
Dandan Zheng, Ph.D.
Contact
Dandan Zheng, Ph.D.
About Me
Prior to joining University of Rochester in 2021, Dr. Zheng was faculty at University of Nebraska Medical center and at Virginia Commonwealth Univers...
Prior to joining University of Rochester in 2021, Dr. Zheng was faculty at University of Nebraska Medical center and at Virginia Commonwealth University. A nationally-recognized Medical Physicist, Dr. Zheng has served on numerous educational, scientific, and professional committees for the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), the society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs (SDAMPP), and the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP). In recognition of her long-time contributions, Dr. Zheng has been named a Fellow by the AAPM.
Dr. Zheng has authored 5 book chapters, over 60 articles, and over 100 conference abstracts. She also serves as an associate editor for 6 journals, the book review editor for the JACMP, and an avid reviewer who has won Outstanding Reviewer Awards from the Red Journal and from the PMB.
Dr. Zheng’s clinical and research interests include quantitative imaging, advanced imaging guidance and adaptive radiation treatment, artificial intelligence (AI), technology improvement and innovation in SRS, SBRT and brachytherapy, and synergistic immune-radiotherapy. She has developed radiomics-based prediction models for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and risk stratification, other AI-based methods for radiotherapy planning and dosimetry, and novel target prediction and antigen identification methods for immunotherapy. Many innovative imaging and radiotherapy technologies and protocols developed by Dr. Zheng have also been applied in commercial medical products and adopted by international clinical guidelines to treat thousands of cancer patients.
Faculty Appointments
Professor - Department of Radiation Oncology (SMD)
Credentials
Post-doctoral Training & Residency
iLead Leadership Training Program, University of Nebraska Medical
Center 2019 - 2020
Faculty Success Program, National Center for Faculty Development &
Diversity 2015 - 2016
Post-doctoral Associate, Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth
University 2007 - 2009
Education
PhD | University of California, Davis. Applied Science. 2007
MS | University of California, Davis. Biomedical Engineering. 2007
MS | University of California, Davis. Applied Science. 2005
BS | China-University of Science and Technology. Biological Science. 2003
Awards
Fellow. 2022
Research mentor for the First Place Winner Jeffrey Wong. 2021
Research mentor for the First Place winner Sarah Wisnoskie. 2020
Finalist of the AAPM Innovation in Medical Physics Education Symposium. 2019
Outstanding Reviewer Award, Physics in Medicine and Biology. 2017
Chancellor's Council Silver "U" Award. 2017
Finalist of the AAPM Innovation in Medical Physics Education Symposium. 2015
Outstanding Reviewer Award. 2013
Research Fellowship. 2006 - 2007
Outstanding College Graduate Award - Province Level. 2003
Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) Fellowship. 2003 - 2004
Excellent Undergraduate Scholarship. 2002
Excellent Undergraduate Scholarship. 2000
Excellent Undergraduate Scholarship. 1999
Outstanding Freshman Award. 1998
Publications
Journal Articles
Zheng D, Preuss K, Milano MT, He X, Gou L, Shi Y, Marples B, Wan R, Yu H, Du H, Zhang C
Radiation oncology.. 2025 April 420 (1):49. Epub 04/04/2025.
Rivais W, Constine L, Pacella M, Joyce N, Nagey M, Webster M, Yoon J, Jung H, Tanny S, Lemus OMD, Zheng D
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2025 January 26 (1):e14556. Epub 11/04/2024.
Clinical practice-based failure modes and root cause analysis of cone beam CT-guided online adaptive radiotherapy of the pelvis
Zheng D; Cummings M; Zhang H; Podgorsak A; Li F; Dona Lemus O; Webster M; Joyce N; Hagenbach E; Bylund K; Qiu H; Pacella M; Chen Y; Tanny S.
Cancers (Basel). 2025; 17(9): 1462.
MR-Linac is a better choice for adaptive therapy compared to cone-beam CT
Alongi F; Zheng D; Das IJ.
Med Phys. 2025; 52(5): 2702-2706.
Methods for working with problem residents in medical physics residency education
Watchman CJ; Zheng D.
J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2025; 26(5): e70068.
Wancura JN, Lemus OMD, Tanny SM, Yoon J, Webster MJ, Constine LS, Zheng D
Medical dosimetry : official journal of the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists.. 2025 50 (2):148-154. Epub 01/09/2025.
Tanny S, Dona Lemus OM, Wancura J, Sperling N, Webster M, Jung H, Zhou Y, Li F, Yoon J, Podgorsak A, Zheng D
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2024 September 25 (9):e14440. Epub 06/19/2024.
Webster M, Dona Lemus OM, Tanny S, Cummings M, Zheng D
Cure?us.. 2024 September 16 (9):e68990. Epub 09/09/2024.
Schick A, Hardy S, Strawderman M, Zheng D, Cummings M, Milano MT, Magnuson A, Behr J, Sammons S, Usuki K, Mohile N, O'Regan R, Anders CK, Hicks D, Dhakal A
NPJ breast cancer.. 2024 August 210 (1):69. Epub 08/02/2024.
