., Cao, J., Zhang, G., Lu, Z., Huang, I., Zhang, X., ... Gao, H. (2016). Chitosan oligosaccharide based Gd-DTPA complex as a potential bimodal magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.. Magnetic resonance imaging, 34 (1), 1-7.
Sun, D., Maeno, H., Gujrati, M., Schur, R., Maeda, A., Maeda, N., ... Lu, Z. (2015). Self-Assembly of a Multifunctional Lipid With Core-Shell Dendrimer DNA Nanoparticles Enhanced Efficient Gene Delivery at Low Charge Ratios into RPE Cells.. Macromolecular bioscience, 15 (12), 1663-72.
Zhou, Z., Mondjinou, Y., Hyun, S., Kulkarni, A., Lu, Z., & Thompson, D. (2015). Gd3+-1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic-2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin/Pluronic Polyrotaxane as a Long Circulating High Relaxivity MRI Contrast Agent.. ACS applied materials & interfaces, 7 (40), 22272-6.
Malamas, A., Jin, Y., Zhang, G., Haaga, J., & Lu, Z. (2015). Anti-angiogenic Effects of Bumetanide Revealed by DCE-MRI with a Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agent in a Colon Cancer Model.. Pharmaceutical research, 32 (9), 3029-43.
Lu, Z., & Schiemann, W. (2015). ECO/siRNA nanoparticles and breast cancer metastasis.. Oncoscience, 2 (10), 823-4.
Zhou, Z., Qutaish, M., Zhang, Z., Schur, R., Liu, Y., Wilson, D. L., ... Lu, Z. (2015). MRI detection of breast cancer micrometastases with a fibronectin-targeting contrast agent.. Nature communications, 6 (), 7984.
Zhou, Z., Qutaish, M., Han, Z., Schur, R., Liu, Y., Wilson, D. L., ... Lu, Z. (2015). MRI detection of breast cancer micrometastases with a fibronectin-targeting contrast agent. Nature Communications, 6 (), 7984.
Cao, L., Qian, Z., Huang, Y., Cao, J., Jiao, X., Liu, C., ... Lu, Z. (2015). [Synthesis and Spectroscopic Study of a Chemosensor for Naked Eye Recognition of Cu2+ and Hg2+].. Guang pu xue yu guang pu fen xi = Guang pu, 35 (7), 1797-801.
Schur, R., Sheng, L., Sahu, B., Yu, S., Gao, S., Yu, X., ... Lu, Z. (2015). Manganese-Enhanced MRI for Preclinical Evaluation of Retinal Degeneration Treatments.. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 56 (8), 4936-42.
Schur, R., Sheng, L., Sahu, B., Yu, S., Gao, S., Yu, X., ... Lu, Z. (2015). Manganese-Enhanced MRI for Preclinical Evaluation of Retinal Degeneration Treatments.. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 56 (8), 4936-42.
Parvani, J., Gujrati, M., Mackey, M., Schiemann, W., & Lu, Z. (2015). Silencing β3 Integrin by Targeted ECO/siRNA Nanoparticles Inhibits EMT and Metastasis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.. Cancer research, 75 (11), 2316-2325.
Zhang, Z., Zhou, Z., Joshi-Imre, A., Wang, J., Wu, Y., Sun, D., ... Lu, Z. (2015). EDB Fibronectin Specific Peptide for Prostate Cancer Targeting.. Bioconjugate chemistry, 26 (5), 830-8.
Puntel, A., Maeda, A., Golczak, M., Gao, S., Yu, S., Palczewski, K., ... Lu, Z. (2015). Prolonged prevention of retinal degeneration with retinylamine loaded nanoparticles.. Biomaterials, 44 (), 103-10.
Gillespie, D., Aguirre, M., Ravichandran, S., Leishman, L., Berrondo, C., Gamboa, J., ... Jensen, R. (2015). RNA interference targeting hypoxia-inducible factor 1α via a novel multifunctional surfactant attenuates glioma growth in an intracranial mouse model.. Journal of neurosurgery, 122 (2), 331-41.
Zhang, Z., Zhou, Z., Shi, X., Wang, J., Wu, X., Sun, D., ... Lu, Z. (2015). EDB Fibronectin Specific Peptide for Prostate Cancer Targeting. BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY, 26 (5), 830-838.
Liu, Y., Huang, Y., Boamah, P., Cao, L., Zhang, G., Lu, Z., ... Khalifa, A. (2015). Homogeneous synthesis of linoleic acid-grafted chitosan oligosaccharide in ionic liquid and its self-assembly performance in aqueous solution. JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, 132 (13), -.
Herrmann, K., Johansen, M., Craig, S., Vincent, J., Howell, M., Gao, Y., ... Brady-Kalnay, S. (2015). Molecular Imaging of Tumors Using a Quantitative T 1 Mapping Technique via Magnetic Resonance Imaging.. Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 5 (3), 318-32.
Zhou, Z., Qutaish, M., Zhang, Z., Schur, R., Liu, Y., Wilson, D., ... Lu, Z. (2015). MRI detection of breast cancer micrometastases with a fibronectin-targeting contrast agent. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 6 (), -.
Puntel, A., Maeda, A., Golczak, M., Gao, S., Yu, G., Palczewski, K., ... Lu, Z. (2015). Prolonged prevention of retinal degeneration with retinylamine loaded nanoparticles. BIOMATERIALS, 44 (), 103-110.
Gillespie, D., Aguirre, M., Ravichandran, S., Leishman, L., Berrondo, C., Gamboa, J., ... Jensen, R. (2015). RNA interference targeting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha via a novel multifunctional surfactant attenuates glioma growth in an intracranial mouse model. JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY, 122 (2), 331-341.
Herrmann, K., Johansen, M., Craig, S., Vincent, J., Howell, M., Gao, Y., ... Brady-Kalnay, S. (2015). Molecular Imaging of Tumors Using a Quantitative T 1 Mapping Technique via Magnetic Resonance Imaging.. Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 5 (3), 318-32.
Malamas, A., Jin, E., Zhang, G., Haaga, J., & Lu, Z. (2015). Anti-angiogenic Effects of Bumetanide Revealed by DCE-MRI with a Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agent in a Colon Cancer Model. PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH, 32 (9), 3029-3043.
Wu, Y., Balu, N., Li , W., Chen, Q., Joshi-Imre, A., Kummitha, C., ... Lu, Z. (2013). Molecular MRI of atherosclerotic plaque progression in an ApoE(-/-) mouse model with a CLT1 peptide targeted macrocyclic Gd(III) chelate.. American journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 3 (5), 446-55.
Burden-Gulley, S., Qutaish, M., Sullivant, K., Yatani, H., Craig, S., Basilion, J., ... Brady-Kalnay, S. (2013). Single cell molecular recognition of migrating and invading tumor cells using a targeted fluorescent probe to receptor PTPmu.. International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer, 132 (7), 1624-32.