Zhen Song

Zhen Song

Zhen Song

The primary research focus involves employing methodologies from computer science, mathematics, physics, biophysics, and electrophysiology to develop computational simulation models of the cardiac system. Fine-grained multiscale mathematical models at physiological and biochemical levels serve as research tools to investigate fundamental physiological and pathological mechanisms related to the heart. Current research directions center on creating a multiscale cardiac electrophysiology virtual simulation platform through interdisciplinary technologies, as well as developing computer-aided systems based on experimental and clinical data for applications such as virtual surgical rehearsal, anti-arrhythmic drug development, and general drug cardiac toxicity assessment.

Educational Background

2006-2013 Northeastern University（Boston, MA, United States） | PhD in Physics

2001-2005 University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, Anhui, China) | Bachelor of Science in Physics

Position

2020-                   Associate Researcher， Peng Cheng Laboratory (Shenzhen, Guangdong, China)
2018-2020           Assistant Researcher, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California, United States)
2016-2018           ‌Assistant Research Scientist, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California, United States)
2013-2016           Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California, United States)
2008-2013           Research Associate, Northeastern University（Boston, MA, United States）
2006-2008           Teaching Fellow, Northeastern University（Boston, MA, United States）
2005-2006           Research Associate, University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, Anhui, China)

‌Peer-reviewed academic works

  1. Y. Wang, Q. Li, B. Tao, M. Angelini, S. Ramadoss, B. Sun, P. Wang, Y. Krokhaleva, F. Ma, Y. Gu, A. Espinoza, K. Yamauchi, M. Pellegrini, B. Novitch, R. Olcese, Z. Qu, Z. Song, A. Deb, Fibroblasts in heart scar tissue directly regulate cardiac excitability and arrhythmogenesis. Science 381, 1480–1487 (2023).

  2. K. Zhou, J.-T. Pan, Z. Song, C. Jiang, G. Fu, Q.-H. Li, Simulation of non-transmural ablation lines that effectively block electrical signal propagation in the heart. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 161, 112336 (2022).

