Cuilin Zhang, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., is a Senior Investigator (with tenure) in the Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, USA and an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA (https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/staff/Pages/bio.aspx?nih_id=0013380541). Dr. Zhang’s research program focuses on the determinants and health consequences of cardio-metabolic disorders based on a life course approach. More specifically, her current research activities focus primarily on the roles of genetic and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and health consequences of these complications. Dr. Zhang also has long-standing research interests in fetal origins of chronic diseases, life course epidemiology, and modifications of diet and lifestyle to improve reproductive outcomes and child health. Dr. Zhang serves as the Principal Investigator of the Diabetes & Women’s Health Study (https://dwhstudy.org), which applies a hybrid design among women from U.S. and Denmark who had diabetes in pregnancy. The study aims to identify genetic and non-genetic determinants and their interactions in the development of type 2 diabetes and comorbidities such as CVD among the high risk population and to investigate early pathogenesis of these diseases. Dr. Zhang is the Principal Investigator of the investigation of the risk factors and pathogenesis of gestational diabetes using biospecimens longitudinally collected from prospective pregnancy cohorts (https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/diphr/eb/research/Pages/gestational-diabetes.aspx). Currently, the study focuses on a comprehensive panel of biochemical markers and genetic markers that are putatively implicated in glucose homeostasis, fetal growth, or both. Non-targeted metabolomics is also investigated for the discovery of new pathways and/or biochemical markers related to glucose intolerance and subsequent adverse fetal outcomes. Dr. Zhang is also one of the Principal Investigators for the NICHD Intergenerational Health Study which aims to investigate the long-term health implications of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes on the offspring, their determinants, and their underlying molecular mechanisms (https://ighstudy.org).
