Victoria Zhang, PhD, MBA obtained her PhD in Biochemistry and minor in Bioinformatics at the University of Minnesota and her MBA at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. After she finished her Fellowship training in Clinical Chemistry at Harvard Medical School, she joined University of Rochester Medical Center in 2011 as faculty. Her career goal is to apply her clinical knowledge and her leadership and organizational skills to improve clinical diagnostics for the betterment of patient care. \r\nDr. Zhang leadership skills were quickly recognized at the institution and was promoted to Director of the clinical mass spectrometry and toxicology lab in 2013 and then the Chief of Clinical Chemistry Division. At the beginning of 2017, Zhang was asked to serve the Vice Chair for Clinical Enterprise Strategy, a new initiative of the department to support the enterprise vision of the medical center. This position is to develop strategies and practices to streamline, integrate and standardize the ever-growing clinical practices, which serves one academic teaching hospital, one Children’s Hospital, one Cancer Center, 5 affiliated hospitals and reference services with more than 250 clients from over 1000 locations. \r\nSuccessfully on-boarded and integrated over 75 clinical practices to the existing enterprise system. One of the major projects of the enterprise was to design and build an off campus central laboratory and consolidate tests to the central lab from the health system. The 157,400 sq. ft. state-of-the-art off campus central laboratory opened in 2019. By early 2021, more than 500 staff and 700 pieces of equipment from more than 20 departments have successfully moved to the central laboratory. Despite the challenges from COVID-19 pandemic, the project finished on time with no interruptions for clinical services. In addition, the hospitals (including the academic medical center) laboratories have evolved into acute-care test facilities to support the emergency department and inpatient needs while all non-acute care tests have consolidated to the central lab. The consolidation is projected to have millions of dollars of savings for the system and significantly reduce the staffing pressure the lab is facing. Phase III of relocation and consolidation of the anatomic pathology services is under way. \r\nDr. Zhang has taken on key leadership responsibilities at national and international organizations. Zhang is an international leader in clinical mass spectrometry and its applications in diagnostics to serve patients’ needs. In 2013, she spearheaded the efforts to create the American Association for Clinical Chemistry Mass Spectrometry and Separation Sciences Division and in three years, the division had grown into a highly regarded international platform with more than 400 members for like-minded people to further the clinical development of the technology. She is also a thought leader in laboratory management and laboratory quality. She severed as the founding Chair for the Global Lab Quality Initiatives in AACC to improve laboratory qualities globally and particularly in Asia Pacific Region such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Philippines, India and China. This program has directly benefited over 2,000 laboratory professionals. As SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started, Zhang has made significant contributions to help the laboratory community navigate the pandemic. She organized national thought leaders in serology testing and published a public statement on SARS-CoV-2 serology testing in 6 weeks, a guideline and practical recommendations in 6 months. She also organized another group of national experts to design, implement and recruited nearly 700 laboratory professionals to analyze their post SARS-CoV-2 vaccines T-Cell immunity and antibody profiles. It was only 6 months since conception to recruitment. Her highly effective organizational and leadership skills are essential to make all these tasks happen within such a short period. She is now leading the group analyze the data to contribute to our understanding of this novel virus. \r\n
