Professor Zhen Zheng
Details
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College: School of Health and Biomedical Sciences
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Department: Health and Biomedical Sciences
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Campus: Bundoora West Australia
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zhen.zheng@rmit.edu.au
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ORCID: 0000-0001-6777-1166
Open to
- Masters Research or PhD student supervision
- Media enquiries
About
Professor Zhen Zheng works "on the edge of the possible" to develop and deliver effective solutions for individuals suffering from acute pain and chronic conditions. Her passion is helping people live happier, healthier lives through advancing integrated care and implementing small, meaningful changes.
She is a clinical researcher, implementation scientist, educator, and healthcare practitioner. In this multifaceted role, she collaborates with multiple disciplines to push the boundaries of knowledge, prepare students for professional success, and advance patient care through evidence-based approaches.
Over the course of her career, Professor Zhen Zheng has secured more than $6 million in research funding, with over 90% sourced from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Her research focuses on non-pharmacological and lifestyle interventions, endogenous pain modulation, and patient engagement. Recently, her research has expanded to understand the lived experiences of individuals with Long COVID and the development of effective management strategies.
Research fields
- 320218 Pain
- 420312 Implementation science and evaluation
- 4208 Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine
UN sustainable development goals
- 3 Good Health and Well Being
- 10 Reduced Inequalities
Academic positions
- Professor
- RMIT University
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences
- Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- 1 Jan 2024 – Present
- Associate Professor
- RMIT University
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences
- Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- 1 Jan 2017 – 31 Dec 2023
Supervisor projects
- Evaluating Acupuncture Service in an Emergency Department in Australia
- 13 Jun 2024
- Acupuncture for the treatment of advanced cancer pain
- 2 Jan 2024
- Patient experiences in using digital technologies for long-COVID
- 5 Jul 2023
- Consumers co-designed self-care practice to address Long-COVID
- 10 Feb 2023
- Exploring Surgical Patient Engagement A Critical Realist Perspective
- 14 Oct 2022
- Facilitating Patient Engagement in Exercise Rehabilitation to Improve Treatment Outcomes for Chronic Health Conditions
- 1 Sep 2022
- Traditional Chinese medicine tongue features inspection and cancer
- 3 Dec 2020
- Acupuncture in the Management of Perimenopausal Depression Comorbid with Insomnia: Systematic Reviews and a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
- 15 Apr 2020
- Cross-sectional survey: Levels of engagement among surgical patients
- 30 Jan 2020
- Exploring the Implementation of Acupuncture and Acupressure Practice in Australian Perioperative Care: A National Survey and Semi-Structured Interviews
- 7 Feb 2019
- Does acupressure delivered by nurses and anaesthetists improve the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting?
- 29 Feb 2016
Teaching interests
Zhen is passionate about integrating critical reflection and peer learning into the teaching of Chinese medicine courses to foster an enriched, experiential learning experience. She teaches Chinese medicine theories, neurophysiology of acupuncture, integrated pain management and internal medicine.
Experience in course accreditation
- · Zhen has over 20 years of experience in teaching Chinese medicine courses in Australia;
- · She worked with Higher Education at the Victoria and New South Wales states to assess bachelor degrees courses in Chinese medicine;
- · She was a member of Course Approval Panel and Hearings Panel for the Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria.
- · She is a member of Program Accreditation Panel for the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia.
- · She has been invited by World Health Organisation to provide feedback on documents on Chinese medicine training and practice.
Research interests
Prof Zheng's research focuses on multidisciplinary solutions to acute and chronic pain management, sleep and Long COVID.
Research methods used
- · Clinical trials and systematic reviews
- · Quantitative sensory tests
- · Implementation science
- · Behavioural science
- · Consumer engagement
Research recognition
Prof Zheng’s expertise is well recognised by her peers and the broader healthcare community. She was a member of the Primary Care Group for the development of the National Pain Strategy, and was invited to update two units in the “Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence” that was published by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and endorsed by NHMRC. She has been invited to deliver keynote presentations at national and international conferences and lectures to Chinese medicine practitioners, chiropractors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, general practitioners, osteopathic practitioners, pain specialists, rheumatologists, surgeons and complementary medicine practitioners.
