Ariel Zhang, PhD, awarded scholarship for neuropathy research
Ariel Zhang, PhD, was awarded one of two 2026 Clinical Research Training Scholarship (CRTS) to support her important research on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The CRTS is a two-year scholarship program that provides funding for emerging experts in neuropathy. The scholarship supports researchers’ efforts to advance treatments, prevention, and even cures for peripheral neuropathy (PN) and is fully funded by the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy.
Zhang’s research
Even though CIPN is common, it has not been studied as much as other nerve diseases. This is because scientists do not fully understand how it happens or how to stop it. The goal of Zhang’s research is to learn what causes this nerve damage and find ways to prevent CIPN.
“Right now, there are no FDA-approved medicines to prevent or treat CIPN. Since CIPN affects millions of cancer patients and survivors, finding a solution is very important.” – Ariel Zhang
Zhang is studying how certain chemotherapy drugs harm nerve cells. She has identified a protein called ATF2 that plays an important role in this damage. ATF2 is an important link between stress from chemotherapy and nerve injury. She will study how ATF2 causes nerve damage by finding the other proteins it works with in nerve cells. Additionally, Zhang will test what happens when ATF2 is turned off in mice with vincristine-related nerve damage. This will help show whether blocking ATF2 can reduce nerve damage and CIPN-like symptoms.
By learning how ATF2 works, Zhang hopes to find new treatments to protect nerves during cancer treatment.
About Ariel Zhang, PhD
Ariel Zhang, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Pennsylvania, USA. She earned her PhD in Complex Biological Systems from Rowan University in 2025 and obtained her master’s in biomedical science from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
After her PhD, Zhang wanted to broaden her neuroscience expertise and transitioned into research on peripheral neuropathy. In her current postdoctoral work, she studies mechanisms of neuropathy associated with chemotherapy. Her goal is to use her background in neuroscience to improve patient care and quality of life.
Supporting early career researchers
By supporting researchers like Zhang, the CRTS program is helping move neuropathy research forward and brings us closer to better treatments. Giving early-career scientists the chance to study PN also encourages them to stay in this field, which helps build a strong foundation for future treatments, and one day, even cures.
Zhang’s two-year $150,000 scholarship is funded solely by the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy (FPN) in partnership with the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology. If you’d like to learn more about how you can join us in this initiative, please contact us at [email protected].
