Zhongliang Zu, PhD, to Join Columbia Radiology
The Department of Radiology is pleased to announce that Zhongliang Zu, PhD, will join Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons on November 1, 2026, as professor of radiology and associate director of molecular and functional MRI.
An internationally acclaimed leader in molecular MRI, Zu's research focuses on developing advanced imaging technologies that move MRI beyond anatomical visualization to provide quantitative, noninvasive biomarkers of tissue metabolism. His work combines innovative MRI physics, artificial intelligence, and translational imaging to improve the diagnosis and management of neurological disease, cancer, and muscular disorders.
As associate director of molecular and functional MRI, Zu will help lead the department's MRI research enterprise and advance innovation at Columbia's state-of-the-art MRI Center in Washington Heights. The center is among the largest MRI facilities in the country and provides investigators with access to an extensive portfolio of cutting-edge imaging systems that support basic, translational, and clinical research across neuroscience, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other areas.
He will also join the faculty of Columbia’s Center for Advanced Diagnostic Research (CADRe), a new multidisciplinary center designed to accelerate the development and translation of new diagnostic tools into the clinic.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Zu to Columbia Radiology," said Stella Kang, MD, MS, vice chair of clinical research for the department and director of CADRe. "Zhongliang’s pioneering work in molecular MRI and AI-enabled imaging, combined with his outstanding record of NIH-funded research, will strengthen our commitment to MRI innovation and accelerate the development of new diagnostic technologies that improve patient care."
Zu joins Columbia from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he served as professor of radiology and professor of biomedical engineering. Since establishing his independent laboratory in 2014, he has led a sustained NIH-funded research program focused on chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI and other molecular imaging techniques. His research has produced new methods for imaging tissue pH, metabolites, proteins, and membrane lipids, while pioneering physics-informed AI approaches that improve MRI image quality and diagnostic performance. His current work includes NIH-funded projects developing AI-enhanced molecular MRI for stroke diagnosis and advancing quantitative imaging methods for assessing the tumor microenvironment.
The author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, Zu has received numerous honors for his contributions to imaging science, including the 2023 Distinguished Investigator Award from the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research and recognition on Stanford University's list of the World's Top 2% Scientists in 2024 and 2025.
Zu’s arrival further strengthens Columbia Radiology's leadership in advancing innovative imaging science and translating cutting-edge MRI technologies into clinical practice.