Songmao Zheng

Songmao Zheng, Ph.D., is Associate Vice President of Research and Development at Adagene, leading preclinical and clinical quantitative model-informed drug discovery and development.

Previously, as Scientific Director/Group Leader at Janssen BioTherapeutics, Songmao guided the preclinical, translational, and early clinical PK/TE/PD characterization of numerous biologics. In addition, he contributed scientific and strategic input for biologics across oncology, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. While at Janssen, Songmao was awarded the prestigious Philip B. Hofmann Research Scientist Award, the second highest recognition in Johnson & Johnson, given to researchers for “major contributions of leadership, original ideas and research leading toward development of a technology platform, process or better understanding of a scientific technical phenomenon.” As a recognized key member of the Janssen teams, he also received over twenty-five Johnson & Johnson Leadership, Innovation Leadership, and Encore/Inspire awards.

Songmao has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, has presented in over thirty conferences with six awards, and is named as co-inventor on several patent filings. Currently, he serves as an Editorial Board member for the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) peer-reviewed journals Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) and Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (CPT), the flagship journal of ASCPT.

Songmao received his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Washington (UW), followed by postdoctoral training at the Center for Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (CPSP) in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Florida, where he currently is a Courtesy Adjunct Assistant Professor. Songmao graduated from Sichuan University with a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences, during which time he was awarded a one-year honored exchange at the UW Department of Hematology. He received further training as an intern at Seattle Genetics and as an ORISE Fellow at US FDA.