Zhong-Ping Feng, University of Toronto

Research

Calcium Releasing Channel Drug Development Genetic Manipulation Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury Neonatal Stroke Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Biniding Protein Caltubin

Latest papers

Pharmacophore Directed Retrosynthesis Applied to Waixenicin A: Synthesis and Bioactivity of Derivatives Bearing a Minimal Proposed Pharmacophore.
Organic letters · 2026
TRPM7 kinase: a target for multimodal drug development in neurological disorders.
Acta pharmacologica Sinica · 2026
SNAP-23 mediated vesicular trafficking in oligodendrocytes is necessary to maintain adult myelin integrity in mice.
Nature communications · 2026

All 124 publications

Latest funding

Targeting Ryanodine Receptor 2 for Treating Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury (HIBI)
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$1,132,200
Rhythm control and regulation of Lymnaea respiratory central pattern generator neurons
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$96,000
Mechanisms underlying novel pro-survival peptides in neuroprotection
CIHR · 2016 · Nominated PI
$765,000

All 8 grants and awards

124 publications.

01

Pharmacophore Directed Retrosynthesis Applied to Waixenicin A: Synthesis and Bioactivity of Derivatives Bearing a Minimal Proposed Pharmacophore.

Parris MR, Suzuki S, Kiledal SA, Gong XB, Zhang X, Penner R, Sun HS, Feng ZP, Horgen FD, Fleig A, Hull KG, Romo D

Organic letters2026

DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6c01502 PMID: 42276815

02

TRPM7 kinase: a target for multimodal drug development in neurological disorders.

Zhang XY, Ho HL, Feng ZP, Sun HS

Acta pharmacologica Sinica2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41401-026-01810-z PMID: 42191897

03

SNAP-23 mediated vesicular trafficking in oligodendrocytes is necessary to maintain adult myelin integrity in mice.

Chow CH, Huang M, Regmi A, Rai J, Harada H, Eide S, Sun HS, Feng ZP, Monnier PP, Okamoto K, Zhang L, Rojas OL, Sugita S

Nature communications2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-73381-w PMID: 42185264

04

Targeting the mitochondrial thermogenesis pathway for neuroprotection in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy by curcumin.

Wang X, Zhang B, Eide S, Zhang XY, Yang M, Feng ZP, Sun HS

Acta pharmacologica Sinica2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41401-026-01813-w PMID: 42162312

05

TRPM7 kinase inhibitor TG100-115 provides neuroprotection against neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Zhang XY, Ho HL, Luo ZW, Horgen FD, Romo D, Hull KG, Fleig A, Feng ZP, Sun HS

Acta pharmacologica Sinica2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41401-026-01775-z PMID: 42045381

06

Natural product-derived TRPM7 channel inhibitors in neurological injury: Mechanisms, pharmacological potential and translational challenges.

Zhang X, Ho HL, Horgen FD, Fleig A, Feng ZP, Sun HS

British journal of pharmacology2026

DOI: 10.1111/bph.70667 PMID: 42760099

07

Inhibiting the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 channel in microglia: current evidence and therapeutic potential in neurological disorders.

Ferreira AFF, Feng ZP, Sun HS, Britto LRG

Acta pharmacologica Sinica2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41401-026-01797-7 PMID: 42020790

08

The long-term impact of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury on neural dynamics in deep-layer retrosplenial cortex and hippocampus in mice.

Du L, Yang M, Steenland HW, Luo Z, Ovcjak A, Hu R, Sugita S, Takehara-Nishiuchi K, Milosevic L, Feng ZP

iScience2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115003 PMID: 42006293

09

From calcium signaling to cardiovascular pharmacology: TRPM7 as a key mechanistic regulator and emerging pharmacological focus.

Zhang XY, Ho HL, Feng ZP, Sun HS

Acta pharmacologica Sinica2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41401-026-01800-1 PMID: 41951773

10

Therapeutic potential of KATP channels in the attenuation of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and progression - A review.

