Staff Fellow — Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics

Wei (Vivian) Zhuang, Ph.D.
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov  

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About  |  Publications 

Background

Dr. Wei (Vivian) Zhuang received a Bachelor of business administration in information science and systems from Nanjing University, China in 2001. She received a Master of Science in management information system from University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2003. Dr. Zhuang was motivated to make a lasting contribution to public health by the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003. Afterwards, she had one year of training in bioinformatics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Zhuang received a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in biostatistics from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and Boston University, respectively. With six years of education in biostatistics, Dr. Zhuang became an assistant professor in the School of Medicine at Creighton University in 2013. After four years of teaching, research, and service at Creighton University, she joined NCTR’s Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics as a staff fellow in 2017. Dr. Zhuang’s contributions have been acknowledged by:

• Peer-reviewed publications
• Chancellor's 'U' Award at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Rackham Conference Travel Grant at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
• Membership in Mu Sigma Rho
• Membership in the U.S. National Statistics Honor Society
• Time-off and cash awards at NCTR
• Chair’s Choice Best Scientific Poster at the 6th Annual FDA Scientific Computing Days

Research Interests

Dr. Zhuang’s research interests are to develop advanced statistical methods and innovatively apply existing approaches for the advancement of regulatory science, biomedical research, and public health. She has performed research on statistical genetics, epidemiological studies, missing data, pathway analysis, brain imaging, data mining, and microarray/qPCR/sequencing data analysis. This research experience has allowed her to connect statistical methods with specific research problems in genetics, cardiotoxicity, the human aging process, Parkinson’s disease, and HIV-associated neuronal toxicity. Dr. Zhuang’s current primary research projects include:

• Development of a reproducible workflow to analyze real-world incomplete or uncertain qPCR data

• Statistical methods for whole-transcriptome sequencing data analysis

Professional Societies/National and International Groups

American Public Health Association
Member
2015 – 2018, 2019

American Statistical Association (ASA)
Member 
2007 – Present

ASA Central Arkansas Chapter
Vice-President
2018 – 2019

President
2019 – 2020

The Midsouth Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Society (MCBIOS)
Member
2018 – 2019

MCBIOS 2019 Planning Committee
Member
2019

Select Publications

Publication titles are linked to text abstracts on PubMed.

Phenotypically Enriched Genotypic Imputation in Genetic Association Tests.
Zhuang W.V., Murabito J.M., and Lunetta K.L. 
Hum Hered. 2016, 81(1):35-45 [Epub Aug 31, 2016].

The Heritability of Circulating Testosterone, Oestradiol, Oestrone and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin Concentrations in Men: The Framingham Heart Study.
Travison T.G., Zhuang W.V., Lunetta K.L., Karasik D., Bhasin S., Kiel D.P., Coviello A.D., and Murabito J.M.  
Clin Endocrinol. 2014, 80(2):277-282, doi:10.1111/cen.12260. [Epub 2013 Jun 27].  

Meta-Analyses Identify 13 Loci Associated with Age at Menopause and Highlight DNA Repair and Immune Pathways. 
Stolk L., Perry J.R.B., Chasman D.I., He C.Y., Mangino M., Sulem P., Barbalic M., Broer L., Byrne E.M., Ernst F., Esko T., Franceschini N., Gudbjartsson D.F., Hottenga J.J., Kraft P., McArdle P.F., Porcu E., Shin S.Y., Smith A.V., Wingerden S., Zhai G., Zhuang W.V.,...(other 166 authors)…, Murabito J.M., Visser J.A. and Lunetta K.L.
Nat Genet. 2012, 44(3): 260-268, doi: 10.1038/ng.1051.  

Pathway Analysis Following Association Study. 
Ngwa J.S., Manning A.K., Grimsby J.L., Lu C., Zhuang W.V. and DeStefano A.L.
BMC Proceedings. 2011, 5 Suppl 9:S18. doi: 10.1186/1753-6561-5-S9-S18.

Circulating Testosterone and SHBG Concentrations are Heritable in Women: The Framingham Heart Study.
Coviello A.D., Zhuang W.V., Lunetta K.L., Ulloor J., Zhang A., Karasik D., Kiel D.P., Bhasin S., Vasan R.S. and Murabito J.M.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011, 96(9): E1491-1495. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-0050. [Epub 2011 Jul 13].  

Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Data Identifies Two Loci Influencing Age at Menarche.
Perry J.R., Stolk L., Franceschini N., Lunetta K.L., Zhai G., McArdle P.F., Smith A.V., Aspelund T., Bandinelli S., Boerwinkle E., Cherkas L., Eiriksdottir G., Estrada K., Ferrucci L., Folsom A.R., Garcia M., Gudnason V., Hofman A., Karasik D., Kiel D.P., Launer L.J., van Meurs J., Nalls M.A., Rivadeneira F., Shuldiner A.R., Singleton A., Soranzo N., Tanaka T., Visser J.A., Weedon M.N., Wilson S.G., Zhuang W.V., Streeten E.A., Harris T.B., Murray A., Spector T.D., Demerath E.W., Uitterlinden A.G. and Murabito J.M. 
Nat Genet. 2009, 41(6): 648-650. doi: 10.1038/ng.386. [Epub 2009 May 17]. 

Classification of HIV-1-Mediated Neuronal Dendritic and Synaptic Damage Using Multiple Criteria Linear Programming.
Zheng J., Zhuang W., Yan N., Kou G., Peng H., McNally C., Erichsen D., Cheloha A., Herek S. and Shi C.
Neuroinformatics. 2004, 2(3): 303-326.