Sean X. Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.

Headshot of Sean X. Zhang
  • Director of Medical Mycology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • Associate Professor of Pathology

Expertise

Invasive Fungal Infections, Medical Microbiology, Mycology ...read more

Research Interests

Laboratory Diagnostics of Fungal Diseases

Locations

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

600 N. Wolfe Street
Meyer Building
Baltimore, MD 21287 map
Phone: 410-955-5077 | Fax: 410-614-8087

Background

Dr. Sean Zhang is an Associate Professor of Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He specializes in Medical Microbiology, with particular focus on the diagnosis of fungal diseases.

Dr. Zhang holds an M.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (formerly Shanghai Second Medical University) in China and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Turku in Finland. He completed a clinical fellowship in Medical Microbiology at the University of Toronto in Canada.

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Titles

  • Director of Medical Mycology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • Associate Professor of Pathology

Departments / Divisions

  • Pathology - Medical Microbiology

Education

Degrees

  • M.D.; Shanghai Second Medical University (China) (1993)
  • Ph.D.; University of Turku - Laaketieteellinen Tiedekunta - Turku - (Finland) (2001)

Additional Training

American Board of Medical Microbiology

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Developing new diagnostic tools for rapid and early diagnosis of invasive fungal infections. These include identifying fungal pathogens from FFPE tissue blocks, fungal antigen assays, host-driven response assays, multiplex PCR and next-generation sequencing to rapidly identify fungal pathogens directly from clinical samples. I am also interested in studying identification and characterization of new emerging fungal pathogens, the role of fungal pathogens in cystic fibrosis patients, and antifungal drug resistance.

Technology Expertise Keywords

Fungi, Mycology, Fungal diseases; Fungal diagnostics; PCR; Next generation sequencing; Antifungal drug resistance

Selected Publications

Zhang SX, Babady NE, Hanson KE, Harrington AT, Larkin PMK, Leal SM Jr, Luethy PM, Martin IW, Pancholi P, Procop GW, Riedel S, Seyedmousavi S, Sullivan KV, Walsh TJ, Lockhart SR; Fungal Diagnostics Laboratories Consortium (FDLC). Recognition of Diagnostic Gaps for Laboratory Diagnosis of Fungal Diseases: Expert Opinion from the Fungal Diagnostics Laboratories Consortium (FDLC). J Clin Microbiol. 2021 Jun 18;59(7):e0178420. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01784-20. Epub 2021 Jun 18. PMID: 33504591; PMCID: PMC8218742

Liu B, Totten M, Nematollahi S, Datta K, Memon W, Marimuthu S, Wolf LA, Carroll KC, Zhang SX. Development and Evaluation of a Fully Automated Molecular Assay Targeting the Mitochondrial Small Subunit rRNA Gene for the Detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Specimens. J Mol Diagn. 2020 Dec;22(12):1482-1493. doi: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2020.10.003. Epub 2020 Oct 15. Erratum in: J Mol Diagn. 2021 Apr;23(4):506. PMID: 33069878

Wu Y, Grossman N, Totten M, Memon W, Fitzgerald A, Ying C, Zhang SX. Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles and Drug Resistance Mechanisms of Clinical Lomentospora prolificans Isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Oct 20;64(11):e00318-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00318-20. PMID: 32816726; PMCID: PMC7577128

Zhang SX, Carroll KC, Lewis S, Totten M, Mead P, Samuel L, Steed LL, Nolte FS, Thornberg A, Reid JL, Whitfield NN, Babady NE. Multicenter Evaluation of a PCR-Based Digital Microfluidics and Electrochemical Detection System for the Rapid Identification of 15 Fungal Pathogens Directly from Positive Blood Cultures. J Clin Microbiol. 2020 Apr 23;58(5):e02096-19. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02096-19. PMID: 32075904; PMCID: PMC7180249

White M, Adams L, Phan C, Erdag G, Totten M, Lee R, Lu X, Mehta S, Miller LS, Zhang SX. Disseminated sporotrichosis following iatrogenic immunosuppression for suspected pyoderma gangrenosum. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Nov;19(11):e385-e391. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30421-9. Epub 2019 Aug 28. Erratum in: Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Nov;19(11):e370. PMID: 31473127

Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Thomas J. Walsh Young Investigator Award, Medical Mycology Society of Americas - 2013

Memberships

  • American Society for Microbiology
  • Medical Mycological Society of the Americas
  • International Society for Human and Animal Mycology

Patient Ratings & Comments

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

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