Zheng-Rong Lu

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., Stojanov, I., & 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., Han, Z., Gilmore, H., Winter, J., & 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., Kern, T., Palczewski, K., & 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.
Qiao, S., & Lu, Z. (2020). Fibronectin in the Tumor Microenvironment.. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1245 , 85-96.
Vaidya, A., Ayat, N., Buford, M., Wang, H., Shankardass, A., Zhao, Y., Gilmore, H., Wang, Z., & 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.
Sun, D., Schur, R., Sears, A., Gao, S., Vaidya, A., Sun, W., Maeda, A., Kern, T., Palczewski, K., & Lu, Z. (2020). Non-viral Gene Therapy for Stargardt Disease with ECO/pRHO-ABCA4 Self-Assembled Nanoparticles. Molecular Therapy, 28 (1), 293-303.
Ayat, N., Sun, Z., Sun, D., Yin, M., Hall, R., Vaidya, A., Liu, X., Schilb, A., Scheidt, J., & 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., Van Zijl, P., Lu, Z., Zheng, L., & 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., Schilb, A., Qiao, P., Han, Z., Naderi, A., & 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., Sun, D., Scheidt, J., Qian, V., He, S., Gilmore, H., Schiemann, W., & 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., Lee, Z., & 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., Gargesha, M., Lu, S., Lu, Z., & 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, 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.
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.
Qutaish, M., Zhou, Z., Prabhu, D., Liu, Y., Busso, M., Izadnegahdar, D., Gargesha, M., Lu, H., Lu, Z., & 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., Palczewski, K., & 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., DeSanto, A., Yu, X., Zhu, H., Magi-Galluzzi, C., & 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., DeSanto, A., Yu, X., Zhu, H., Magi-Galluzzi, C., & 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.
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., Palczewski, K., & 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.
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.
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., Ayat, N., Lu, Z., & 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.
Zhou, Z., & Lu, Z. (2016). Molecular imaging of the tumor microenvironment. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews [0169409X].
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.
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.
Gujrati, M., Vaidya, A., & Lu, Z. (2016). Multifunctional pH-Sensitive Amino Lipids for siRNA Delivery. Bioconjugate Chemistry [10431802], 27 (1), 19-35.
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.
Collins, C., Mondjinou, Y., Loren, B., Torregrosa-Allen, S., Simmons, C., Elzey, B., Ayat, N., Lu, Z., & Thompson, D. (2016). Influence of Molecular Structure on the In Vivo Performance of Flexible Rod Polyrotaxanes. Biomacromolecules [15257797], 17 (9), 2777-2786.
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.
Sun, D., Maeno, H., Gujrati, M., Schur, R., Maeda, A., Maeda, N., Palczewski, K., & 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. L. (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. L. (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., Zhang, G., & 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., Maeda, A., Palczewski, K., & 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., Maeda, A., Palczewski, K., & 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., Chen, Q., Zhu, H., Magi-Galluzzi, C., & 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., Wang, Y., King, R., Wang, X., Yatani, H., Malamas, A., Lu, Z., & 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., Chen, Y., Zhu, H., Magi-Galluzzi, C., & Lu, Z. (2015). EDB Fibronectin Specific Peptide for Prostate Cancer Targeting. BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY, 26 (5), 830-838.
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.
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), -.
Gillespie, D., Aguirre, M., Ravichandran, S., Leishman, L., Berrondo, C., Gamboa, J., Wang, L., King, R., Wang, X., Tan, M., Malamas, A., Lu, Z., & 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., Berglund, L., Erokwu, B., Agnes, R., Lu, Z., Pokorski, J. K., Basilion, J. K., Gulani, V. K., Griswold, M. K., Flask, C. K., & Brady-Kalnay, S. K. (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.
Herrmann, K., Johansen, M., Craig, S., Vincent, J., Howell, M., Gao, Y., Berglund, L., Erokwu, B., Agnes, R., Lu, Z., Pokorski, J. K., Basilion, J. K., Gulani, V. K., Griswold, M. K., Flask, C. K., & Brady-Kalnay, S. K. (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 , -.
Wu, Y., Balu, N., Li , W., Chen, Q., Joshi-Imre, A., Kummitha, C., Yu, X., Yuan, 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., Lu, Z., Wilson, D. L., & Brady-Kalnay, S. L. (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.