Zhigang Tian

37.7k total citations · 8 hit papers
450 papers, 27.3k citations indexed

About

Zhigang Tian is a scholar working on Immunology, Oncology and Molecular Biology. According to data from OpenAlex, Zhigang Tian has authored 450 papers receiving a total of 27.3k indexed citations (citations by other indexed papers that have themselves been cited), including 338 papers in Immunology, 93 papers in Oncology and 89 papers in Molecular Biology. Recurrent topics in Zhigang Tian's work include Immune Cell Function and Interaction (276 papers), T-cell and B-cell Immunology (116 papers) and Immunotherapy and Immune Responses (49 papers). Zhigang Tian is often cited by papers focused on Immune Cell Function and Interaction (276 papers), T-cell and B-cell Immunology (116 papers) and Immunotherapy and Immune Responses (49 papers). Zhigang Tian collaborates with scholars based in China, United States and Canada. Zhigang Tian's co-authors include Haiming Wei, Rui Sun, Yongyan Chen, Cai Zhang, Bin Gao, Binqing Fu, Hui Peng, Rongbin Zhou, Weihua Xiao and Wei Jiang and has published in prestigious journals such as Science, Cell and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In The Last Decade

Zhigang Tian

442 papers receiving 26.9k citations

Hit Papers

Dopamine Controls Systemic Inflammation through In... 2007 2026 2013 2019 2015 2020 2018 2007 2013 250 500 750
What are hit papers?

Hit papers significantly outperform the citation benchmark for their cohort. A paper qualifies if it has ≥500 total citations, achieves ≥1.5× the top-1% citation threshold for papers in the same subfield and year (this is the minimum needed to enter the top 1%, not the average within it), or reaches the top citation threshold in at least one of its specific research topics.

  1. Dopamine Controls Systemic Inflammation through Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome
    2015 827 citations Wei Jiang, Zhigang Tian et al. Cell profile →
  2. Pathogenic T-cells and inflammatory monocytes incite inflammatory storms in severe COVID-19 patients
    2020 814 citations Binqing Fu, Xiaohu Zheng et al. profile →
  3. Blockade of the checkpoint receptor TIGIT prevents NK cell exhaustion and elicits potent anti-tumor immunity
    2018 813 citations Yongyan Chen, Hui Peng et al. profile →
  4. Liver: An organ with predominant innate immunity
    2007 747 citations Bin Gao, Zhigang Tian et al. profile →
  5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Inflammation and Metabolic Disorder through Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
    2013 605 citations Wei Jiang, Zhigang Tian et al. Immunity profile →
  6. T cell anergy, exhaustion, senescence, and stemness in the tumor microenvironment
    2013 591 citations Haoyu Sun, Zhigang Tian et al. profile →
  7. NK cell-based immunotherapy for malignant diseases
    2013 507 citations Min Cheng, Yongyan Chen et al. profile →
  8. A pan-cancer single-cell panorama of human natural killer cells
    2023 187 citations Fei Tang, Jinhu Li et al. Cell profile →

Peers — A (Enhanced Table)

