ZHANG, Jingfa

Research Professor

Professor

Education Background

Doctor of Natural Science (China Academy of Sciences)

Bachelor of Medicine (Fudan University)

Academic Area
Clinical Medicine
Research Field
The mechanisms and treatments of fundus diseases including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration
Email
zhangjingfa@cuhk.edu.cn
Biography

Prof. Zhang undertook his medical training in Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University. He graduated from Fudan University in 2003 and obtained his doctorate from Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008. As a physician-scientist, Prof. Zhang has been actively engaged in the clinical practice and translational research focusing on the mechanisms and treatments of fundus diseases including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. His research has resulted in over 100 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals. Prof. Zhang has been recognized as one of the World’s Top 2% Scientists in Ophthalmology for 2024, a distinction published by Stanford University in the USA. Prof. Zhang co-edited a book entitled Therapeutic Targets for Diabetic Retinopathy-A Translational Approach which was published by Elsevier Publishing House in 2023. The research work won the second prize of the Ministry of Education's Science and Technology Progress Award, and etc. Prof. Zhang is also serving as Deputy Director of the Primasia International Eye Research Institute of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen.

Academic Publications

Selected Publications:

  1. Zhi-Hui Dong, Jia-Yu Zhang, Chao-Yang Zhang, Zhen-Guo Chen*, Jing-Fa Zhang*. Two cases of lamellar macular hole secondary to the rupture of the cystoid inner wall in patients with diabetic macular edema. Int J Ophthalmol, 2025,18(8):1610-1612 (*corresponding author)

  2. Zhu YY, Qin SY, Xie H, Liu YP, Li XS, Zhang CY, Zhang YC*, Zhang JF*. Enhancement of retinal Müller glia's phagocytic activity against hard exudates by conbercept via activation of PPARγ-CD36 axis in diabetic retinopathy. Int J Ophthalmol. 2025 Jul 18;18(7):1252-1261. (*corresponding author)

  3. Qin S, Zhu Y, Liu Y, Xie H, Zhang J*, Zhang C*, Xu G*. Nintedanib inhibits neovascularization and subretinal fibrosis in a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization mouse model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2025 Jun 6;775:152169. (*corresponding author)

  4. Shu Y, Zhang C, Bi Y*, Zhang J*. Hyperreflective Foci and Subretinal Fluid Predicts Microglia Activation Involved in the Breakdown of Outer Blood-Retinal Barrier in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2025 Mar 3:100168. (*corresponding author)

  5. Jin, Y, Gui, F, Chen, M, Chen, X, Li H, Zhang J*, Deep learning-driven automated quality assessment of ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography images for diabetic retinopathy. Vis Comput, 2025; 41:1049-1059. (*corresponding author)

  6. Zhang J, Sheng X, Ding Q, Wang Y, Zhao J, Zhang J*, Subretinal fibrosis secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration: mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. Neural Regen Res, 2025; 20(2):378-393. (*corresponding author)

  7. Zhang J, Zhang C, Xie H, Luo D, Zhang J*. Intravitreal indocyanine green is toxic to the retinal cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2024 Oct 22;736:150872. (*corresponding author)

  8. Zhang J*, Wang M, Chen L, Radke N. Diabetic Blindness Remains a Big Challenge Despite All Recent Advancements in Diagnostics and Treatments. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2024 Oct 1:100105. (*corresponding author)

  9. Wu J, Liang Y, Shi F, Tu X, Zhang J*, Qiu Q*. Meibomian gland dropout of upper eyelids as a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome: a pilot study. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2024 Sep 2;16:1759720X241274726. (*corresponding author, IF: 3.4)

  10. Sheng X, Zhang C, Zhao J, Xu J, Zhang P, Ding Q, Zhang J*. Microvascular destabilization and intricated network of the cytokines in diabetic retinopathy: from the perspective of cellular and molecular components. Cell Biosci. 2024 Jun 27;14(1):85. (*corresponding author, IF: 6.1)

  11. Jin Y, Yong S, Ke S, Zhang C, Liu Y, Wang J, Lu T, Sun Y*, Wang H*, Zhang J*. Deep learning assisted fluid volume calculation for assessing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor effect in diabetic macular edema. Heliyon. 2024 Apr 17;10(8):e29775. (*corresponding author)

