Faculty Awards 2021: Peng Zhang

UC chemist honored with Emerging Entrepreneurial Achievement Award

Chemist Peng Zhang is harnessing the power of nanoparticles and light to treat infection, offering treatments that could prevent superbugs that develop from antibiotic resistance.

Zhang, an associate professor in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences, is applying his research in both therapeutic and sensing applications. In his lab, Zhang uses simple light-emitting diodes to activate a nanoparticle gel, creating a reaction that kills bacteria.

“We hope we can save antibiotics for the most serious infections. Hopefully, this will reduce the occurrence of drug resistance,” Zhang said.

Zhang is the 2021 winner of UC’s Emerging Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.

“I’m very honored to receive this award,” Zhang said. “I appreciate my colleagues and the students I have had over the years. I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people.”

Peng Zhang, University of Cincinnati associate professor shown here in his office and lab at Crosley Tower. UC/ Joseph Fuqua II

Peng Zhang, winner of the UC's 2021 Emerging Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand

Zhang and his wife, biologist Hong Tang, founded startup Alph Technologies to commercialize their projects. Together, they have collaborated on several research papers.

“Professor Zhang has been very innovative in exploiting the results from his fundamental nano-particle research to develop a potentially transformative alternative therapy for bacterial infections,” professor and head of UC’s Chemistry Department Thomas Beck said.

“Antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains have become more common. Peng’s research shows there are promising therapies that can directly treat infections using photo-sensitizers. This is a great example of research passing from the laboratory to medical applications.”

Zhang didn’t invent this treatment, but his contribution has improved its effectiveness.

“This mechanism has been around for decades. It’s not new. What is new is the nanomaterial that makes it more efficient, sometimes as much as 1,000 times more efficient,” Zhang said.

At UC, Zhang teaches classes such as undergraduate research in chemistry and analytical spectroscopy. He has collaborated with researchers across UC’s colleges. But his biggest research influence has been his wife, he said.

“My wife is critical in making these projects a success. I feel very appreciative to have her as my partner,” he said.

Their daughter, Alice Zhang, just graduated from Georgia Tech and is working as an engineer.

“I love science,” Zhang said. “I feel like chemistry has a lot to explore.”

Featured image at top of Peng Zhang/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand

UC associate professor Peng Zhang is harnessing the power of nanoparticles and light to fight infection. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand