ZHANG Lei

Tenure-track Assistant Professor
zhangl@math.pku.edu.cn
Xueyuanlu 38., Haidian district, Beijing, China
Peking University

Personal profile

Education

2004/01 - 2008/12, Ph.D. in Mathematics/ Minor in Computational Science, Department of Mathematics, Penn State University, Advisor: Prof. Qiang Du.

2001/09 - 2003/12, M.A. in Computational Mathematics,Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences,

Advisor: Prof. Qiang Du.

1997/09 - 2001/07, B.S. in Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, China.

Professional Experience

2013/06 - Present, Tenure-track Assistant Professor,

Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research, Peking University, China.

2014/10 - Present, Principle Investigator,

Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, China.

2012/06 - 2013/06, Assistant Professor,

Department of Mathematics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

2009/08 - 2012/06, Visiting Assistant Professor,

Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine. Mentor: Prof. Qing Nie.

2009/01 - 2009/08, Postdoctoral Researcher,

Department of Mathematics, Penn State University. Mentor: Prof. Qiang Du.

Awards and Honors

Royal Society - Newton Advanced Fellowship, UK, 2018

NSFC Excellent Youth Award , 2016

CCBS Retreat Research Opportunity Awards, UC Irvine, 2011

SIAM-SEAS Student Paper Prize, 2008

Pritchard Dissertation Fellowships, Penn State University,2008

Main research directions

Rare events and saddle point algorithm

Computational systems biology

Computational materials science

Scientific computing

Representative scientific research projects

Newton Advanced Fellowship, Royal Society of UK & National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) , 2018-2021

Royal Society of UK & NSFC 11861130351：Solution Landscapes in the Landau-de Gennes theory for Nematic Liquid Crystals, Principle Investigator

NSFC Excellent Youth Award, 2017-2019,

NSFC 11622102：Numerical Methods and Applications for Rare Events and Saddle Points，Principle Investigator

NSFC Major Project Program, 2015-2018,

NSFC 91430217: Computable Models of Biological Networks, Co-Principle Investigator

NSFC A3 Foresight Program, 2014-2019,

NSFC 1421110001: Modeling and Simulation of Hierarchical and Heterogeneous Flow Systems with Applications to Materials Science, Co-Principle Investigator

10 representative papers

1. Lingxia Qiao#, Wei Zhao#, Chao Tang*, Qing Nie*, Lei Zhang*, Network design principle for dual function of adaptation and noise attenuation, submitted.

2. Yucen Han, Yucheng Hu*, Pingwen Zhang*, Lei Zhang*, Transition Pathways between Defect Patterns in Confined Nematic Liquid Crystals, submitted.

3. Chunhe Li*, Lei Zhang*,Qing Nie*, Landscape reveals the underlying mechanisms for sharpening the gene expression boundaries, BMC Systems Biology 12:67, 2018.

4. Lina Meinecke, Praveer Sharma, Huijing Du, Lei Zhang, Qing Nie*, Thomas Schilling*, Modeling craniofacial development reveals spatiotemporal constraints on robust patterning of the mandibular arch, PLoS Comput Biol 14(11): e1006569, 2018.

5. Boyan Li, Lei Zhang*, Chengliang Li, Qiulin Li, Jun Chen, Guogang Shu, Yuqing Weng, Ben Xu, Shenyang Hu*, Wei Liu*, Phase Field Simulation of Critical Nuclei and Minimum Energy Paths of Cu/Mn/Ni Precipitates in Fe-Cu-Mn (Ni) Alloys, Journal of Nuclear Materials 507, 59-67, 2018.

6. Peijia Yu, Qing Nie*, Chao Tang*, Lei Zhang*, Nanog induced intermediate state in regulating stem cell differentiation and reprogramming, BMC Systems Biology 12:22, 2018.

7. Bihai Shi#, Xiaolu Guo#, Ying Wang, Ken-ichiro Hayashi, Jinzhi Lei, Lei Zhang*, Yuling Jiao*, Feedback from Lateral Organs Controls Shoot Apical Meristem Growth by Modulating Auxin Transport, Developmental Cell, 44, 204-216, 2018.

8. Boyan Li, Lei Zhang*, Chengliang Li, Shenyang Hu, Qiulin Li, Jun Chen, Guogang Shu, Yuqing Weng, Ben Xu*, Wei Liu*, Finding Non-Classical Critical Nuclei and Minimum Energy Path of Cu Precipitates in Fe-Cu Alloys, Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 25 085006, 2017. [pdf]

9. Yanru An, Guosheng Xue, Xiaowei Zhou, Weichuan Yu, Toyotaka Ishibashi, Lei Zhang*, Yan Yan*, Apical constriction is driven by a pulsatile apical myosin network in delaminating Drosophila neuroblasts, Development, 144, 2153-2164, 2017.

10. Weikang Wang#, Kuan Tao#, Jin Wang, Gen Yang, Qi Ouyang, Yugang Wang, Lei Zhang*, Feng Liu*, Exploring the inhibition effect of membrane tension on cell polarization, PLoS Comput Biol 13(1): e1005354. doi:10.1371/ journal.pcbi.1005354, 2017.