  3. Z. Qu, D. Yan, Z. Song, Modeling calcium cycling in the heart: progress, pitfalls, and challenges. Biomolecules 12, 1686 (2022).
  4. C. Huang, Z. Song, Z. Qu, Synchronization of spatially discordant voltage and calcium alternans in cardiac tissue. Phys. Rev. E 106, 024406 (2022).
  5. Z. Zhang, M. B. Liu, X. Huang, Z. Song, Z. Qu, Mechanisms of premature ventricular complexes caused by QT prolongation. Biophysical Journal 120, 352–369 (2021).
  6. N. Siri-Angkul, Z. Song, N. Fefelova, J. K. Gwathmey, S. C. Chattipakorn, Z. Qu, N. Chattipakorn, L.-H. Xie, Activation of TRPC (Transient Receptor Potential Canonical) Channel Currents in Iron Overloaded Cardiac Myocytes. Circ: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology 14, e009291 (2021).
  7. S. Shafaattalab, A. Y. Li, M. G. Gunawan, B. Kim, F. Jayousi, Y. Maaref, Z. Song, J. N. Weiss, R. J. Solaro, Z. Qu, G. F. Tibbits, Mechanisms of arrhythmogenicity of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-associated troponin T (TNNT2) variant I79N. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 9, 787581 (2021).
  8. V. Pandey, L.-H. Xie, Z. Qu,Z. Song, Mitochondrial depolarization promotes calcium alternans: mechanistic insights from a ventricular myocyte model. PLOS Computational Biology 17, e1008624 (2021).
  9. V. Pandey, L.-H. Xie, Z. Qu, Z. Song, Mitochondrial contributions in the genesis of delayed afterdepolarizations in ventricular myocytes. Frontiers in Physiology 12, 1631 (2021).
  10. Z. Song, Z. Qu, Mechanisms of subcellular spatially discordant calcium alternans in cardiac myocytes. Biophysical Journal 118, 568a–569a (2020).
  11. Z. Song, Z. Qu, Delayed global feedback in the genesis and stability of spatiotemporal excitation patterns in paced biological excitable media. PLOS Computational Biology 16, e1007931 (2020).
  12. Z. Li, G. R. Mirams, T. Yoshinaga, B. J. Ridder, X. Han, J. E. Chen, N. L. Stockbridge, T. A. Wisialowski, B. Damiano, S. Severi, P. Morissette, P. R. Kowey, M. Holbrook, G. Smith, R. L. Rasmusson, M. Liu, Z. Song, 1. Z. Qu, D. J. Leishman, J. Steidl‐Nichols, B. Rodriguez, A. Bueno‐Orovio, X. Zhou, E. Passini, A. G. Edwards, S. Morotti, H. Ni, E. Grandi, C. E. Clancy, J. Vandenberg, A. Hill, M. Nakamura, T. Singer, L. Polonchuk, A. Greiter‐Wilke, K. Wang, S. Nave, A. Fullerton, E. A. Sobie, M. Paci, F. Musuamba Tshinanu, D. G. Strauss, General principles for the validation of proarrhythmia risk prediction models: an extension of the CiPA in silico strategy. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 107, 102–111 (2020).
  13. J. Landaw, Z. Zhang, Z. Song, M. B. Liu, R. Olcese, P.-S. Chen, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, Small-conductance ca2+-activated K+ channels promote J-wave syndrome and phase 2 reentry. Heart Rhythm 17, 1582–1590 (2020).
  14. C. Huang, Z. Song, J. Landaw, Z. Qu, Spatially discordant repolarization alternans in the absence of conduction velocity restitution. Biophysical Journal, doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.02.008 (2020).
  15. C. Huang, Z. Song, Z. Di, Z. Qu, Stability of spatially discordant repolarization alternans in cardiac tissue. Chaos 30, 123141 (2020).
  16. Z. Song, L.-H. Xie, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, A spatiotemporal ventricular myocyte model incorporating mitochondrial calcium cycling. Biophysical Journal 117, 2349–2360 (2019).
  17. A. Xie, Z. Song, H. Liu, A. Zhou, G. Shi, Q. Wang, L. Gu, M. Liu, L. H. Xie, Z. Qu, S. C. Dudley, Mitochondrial ca2+ influx contributes to arrhythmic risk in nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Journal of the American Heart Association 7, 1–21 (2018).
  18. Z. Song, M. B. Liu, Z. Qu, Transverse tubular network structures in the genesis of intracellular calcium alternans and triggered activity in cardiac cells. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 114, 288–299 (2018).
  19. X. Huang, Z. Song, Z. Qu, Determinants of early afterdepolarization properties in ventricular myocyte models. PLOS Computational Biology 14, e1006382 (2018).
  20. Z. Song, Z. Qu, A. Karma, Stochastic initiation and termination of calcium-mediated triggered activity in cardiac myocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114, E270–E279 (2017).
  21. C. Y. Ko, M. B. Liu, Z. Song, Z. Qu, J. N. Weiss, Multiscale determinants of delayed afterdepolarization amplitude in cardiac tissue. Biophys J 112, 1949–1961 (2017).
  22. Z. Song, A. Karma, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, Long-lasting sparks: multi-metastability and release competition in the calcium release unit network. PLOS Computational Biology 12, e1004671 (2016).
  23. M. B. Liu, C. Y. Ko, Z. Song, A. Garfinkel, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, A dynamical threshold for cardiac delayed afterdepolarization-mediated triggered activity. Biophysical Journal 111, 2523–2533 (2016).
  24. Z. Song, C. Y. Ko, M. Nivala, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, Calcium-voltage coupling in the genesis of early and delayed afterdepolarizations in cardiac myocytes. Biophysical Journal 108, 1908–1921 (2015).
  25. A. Pezhouman, N. Singh, Z. Song, M. Nivala, A. Eskandari, H. Cao, A. Bapat, C. Y. Ko, T. P. Nguyen, Z. Qu, H. S. Karagueuzian, J. N. Weiss, Molecular basis of hypokalemia-induced ventricular fibrillation. Circulation 132, 1528–1537 (2015).
  26. M. Nivala, Z. Song, J. N. Weiss, Z. Qu, T-tubule disruption promotes calcium alternans in failing ventricular myocytes: mechanistic insights from computational modeling. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 79, 32–41 (2015).
  27. E. Lau, K. Kossidas, T. Y. Kim, Y. Kunitomo, O. Ziv, S. Zhen, C. Taylor, L. Schofield, J. Yammine, G. Liu, X. Peng, Z. Qu, G. Koren, B. R. Choi, Spatially discordant alternans and arrhythmias in tachypacing-induced cardiac myopathy in transgenic LQT1 rabbits: the importance of IKsand ca2+ cycling. PLoS ONE 10, 1–21 (2015).
  28. Y. H. Chan, W. C. Tsai, Z. Song, C. Y. Ko, Z. Qu, J. N. Weiss, S. F. Lin, P. S. Chen, L. R. Jones, Z. Chen, Acute reversal of phospholamban inhibition facilitates the rhythmic whole-cell propagating calcium waves in isolated ventricular myocytes. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 80, 126–135 (2015).
  29. X. Wan, M. Cutler, Z. Song, A. Karma, T. Matsuda, A. Baba, D. S. Rosenbaum, New experimental evidence for mechanism of arrhythmogenic membrane potential alternans based on balance of electrogenic INCX/I ca currents. Heart Rhythm 9, 1698–1705 (2012).

