Renowned Researcher Named UB Distinguished Professor

Sarah X. Zhang, MD, professor of ophthalmology, conducts innovative, impactful translational studies on the retina and retinal disease in diabetes.

The UB Distinguished Professor designation — not to be confused with the SUNY Distinguished Professor designation, a rank above that of full professor awarded by the SUNY trustees — was created by the Office of the Provost to recognize full professors who have achieved national or international recognition as experts in their fields of study.

UB Distinguished Professors are members of the faculty who have been full professors for a minimum of five years with a demonstrated record of excellence in artistic or scholarly contributions.

Her seminal work has potential clinical applications, particularly in targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress to prevent and treat neuronal degeneration in the retina. Recently, her research identified novel neuroprotective factors for retinal neurons.

Her current research studies the detrimental effects of smoking on retinal cells and the cell mediators that attenuate smoke-extract-induced stress and cell damage — research that has opened the door to mechanisms of protecting retinal cell survival and activity.

Zhang has attracted more than $12 million in competitive research grants and has been continuously funded by the NIH since 2010. She is principal investigator on two NIH grants to continue her studies on endoplasmic reticulum stress and diabetic retinopathy. Her work is also funded by the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Zhang received a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2023, which recognizes the work of those who engage actively in scholarly and creative pursuits beyond their teaching responsibilities.