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Prof. Zuo Xiaolei| A Symphony of Chemistry and Clinical Medicine

Update time:2025-09-02Visits:1216

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Zuo Xiaolei, Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Full Professor, Director of Research Affairs at Renji Hospital, and Vice Dean of the Institute of Molecular Medicine.

Introduction

He is a scientific explorer and an educational guide. His research journey is one of continuous exploration and transcendence.

As a master of chemical symbols, he navigates and runs through the ocean of knowledge. These experiences intertwine to form the most beautiful landscape of his scientific odyssey.
He breaks the boundaries between chemistry and medicine, pioneering new frontiers in clinical diagnostics with innovative technologies. The path of research is never smooth; every success and failure fuels his drive forward, and every setback forges his indomitable scientific spirit.

He emphasizes cultivating students’ learning abilities and resilience, hoping they will persevere in their scientific pursuits. Through his own journey, he teaches students that research is not merely an accumulation of knowledge but a refinement of character.

The Origins in “Chemistry”

Baoding, Hebei—a city with over 3,000 years of history, nestled in the heart of the North China Plain—has long been a strategic military crossroads and a melting pot of cultures. Its story reads like a weighty historical chronicle, each page chronicling the winds of change through the ages. Since the Shang Dynasty, it has stood as a northern stronghold, witnessing the rise and fall of countless heroes. Once the seat of the Zhili Governor-General, its bricks and stones still echo past glories.

“Reflecting on my high school years, it was a time of chasing dreams. I discovered a special affinity for chemistry and realized it might shape my future.”

In the summer of 1998, fueled by his passion for chemistry and aspirations for the future, Zuo Xiaolei entered the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Central South University.

The chemical engineering program at Central South University boasts a profound legacy. Since its inception, it has attracted renowned experts and scholars in chemical engineering from home and abroad. Today, as a key component of the “Double First-Class” initiative, the program leverages the college’s robust research strength and educational resources to forge a distinctive academic identity and competitive edge.

Here, Zuo systematically mastered the fundamentals of chemistry. In his heart, his time at Central South University remains a lifelong treasure—a place of rigorous academic atmosphere, like-minded peers, and exceptional professors whose guidance laid a solid foundation for his future research.

“I still remember the hours in the university lab, where I often felt the joy of creation. Though the projects were small, they constantly sparked my curiosity and desire to explore.”

His academic foundation during his undergraduate and master’s studies prepared him for the road ahead. In 2005, driven by a thirst for deeper chemical knowledge, he joined the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to pursue his doctorate.

“During my doctoral studies, my supervisor, Academician Fan Chunhai, provided invaluable support. This phase was a new challenge. At the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, I had the privilege of engaging with cutting-edge fields like aptamers. For me, this was a realm of unknowns and possibilities, revealing the immense potential of merging chemistry with biomedicine.”

After earning his PhD, Zuo did not pause his exploration. In 2008, he traveled to the United States for postdoctoral research at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and later at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This period broadened his scientific horizons and accumulated precious experience for his future breakthroughs in molecular medicine.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a historic and multidisciplinary research institution in the U.S., is located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Established in 1943 for the Manhattan Project, it played a decisive role in ending World War II. Over time, its research expanded to encompass nuclear science, national security, materials science, bioscience, computational science, and environmental science. LANL’s advanced facilities, including supercomputers and particle accelerators, drive global scientific and technological innovation. The lab collaborates closely with universities and research institutions worldwide and is committed to nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“During my postdoctoral work in the U.S., I had the honor of collaborating with scientists from around the world. This experience not only exposed me to broader research fields but also highlighted the importance of a global perspective for scientific progress. Through their exchanges and partnerships, I learned advanced research methods and philosophies that later proved invaluable to my work.”

Working with top international scientists, Zuo mastered effective communication and collaboration across diverse cultural backgrounds—skills that profoundly influenced his later roles at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Molecular Medicine, and Renji Hospital.

The Chemist Entering Clinical Practice

In 2012, Zuo Xiaolei returned to Shanghai and joined the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, as a researcher. Here, he embarked on a new journey integrating science with clinical practice.

Over five years, Zuo achieved remarkable research results at the institute, gradually gaining prominence in academia. Yet, he was not content. A larger goal burned within him: to more closely align scientific research with clinical practice and contribute to human health.

“After returning to China, I felt a greater sense of responsibility. During my five years at the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, I had the privilege of tackling research challenges with colleagues. We had already begun interacting with clinicians and recognized the critical importance of solving real-world problems through clinical collaboration.”

In October 2017, Zuo reached a pivotal career milestone. He joined the Institute of Molecular Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and became affiliated with Renji Hospital. This marked another fresh challenge and a golden opportunity to realize his vision of merging research with clinical care.

Upon joining Renji Hospital, Zuo quickly immersed himself in the vibrant medical research team. He integrated cutting-edge molecular medicine theories with clinical practice, launching numerous innovative studies. Here, he was not just a researcher but an explorer, constantly forging new paths at the intersection of chemistry and medicine.

“Renji Hospital provided me with a vast stage to apply molecular medicine breakthroughs to clinical practice. I work closely with clinicians to unravel disease mechanisms and develop new diagnostic and therapeutic methods. This interdisciplinary model has shown me the true value of scientific research.”

In medical diagnostics, sensitivity and specificity are key metrics for evaluating detection methods. Enhancing both is crucial for early disease diagnosis and precision medicine. However, this process is fraught with challenges—especially in pathological states, where accurately identifying disease biomarkers from complex biological samples is immensely difficult.

“One of the biggest challenges in clinical diagnostics is improving sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity determines our ability to detect minute changes, while specificity ensures we identify molecules directly linked to disease, not irrelevant factors. In pathological states, we must sift through blood to find biomarkers associated with lesions while excluding interference from normal physiological conditions—a technically formidable task.”

To address these challenges, Zuo and his team dedicated extensive efforts to developing framework nucleic acid technology, a novel biosensing approach enabling precise molecular-level manipulation and recognition. This technology opened new possibilities for enhancing diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

“The core strength of framework nucleic acid technology lies in its high order and precision. By designing specific framework structures, we can immobilize recognition molecules in an orderly manner on sensor surfaces, significantly boosting detection sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, the stability and programmability of framework nucleic acids allow us to customize detection schemes for different biomarkers, enabling simultaneous analysis of multiple molecules.”

Additionally, Zuo led and advanced the clinical application of other technologies, such as aptamers and DNA storage.

At Renji Hospital, Zuo participated in multiple clinically integrated projects, including research in liver cancer and urology, achieving breakthroughs particularly in the application of framework nucleic acid probe technology. These novel methods markedly improved disease detection sensitivity and specificity, providing new tools for clinical diagnosis. Multidisciplinary integration with clinical medicine remains his forward direction.

“Currently, we have strong collaborations with Renji Hospital’s departments of Urology and Hepatic Surgery, yielding notable results.”

Renji Hospital’s Department of Urology is a leading force in Chinese urology, with profound heritage and expertise—offering Zuo an ideal platform to showcase his skills.

In prostate cancer diagnostics, Zuo’s team achieved groundbreaking progress in biosensing technology. They developed a DNA framework-based multidimensional molecular classifier capable of precise signal conversion and weighted analysis of nucleic acids, proteins, and small-molecule biomarkers. This innovation significantly enhanced biomarker detection accuracy, providing a powerful tool for precision medicine.

Using this molecular classifier, the team enabled precise diagnosis of prostate cancer, improving diagnostic accuracy and offering critical support for early patient treatment and health management.

This research earned high academic acclaim and was published in Nature Nanotechnology, demonstrating immense potential for clinical application. The work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China’s Basic Science Center Program, the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, and other major initiatives.

In hepatic surgery, Zuo collaborated with renowned liver transplant expert Academician Xia Qiang to achieve significant advances in transplant immunology, particularly at the intersection of synthetic biology and materials science. Their team published a comprehensive review in Med, a Cell Press journal, proposing innovative strategies to reshape post-transplant immune homeostasis using synthetic biology and material technologies, thereby elevating transplant science.

