Heng Zeng, MD
Assistant Professor
Department:
SOM-Pharmacology/Toxicology
Email:
hzeng@umc.edu
Work Phone:
(601) 984-1611
Biography
After receiving M.D. Degree in medical school from the University of South China in 1987, Dr. Zeng worked as a Surgeon at the Department of Surgery of Hengyang Medical First Hospital for ten years. In 1997, she came to U.S. A, to study postdoctoral training at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. In 1999-2011, she worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2011. She has been an assistant professor at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology since 2020.
Her research interest focuses on elucidating the novel roles of the mitochondrial frataxin-Sirtuin 3-TIGAR signaling pathway and mitochondrial ferroptosis/iron-sulfur cluster that regulate vascular endothelial metabolisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, and heart failure of diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiomyopathy of Friedreich’s Ataxia by using endothelial-specific knockout, cardiomyocyte-specific knockout mouse models. She is also interested in gender differences in pressure-induced coronary autoregulation in heart failure After receiving M.D. Degree in medical school from the University of South China in 1987, Dr. Zeng worked as a Surgeon at the Department of Surgery of Hengyang Medical First Hospital for ten years. In 1997, she came to U.S. A, to study postdoctoral training at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. In 1999-2011, she worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2011. She has been an assistant professor at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology since 2020.
Her research interest focuses on elucidating the novel roles of the mitochondrial frataxin-Sirtuin 3-TIGAR signaling pathway and mitochondrial ferroptosis/iron-sulfur cluster that regulate vascular endothelial metabolisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, and heart failure of diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiomyopathy of Friedreich’s Ataxia by using endothelial-specific knockout, cardiomyocyte-specific knockout mouse models. She is also interested in gender differences in pressure-induced coronary autoregulation in heart failure and exploring cardiac adaptation disorders during pregnancy in rats with preeclampsia. She has published a total of 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals (including 7 Senior Authors, 4 Co-Senior Authors, 11 First Authors, and 1 Co-First Author)
Education
| University of South China, MD, Medicine | 1987 |
| University of Southern Illinois, USA , School of Medicine, postdoctoral, Pharmacology |
Current Positions
| Assistant Professor, School of Medicine | 07/2020 - Present |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, Mississippi 39216 | |
Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments
| Scientist, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology / Toxicology | 09/2011 - 06/2020 |
| Scientist, Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics | 07/2005 - 08/2011 |
| Research Associate, Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine | 10/1999 - 06/2005 |
| Postdoctoral fellow, South Illinois University, School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology / Toxicology | 10/1997 - 09/1999 |
| Assistant Professor, University of South China, School of Medicine, Department of Surgery | 07/1987 - 09/1997 |
Sponsored Program Funding
| Extramural, Endothelial PHD2 in coronary circulation, NHLBI | 12/2025 - 11/2029 |
| Extramural, Inactivation of mitochondrial frataxin in diabetic cardiomyopathy, NHLBI | 12/2025 - 11/2029 |
| Extramural, Coronary microvascular dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction in diabetes, NHLBI | 10/2025 - 09/2029 |
| Extramural, Inactivation of Sirtuin 3-mediated TIGAR in heart of Friedreich's ataxia, NHLBI | 10/2025 - 09/2029 |
| Extramural, Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Friedreich's Ataxia, NHLBI | 07/2025 - 06/2029 |
| Intramural, p53 acetylation in microvascular rarefaction and heart failure, UMMC | 11/2023 - 11/2025 |
| Extramural, p53 acetylation in microvascular rarefaction and heart failure, NHLBI | 09/2022 - 08/2024 |
