Dr. Yunyan Zhang

Research Associate Professor

photo of Dr. Yunyan Zhang

Dr. Zhang has obtained a Ph.D. in medical imaging at the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, at the University of Calgary in 2007. Prior to that, she also completed an MD with specific training in Radiology and an MSc in neuroimaging in China. She has had postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia (2007-2010). Her research is MS driven, particularly through the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Learn more about Dr. Zhang

How did you become interested in MS research? What inspires you to continue advancing research in this field?

Since the beginning of my Ph.D. studies, I become increasingly interested in MS research. The fact that there is still no cure for the disease and the continued lack of understanding about the mechanisms of disease progression is striking to me and prompts me to continue advancing the research.

What do you enjoy most about doing research and what are some of the challenges you face?

Discovery is the most joyful moment for me in research. Proving the hypothesis can be challenging from time to time.

Describe the importance and level of collaboration in your research?

Collaboration has been a critical part for my research, both with basic scientists, imaging experts, and clinicians. This not only allows mechanism investigation but also knowledge translation and dissemination.

How important is the support from the MS Society in enabling you to conduct research?

The support from the MS Society contributes significantly to my research. It first enables me to gather resources and tools critical for carrying out new experiments. It also helps recruit talented individuals to assist with the research. Additionally, it ensures knowledge dissemination and application wherever applicable.

If you could ask any question(s) to a person living with MS that would help you design your study, what would it be?

How often do you feel the change in your symptoms, and how does that change with treatments?