Yan Lu Zhang, PhD

Titles

Assistant Scientist

Biographical Statement

Dr. Yan Lu Zhang is an assistant scientist in the Department of Neurology at Henry Ford Health whose research focuses on developing regenerative and restorative therapies for neurological disorders. Her work investigates the biological mechanisms that promote brain repair and recovery following stroke and traumatic brain injury, with the goal of advancing innovative treatments that improve neurological function and quality of life.

Dr. Zhang received her medical training at Tongji University and later completed advanced research training at Henry Ford Health. As part of the Henry Ford Neuroscience Institute, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams studying neurorestoration, cell-based therapies, extracellular vesicles and molecular mechanisms of neural repair. Her research combines translational neuroscience, experimental models and advanced biological approaches to better understand how the injured brain can recover and regenerate.

Throughout her career, Dr. Zhang has contributed to numerous studies evaluating novel therapeutic strategies for stroke and traumatic brain injury, including treatments that enhance neuroplasticity, axonal remodeling and functional recovery. Her work has helped advance the understanding of how cell-derived therapies and extracellular vesicles support brain repair, providing a foundation for new approaches to treating neurological injury and disease.

Research Interests

• Stroke and cerebral ischemia
• Traumatic brain injury
• Neurorestoration and brain recovery
• Cell-based and extracellular vesicle therapies
• Neuroplasticity and neural regeneration

Email: YZHANG2@hfhs.org