| Extramural, Endothelial glucose metabolism and Coronary microvascular dysfunction in aged female, P20NIH/GM104357 pilot grant | 12/2021 - 04/2023 |
| Extramural, Endothelial PHD2 in hypertensive vascular remodeling, NHLBI | 09/2021 - 08/2025 |
| Extramural, Coronary microvascular rarefaction in diabetic/obese heart, NHLBI | 03/2017 - 02/2022 |
Presentations
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Emerging role of endothelial SIRT3 on the vascular function, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, UMMC | 03/2025 |
| Platform Presentations, Endothelial Phd2 Deficiency Impairs Endothelial-Dependent Relaxation And Promotes Coronary, International Vascular Biology Meeting - IVBM, Amsterdam, Netherlands | 07/2024 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, P53 acetylation in cardiac fibrosis microvascular dysfunction, and heart failure in mice, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, UMMC | 02/2024 |
| Poster Presentation, Deficiency Of Sirtuin 3 In Endothelium Reduces Endothelial-Dependent Relaxation And Impairs Myogenic Response In Coronary And Middle Cerebral Arteries Of Mice., AHA, Philadelphia. PA | 11/2023 |
| Poster Presentation, Endothelial Phd2 Deficiency Promotes Angiotensin-Ii-Induced Arterial Stiffness And Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction., NAVB, Newport, Ri | 10/2023 |
| Poster Presentation, Treatment with PFKFB3 inhibitor potentially improves diastolic function and arterial stiffness in PHD2ECKO mice., APS Physiology, Long Beach, LA | 04/2023 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Sex differences of endothelial Sirt3 in Angiotensin-II induced perivascular fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction., Department of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, UMMC | 02/2023 |
| Platform Presentations, Sex differences of endothelial Sirt3 in Angiotensin-II induced perivascular fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction, External Advisory Board (EAC) meeting, UMMC | 09/2022 |
| Poster Presentation, Ferrostatin-1 Ameliorates Cardiac Dysfunction in a Cardiomyocyte-Specific SIRTUIN 3 Knockout Mouse Model., AHA hypertension meeting, San Diego, CA | 09/2022 |
| Poster Presentation, Regulatory Role Of Endothelial Phd2 On Hypertensive Arterial Stiffness And Vascular Calcification. Vascular Discovery: From Genes to Medicine, Scientific Sessions, Seattle, WA | 05/2022 |
| Poster Presentation, Treatment with PFKFB3 inhibitor potentially improves diastolic function and arterial stiffness in PHD2ECKO mice., APS Physiology, Long Beach, LA | 04/2022 |
| Poster Presentation, Novel Regulatory Role Of SIRT3 On Cardiomyocyte Mitochondrial Frataxin And Ferroptosis., Experimental Biology Meeting, Philadelphia, PA | 04/2022 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Sirt3 deficiency in blood pressure, diastolic dysfunction, and renal fibrosis. Department of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, UMMC | 02/2022 |
| Platform Presentations, DEFICIENCY OF SIRTUIN3 DISRUPTS ENDOTHELIAL GLUCOSE METABOLISM AND SENSITIZES PRESSURE OVERLOADINDUCED HEART FAILURE, AHA Scientific sessions, philadelphia, PA | 11/2019 |
| Platform Presentations, Role of p53 acetylation in mediating myocardial angiogenesis and diabetic cardiomyopathy., AHA BCVS meeting, Boston, MA | 08/2019 |
| Poster Presentation, Deficiency of sirtuin 3 accentuates angiotensin ii-induced arterail stiffness/myocardial fibrosis and hypertension., Experimental Biology, Orlando, Florida | 04/2019 |
| Platform Presentations, regulatory role of endothelial sirt3 on blood pressure and diastolic dysfunction in a female mice., AHA council on hypertension, Chicago, IL | 09/2018 |
| Poster Presentation, ablation of endothelial sirt3 exacerbates pressure overload-induced heart failure., AHA BCVS meeting, San Antonio | 08/2018 |
| Platform Presentations, Sirtuin 3 attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy via suppression of p53 acetylation and regulating cardiomyocyte metabolism., Experimental Biology, San Diego | 04/2018 |
| Poster Presentation, Deletion of endothelial Sirt3 causes diastolic dysfunction, AHA council on hypertension, San Francisco, CA | 09/2017 |
| Poster Presentation, Treatment with Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor Reverses Pre-Existing Diastolic Dysfunction in the Aged SIRT3 Knockout Mice, EB meeting, Chicago | 04/2017 |
