Publications:59
Xiaotao Zhang, MD, PhD
Rony Zhang (Preferred Name)
About Me
Dr. Xiaotao Zhang earned his medical degree in Preventive Medicine in China. With a growing interest in disease prevention at the level of population health, he emigrated to the U.S to continue his education and training in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at Tulane University in New Orleans and The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. His research and experience are primarily focused on nutrition, the microbiome, cancer disparities and geriatric oncology. His research agenda is built upon multidisciplinary experiences studying the role of biological and modifiable factors in liver diseases and cancer prevention. By merging epidemiologic methods with innovative techniques and bioinformatic/statistical strategies, his current research examines the role of biological and modifiable factors in liver fibrosis and cancer prevention. He hopes to unravel risk factors and mechanisms to inform the development of new preventive interventions and clinical strategies.
He currently leads the Microbiome Epidemiology Lab at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where his team explores how host-microbiome interactions influence chronic disease risk and response to nutritional or therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Zhang also directs the Mount Sinai Bionutrition Research Core, a shared resource at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai that provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art support for nutritional research. The Core offers services in nutrition assessment, dietary intervention design, data analysis, and investigator training, facilitating high-quality translational and clinical nutrition studies.
Language
English
Position
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Medicine, Liver Diseases
Research Topics
Aging, Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics, Cancer, Depression, Diabetes, Epidemiology, Gastroenterology, Global Health, Immunology, Inflammation, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Liver, Metabolomics, Microgravity, Obesity, Patient Centered Outcomes Research, Personalized Medicine, Proteomics, Public Health, Translational Research
Multi-Disciplinary Training Areas
Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Medicine [AIET], Cancer Biology [CAB], Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics (DMT)
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Bachelor of Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University
Master of Science (MS), Tulane University,
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), The University of Texas Health Science Center
Postdoc, Baylor College of Medicine
Postdoc, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Awards
2025
Springer Nature Editorial Contribution Award
Springer Nature
2023
Dr. Klion Young Scientist Award
Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
2021
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Student and Early Career Investigator Scholarship
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2021
Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Kenneth Rothman Scholarship
Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER)
2020
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Scholar-in-Training Award
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2018
Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Integrative Epidemiology Fellowship
Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
2018
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASSC) Best Abstract award
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASSC)
2018
American Public Health Association dissertation award finalist
American Public Health Association
2017
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Student Conference Funding Assistance Award; and Travel Scholarship
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)
2017
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) AIDS and Public Health Research in the Americas Scholarship
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)
2017
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASSC) Young Investigator Award
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASSC)
2017
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
2017
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Research Grant
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
2017
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Dr. Raju-John Stroehlein Distinguished Professorship Scholarship
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
2016
American Journal of Preventive Medicine Outstanding Reviewer Award
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
2016
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Julius and Suzan Glickman Endowed Scholarship in Innovation
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)
Research
My research focuses on the relationship of diet, microbiome to liver diseases, as well as cancer prevention. By employing epidemiologic methods, including innovative methodologies to integrate omics data and/or biomarkers into epidemiologic study designs, my current research focuses on an examination of the role of biological and modifiable factors in liver fibrosis and HCC development.
Publications
Selected Publications
- Analysis of a PCORnet<sup>®</sup> database identifies multi-level predictors of delta hepatitis in a U.S. hotspot. Lauren Alpert, Xiaotao Zhang, Rachel Smith, Marcia Lange, Tatyana Kushner. Communications Medicine
- Oncogenic Ras drives EED degradation and PRC2 dysfunction to promote aggressive squamous cell carcinoma. Meng Yen Li, Aubrey Houser, Pradeep Cheema, Xiang Yu Zheng, Paula Restrepo, Pooja Flora, Yudong Zhou, Gil Segal-Dalal, Eldad Silberstein, Xiaotao Zhang, Markus Schober, Deyou Zheng, Idan Cohen, Andrew L. Ji, Elena Ezhkova. Nature Communications
- Sexual dimorphism in the association of circulating TAM receptors–ligands with MASLD-related fibrosis. Yiwei Zhu, Neha Gupta, Bruno Cogliati, Yulu He, Asher Leviton, Jihane N. Benhammou, Steven Huy B. Han, Zhenqi Zhou, Alexander Nguyen, Xiaotao Zhang, Rajat Singh, Scott L. Friedman, Meena B. Bansal, Bishuang Cai. JHEP Reports
Industry Relationships
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology companies, and other outside entities to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their outside financial relationships.
Dr. Zhang has not yet completed reporting of industry relationships or has no industry relationships to report.
Mount Sinai’s faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.