Selected Proceedings of the Conference

  1. Song Z, Karma A, Karaguenzian HS, Weiss JN, Qu Z. Voltage and Calcium Coupling in the Genesis of Cardiac Afterdepolarizations. Biophysical Journal. 2014; 108(2), 631a.
  2. Song Z, Nivala M, Belardinelli Luiz, Karaguenzian H, Weiss J, Qu Z. The Role of Late INa in the Genesis of Delayed Afterdepolarizations in Cardiac Myocytes. Heart Rhythm. 2014; 14-A-8291-HRS.
  3. Song Z, Ko CY, Nivala M, Weiss JN, Qu Z. Complex Early and Delayed Afterdepolarization Dynamics caused by Voltage-Calcium Coupling in Cardiac Myocytes. Biophysical Journal. 2015; 108(2), 261a-262a.
  4. Ko CY, Song Z, Qu Z, Weiss JN. Multiscale consequences of spontaneous calcium release on cardiac delayed afterdepolarizations. Biophysical Journal. 2015; 108(2), 264a.
  5. Song Z, Adam K, Backx PH, Qu Z. Subcellular Ca Channel Distribution and Ca Alternans in Atrial Myocytes. 2015; 108(2), 261a.
  6. Song Z, Karma A, Weiss JN, Qu Z. Mechanism of Long-Lasting Calcium Sparks Caused by Tetracaine in Cardiac Myocytes. Heart Rhythm. 2015; 8559.
  7. Song Z, Adam K, Backx PH, Qu Z. Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Calcium Alternans in Atrial Myocytes. Heart Rhythm. 2015; 8574.
  8. Song Z, Liu MB, Qu Z. Transverse Tubular Network Structures in the Genesis of Intracellular Calcium Alternans and Triggered Activity in Cardiac Cells. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. 2017; s3158.
  9. Song Z, Qu Z. Mechanisms of Subcellular Spatially Discordant Calcium Alternans In Cardiac Myocytes. Biophysical Journal. 2020; 118(3), 568a.

International Academic Engagements

2018           Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin, Germany
2017           UCLA Cardiovascular Theme, Distinguished Seminar Series, LA, CA, USA
2014           The Biophysical Society 58th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA
2011           Gordon Research Conference on Cardiac Arrhythmia Mechanisms, Galveston Island, Texas, USA

Professional Activities

‌Long-term Peer Reviewer for the Following Academic Journals:Biophysical Journal, The Journal of General Physiology, PLoS Computational Biology, European Biophysics Journal, Physical Review E, PLoS ONE, and etc.
Invited to attend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Academic-Industry Workshop in Washington, D.C. (May 2018), where I contributed to establishing general principles for evaluating computational models of cardiac arrhythmia risk prediction and co-authored an FDA white paper on computational simulation strategies for drug development.

Honors & Professional Affiliations

Professional Memberships        Biophysical Society, Heart Rhythm Society, American Heart Association,Deputy Director of the Professional Committee on Active Health, Shenzhen Health Promotion Association,Chair of the AI in Healthcare Working Group, New Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance