Yan-Feng Zhou is an Associate Professor at Guangxi Medical University and a leading epidemiologist specializing in chronic disease prevention and healthy aging. Their research integrates large population-based cohorts with multi-omics approaches to elucidate the environmental, psychosocial, and biological determinants of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and age-related chronic conditions. Zhou has played a pivotal role in establishing and directing major longitudinal cohorts in China, creating essential platforms for the study of ethnic and regional disparities in aging health and chronic disease risk. Their work is widely recognized for bridging population epidemiology with molecular mechanisms, particularly in the investigation of metal exposure, epigenetic regulation, and the gut–brain axis in cognitive aging. Zhou’s research has been disseminated through leading international journals including JAMA Network Open, Diabetologia, Hypertension, and Age and Aging, reflecting strong academic impact and global visibility, with consistent citation of their contributions in the scientific literature. They have secured sustained competitive research support from national and regional funding agencies and actively collaborate with multidisciplinary teams spanning public health, clinical medicine, environmental sciences, and molecular biology. Beyond research productivity, Zhou is deeply committed to academic mentorship, fostering the development of emerging scientists in epidemiology and preventive medicine. Their translational work has informed risk assessment strategies and evidence-based approaches for chronic disease prevention, contributing to improved population health and public health policy. Through an integrated program that connects exposure science, omics biology, and longitudinal population research, Zhou continues to shape contemporary understanding of aging, environmental health, and chronic disease prevention with meaningful societal and scientific impact.
Profile: ORCID
Publications
1. Gao, J.-L., Deng, H., Wang, G.-D., Deng, H.-L., Feng, D.-Y., Wu, S.-L., Chen, S.-H., & Zhou, Y.-F. (2025). Time-dependent association between progression of arterial stiffness and risk of incident chronic kidney disease: A cohort study in China.
2. Yuan, R., Tong, Z., Chen, J.-X., Wang, Y., & Zhou, Y.-F. (2024). Global burden of ischemic heart disease in adolescents and young adults, 1990–2019.
3. Zhou, Y.-F., Chen, S., Chen, J.-X., Chen, S., Wang, G., Pan, X.-F., Wu, S., & Pan, A. (2024). Cost-effectiveness of a workplace-based hypertension management program in real-world practice in the Kailuan Study.
4. Zhou, Y.-F., Song, X.-Y., Pan, A., & Koh, W.-P. (2023). Nutrition and healthy ageing in Asia: A systematic review.
5. Pan, A., Zhou, Y.-F., & Liu, G. (2023). Associations of clinical risk factors and novel biomarkers with age at onset of type 2 diabetes.