Biography

Dr. Ziyan Pan is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, a position held since August 2023. He completed his PhD in Medicine at the University of Sydney in 2024, under the supervision of Mohammed Eslam, following a Master of Biomedical Science from The University of Western Australia (2019) and a Bachelor of Biological Science from Northwest Normal University, China (2017).

Dr. Pan’s research focuses on: Fibrotic diseases: identifying and characterizing novel pathways and therapeutic targets; Genetic Risk and MAFLD: elucidating the functional mechanisms underlying genetic risk variants associated with MAFLD; Lean MAFLD Profile and Pathophysiology: characterizing the distinct metabolic and histological profiles of Lean MAFLD and exploring associated mortality factors.

Dr. Pan has a strong publication record, with over 32 publications and one book chapter within the past four years, including papers in Science Translational Medicine, Nature Communications, Metabolism, and Journal of Hepatology. He also serves as a supervisor to four PhD students and visiting scholars.

Dr. Pan has received the Westmead Institute Scientific Excellence (WISE) award for 2023 and 2024. He is an invited reviewer for several journals, including the Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, Scientific Reports, and PLOS ONE, and is a member of the Editorial Review Board for Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism and Metabolism and Target Organ Damage.

Additional information

Dr. Pan’s research program is dedicated to addressing the critical challenge of fibrotic diseases, which contribute to nearly half of all global deaths, despite the limited treatment options currently available. Recognizing the common pathways that drive fibrosis across various organs, Dr. Pan focuses on clarifying novel pathways and identifying therapeutic targets applicable to a broad range of fibrotic conditions.

A key achievement of this work is the identification of the tyrosine kinase receptor gene MERTK as a core pathway in fibrosis across multiple organs, as published in Science Translational Medicine. This study, accompanied by a press release, provided compelling preclinical evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of targeting MERTK for fibrosis treatment. Ongoing research continues to identify additional targets with similar cross-organ applicability.

In addition to fibrosis, Dr. Pan has a strong interest in elucidating the functional mechanisms underlying genetic risk variants associated with MAFLD. Leveraging a functional genomic platform that Dr. Pan helped establish, research has focused on connecting genetic risk variants to functional mechanisms. A Nature Communications (2022) publication demonstrated that the MBOAT7 SNP, linked to hepatic inflammation, influences outcomes through toll-like receptor regulation and epigenetic changes. Subsequent work published in the FBL Journal (2024) has further refined this understanding, demonstrating the immune-cell specificity of this effect.

Dr. Pan’s research also addresses the under-researched area of “Lean MAFLD.” The research team has characterized this distinct subgroup, demonstrating unique metabolic and histological profiles that change with disease progression. Previous work in Metabolism (2023) indicated that loss of metabolic adaptation due to endotoxemia causes epigenetic changes in Lean MAFLD. Addressing the paradox of higher mortality rates in Lean MAFLD, a Hepatology International (2024) study attributed this to shorter telomeres. Distinct mitochondrial profiles in these patients have also been identified.

Projects: 

• Selective therapeutic targeting of fatty liver disease and related fibrosis
• Switching splicing to treat fatty liver disease and related fibrosis
• Metabolic adaptation in Lean-MAFLD
• Selective therapeutic targeting of pan-organ fibrosis

UYSD email: ziyan.pan@sydney.edu.au

Awards and recognition