  12. Liu D#, Du J#, Xie H, Tian H, Lu L, Zhang C*, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Wnt5a/β-catenin-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition: a key driver of subretinal fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. J Neuroinflammation. 2024 Mar 26;21(1):75. (*corresponding author)

  13. Du J#, Liu D#, Zhou W, Ye T, Zhang C, Qian T, Zhang J*, Zhang Z*. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Aqueous Humor Reveals Biochemical Disparities in the Eyes of High Myopic Patients. J Proteome Res. 2024 Feb 17. (*co-corresponding author)

  14. Cai C#, Gu C#, He S, Meng C, Lai D, Zhang J*, Qiu Q*. TET2-mediated ECM1 hypomethylation promotes the neovascularization in active proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Clin Epigenetics. 2024 Jan 3;16(1):6. (*co-corresponding author)

  15. Zhang C#, Gu L#, Xie H#, Liu Y, Huang P, Zhang J, Luo D*, Zhang J*. Glucose transport, transporters and metabolism in diabetic retinopathy. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2023 Dec 22;1870(3):166995. (*corresponding author)

  16. Liu D, Zhang C, Zhang J, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Molecular pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis in neovascular AMD focusing on epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of retinal pigment epithelium. Neurobiol Dis. 2023 Aug 1:106250. (*co-corresponding author)

  17. Liu X, Zeng Q, Lu T, Wang M, Sun Y*, Zhang J*. Case report: Spontaneous lens absorption after the implantation of an implantable collamer lens. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 3;10:1202691. (*co-corresponding author)

  18. Du J#, Qian T#, Lu Y, Zhou W, Xu X, Zhang C*, Zhang J*, Zhang Z*. SPARC-YAP/TAZ inhibition prevents the fibroblasts-myofibroblast transformation. Exp Cell Res. 2023 May 22:113649. (*co-corresponding author)

  19. Zhang C#, Zhang Y#, Hu X, Zhao Z, Chen Z, Wang X, Zhang Z, Jin H*, Zhang J*. Luteolin inhibits subretinal fibrosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in laser-induced mouse model via suppression of Smad2/3 and YAP signaling. Phytomedicine. 2023 May 9;116:154865. (*corresponding author)

  20. Zhang S, Liu C, Wang Q, Zhou H, Wu H, Zhuang J, Cao Y, Shi H, Zhang J*, Wang J*. CRYAA and GJA8 promote visual development after whisker tactile deprivation. Heliyon. 2023 Feb 23;9(3):e13897. (*corresponding author)

  21. Tang L, Xu GT*, Zhang JF*. Inflammation in diabetic retinopathy: possible roles in pathogenesis and potential implications for therapy. Neural Regen Res. 2023 May;18(5):976-982. (ESI highly cited paper; *corresponding author)

  22. Liu DD, Zhang CY, Zhang JT, Gu LM, Xu GT, Zhang JF. Epigenetic modifications and metabolic memory in diabetic retinopathy: beyond the surface. Neural Regen Res. 2023 Jul;18(7):1441-1449. (*corresponding author)

  23. Zhang C, Luo D, Xie H, Yang Q, Liu D, Tang L, Zhang J, Li W, Tian H, Lu L, Sun X*, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Aquaporin 11 alleviates retinal Müller intracellular edema through water efflux in diabetic retinopathy. Pharmacol Res. 2023 Jan;187:106559. (*corresponding author)

  24. Tang L, Luo D, Qiu Q, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Hyperreflective Foci in Diabetic Macular Edema with Subretinal Fluid: Association with Visual Outcomes after Anti-VEGF Treatment. Ophthalmic Res. 2023;66(1):39-47. (*corresponding author)

  25. Zhang J*, Zhang J, Zhang C, Zhang J, Gu L, Luo D, Qiu Q*. Diabetic macular edema: current understanding, molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Cells. 2022 Oct 25;11(21):3362. (*corresponding author)

  26. Zhang Y, Zhang J*, Sun X*. The Efficacy of Anti-VEGF Therapy for Putative or Visible CNV in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography. J Ophthalmol. 2022 Sep 28;2022:1272524. (*co-corresponding author)

  27. Zhang C, Qin S, Xie H, Qiu Q, Wang H, Zhang J, Luo D*, Zhang J*. RO4929097, a Selective γ-Secretase Inhibitor, Inhibits Subretinal Fibrosis Via Suppressing Notch and ERK1/2 Signaling in Laser-Induced Mouse Model. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2022 Sep 1;63(10):14.  (*co-corresponding author)

  28. Shen H#, Gong Q#, Zhang J, Wang H, Qiu Q, Zhang J*, Luo D*. TRIM46 aggravated high glucose-induced hyper permeability and inflammatory response in human retinal capillary endothelial cells by promoting IκBα ubiquitination. Eye Vis (Lond). 2022 Sep 5;9(1):35. (*co-corresponding author)

  29. Qin HF, Shi FJ, Zhang CY, Luo DW, Qin SY, Wu J, Xie H, Zhang JT, Qiu QH, Liu K, Xu GT, Xu GX*, Zhang JF*. Anti-VEGF reduces inflammatory features in macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion. Int J Ophthalmol. 2022 Aug 18;15(8):1296-1304. (*corresponding author)

  30. Zhou X, Zhang J, Gu L, Zhou H, Zhang J*. Case report: Bilateral central serous chorioretinopathy-like abnormalities in a man with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Aug 1;9:983548. (*corresponding author)

  31. Shi K, Chen Y, Zhu X, Wu J, Chen J, Hu J, Sun X*, Zhang J*. Biscuit consumption and diabetic retinopathy incidence in adults in the United States. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2022 Jul 6;14(1):94. (*corresponding author)

  32. Zhao Z, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Zhang J, Luo X, Qiu Q, Luo D, Zhang J*. TGF-β promotes pericyte-myofibroblast transition in subretinal fibrosis through the Smad2/3 and Akt/mTOR pathways. Exp Mol Med. 2022 May;54(5):673-684. (*corresponding author)

  33. Shi K, Li X, Zhang J*, Sun X. Development and Validation of a Novel Metabolic Signature-Based Prognostic Model for Uveal Melanoma. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2022 May 2;11(5):9. doi: 10.1167/tvst.11.5.9. PMID: 35536719. (*co-corresponding author)

  34. Wu J, Zhang J*. Neovascular Remodeling and Subretinal Fibrosis as Biomarkers for Predicting Incomplete Response to Anti-VEGF Therapy in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2022 Apr 20;27(4):135. (*corresponding author)

  35. Zhao Z, Zhang J*. Non-homogenous hyperreflectivity in choriocapillaris layer on OCTA implies early treatment with anti-VEGF for central serous chorioretinopathy. Ophthalmic Res. 2022;65(5):506-515. (*corresponding author)

  36. Tang L, Zhang C, Lu L, Tian H, Liu K, Luo D, Qiu Q, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Melatonin Maintains Inner Blood-Retinal Barrier by Regulating Microglia via Inhibition of PI3K/Akt/Stat3/NF-κB Signaling Pathways in Experimental Diabetic Retinopathy. Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 15;13:831660. (*co-corresponding author)

  37. Zhang Y#, Zhao Z#, Zhao X, Xie H, Zhang C, Sun X*, Zhang J*. HMGB2 causes photoreceptor death via down-regulating Nrf2/HO-1 and up-regulating NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathways in light-induced retinal degeneration model. Free Radic Biol Med. 2022 Jan 25;181:14-28. (*co-corresponding author)

  38. Jiang M, Xie H, Zhang C, Wang T, Tian H, Lu L, Xu JY, Xu GT*, Liu L*, Zhang J.* Enhancing fractalkine/CX3CR1 signalling pathway can reduce neuroinflammation by attenuating microglia activation in experimental diabetic retinopathy. J Cell Mol Med. 2022 Feb;26(4):1229-1244. (*co-corresponding author)

  39. Xie H, Zhang C, Zhang J, Xu Y, Liu K, Luo D, Qiu Q, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. An in vitro cell model to study microglia activation in diabetic retinopathy. Cell Biol Int. 2022 Jan;46(1):129-138. (*co-corresponding author)

  40. Qin S, Zhang C, Qin H, Xie H, Luo D, Qiu Q, Liu K, Zhang J, Xu G*, Zhang J*. Hyperreflective Foci and Subretinal Fluid Are Potential Imaging Biomarkers to Evaluate Anti-VEGF Effect in Diabetic Macular Edema. Front Physiol. 2021 Dec 23;12:791442. (*co-corresponding author) 

  41. Yang Q, Zhang C, Xie H, Tang L, Liu D, Qiu Q, Luo D, Liu K, Xu JY, Tian H, Lu L, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Silencing Nogo-B improves the integrity of blood-retinal barrier in diabetic retinopathy via regulating Src, PI3K/Akt and ERK pathways. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Oct 12;581:96-102. (*co-corresponding author)

  42. Shi K, Sun X*, Zhang J*. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Characteristics Serve as Retinal Vein Occlusion Therapeutic Biomarkers for Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant. Dis Markers. 2021 Oct 13;2021:3510036. (*co-corresponding author)

  43. Shi K, Zhu X, Wu J, Chen Y, Zhang J*, Sun X*. Centromere protein E as a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for retinoblastoma. Bioengineered. 2021 Dec;12(1):5950-5970. (*co-corresponding author)

  44. Wang T, Zhang C, Xie H, Jiang M, Tian H, Lu L, Xu GT*, Liu L*, Zhang J*. Anti-VEGF therapy prevents Muller intracellular edema by decreasing VEGF-A in diabetic retinopathy. Eye Vis (Lond). 2021 Apr 17;8(1):13. (*co-corresponding author)

  45. Wu J, Zhang C, Yang Q, Xie H, Zhang J, Qiu Q, Liu K, Luo D, Liu F*, Zhang J*. Imaging Hyperreflective Foci as an Inflammatory Biomarker after Anti-VEGF Treatment in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography. Biomed Res Int. 2021 Feb 3;2021:6648191. (*co-corresponding author)

  46. Wu J, Gao G, Shi F, Xie H, Yang Q, Liu D, Qu S, Qin H, Zhang C, Xu GT, Liu F*, Zhang J*. Activated microglia-induced neuroinflammatory cytokines lead to photoreceptor apoptosis in Aβ-injected mice. J Mol Med (Berl). 2021 May;99(5):713-728. (*co-corresponding author)

  47. Shi FJ, Xie H, Zhang CY, Qin HF, Zeng XW, Lou H, Zhang L, Xu GT, Zhang JF*, Xu GX*. Is Iba-1 protein expression a sensitive marker for microglia activation in experimental diabetic retinopathy? Int J Ophthalmol. 2021 Feb 18;14(2):200-208. (*co-corresponding author)

  48. Gao F, Li Z, Kang Z, Liu D, Li P, Ou Q, Xu JY, Li W, Tian H, Jin C, Wang J, Zhang J, Zhang J*, Lu L*, Xu GT*. Inhibition of PARP activity improves therapeutic effect of ARPE-19 transplantation in RCS rats through decreasing photoreceptor death. Exp Eye Res. 2021 Mar;204:108448. (*co-corresponding author)

  49. Tang L, Zhang C, Yang Q, Xie H, Liu D, Tian H, Lu L, Xu JY, Li W, Xu G, Qiu Q, Liu K, Luo D, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Melatonin maintains inner blood-retinal barrier via inhibition of p38/TXNIP/NF-κB pathway in diabetic retinopathy. J Cell Physiol. 2021 Aug;236(8):5848-5864. (*co-corresponding author)

  50. Xie H, Zhang C, Liu D, Yang Q, Tang L, Wang T, Tian H, Lu L, Xu JY, Gao F, Wang J, Jin C, Li W, Xu G, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Erythropoietin protects the inner blood-retinal barrier by inhibiting microglia phagocytosis via Src/Akt/cofilin signalling in experimental diabetic retinopathy. Diabetologia. 2021 Jan;64(1):211-225. (*co-corresponding author)

  51. Liu D, Xu H, Zhang C, Xie H, Yang Q, Li W, Tian H, Lu L, Xu JY, Xu G, Liu K, Sun X, Xu GT*, Zhang J*. Erythropoietin maintains VE-cadherin expression and barrier function in experimental diabetic retinopathy via inhibiting VEGF/VEGFR2/Src signaling pathway. Life Sci. 2020 Oct 15;259:118273. (*co-corresponding author)

  52. Qu S, Zhang C, Liu D, Wu J, Tian H, Lu L, Xu GT, Liu F*, Zhang J*. Metformin Protects ARPE-19 Cells from Glyoxal-Induced Oxidative Stress. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2020 Jul 9;2020:1740943. (*co-corresponding author)

  53. Lou H, Lian C, Shi F, Chen L, Qian S, Wang H, Zhao X, Ji X, Zhang J*, Xu G*. The Petri Dish-N2B27 Culture Condition Maintains RPE Phenotype by Inhibiting Cell Proliferation and mTOR Activation. J Ophthalmol. 2020 Aug 13;2020:4892978. (*co-corresponding author)