1.0Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Diseasehttps://www.med.unc.edu/cgibdAmy Smitherhttps://www.med.unc.edu/cgibd/author/amy-smither/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="6TW6OAwHAi"><a href="https://www.med.unc.edu/cgibd/directory/jian-zhang-phd/">Jian Zhang, PhD</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.med.unc.edu/cgibd/directory/jian-zhang-phd/embed/#?secret=6TW6OAwHAi" width="600" height="338" title="“Jian Zhang, PhD” — Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease" data-secret="6TW6OAwHAi" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> https://www.med.unc.edu/cgibd/wp-content/uploads/sites/466/2026/04/Zhang-Jian-headshot.jpg500500Research Summary Dr. Zhang’s long-term research objective is to decode the mechanistic barriers within physiological microenvironments that restrict pharmacological intervention, and to design advanced, targeted biomaterials capable of successfully delivering therapeutics to traditionally inaccessible disease sites. His current research focuses on developing novel biomaterial strategies that transiently modulate physiological barriers to facilitate penetration of therapeutics. … Read more