Cancer Biology, Pathology, Translational Medicine, Clinical Data Analysis, Periodontal–systemic disease links
Zexuan Moriah Tang
Jersey City
Summary
Graduate researcher with training in molecular biology and translational neuroscience, applying rigorous wet-lab and data analysis skills to cancer pathology. Expertise includes high-precision methods such as RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and CAR-T cell engineering, alongside the management of complex clinical and radiographic datasets. Committed to ensuring data integrity and contributing to the understanding of disease mechanisms in a clinical research setting.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Assistant, Department of Periodontics
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
09.2024 - 06.2025
- Project: Measuring Alveolar Bone Loss in CBCT Imaging in Periodontitis
- Conduct standardized linear measurements of alveolar bone loss and carotid artery calcifications on digital panoramic images to investigate correlations between periodontal disease and cardiovascular risk.
- Curate and clean a multi-patient clinical dataset, standardizing labeling protocols to improve data consistency and facilitate statistical analysis.
- Apply uniform criteria for periodontitis severity to reduce measurement heterogeneity within the current dataset.
- Resolve sample ID mismatches and standardize data structures, facilitating downstream statistical analyses and figure preparation for manuscripts.
Research Assistant, Neurology & Translational Medicine
Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
01.2022 - 01.2025
- Project: M2-sEVs and Neural Stem Cell Fate in Ischemic Stroke.
- Contributed to the optimization of M2-sEV (small extracellular vesicles) isolation protocols via ultracentrifugation, achieving a higher vesicle yield compared with the original protocol.
- Supported experiments showing a reduction in infarct volume in stroke models treated with optimized M2-sEV preparations.
- Contributed to the identification of miR-25-3p and miR-93-5p as regulators of neural stem cell differentiation by performing RT-qPCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and assisting with miRNA sequencing data organization.
Lab Technician Intern, Cancer Immunology
Beijing Immupuectics Medicine Technology Limited
05.2021 - 09.2021
- Project: CAR-T Cell Engineering and Tumor Neoantigen Discovery.
- Prepared >15 batches of CAR-T cells using lentiviral transduction under supervision; optimized transduction parameters associated with improved target-cell killing in vitro.
- Applied an in-house bioinformatics pipeline to prioritize candidate tumor neoantigens, helping to shorten the analysis timeline for patient samples.
- Performed flow-cytometry-based HLA typing under supervision; improved concordance between bench results and reference controls, contributing to a reported reduction in typing discrepancies.
Research Assistant, Reproductive Genetics
Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC
01.2019 - 01.2021
- Cultured murine spermatogonia stem cells, maintaining 95% viability across 50+ batches to support reproductive genetic studies.
- Followed and helped standardize daily quality-control checks for key instruments (e.g., pH meters, spectrophotometers), which coincided with fewer calibration discrepancies recorded over time.
Research Assistant, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
01.2020 - 09.2020
- Maintained mammalian cell cultures and coordinated weekly updates between three collaborating teams (chemistry, genetics, microbiology) by consolidating experimental logs and summarizing cell-culture status.
Education
Master of Science - Biomedical Science
Rutgers University
Newark, NJ12-2025
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry & Global Health
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI05.2022
Skills
- Molecular Biology: PCR, RT-qPCR, Western Blot, Gel Electrophoresis
- Cell Biology: Mammalian Cell Culture, CAR-T Cell Engineering, Flow Cytometry, IHC/IF Staining, Extracellular Vesicle Isolation
- Data Analysis: RStudio, GraphPad Prism, ImageJ, Galaxy
- Languages: English (Fluent), Mandarin (Native)
Interests
Manuscripts & Publications
Zhang Q, Yi Y, Chen T, Ai Y, Chen Z, Liu G, Tang Z, Chen J, Xu T, Chen X, Liu J, Xia Y. "M2 microglia-derived small extracellular vesicles modulate NSC fate after ischemic stroke via miR-25-3p/miR-93-5p-TGFBR/PTEN/FOXO3 axis." J Nanobiotechnology. 2025 Apr 23;23(1):311. doi: 10.1186/s12951-025-03390-2.
Clinical Observation
- Xiangya College of Stomatology | Changsha, China
- Dental Shadowing (Dr. Xiaoli Xie) | May 2023 – Sept 2023
- Observed diagnostic workflows for caries and periodontal disease across 50+ procedures and helped label X-ray/CBCT images for pathology detection.
- Xiangya Hospital of Central South University | Changsha, China
- Medical Observer, Gastroenterology (Dr. Jie Ge) | 2019 – 2023
- Observed endoscopic procedures (colonoscopy, EGD) and assisted with Electronic Health Record (EHR) maintenance for an inpatient ward.
- Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital | Changsha, China
- Clinical Shadowing (Dr. Hongwei Zeng) | 2021 – 2022
- Observed management of high-risk pregnancies, including preeclampsia and gestational diabetes monitoring.
Professional Experience
- UW Health | Madison, WI
- Nutrition Lab Technician | Mar 2023 – Aug 2023
- Prepared specialized neonatal and pediatric nutritional formulations under strict sterile conditions (laminar flow hoods) for high-risk patients (NICU/PICU).
- Collaborated with Registered Dietitians to implement complex nutrition support plans for oncology and cardiovascular patients.
Teaching & Service
- Youth STEM Educator, Service with Youth in STEM (SWYIS) | 2018 – 2022
- Blood Drive Ambassador, American Red Cross | 2018 – 2022
- Shelter Volunteer, Christ Presbyterian Church | 2018 – 2022
Timeline
Research Assistant, Department of Periodontics
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
09.2024 - 06.2025
Research Assistant, Neurology & Translational Medicine
Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
01.2022 - 01.2025
Lab Technician Intern, Cancer Immunology
Beijing Immupuectics Medicine Technology Limited
05.2021 - 09.2021
Research Assistant, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
01.2020 - 09.2020
Research Assistant, Reproductive Genetics
Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC
01.2019 - 01.2021
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry & Global Health
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Master of Science - Biomedical Science
Rutgers University