About Us - ZBiotech

ZBiotech

Advancing carbohydrate-focused discovery platforms

ZBiotech began with a singular focus on solving the challenges of developing surface chemistry for multivalent glycan presentation. The invention of Multivalent Surface Coating (MSC) technology paved the way for developing our proprietary Multivalent Glycan Microarray (MGM) platform. Our mission is to advance glycomics with the scientific community, to understand glycobiology, and gain actionable insights into human health and disease. We are dedicated to innovation, rigor, and quality, providing outstanding solutions and support for biotech, pharmaceutical companies, and leading research institutes. We believe this will drive the development of better therapies and help revolutionize future healthcare by implementing potentially transformative glycomedicines.

Following the explosive impact of genomics and proteomics, glycomics emerges as a new essential field relevant to human health and diseases. Leveraging our deep expertise in glycobiology, glycoengineering, synthetic chemistry, and surface chemistry, we continuously develop cutting-edge solutions to fulfill the rapidly growing needs in a nascent era of functional glycomics.

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ZBiotech’s visionary team has been at the forefront of carbohydrate microarray technology for over a decade.

ZBiotech

Jian Zhang, PhD, Founder and CEO

Dr. Jian Zhang is the founder of ZBiotech. During his career, he has been a successful scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur, recognized for his groundbreaking work in developing surface chemistry for multivalent glycan presentation and commercializing this technology. Dr. Zhang began his career with a prestigious company in the US, where he served as chief scientist for carbohydrate synthesis and microarray development. Dr. Zhang achieved his first success as an entrepreneur by founding ZBiotech, which brought multiple glycan microarray products to the market. Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D in chemical biology. He is an experienced biomedical research scientist and has been awarded multiple Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants. He has a great passion for applying innovative ideas to solve problems and developing new research tools to meet the unmet needs of the glycoscience market.

Xi Chen, PhD, CSO

Dr. Xi Chen has extensive industry experience in immunology, glycobiology, cancer biology, and carbohydrate chemistry. Since joining ZBiotech, he has led the development of the company’s core glycan array platforms and other glycobiology research tools, guiding products from concept through validation to commercial launch. He also oversees business development, strategic partnerships, and corporate operations, ensuring alignment between market needs and scientific innovation. Beyond ZBiotech, Dr. Chen has co-founded multiple companies with Dr. Jian Zhang in the diagnostics and therapeutics fields, developing innovative technologies that leverage glycans as therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers.

Dr. Ajit Varki, Scientific Advisor

Dr. Ajit Varki, Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, serves as the Scientific Advisor to ZBiotech. A world leader in glycobiology, Dr. Varki is internationally recognized for his pioneering work on the roles of sialic acids in health, disease, and human evolution. In this advisory role, he provides strategic scientific guidance that strengthens ZBiotech’s research direction and fosters innovation in glycan biology. His insights help ensure our work not only drives technological advancement, but also contributes to the broader research community and deepens our understanding of human disease and health from a glycobiology perspective.

Nick Berning, MS, Production Manager

Nick grew up in Oregon, where the forests and deserts always inspired him. He moved to Colorado in 2016 to complete his B.S. degree in biology with a focus on botany. While finishing his degree and working in a laboratory at Colorado State University, Nick became very interested in molecular biology and genetics and how these fields could be used to improve the world we live in. This inspired him to pursue his M.S. degree in biology, where he wrote and defended his thesis on improving plant root physiology through the targeted expression of transcription factors. As a Scientist at Z Biotech, Nick is responsible for manufacturing and improving our glycan microarray products.

Chelsea Harris, MS, Production Manager

Chelsea has always been interested in the overlap between engineering and the life sciences. This led her to complete her B.S. Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology in 2015 from the University of Virginia, during which she led an independent research project which gave her a solid foundation in experimental design and laboratory skills. She then went on to complete her M.S. Chemical Engineering at Auburn University in 2017, and successfully defended a thesis focused on developing a nanoparticle for the treatment of chronic pain. This propelled her into a role as a Researcher in a hospital setting, where she gained knowledge in the fields of Genetics and Immunology and contributed to four publications. With a variety of engineering and scientific research experience, Chelsea is excited to now contribute to Z Biotech’s team as Production Manager.

Ashley Blomdahl, BS, Lab Assistant

Ashley is originally from Kansas City, Missouri; there she attended Rockhurst University. After completing her Bachelors in Molecular Biology, she was eager to learn and start working in the industry. She’s always been interest in working in a laboratory setting and enjoying science. Ashley is focusing on Z Biotech’s online marketing, website design and maintenance, microarray production and quality control, and lab facility and equipment maintenance.