Zheng D, Yoon J, Jung H, Lemus OMD, Gou L, Zhou Y, Usuki KY, Hardy S, Milano MT
Advances in radiation oncology.. 2024 June 9 (6):101499. Epub 03/19/2024.
Webster M, Dona Lemus OM, Zheng D, Wancura JN, Tanny S, Sakthivel G, Constine L
Clinical case reports.. 2024 May 12 (5):e8868. Epub 05/15/2024.
Dona Lemus OM, Cao M, Cai B, Cummings M, Zheng D
Cancers.. 2024 March 1916 (6)Epub 03/19/2024.
Dosimetric evaluation of LINAC-based single-isocenter multi-target multi-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery with more than 20 targets: comparing MME, HyperArc, and RapidArc
Jung H; Yoon Y; Lemus OD; Tanny S; Zhou Y; Milano M; Usuki K; Hardy S; Zheng D.
Radiat Oncol. 2024; 19(1): 19.
radioGWAS links radiome to genome to discover driver genes with somatic mutations for heterogeneous tumor image phenotype in pancreatic cancer
Zheng D; Grandgenett PM; Zhang Q; Baine M; Shi Y; Du Q; Liang X; Wong J; Iqbal S; Preuss K; Kamal A; Yu H; Du H; Hollingsworth MA; Zhang C.
Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1): 12316.
Yoon J, Jung H, Tanny SM, Lemus OMD, Milano MT, Hardy SJ, Usuki KY, Zheng D
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2023 November 24 (11):e14169. Epub 09/29/2023.
Lemus OMD, Tanny S, Cummings M, Webster M, Wancura J, Jung H, Zhou Y, Yoon J, Pacella M, Zheng D
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2023 October 24 (10):e14057. Epub 06/05/2023.
Li Y, Bi J, Pi G, He H, Li Y, Zheng D, Wei Z, Han G
Cancer medicine. 2023 April 12 (8):9449-9457. Epub 03/05/2023.
A quick guide on implementing and quality assuring 3D printing in radiation oncology
Ashenafi M; Jeong S; Wancura JN; Gou L; Webster MJ; Zheng D.
J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2023; 24(11): e14102.
Association of Radiation Dose to the Amygdala-Orbitofrontal Network with Emotion Recognition Task Performance in Patients with Low-Grade and Benign Brain Tumors
Hardy SJ; Finkelstein A; Milano MT; Schifitto G; Sun H; Holley K; Usuki K; Weber MT; Zheng D; Seplaki CL; Janelsins M.
Cancers (Basel). 2023; 15(23): 5544.
3DGAUnet: 3D Generative Adversarial Networks with a 3D U-Net Based Generator to Achieve the Accurate and Effective Synthesis of Clinical Tumor Image Data for Pancreatic Cancer
Shi Y; Tang H; Baine MJ; Hollingsworth MA; Du H; Zheng D; Zhang C; Yu H.
Cancers (Basel). 2023; 15(23): 5496.
Liu C, Bradley JA, Zheng D, Vega RBM, Beltran CJ, Mendenhall N, Liang X
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2022 April 23 (4):e13527. Epub 01/21/2022.
Using Quantitative Imaging for Personalized Medicine in Pancreatic Cancer: A Review of Radiomics and Deep Learning Applications
Preuss K; Thach N; Liang X; Baine M; Chen J; Zhang C; Du H; Yu H; Lin C; Hollingsworth MA; Zheng D.
Cancers (Basel). 2022; 14(7): 1654.
Wong J, Baine M, Wisnoskie S, Bennion N, Zheng D, Yu L, Dalal V, Hollingsworth MA, Lin C, Zheng D
Scientific reports.. 2021 August 1111 (1):16328. Epub 08/11/2021.
Shi Y, Wahle E, Du Q, Krajewski L, Liang X, Zhou S, Zhang C, Baine M, Zheng D
Diagnostics.. 2021 January 711 (1)Epub 01/07/2021.
The Potential Use of Radiomics with Pre-Radiation Therapy MR Imaging in Predicting Risk of Pseudoprogression in Glioblastoma patient's
Baine, M.; Burr, J.; Du, Q.; Zhang, C.; Liang, Z.; Krajewski, L.; Zima, L.; Rux, G.; Zhang, C.; Zheng, D.
Journal of Imaging. 2021; 7(2): 17.
Zheng, D.
Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics. 2021; 22(1): 355-356.
Wei W, Zheng D, Lei Y, Wu S, Verma V, Liu Y, Wei X, Bi J, Hu D, Han G
Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.. 2020 July 148 :203-210. Epub 03/30/2020.
Liang X, Mailhot Vega RB, Li Z, Zheng D, Mendenhall N, Bradley JA
Radiation oncology.. 2020 February 2715 (1):47. Epub 02/27/2020.