Peers by citation overlap · career bar shows stage (early→late) cites · hero ref

Name h Career Trend Papers Cites
Zhigang Tian China 82 15.2k 7.0k 6.1k 4.9k 2.6k 450 27.3k
Mathias Heikenwälder Germany 74 6.8k 0.4× 8.8k 1.3× 3.7k 0.6× 4.4k 0.9× 3.0k 1.1× 224 21.6k
Naofumi Mukaida Japan 89 12.5k 0.8× 7.3k 1.0× 7.8k 1.3× 3.4k 0.7× 1.3k 0.5× 376 28.4k
Edward J. Pearce United States 81 17.7k 1.2× 9.5k 1.4× 4.1k 0.7× 4.2k 0.9× 739 0.3× 227 36.1k
Howard A. Young United States 97 16.6k 1.1× 9.5k 1.3× 6.3k 1.0× 3.4k 0.7× 615 0.2× 369 31.4k
Yang‐Xin Fu United States 99 22.5k 1.5× 9.8k 1.4× 14.2k 2.3× 3.0k 0.6× 1.0k 0.4× 377 37.9k
Gwendalyn J. Randolph United States 86 21.0k 1.4× 8.7k 1.2× 6.4k 1.0× 3.9k 0.8× 535 0.2× 184 33.4k
Percy A. Knolle Germany 68 8.1k 0.5× 4.2k 0.6× 2.6k 0.4× 3.8k 0.8× 3.2k 1.2× 216 15.8k
Stefan Endres Germany 83 16.6k 1.1× 9.0k 1.3× 5.0k 0.8× 3.5k 0.7× 465 0.2× 276 28.6k
Rui Sun China 63 8.4k 0.6× 3.0k 0.4× 3.4k 0.6× 3.0k 0.6× 1.5k 0.6× 266 14.5k
Angus W. Thomson United States 87 16.9k 1.1× 6.3k 0.9× 2.9k 0.5× 2.6k 0.5× 1.7k 0.6× 542 27.2k

Countries citing papers authored by Zhigang Tian

Since Specialization
Citations

This map shows the geographic impact of Zhigang Tian's research. It shows the number of citations coming from papers published by authors working in each country. You can also color the map by specialization and compare the number of citations received by Zhigang Tian with the expected number of citations based on a country's size and research output (numbers larger than one mean the country cites Zhigang Tian more than expected).

Fields of papers citing papers by Zhigang Tian

Since Specialization
Physical SciencesHealth SciencesLife SciencesSocial Sciences

This network shows the impact of papers produced by Zhigang Tian. Nodes represent research fields, and links connect fields that are likely to share authors. Colored nodes show fields that tend to cite the papers produced by Zhigang Tian. The network helps show where Zhigang Tian may publish in the future.

Co-authorship network of co-authors of Zhigang Tian

This figure shows the co-authorship network connecting the top 25 collaborators of Zhigang Tian. A scholar is included among the top collaborators of Zhigang Tian based on the total number of citations received by their joint publications. Widths of edges represent the number of papers authors have co-authored together. Node borders signify the number of papers an author published with Zhigang Tian. Zhigang Tian is excluded from the visualization to improve readability, since they are connected to all nodes in the network.

All Works

20 of 20 papers shown
1.
Li, Lu, Qingqing Jiao, Qianqian Yang, et al.. (2025). A bladder-blood immune barrier constituted by suburothelial perivascular macrophages restrains uropathogen dissemination. Immunity. 58(3). 568–584.e6. 4 indexed citations
2.
Xu, Fenghua, Xiaoxia Sun, Jun Zhu, et al.. (2025). Significance of the gut tract in the therapeutic mechanisms of polydopamine for acute cerebral infarction: neuro-immune interaction through the gut-brain axis. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 14. 1413018–1413018. 5 indexed citations
3.
Zhang, Jinbo, Wenxin Zhang, Zhiyong Yang, et al.. (2025). Cinnamaldehyde alleviates pulmonary hypertension by affecting vascular remodeling through the TLR4/NF-kB/HIF-1a pathway. Clinical and Experimental Hypertension. 47(1). 2486829–2486829.
4.
Zhang, Z. H., Xiaodong Zheng, Hui Peng, et al.. (2024). CD49a Targeting Enhances NK Cell Function and Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Immunology Research. 13(1). 139–151.
5.
Tang, Fei, Jinhu Li, Lu Qi, et al.. (2023). A pan-cancer single-cell panorama of human natural killer cells. Cell. 186(19). 4235–4251.e20. 187 indexed citations breakdown →
6.
Zheng, Xiaohu, Yingchao Dou, Xianghui Du, et al.. (2021). Rapamycin Pretreatment Rescues the Bone Marrow AML Cell Elimination Capacity of CAR-T Cells. Clinical Cancer Research. 27(21). 6026–6038. 43 indexed citations
7.
Sun, Haoyu, Lianxin Liu, Qiang Huang, et al.. (2019). Accumulation of Tumor-Infiltrating CD49a+ NK Cells Correlates with Poor Prognosis for Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Immunology Research. 7(9). 1535–1546. 72 indexed citations
8.
Li, Fenglei, Yongyan Chen, Haiming Wei, et al.. (2019). CD4+ T Cells Play a Critical Role in Microbiota-Maintained Anti-HBV Immunity in a Mouse Model. Frontiers in Immunology. 10. 927–927. 16 indexed citations
9.
Sun, Haoyu, Jing Xu, Qiang Huang, et al.. (2018). Reduced CD160 Expression Contributes to Impaired NK-cell Function and Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients with HCC. Cancer Research. 78(23). 6581–6593. 42 indexed citations
10.
Zheng, Xiaohu, Binqing Fu, Meijuan Zheng, et al.. (2016). EpCAM Inhibition Sensitizes Chemoresistant Leukemia to Immune Surveillance. Cancer Research. 77(2). 482–493. 24 indexed citations
11.
Zheng, Xiaohu, Min Cheng, Binqing Fu, et al.. (2015). Targeting LUNX Inhibits Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Growth and Metastasis. Cancer Research. 75(6). 1080–1090. 26 indexed citations
12.
Li, Shinan, Rui Sun, Yongyan Chen, Haiming Wei, & Zhigang Tian. (2015). TLR2 Limits Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Reducing IL18-Mediated Immunosuppression. Cancer Research. 75(6). 986–995. 59 indexed citations
13.
Guo, Qie, Peixiang Lan, Xin Yu, et al.. (2014). Immunotherapy for Hepatoma Using a Dual-Function Vector with Both Immunostimulatory and Pim-3–Silencing Effects. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 13(6). 1503–1513. 26 indexed citations
14.
Sun, Xiaoxia, et al.. (2013). Targeting Blockage of STAT3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Augments NK Cell Functions via Reverse Hepatocellular Carcinoma–Induced Immune Suppression. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 12(12). 2885–2896. 59 indexed citations
15.
Fu, Binqing, Li X, Rui Sun, et al.. (2012). Natural killer cells promote immune tolerance by regulating inflammatory T H 17 cells at the human maternal–fetal interface. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 110(3). E231–40. 238 indexed citations
16.
Zhou, Zhixia, Cai Zhang, Chengfeng Xia, et al.. (2011). Enhanced Antitumor Effects by Chemical Modified IGb3 Analogues. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 10(8). 1375–1384. 6 indexed citations
17.
Zhao, Lihong, et al.. (2009). Biochemical and molecular characterizations of Sitobion avenae-induced wheat defense responses. Crop Protection. 28(5). 435–442. 123 indexed citations
18.
Zhang, Weici, Yongyan Chen, Haiming Wei, et al.. (2008). Antiapoptotic Activity of Autocrine Interleukin-22 and Therapeutic Effects of Interleukin-22-Small Interfering RNA on Human Lung Cancer Xenografts. Clinical Cancer Research. 14(20). 6432–6439. 108 indexed citations
19.
Jiang, Wei, Rui Sun, Haiming Wei, & Zhigang Tian. (2005). Toll-like receptor 3 ligand attenuates LPS-induced liver injury by down-regulation of toll-like receptor 4 expression on macrophages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 102(47). 17077–17082. 133 indexed citations
20.

Rankless uses publication and citation data sourced from OpenAlex, an open and comprehensive bibliographic database. While OpenAlex provides broad and valuable coverage of the global research landscape, it—like all bibliographic datasets—has inherent limitations. These include incomplete records, variations in author disambiguation, differences in journal indexing, and delays in data updates. As a result, some metrics and network relationships displayed in Rankless may not fully capture the entirety of a scholar's output or impact.

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