Prof. Zhong's research activities, within the field of Biological Physics, involve studies of MRI signal changes in complex biological systems related to underlying physical processes such as molecular diffusion and variation of magnetic susceptibility. He is also involved in the development of novel MRI techniques. Understanding some of the important physical and physiological properties of biological tissues has led to new methods for the early detection of acute stroke, and to the development of brain functional MRI (fMRI). The experimental techniques used in Prof. Zhong's group include imaging in phantoms, extracted tissues, live animals, and humans, as well as computer simulations of magnetization in the heterogeneous environments that resembles tissues, and advanced imaging processing and statistical analysis.
Prof. Zhong's recent works include: modeling of reduced diffusion in brain ischemia; diffusion-weighted MRI for detection of neuronal electrical activities and status epilepticus; quantitative measurements of tumor oxygenation and flow; and development of intermolecular multiple-quantum coherence (iMQC) MRI.