University of Auckland talents shine

“It has certainly been an interesting, and sometimes very challenging, ride from studying pharmacy in Germany to becoming a professor in ophthalmology in New Zealand and I cannot thank my supervisors, mentors, colleagues, family and friends enough for supporting me and being part of this journey. Special thanks go to the Buchanan Charitable Foundation – Drs Caroline and Trevor Gray – for enabling the establishment of the BOTU and Professors Charles McGhee and Colin Green for all their support over the years.

“Being promoted to professor is an acknowledgement of the excellent work the BOTU team has been doing over the past decade. While it does not really change what I do on a day-to-day basis, I’m hoping to strengthen my international collaborations over the coming years,” she said.

Associate Professor Jie Zhang

A/Prof Zhang is a translational vision scientist who is using her background in biomedical sciences to devise treatments for ophthalmic conditions. Her research focuses on corneal regeneration using scaffolds and cells, anterior segment reconstruction, plus interests in the relationship between connexin43 channel function and retinal and optic nerve diseases, such as central retinal artery occlusion and glaucoma.

The promotion is a significant milestone in her career as a translational vision scientist, she said. “It recognises all the hard work I have put into ophthalmic research, especially in areas like corneal regeneration. With this new role, I will have more opportunities to lead within the university, expand my research and make a bigger impact in the field of ophthalmology.”

A/Prof Zhang has produced 45 publications, including 43 peer-reviewed journal articles, two book chapters and three patents. She has secured more than $3 million in funding, of which $1.35 million was as a principal investigator, including three prestigious grants from the HRC and Royal Society. She was recently awarded the Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship to support her transition-zone cell work for corneal endothelial regeneration.