Dr. Lan Zhou is Neurologist-in-Chief and Chair of the Marcia Dunn and Jonathan Sobel Department of Neurology at Hospital for Special Surgery. She specializes in the care and treatment of patients with neuromuscular diseases and regularly performs and interprets nerve, muscle, and skin biopsies as part of her practice. She has special interests in small fiber neuropathy, inflammatory myopathy, myasthenia gravis, and neuromuscular pathology.
Dr. Zhou is a nationally renowned neuromuscular specialist with a long history of clinical and academic accomplishments. She earned her medical degree from Shanghai Medical University School of Medicine in China (now Fudan University Medical Center) in 1989 before completing her PhD in developmental biology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1995. Previously, Dr. Zhou served as a staff neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, an associate professor of neurology, neurosurgery, and pathology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a professor of neurology and pathology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and a professor of neurology and pathology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine.
Additionally, Dr. Zhou is recognized as an outstanding educator and runs a National Institutes of Health–funded research program to study muscle inflammation, fibrosis, and regeneration associated with acute and chronic skeletal muscle injuries and repair. She has mentored many fellows, residents, and medical students to conduct clinical and basic research. Her research team has published extensively in the biomedical journals. She has given many invited talks and lectures nationally and internationally.
Myopathy
Neuropathy
Myasthenia gravis
Neuromuscular pathology
NCS/EMG
Muscle, nerve, and skin biopsies
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Neurologist-in-Chief, Hospital for Special Surgery
Chair, Marcia Dunn and Jonathan Sobel Department of Neurology, Hospital for Special Surgery.
Attending Neurologist, Hospital for Special Surgery
American Academy of Neurology, Member
American Academy of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Member
Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology/United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties, 2023
​​​​​​​Neuromuscular Medicine/American Board of Neurology and Psychology, 2008
Neuromuscular Pathology/American Academy of Neurology, 2005
Neurology/American Board of Neurology and Psychology, 2004
Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 2024
Boston Magazine’s Top Doctor, 2023
Outstanding Teaching Award, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Department of Neurology, 2013
Travel Award, American Society of Clinical Investigation/Association of American Physicians, 2007
Resident Scholarship, American Academy of Neurology, 2002
Chief Resident, Wayne State University Department of Neurology, 2001
Honorable Mentioning, Fifteenth Annual Graduate Student Research Forum, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 1995
Albert J. Ryan Fellowship, The Albert J. Ryan Foundation (awarded to outstanding graduate students at the University of Cincinnati, Harvard Medical School, and Dartmouth College), 1994
Medical: Shanghai Medical University School of Medicine (now Fudan University Medical Center), Shanghai, China, 1989
Doctorate: Developmental Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1995
Internship: Medicine Internship, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI, 1999
Residency: Neurology Residency, Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit, MI, 2002
Fellowship: Neuromuscular Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 2003
English, Chinese (Mandarin and Shanghainese)
Wang X, Zhou L. (2023) The Multifaceted Role of Macrophages in Homeostatic and Injured Skeletal Muscle. Front Immunol. 14:1274816. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1274816.
Abrams RMC, Zhou L, Shin SC. (2023) Persistent post-COVID-19 neuromuscular symptoms. Muscle Nerve. 68(4):350-355.
Wang X, Chen J, Homma S, Wang Y, Smith GR, Ruf-Zamojski F, Sealfon SC, Zhou L. (2023) Diverse Effector and Regulatory Functions of Fibro/Adipogenic Progenitors during Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis in Muscular Dystrophy. iScience. PMID: 36594034 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105775.
Wang X, Zhou L. (2022) The Many Roles of Macrophages in Skeletal Muscle Injury and Repair. Front Cell Dev Biol. 10:952249.
Abrams RMC, Simpson DM, Navis A, Jette N, Zhou L, Shin SC. (2022) Comment on small fiber neuropathy associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: Author response. Muscle Nerve. 65(6):E32-E33.
Bhadola S, Tang C, Marks A, Kaku MC, Zhou L, Siao P, Lau KHV. (2022) Disparate healthcare access and telehealth-based hybrid consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work. 73(2):377-382.
Abrams RMC, Simpson DM, Navis A, Jette N, Zhou L, Shin SC. (2022) Small fiber neuropathy associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Muscle Nerve. 65(4):440-443.
Rodríguez-Moreno J, Zhou L, Arkun K, Bali D, Reed D, Kalish R, Vullaganti M, Bali T, Soto O. (2022) Tarui Disease Caused by a Novel PFKM Genetic Variant in a Sub-Saharan African Patient. J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 23(3):162-164.
Zhou L. (2021) Small fiber neuropathy in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 37(2):279-288.
Zhou L, Siao P. (2021) Lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy caused by prone positioning to treat COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. Muscle Nerve. 63:E50-E52.
Zhou L, Burns DK, Cai C. (2020) A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology. Springer
Dr. Zhou's clinical research is to utilize muscle, nerve, and skin biopsy databases to study etiologies, clinical features, and treatment responses of neuromuscular diseases, especially small fiber neuropathy. Her basic research has been focused on the roles of macrophages and fibro/adipogenic progenitors in skeletal muscle injury and repair. She has published extensively in biomedical journals. Her clinical research goal is to improve the diagnosis and management of neuromuscular diseases. Her basic research goal is to develop novel pharmacotherapies to modify inflammation, reduce fibrosis, promote regeneration, and improve muscle function and muscular dystrophy phenotype.
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
As of February 02, 2024, Dr. Zhou reported no relationships with the healthcare industry.
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.
