Wei Zhang
Researcher in Placental Extracellular Vesicles and Pre-eclampsia
Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health (NDWRH).
Tell us a bit about your role
My role is split between my own research, managing international research collaborations with our partners in Japan and China and supervising D.Phil. students. My research focuses on placental derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in maternal and foetal health, which sits under the broader umbrella of women’s health. Within the Medical Sciences Division, knowledge gained and technologies developed from studying placental derived EVs is applicable to study of EVs from other cellular origins and for biomarker discovery.
What is the most meaningful aspect of your work?
Investing in the growth of future generations of scientific talents, using my knowledge and experiences to mitigate unnecessary pitfalls on their quest for knowledge, is the most meaningful aspect of my work.
Can you tell us about something you've done, contributed to that you're most proud of?
I am proud of the fact that through perseverance and innovation I have overcome several technical challenges encountered in my research career. One example is an innovative method to produce GMP-ready cell therapy product.
What changes would you most like to see in the Medical Sciences in the next 100 years?
More diversity, more gender equality and more cross border scientific collaboration!