He thoroughly enjoys research, instruction, student mentoring, and training of future scientists. Dr. Zhang has been recognized with the Regents Distinguished Research Award (2018) from OSU, the Sarkeys Distinguished Professor Award (2021) and the James A. Whatley Award (2014) from the OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the Don M. Tyler Award (2014) from the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences. He was granted with an honorary title of Regents Professor in 2023, inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in 2012, and has been a Ralph and Leila Boulware Endowed Chair in Animal Science since 2016. Among many national, regional, and university recognitions that his students received are the Goldwater Scholarship (2018 and 2021), USDA Predoctoral Fellowship (2018, 2021, and 2024), and Fulbright US Student Award (2017), NIH G-RISE Graduate Fellowship (2022), and a number of prestigious Wentz and Niblack Undergraduate Research Scholarships at OSU.
Dr. Zhang's research has focused on the modulation of animal innate immunity and intestinal microbiota, with the long-term goal of developing innovative antibiotic-free strategies to achieve optimal animal health and production efficiency.