My research training focuses on clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, machine learning, comparative effectiveness research, and statistical genetics, with applications in infectious diseases, neurosyphilis, HPV infection, and cervical cancer prevention.
Author notes: * Co-first author; # Corresponding author.
Representative journal articles
-
<strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, J. Zou<sup>*</sup>, H. Zhang<sup>*</sup>, M. Zou<sup>*</sup>, Y. Fu<sup>*</sup>, R. Zhang, H. Shi, W. Wu, B. Xue, R. Wang, X. Yang, J. Cai, L. Gan, S. Liu, Y. Cai, Z. Peng<sup>#</sup>, J. Li<sup>#</sup>, L. Yang<sup>#</sup>, J. Chen<sup>#</sup>, and H. Zou<sup>#</sup>. A machine learning model for predicting adverse prognostic events in patients with neurosyphilis: results from the DEFEAT-NS study. iScience 2026: 115104.
-
<strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, B. Dong<sup>*</sup>, H. Cai<sup>*</sup>, T. Tian<sup>*</sup>, J. Wang<sup>*</sup>, L. Fu, B. Wang, W. Zhang, S. Lin, X. Tuo, J. Wang, T. Yang, X. Huang, Z. Zheng, H. Xue, S. Xu, S. Liu<sup>#</sup>, P. Sun<sup>#</sup>, and H. Zou<sup>#</sup>. Identifying Data-Driven Clinical Subgroups for Cervical Cancer Prevention With Machine Learning: Population-Based, External, and Diagnostic Validation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2025; 11: e67840.
-
<strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, B. Dong<sup>*</sup>, P. Yao, Y. Huang, L. Fu, B. Wang, X. Huang, X. Mao, S. Xu, S. Liu<sup>#</sup>, P. Sun<sup>#</sup>, and H. Zou<sup>#</sup>. Characteristics of Human Papillomavirus Prevalence and Infection Patterns Among Women Aged 35-65 in Fujian Province, China: A Nine-Year Retrospective Observational Study. J Med Virol 2025; 97(2): e70238.
-
B. Dong<sup>*</sup>, <strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, T. Yang<sup>*</sup>, J. Wang, Y. Zhang, X. Tuo, J. Wang, S. Lin, H. Cai, H. Cheng, X. Cao, X. Huang, Z. Zheng, C. Miao, Y. Wang, H. Xue, S. Xu, X. Liu, H. Zou<sup>#</sup>, and P. Sun<sup>#</sup>. Development, validation, and clinical application of a machine learning model for risk stratification and management of cervical cancer screening based on full-genotyping hrHPV test (SMART-HPV): a modelling study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac 2025; 55: 101480.
-
L. Yang<sup>*</sup>, <strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, J. Bian, F. Li, and H. Zou<sup>#</sup>. Association between chronic viral infection-related hospitalization and risk of cardiovascular disease: A population-based cohort study. J Med Virol 2024; 96(1): e29350.
-
H. Zou<sup>*</sup>, <strong>Z. Lu<sup>*</sup></strong>, W. Weng<sup>*</sup>, L. Yang<sup>*</sup>, L. Yang<sup>*</sup>, X. Leng, J. Wang, Y.-F. Lin, J. Wu, L. Fu, X. Zhang, Y. Li, L. Wang, X. Wu, X. Zhou, T. Tian, L. Huang, C. M. Marra<sup>#</sup>, B. Yang<sup>#</sup>, T.-C. Yang<sup>#</sup>, and W. Ke<sup>#</sup>. Diagnosis of neurosyphilis in HIV-negative patients with syphilis: development, validation, and clinical utility of a suite of machine learning models. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 62: 102080.
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>, L. Fu, L. Yang, T. Tian, Y. Gao, X. Meng<sup>#</sup>, and H. Zou<sup>#</sup>. Hesitancy to Undergo SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Testing in China: Nationwide Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9: e43555.
Software packages
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. omixvizpy: A Python package for omics data visualization. Software, 2025.
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. omixVizR: A Toolkit for Omics Data Visualization. Software, 2025.
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. lulab.utils: Supporting Functions Maintained by Zhen Lu. Software, 2024.
Translations and notes
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. 深度学习笔记. Book, 2025.
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. R for Data Science (2e) 中文版. Book, 2025.
-
<strong>Z. Lu</strong>. Causal Inference in R 中文版. Book, 2024.