Tingting (Emma) Zhao, PhD

Tingting Zhao, PhD, MS, BSN, RN, is postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University School of Nursing. Zhao’s research focuses on understanding the relationships between maternal life-course stressors and the risk of preterm birth (PTB) among pregnant women, as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Zhao is particularly interested in exploring the underlying biological mechanisms related to mitochondrial function and dysfunction, with the goal of developing effective interventions to prevent PTB and improve maternal-infant health outcomes. Zhao’s studies were supported by grants from the National Institutions of Health (NIH)/ National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD; 1K99MD020773, PI: Tingting Zhao), the NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR; F31NR019940, PI: Tingting Zhao), and the Eastern Nursing Research Society/Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science Dissertation Award (PI: Tingting Zhao). Zhao’s PhD dissertation received the University of Connecticut Graduate Dissertation Award in 2022 and the First Place Award for PhD dissertation Presentation at the Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Conference in Philadelphia, PA, in 2023.