Gundi B, Ho HL, Zhang X, He A, Xin D, Ferreira AFF, Britto LR, Feng ZP, Sun HS

Neurochemistry international2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2025.106091 PMID: 41275920

Targeting Ryanodine Receptor 2 for Treating Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury (HIBI)

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Feng, Zhong-Ping; Chen, Sui Rong W

Keywords: Calcium Releasing Channel; Drug Development; Genetic Manipulation; Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury; Neonatal Stroke; Ryanodine Receptor

$1,132,200

Rhythm control and regulation of Lymnaea respiratory central pattern generator neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Feng, Zhong-Ping

$96,000

Mechanisms underlying novel pro-survival peptides in neuroprotection

Nominated PICIHR2016Project Grant

Principal investigators: Feng, Zhong-Ping

Keywords: Calcium Biniding Protein; Caltubin; Cell Biology; Cell Culture; Cell Survival; Microtubule; Neuroprotection; Peptide Drug; Pharmacology; Protein-Protein Interaction

$765,000

Rhythm control and regulation of Lymnaea respiratory central pattern generator neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Feng, ZhongPing

$472,000

Genetic analysis of Williams-Beuren syndrome: linking genes with behaviour and cognition

Co-investigatorCIHR2013Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Osborne, Lucy R

Keywords: Gene Regulation; Mouse Models; Neurons; Transcription Factor; Transcriptome; Williams Syndrome

$814,660

Rhythm control and regulation of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2009Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Feng, ZhongPing

$175,000

Rhythm control of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2007Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Feng, ZhongPing

$50,000

Rhythm control of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Principal investigatorNSERC2004Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Feng, ZhongPing

$88,470

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Physiology
Division of Anatomy
Mechanical Engineering
Cardiovascular Surgery
Medical Biophysics
Anesthesia
Psychology
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Hong-Shuo Sun

Division of Anatomy

83 shared papers, latest 2026

Armand Keating

Mechanical Engineering

2 shared papers, latest 2008

Ren-Ke Li

Cardiovascular Surgery

2 shared papers, latest 2008

Michelle Arnot

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

1 shared papers, latest 2011

Zhaolei Zhang

Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Steven Paraskevas

Chemical Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Peter Backx

Department of Physiology

1 shared papers, latest 2014

David Lee

Medical Biophysics

1 shared papers, latest 2005

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Calcium Releasing Channel Dear Professor Feng, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Pharmacophore Directed Retrosynthesis Applied to Waixenicin A: Synthesis and Bioactivity of Derivatives Bearing a Minimal Proposed Pharmacophore." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Targeting Ryanodine Receptor 2 for Treating Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury (HIBI)" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Zhong-Ping Feng

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Pharmacophore Directed Retrosynthesis Applied to Waixenicin A: Synthesis and Bioactivity of Derivatives Bearing a Minimal Proposed Pharmacophore.

TRPM7 kinase: a target for multimodal drug development in neurological disorders.

SNAP-23 mediated vesicular trafficking in oligodendrocytes is necessary to maintain adult myelin integrity in mice.

Targeting the mitochondrial thermogenesis pathway for neuroprotection in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy by curcumin.

TRPM7 kinase inhibitor TG100-115 provides neuroprotection against neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Natural product-derived TRPM7 channel inhibitors in neurological injury: Mechanisms, pharmacological potential and translational challenges.

Inhibiting the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 channel in microglia: current evidence and therapeutic potential in neurological disorders.

The long-term impact of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury on neural dynamics in deep-layer retrosplenial cortex and hippocampus in mice.

From calcium signaling to cardiovascular pharmacology: TRPM7 as a key mechanistic regulator and emerging pharmacological focus.

Therapeutic potential of KATP channels in the attenuation of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and progression - A review.

Targeting Ryanodine Receptor 2 for Treating Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury (HIBI)

Rhythm control and regulation of Lymnaea respiratory central pattern generator neurons

Mechanisms underlying novel pro-survival peptides in neuroprotection

Rhythm control and regulation of Lymnaea respiratory central pattern generator neurons

Genetic analysis of Williams-Beuren syndrome: linking genes with behaviour and cognition

Rhythm control and regulation of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Rhythm control of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Rhythm control of lymnaea respiratory CPG neurons

Frequent collaborators

Hong-Shuo Sun

Kang Lee

Shuzo Sugita

Tianru Jin

Armand Keating

Kenichi Okamoto

Ren-Ke Li

Luka Milosevic

Michelle Arnot

Zhaolei Zhang

Michael Tymianski

Steven Paraskevas

Peter Backx

Peter Backx

Kaori Takehara-Nishiuchi

Haibo Zhang

David Lee