Linzhao Cheng

LINZHAO CHENG, PhD, the Edythe Harris Lucas and Clara Lucas Lynn Professor of Hematology, is a professor of medicine, oncology and gynecology/obstetrics. He is a founding member of the Stem Cell Program in the Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Cheng is also the associate director for basic research in the Division of Hematology. Cheng received his PhD in molecular biology and genetics from The Johns Hopkins University in 1991 and joined its faculty in 1999.

While a doctoral student, Dr. Cheng worked on human DNA replication models and transcriptional factors, including one of the first two DNA-binding proteins from mammalian cells (NF-I/CTF). He initiated his stem cell research career as a postdoctoral fellow, helping establish mouse pluripotent stem cell lines from primordial germ cells, a landmark study published in Nature in 1992. Since 1994, his research has focused on human stem cell biology and cell engineering. Dr. Cheng led groups within the industry and at Johns Hopkins and has published more than 78 original research papers, including those in Nature Biotechnology, Nature Medicine, Nature Genetics, Cell, Stem Cell, Blood, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His lab is currently focused on using human stem cells for blood disease modeling and treatment.

Dr. Cheng’s involvement in stem cell research has included investigations at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in the biotech industry, and as a faculty member at Johns Hopkins. He was the recipient of the USA Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2003. In 2012, Dr. Cheng was elected as a fellow of American Association for Advancement of Sciences (AAAS). Dr. Cheng also received an award in 2004 from National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC) to promote international collaborations. He has served frequently as a reviewer/adviser for granting agencies including the NIH, NSF (USA), Cancer Research UK, Canada FFI, Swiss NSF, NSFC, and STCSM (Shanghai) and as an editorial board member for Stem Cells (USA), Regenerative Medicine (UK), and Cell Research (China). Dr. Cheng is a member of the International Affairs Committee for the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the Stem Cell Policy and Ethics (SCoPE) Program at The Johns Hopkins University, and the (international) Hinxton Group focusing on stem cell policies and ethics.