Jun Zhang, MD, PhD
Dr. Zhang is a physician-scientist, principal investigator, and board-certified medical oncologist with a distinguished record of leadership in translational research and investigator-initiated clinical trials. A nationally recognized expert in lung cancer research and treatment, he brings deep expertise in bridging frontier scientific discovery with real-world clinical impact. His work has been published in more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in top journals such as Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Nature Communications, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Molecular Cancer, Annals of Oncology, JAMA Oncology, Cancer Cell, and The New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Zhang’s expertise aligns directly with the mission of the Breakthrough Treatment Center-to accelerate access to cutting-edge therapies and novel clinical trials for patients facing difficult-to-treat cancers. His experience in building investigator-led studies and translational research programs will play a pivotal role in expanding the Center’s impact, creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and hope for patients across the country and beyond.
Before joining OSF, Dr. Zhang served in leadership roles at the University of Kansas Medical Center, including Director of Medical Oncology Clinical Research Services, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Program, and Associate Director of the Early Phase Program. He was also appointed professor on the Clinical Scholar Track, reflecting his dual contributions to clinical and laboratory oncology research.
Dr. Zhang’s research spans several key areas in oncology, including the role of the microbiome in lung cancer development and immunotherapy response, mechanisms of resistance in targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer, and the development of innovative translational trials for thoracic malignancies.
In addition to his leadership role at OSF, Dr. Zhang will serve as a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria and collaborate closely with researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, helping expand translational research initiatives across the region.
Research Areas of Interest
The role of microbiota in the oncogenesis, immune modulation, and immunotherapy of
Resistant mechanisms in targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer harboring driver mutations.
Development of innovative interventional and translational trials for various thoracic malignancies.
Education & Training
MD in Clinical Medicine from Hunan Medical University (now Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University)
PhD in Cellular Biology & Anatomy from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Residency in Internal Medicine and Pulmonology at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine
Postdoctoral Fellowships in Cancer Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Harvard Medical School), and UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Residency in Internal Medicine at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY Clinical Fellowship in Hematology & Medical Oncology at Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine
Professional Memberships
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)
Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), and Sigma Xi
Selected Publications
Adagrasib in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring a KRASG12C Mutation
Berzosertib Plus Topotecan vs Topotecan Alone in Patients With Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Bugs in the system: bringing the human microbiome to bear in cancer immunotherapy
Cystatin M: a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene for breast cancer
Evaluation of the Durability of the Immune Humoral Response to COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients With Cancer Undergoing Treatment or Who Received a Stem Cell Transplant.
Exploring Gut Microbiome in Predicting the Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Exploring the Evolving Scope of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy in NSCLC
Gut commensal Bifidobacterium-derived extracellular vesicles modulate the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 in lung cancer
Metadherin enhances vulnerability of cancer cells to ferroptosis
Modulation of Bax and mTOR for Cancer Therapeutics
Mutational Landscape and Evolutionary Pattern of Liver and Brain Metastasis in Lung Adenocarcinoma.
Practical Guidance for the Management of Adverse Events in Patients with KRASG12C-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Adagrasib.
Small Molecule KRAS Agonist for Mutant KRAS Cancer Therapy
Targeting interleukin-1β and inflammation in lung cancer.