Kunzhang Lin, Associate Investigator, High-level Talent of Shenzhen Municipality. He earned his PhD from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2020. He has long been engaged in the development, application and translational research of engineered viral vectors (AAV, RV, VSV, etc.) for the structural and functional dissection of neural circuits and gene therapy.

Developing viral tools for neuroscience research and gene therapy.

1. Luo Nengsong#, Lin Kunzhang#*, Cai Yuxiang, Zhang Zilian, Sui Xiaokai, Han Zengpeng, Yuan Wenjia, Xing Jiayong, Gui Zhu, Liu Gangning, Wang Jie, Xu Fuqiang*. An engineered adeno-associated virus mediates efficient blood-brain barrier penetration with enhanced neurotropism and reduced hepatotropism. Journal of Controlled Release, 2025, 379: 303- 315.
2. Gui Zhu#, Lin Kunzhang#, Luo Nengsong#, Han Zengpeng, Liu Zhuang, Zhao Ziyue, Gu Lei, Xu Fanyong, Zheng Ning, Xu Fuqiang, Li Xihai*, Wang Jie*. Investigating the relationships of structural and functional neural networks of primary visual cortex with engineered AAVs and chemogenetic-fMRI techniques. Theranostics, 2025, 15(9): 3821-3836. 
3. Luo Nengsong#, Cai Yuxiang#, Han Zengpeng#, Sui Xiaokai, Yuan Wenjia, Zhang Zilian, Guo Haodong, Wang Jie, Lin Kunzhang*, Xu Fuqiang*. Engineered AAV13 Variants with Enhanced Transduction and Confined Spread. Zoological Research, 2024, 45(4): 781-790. 
4. Han Zengpeng#, Luo Nengsong#, Ma Wenyu, Liu Xiaodong, Cai Yuxiang, Kou Jiaxin, Wang Jie, Li Lei, Peng Siqi, Xu Zihong, Zhang Wen, Qiu Yuxiang, Wu Yang, Ye Chaohui, Lin Kunzhang*, Xu, Fuqiang*. AAV11 enables efficient retrograde targeting of projection neurons and enhances astrocyte-directed transduction. Nature Communications, 2023, 14(1): 3792. 
5. Lin Kunzhang*, Li Lei, Ma Wenyu, Yang Xin, Han Zengpeng, Luo Nengsong, Wang Jie, Xu Fuqiang*. A rabies virus-based toolkit for efficient retrograde labeling and monosynaptic tracing. Neural Regeneration Research, 2023, 18(8): 1827-1833.
6. Han Zengpeng#, Luo Nengsong#, Wang Fei, Cai Yuxiang, Yang Xin, Feng Weiwei, Zhu Zhenxiang, Wang Jie, Wu Yang, Ye Chaohui, Lin Kunzhang*, Xu Fuqiang*. Computer-Aided Directed Evolution Generates Novel AAV Variants with High Transduction Efficiency. Viruses-Basel, 2023, 15(4): 848.

In recent years, he has published more than 20 SCI papers in journals including Nature Communications, Journal of Controlled Release, Theranostics, Science Bulletin, eLife, Zoological Research, NeuroImage and Neural Regeneration Research, and filed/authorized over 30 domestic and international invention patents, with some research achievements already commercialized. He presided over one project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and served as a core member in several major programs from the NSFC and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission. He acts as a Young Editorial Board Member of Advanced Technology in Neuroscience, and also serves as a peer reviewer for several SCI journals such as Neural Regeneration Research, Zoological Research, BMC Neuroscience and Molecular Biology Reports.