Dr. Fan Zhang

Fan Zhang is an environmental microbiologist interested in understanding how microbes interact with their hosts and environments to shape biological function. He received his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Microbial Ecology from Xiamen University, where he studied the ecology of marine bacteria and their roles in ocean nutrient cycling. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology from the University of Maryland, College Park, investigating microbial symbiosis and nutrient cycling in marine sponges. He subsequently completed his postdoctoral training at Baylor College of Medicine, where he used Caenorhabditis elegans and its natural microbiome to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying microbial commensalism and host–microbiome interactions. His current research integrates environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, genetics, and host biology to understand how microbes and environmental factors influence animal physiology and health.