Wisnoskie, S.; Liang, X.; Wahl, A.; Bennion, N.; Granatowicz, A.; Zhou, S.; Zheng, D.
JACMP. 2020; 21(12): 280-287.
Liu, C.; Zheng, D.; Bradley, J.; Mailhot Vega, R.; Zhang, Y.; Indelicato, D.; Mendenhall, N.; Liang, X.
Acta Oncologia. 2020; 16: 1-8.
Physica Medica. 2020; 77: 84-91.
Zheng, D.
Journal of Applied Clinical medical Physics. 2020; 21(8): 326-328.
Radiomics-Based Outcome Prediction for Pancreatic Cancer Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy.
Parr, E.; Du, Q.; Zhang; C.; Lin, C.; Kamal, A.; McAlister, J.; Liang, X.; Bavitz, K.; Rux, G.; Hollingsworth, M.; Baine, M.; Zheng, D.
Cancers. 2020; .
Minimum dose rate estimation for pulsed FLASH radiotherapy: A dimensional analysis
Zhou, SM.; Zheng, D.; Fan, Q.; Yan, Y.; Wang, S.; Lei, Y.; Besemer, A.; Zhou, C.; Enke, C.
Medical Physics. 2020; .
Wu, S.; Zheng, D.; Liu, Y.; Hu, D.; Wei, W.; Han, G.
Advances in Radiation Oncology. 2020; 5(4): 531-533.
Ryckman, J.; Baine, M.; Carmicheal, J.; Osayande, F.; Sleightholm, R.; Samson, K.; Zheng, D.; Zhen, W.; Lin, C.; Zhang, C.
Radiation Oncology. 2020; 15(33).
Liang, X.; Bradley, J.; Vega, R.; Rutenberg, M.; Zheng, D.; Getman, N.; Norton, K.; Mendenhall, N.; Li, Z.
Practical Radiation Oncology. 2020; 10(1): 59-69.
Godley A, Zheng D, Rong Y
Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2019 June 20 (6):7-11. Epub 05/21/2019.
Liang X, Bradley JA, Zheng D, Rutenberg M, Mailhot Vega R, Mendenhall N, Li Z
Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB).. 2019 May 61 :52-57. Epub 05/03/2019.
Wang S, Zheng D, Lin C, Lei Y, Verma V, Smith A, Ma R, Enke CA, Zhou S
Technology in cancer research & treatment.. 2019 January 118 :1533033819851520. Epub 1900 01 01.
Wang C, Zhu X, Hong JC, Zheng D
Technology in cancer research & treatment.. 2019 January 118 :1533033819873922. Epub 1900 01 01.
Liang X, Zheng D, Mamalui-Hunter M, Flampouri S, Hoppe BS, Mendenhall N, Li Z
Practical radiation oncology.. 2019 January 9 (1):38-48. Epub 08/20/2018.
Liang, X.; Li, Z.; Zheng, D.; Bradley, JA.; Rutenberg, M.; Mendenhall, N.
J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2019; 20(1): 128-136.
Verma, V.; Haque, W.; Zheng, D.; Osayande, F.; Lin, C.
American Journal of clinical Oncology. 2019; 42(1): 67-74.
Du Q, Baine M, Bavitz K, McAllister J, Liang X, Yu H, Ryckman J, Yu L, Jiang H, Zhou S, Zhang C, Zheng D
PloS one.. 2019 14 (5):e0216480. Epub 05/07/2019.
Smith A, Granatowicz A, Stoltenberg C, Wang S, Liang X, Enke CA, Wahl AO, Zhou S, Zheng D
Technology in cancer research & treatment.. 2019 18 :1533033819851763. Epub 1900 01 01.
Books
Methods in Molecular Biology (2023)
Chapter: B-cell epitope predictions using computational methods,
Authors: Zheng, D.; Liang, S.; Zhang, C.
Publisher: Computer-Aided Antibody Design, Springer Nature 2023
Artificial Intelligence in Radiation Oncology (2023)
Chapter: Artificial Intelligence in Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning
Authors: Zhu X; Fan J; Chawla A; Zheng D
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing 2023
Methods in Molecular Biology (2019)
Chapter: SVMTriP: A method to predict B-cell linear antigenic epitopes, in Immunoinformatics - Methods and Protocols,
Authors: Yao, B.; Zheng, D.; Liang, S.; Zhang, C.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media, Humana Press, New York 2019
Methods in Molecular Biology, (2019)
Chapter: EPCES and EPSVR: Prediction of B-cell Antigenic Epitopes on Protein Surfaces with conformational information, in Immunoinformatics - Methods and Protocols
Authors: Liang, S.; Zheng, D.; Yao, B.; Zhang. C.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media, Humana Press, New York 2019
Recent Advancements and Applications in Dosimetry (2018)
Chapter: Thermal imaging applications in HDR brachytherapy dosimetry
Authors: Zhu, X.; Zheng, D.
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers 2018