Zier Zhou, BScH, MSc, MD(c)

Kingston, ON | @zier_zo

Medical student, Queen's University
Kingston, ON | @zier_zo

CWHHA member since 2023

Biography

Zier is an MD student at Queen’s University. She completed her MSc thesis in biochemistry at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, where she discovered novel long non-coding RNAs regulating the Ripk1 gene, which is involved in inflammatory atherosclerosis. This research builds on what she learned from her undergraduate bioinformatics research at Queen's University, exploring microRNA dysregulation patterns in neuroendocrine cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Zier also has experience researching various questions in clinical cardiology, including how neglected tropical diseases affect the heart and how ECG patterns differ at high altitudes.

Besides her cardiovascular research, Zier is always excited to combine her interests in health with her interests in journalism and advocacy. Previously, she served on the editorial boards of the Queen's Journal and University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine. Currently, she is a social media editor for the Canadian Journal of Cardiology and an occasional contributor to Healthy Debate. Zier believes writing and journalism are important not only to communicate science but also advocate for health equity, all of which she plans to continue into her medical career. By contributing to knowledge translation and mobilization with the Women’s Heart Health Alliance, Zier hopes to address gender gaps in cardiovascular care and effectively improve patient outcomes.