Wenjing Zhang

Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics

Department of Mathematics & Statistics · Texas Tech University

About

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University. I earned my Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Western Ontario in 2014. My research applies nonlinear dynamics and bifurcation theory to problems in mathematical biology, with an emphasis on in-host disease modeling and mathematical epidemiology.

My work spans the within-host dynamics of HIV, tuberculosis, monkeypox, influenza A virus, and cancer immunotherapy, as well as population-level models of cholera, Zika, and COVID-19. I frequently complement deterministic dynamical-systems analysis with stochastic approaches such as continuous-time Markov chains, multitype branching processes, and stochastic differential equations. Recurring themes include disease recurrence and relapse–remission dynamics, autoimmune disease, predator–prey and population dynamics, population bottleneck effects on the maintenance of viral diversity, and, more recently, optimal control and scientific machine learning for therapy design. My research has been supported by the Simons Foundation.

Research Interests

Mathematical biology Nonlinear dynamics & bifurcation theory In-host disease modeling Mathematical epidemiology Stochastic modeling (branching processes, Markov chains, SDEs) Immunology & autoimmune disease dynamics Cancer immunotherapy modeling Predator–prey & population dynamics Viral diversity & transmission bottlenecks Optimal control & scientific machine learning

Publications — 30 papers

2026

Comprehensive understanding of combination immunotherapy for cancer treatment via bifurcation theory

Y. Zeng, W. Zhang, P. Yu

Journal of Nonlinear Science 36:74

Maintenance of viral diversity through influenza transmission bottlenecks: a within-host branching-process model

W. Zhang, L. Ellingson, L. Bono

bioRxiv (preprint)

Preprint DOI

2025

Universal differential equations for optimal control problems and its application on cancer therapy

W. Zhang, W. Ding, H. Zhu

arXiv:2504.16035 (preprint)

Preprint arXiv

Uncovering the impact of infection routes on within-host MPXV dynamics: insights from a mathematical modeling study

Q. Deng, W. A. Woldegerima, W. Zhang, A. Asgary, J. D. Kong, et al.

PLOS Computational Biology 21(5):e1013073

Open access DOI

2024

Detecting and resetting tipping points to create more HIV post-treatment controllers with bifurcation and sensitivity analysis

W. Zhang, L. A. Ellingson

SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics

DOI

Transient dynamics in fast–slow predator–prey model with Monod–Haldane functional response and asymptotic behaviors

W. Zhang

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos 34(4):2450158

DOI

Bifurcations of a cancer immunotherapy model explaining the transient delayed response and various other responses

W. Zhang, C. Y. Zheng, P. S. Kim

Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation

DOI

Modeling and analysis of social obesity epidemic

C. T. Sandamali, W. Zhang

Journal of Applied Analysis & Computation 14(2):1023–1045

Open access DOI

2023

A mathematical model to assess the impact of testing and isolation compliance on the transmission of COVID-19

S. Gao, P. Binod, C. W. Chukwu, … W. Zhang, P. van den Driessche

Infectious Disease Modelling 8(2):427–444

Open access DOI

Modeling and analysis of low-level transmission ZIKV dynamics via a Poisson point process on sexual transmission route

W. Zhang, C. T. Sandamali

Journal of Applied Analysis & Computation 13(2):1044–1069

Open access DOI

2022

Deterministic and stochastic in-host tuberculosis models for bacterium-directed and host-directed therapy combination

W. Zhang

Mathematical Medicine and Biology: A Journal of the IMA

Disease clearance of tuberculosis infection: an in-host continuous-time Markov chain model

W. Zhang

Applied Mathematics and Computation 413:126614

2021

An investigation of tuberculosis progression revealing the role of macrophages apoptosis via sensitivity and bifurcation analysis

W. Zhang, L. Ellingson, F. Frascoli, J. Heffernan

Journal of Mathematical Biology 83:31

Revealing the role of the effector-regulatory T cell loop on autoimmune disease symptoms via nonlinear analysis

W. Zhang, P. Yu

Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation 93:105529

2020

Analysis of an in-host tuberculosis model for disease control

W. Zhang

Applied Mathematics Letters 99:105983

Analysis of solutions and disease progressions for a within-host tuberculosis model

W. Zhang, F. Frascoli, J. M. Heffernan

Mathematics in Applied Sciences and Engineering 1(1):39–49

Open access DOI

Modeling and analysis of the multi-annual cholera outbreaks with host-pathogen encounters

W. Zhang

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos 30(8):2050120

Examining HIV progression mechanisms via mathematical approaches

W. Zhang, R. Bhagavath, N. Madras, J. M. Heffernan

Mathematics in Applied Sciences and Engineering 1(4):309–330

Open access DOI

Multiple recurrent outbreak cycles in an autonomous epidemiological model due to multiple limit cycle bifurcation

P. Yu, M. Han, W. Zhang

Journal of Applied Analysis & Computation 10(5):2278–2298

Open access DOI

Tristable phenomenon in a predator–prey system arising from multiple limit cycles bifurcation

J. Jiang, W. Zhang, P. Yu

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos 30(9):2050129

2019

Complex dynamics in a unified SIR and HIV disease model: a bifurcation theory approach

P. Yu, W. Zhang

Journal of Nonlinear Science

Models of cytokine dynamics in the inflammatory response of viral zoonotic infectious diseases

W. Zhang, S. Jang, C. B. Jonsson, L. J. S. Allen

Mathematical Medicine and Biology: A Journal of the IMA

2018

Cooperative hunting in a predator–prey system with Allee effects in the prey

S. R.-J. Jang, W. Zhang, V. Larriva

Natural Resource Modeling

Modeling the argasid tick (Ornithodoros moubata) life cycle

S. M. Clifton, C. L. Davis, S. Erwin, … W. Zhang, H. Gaff

In: Understanding Complex Biological Systems with Mathematics (AWM Series, Springer)

2016

Backward bifurcations, turning points and rich dynamics in simple disease models

W. Zhang, L. M. Wahl, P. Yu

Journal of Mathematical Biology 73:947–976

Dynamical analysis and simulation of a 2-dimensional disease model with convex incidence

P. Yu, W. Zhang, L. M. Wahl

Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation 37:163–192

Hopf and generalized Hopf bifurcations in a recurrent autoimmune disease model

W. Zhang, P. Yu

International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos 26(8):1650079

2014

Modeling and analysis of recurrent autoimmune disease

W. Zhang, L. M. Wahl, P. Yu

SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics 74(6):1998–2025

Viral blips may not need a trigger: how transient viremia can arise in deterministic in-host models

W. Zhang, L. M. Wahl, P. Yu

SIAM Review 56(1):127–155 (SIGEST)

Understanding recurrent disease: a dynamical systems approach

W. Zhang

Ph.D. thesis, University of Western Ontario

2013

Conditions for transient viremia in deterministic in-host models: viral blips need no exogenous trigger

W. Zhang, L. M. Wahl, P. Yu

SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics 73(2):853–881

Teaching

MATH 5354 / 5355Biomathematics I & II
MATH 5312Control Theory I: Applied Bifurcation Theory
MATH 5330Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations I
MATH 1451Calculus I