| Poster Presentation, Deletion of Endothelial Sirt3 Causes Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction and HFpEF., Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA | 04/2016 |
| Poster Presentation, Sirt3 regulates oxygen sensors and blood vessel formation in the heart., AHA, New Orleans, LA | 09/2013 |
| Platform Presentations, Sirt3 is essential for apelin-gene therapy mediated cardiac repair in post-myocardial infarction of diabetes., AHA meeting, New orleans | 09/2013 |
| Poster Presentation, SIRT3 Deficiency Impairs Hypoxic Signaling, Reprograms Basal Glycolytic Metabolism and Exacerbates Myocardial Ischemic Injury, Experimental Biology, Boston, MA | 04/2013 |
| Poster Presentation, Apelin-13 Increases Myocardial Progenitor Cells and Improves Myocardial Remodeling of Post-myocardial, AHA meeting, New orleans | 09/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Apelin Reduces Myocardial Infarction Size and Promotes Angiogenesis by Increasing SDF-1/CXCR4 and AKT/eNOS/VEGF pathways, AHA meeting, Dallas | 07/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Regulation Of Sirt3 And Autophagy By Bone Marrow Cells Therapy Improves Cardiac Repair In Post-myocardial Infarction Mice, AHA meeting, Dallas | 07/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Ang-1 reduces myocardial infarction via upregulation of SDF-1/CXCR4 and recruiting hematopoietic progenitor cells in the diabetic db/db mouse model., AHA meeting, Orlando, FL | 11/2011 |
| Platform Presentations, Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced myocardial angiogenesis: Role of NADPH oxidase derived reactive oxygen species (ROS), AHA meeting, CIRCULATION 114: 155-155; 2006., AHA meeting, Chicago | 11/2006 |
| Poster Presentation, Role of NADPH oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) in angiopoietin-1-induced angiogenesis, FASEB JOURNAL 18: A385-A385; 2004., EB meeting, Washington DC | 03/2004 |
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
| Excellence in Research Award (Bronze), The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2023 |
Professional Membership and Service
| North American Vascular Biology organization, Member | 2023 - Present |
| American Physiology Society (APS), Member | 2023 - Present |
| American Heart Association (AHA), Member | 2020 - Present |
Committee Service
| Mentor member of Dr. Joey's T32 training grant, Member | 2023 - Present |
| Cardiac Discussion group, Member | 2023 - Present |
| cardiac grant review member, Member | 2023 - Present |
| Co-Mentor, PhD student's Dissertation Committee Member, Member | 2020 - Present |
Other Service
| Digital Chinese Medicine | 05/2024 - Present |
| International Journal of Medical Sciences | 05/2024 - Present |
| Journal of Advanced Research | 05/2024 - Present |
| JoVE Journal | 09/2023 - Present |
Teaching Experience
| 4, Medicine, Small Group, Facilitator, pharmacology small group | Fall 2021 - 2021 |
Directed Student Learning
| Research Advisor, Advised: Ziru Niu | 2024 - 2025 |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Jacob Hearin | 2024 - 2024 |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Kendall Curry | 2023 - 2023 |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Savanna Sheppard | 2023 - 2023 |
| Supervised Research, Advised: Bryce Little | 2023 - 2023 |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Endothelial PHD2 in heart failure Advised: Quinesha Williams | 2021 - Present |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Targeting ferroptosis in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy Advised: Aubrey C Cantrell | 2020 - 2024 |
| Research Advisor, Advised: Ubong S Ekperikpe | 2019 - 2019 |
| Research Advisor, Advised: Nathan E campbell | 2019 - 2019 |
| Supervised Research, The role of pericyte in hypertensive heart failure Advised: Han Su | 2018 - 2020 |
| Research Advisor, Advised: Sumit Sontakke | 2017 - 2017 |
| Research Advisor, The role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of Preeclampsia Advised: Venkata Ramana Vaka | 2014 - 2015 |
| Research Advisor, The Role of Endothelial SIRT3 in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure Advised: Xiaochen He | 2012 - 2017 |
Fellows supervised
| Research Advisor, 12 fellows supervised, G754, G325 | 10/2011 - 12/2024 |