Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Dr. Grace Zhou holds a Ph.D. from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She is a recipient of China’s National Thousand Talents Plan award, was named one of China’s Top 10 Outstanding Innovative Women (2024), and is the sole winner of the 2019 International "Antiviral Women Scientist Award". Additionally, she was honored as one of China’s Top 10 Outstanding Female Entrepreneurs (2021), "Scientific Chinese of the Year" (2017), and a recipient of the "State Council Special Allowance" (1998). Formerly an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Chicago (1999–2014), Dr. Zhou dedicated 15 years to herpesvirus research and has nearly 30 years of expertise in antiviral infection and oncolytic herpesvirus-based tumor immunotherapy. In 2015, Dr. Zhou founded ImmVira Pharma, which has since established the proprietary OVPENS platform—a fully integrated system combining scientific rationale, R&D technology, and manufacturing processes. Building on this foundation, the company has developed two key platforms: Oncolytic Virus Immunotherapy and Engineered Exosome Delivery. Oncolytic Virus Pipelines focus on multiple solid tumors with various routes of administration (intratumoral, intravenous, and intravesical). Exosome Delivery Pipelines targeting applications in large health markets, including complex metabolic, immune, respiratory, ocular, and dermatological diseases.