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Frank Zhan, M.D., Ph.D., (seated) was invested in the Dr. Bart Barlogie Chair for Myeloma Research by Steven Webber, M.D., and Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. Image by Bryan Clifton

UAMS Invests Fenghuang “Frank” Zhan, M.D., Ph.D., in Inaugural Barlogie Chair for Myeloma Research

March 19, 2025 | LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine invested Fenghuang “Frank” Zhan, M.D., Ph.D., a tenured professor of medicine and the research director of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s Myeloma Center, in the Dr. Bart Barlogie Chair for Myeloma Research during a March 13 ceremony. Zhan is the inaugural holder of the endowed chair.

“I extend my deepest gratitude to UAMS, the generous donors and everyone who has made this incredible honor possible — this endowed chair is not just a personal honor but a shared achievement that represents the collective effort of countless individuals who believe in the power of research to change the world,” said Zhan. “As I step into this role, I am filled with gratitude, excitement and a deep sense of responsibility. Together, let us continue to push the boundaries of knowledge, inspire the next generation and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.”

Zhan’s research focuses on identifying treatment approaches to overcome drug resistance in multiple myeloma.

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member. A chair is established with gifts of at least $1 million, which are invested and the interest proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields.

“Endowed chairs have a profound impact on the faculty who hold them and our institution as a whole,” said Steven Webber, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine and UAMS executive vice chancellor. “But ultimately, endowed chairs benefit Arkansans, along with many others we serve through world-class programs such as the Myeloma Center. It is a great pleasure today to honor Dr. Zhan, as well as the chair’s namesake, Dr. Bart Barlogie, and the generous philanthropy that has made it possible.”

The chair is named in honor of Bart Barlogie, M.D., Ph.D., the founder and former director of the Myeloma Center, and was established by generous gifts from friends, patients, colleagues and others, with special acknowledgement to Bud and Fran Risser, who were inspired to honor the legacy and many accomplishments of Barlogie. During his tenure at UAMS, Barlogie served as principal investigator in developing the Total Therapy program, which involves the use of proven myeloma agents to reduce tumor burden. The strategy involved an aggressive approach at the beginning of treatment, before the cancer develops resistance to therapies. It has improved overall survival and progression-free survival, and cures have been documented in about 50% of patients with long-term follow-up.

“Bart, you have done so much for Arkansas and the world — the lives you’ve saved, the people you have cared for, the commitment that you have made, not just for a cancer cure but also a humane cure,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “Your legacy resonates across UAMS every single day and I hope you are as proud of your accomplishments as we are of them.”

Zhan received his medical degree and Ph.D. in cancer molecular genetics from Hunan Medical University in Changsha, China. He received his dental degree from West China Medical University in Chengdu, China. In 2000, he joined the laboratory of John Shaughnessy, Ph.D., at the UAMS Myeloma Center as a postdoctoral fellow and later as an assistant professor. In 2008, he was recruited as an associate professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and later in 2012 served as a tenured professor at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, along with his long-term research partner Guido Tricot, M.D., Ph.D. In 2020, Zhan returned to UAMS to lead the basic and translational research in the Myeloma Center.

Zhan has extensive experience in coordinating and managing large research teams. He has received more than $14 million in direct funding since he became an independent principal investigator in 2008. Because of his groundbreaking research, he has a licensed and royalty-producing patent for predicting disease risk and two recent patents for immune-based therapy in multiple myeloma. As a principal investigator, he has received research grants from the National Institute of Health, a merit grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a grant from the Myeloma Solutions Fund and research funding from the Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation.

Zhan has received many accolades, including a Team Science Award from the Department of Defense, four Translational Research Program Awards from the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, three Senior Research Awards from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, a Research Award from the International Myeloma Foundation, an American Society of Hematology Bridge Grant Award, a Myeloma Crowd Research Initiative Award and a NIH Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award. Further, he is a mentor to junior faculty members through the UAMS Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), being recognized with a Mentored Career Development Award.

Zhan has dedicated his career to advancing medical knowledge and education. He has authored more than 190 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters in cancer research. Many of his studies have appeared in prestigious journals such as Science, the New England Journal of Medicine, Cancer Cell, Blood, Journal of Clinical Investigation and Nature Communications. He has served on the editorial board of Cancers and BioMed Research International and has been an ad hoc reviewer for such prestigious journals as Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, Cancer Research, Haematologica, Cancer Cell and Science.

“I have worked with Frank since 2000, and I could not have wished for a better collaborator. I am also not aware of another laboratory researcher who has worked harder than Frank, and his hard work has paid off” said Guido J. Tricot, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the UAMS Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology. “My sincere congratulations to Frank for being the first recipient of this chair — it is an honor that is very well deserved.”

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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