In this study, they systematically explored the application of synthetic biology and biomaterials in solid organ transplantation. They proposed integrating transplant immunology with these emerging fields to expand donor organ sources, improve organ preservation techniques, optimize immune monitoring and regulation, and develop novel cell and gene therapies. These strategies aim to cover the entire transplant process—from increasing graft availability to reducing immune rejection, refining preservation methods, and enabling precise immune modulation.

“In hepatic surgery, we are exploring further. For instance, we are using framework DNA technology to identify the inflammation-cancer transition point, aiming to detect early-stage liver cancer predisposition in patients. Additionally, we are integrating intelligent analysis into these detection tools to assist clinicians in making accurate judgments.”

The significance of identifying biomarkers at the inflammation-cancer transition point in early liver cancer diagnosis lies in improving diagnostic accuracy and early detection rates. Due to clinical similarities between hepatitis and liver cancer, these biomarkers help clinicians distinguish benign inflammation from malignant transformation, preventing misdiagnosis and missed cases. Early and accurate identification of cancer enables timely intervention, enhancing cure rates and survival while reducing liver cancer-related mortality. Thus, these biomarkers hold substantial clinical value.

During his years at Renji Hospital, Zuo has deeply appreciated the importance of integrating research with clinical practice and is committed to serving clinicians more profoundly.

“In the future, our research outcomes will not only serve clinicians but also directly benefit patients, offering them hope—this is what makes us researchers most proud. I hope to continue advancing on this path, contributing more to human health.”

Though Zuo’s scientific journey is filled with challenges, it is also brimming with hope. His work not only drives advancements in medical diagnostics but also charts a bright future for precision medicine.

Team Building and the Future

On the path of research, Zuo Xiaolei understands that teamwork is the key to innovation and breakthroughs. He views team building as a systematic endeavor, emphasizing not only members’ professional expertise but also collective cohesion.

Zuo believes cohesion stems from shared beliefs and goals. Through team-building activities, academic exchanges, and ideological education, he continuously reinforces members’ sense of responsibility and mission. United and collaborative, the team drives research forward guided by clinical needs.

“In my view, an outstanding research team needs not only top-tier scientific capabilities but also strong ideals and shared values. Our work must serve national and clinical strategic needs, solving real-world problems.”

In educating students, Zuo has unique insights. He values academic ability but also prioritizes cultivating innovative thinking, teamwork, and the courage to face challenges—qualities he deems indispensable for future scientific careers.

“I often tell my students that research is a long-term, arduous task requiring continuous learning and exploration. I encourage them to innovate boldly, challenge the unknown, and develop problem-solving skills. At the same time, I stress the importance of teamwork, helping them understand that unity is essential to overcoming research obstacles.”

Zuo adopts a structured, phased approach to student development, reflecting careful consideration of their growth trajectories.

“During the first two years of graduate studies, I focus on equipping students with fundamental lab skills—experimental techniques, data analysis, literature review—to build a solid foundation. In the following two years, they engage in actual research projects, taking on independent tasks to foster problem-solving and critical thinking. For PhD students, I expect them to produce research outcomes—such as writing and publishing papers—and plan their career paths in the final three years.”

Throughout this process, Zuo provides personalized guidance, attends to students’ psychological well-being, and ignites their innovative potential. He hopes students will align personal growth with national needs, becoming researchers with deep expertise, creativity, and integrity who contribute positively to society.

Looking ahead, Zuo envisions his team achieving more breakthroughs in molecular medicine, particularly in early cancer detection and personalized healthcare, to advance human health.

“I hope our team will continue to deliver innovative results in molecular medicine. We will deepen our research in detection technologies, developing more efficient and precise methods to improve patients’ quality of life and survival rates. I also look forward to translating our findings into clinical applications to benefit more patients.”

For the future, Zuo harbors an even grander vision. He aims to contribute to human health through molecular medicine, believing that technologies once imagined will eventually become reality with scientific progress.


Editor: Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn

If you'd like to contact Doctor Zuo, please be free to let us know at chenqing@ShanghaiDoctor.cn

Note: Chinese Sources from “The Path of Benevolent Medicine” which was published in 2024. It records 90 important medical figures in the history of Renji Hospital. Yewen Renyi (ShanghaiDoctor.cn) team was one of the major writers of the book and is authorized by Renji hospital to create English version on the website of ShanghaiDoctor.cn 


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