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Broadly, our research areas of interest include advanced drug delivery systems, biomaterials, biomedical engineering, biophysics, materials chemistry, and nanomaterials & nanotechnology.

 

We carry out research spanning from materials design, synthesis, and characterisation to preclinical in vitro and in vivo test as well as understanding the underlying biological mechanisms.

 

Our aims are to develop advanced drug delivery systems for anticancer therapy and antibacterial applications, as well as sensing tools for cancer diagnosis and bacteria detection.

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Current research grants

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  1. Research and Partnership Hub in Microscale Science and Technology to Accelerate Therapeutic Innovation (MicroTex), EPSRC (£11 million @ 80% FEC) and partner funding (£16.6 million), 2024-2030, Co-I, https://www.ukri.org/news/robotic-clothing-and-listening-for-cancer-among-new-projects/. 

  2. Single cell and single molecule analysis for DNA identification, ESRC, £640k, 2024-2026, Edinburgh PI.

  3. Local Oesophageal Cancer Treatment Engineering (LOCATE), MRC, £625k, 2023 – 2026, Edinburgh PI.

  4. Facile and scalable fabrication of large-area metal-organic framework decorated reduced graphene oxide coatings for antibacterial applications, industrial funding, £258k, 2023 – 2025, Co-PI.

  5. Integrated injectable hydrogel and metal organic framework nanomedicine for safe and effective cancer treatment, Industrial funding, £197k, 2021 – 2025, PI.

  6. Commercial glucometer as a point-of-care device for early cancer diagnosis, Scottish Asia Partnerships Higher Education Research Fund (SAPHIRE), Royal Society of Edinburgh, £10k, 2023, PI.

  7. Development of a self-powered dye sensitized solar cell sensor as a point-of-care (POC) device for portable and fast extracellular vesicles (EV)-based cancer diagnosis, University of Sydney – University of Edinburgh Partnership Collaboration Award, £12k, 2022 – 2023, Edinburgh PI.

  8. Solid-Solid Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage Applications, EPSRC Network grant, £50k, 2023, Edinburgh PI.

  9. Royal Society – National Natural Science Foundation of China (RS-NSFC) International exchange grant, High-throughput rapid detection and efficient removal of heavy metal ions and organic pollutants in electroplating wastewater using multifunctional carbon dots, £12k, 2023 – 2025, Co-I.

  10. Engineering synthetic extracellular vesicles for anticancer therapy, Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF), £11k, 2023, Co-I.

  11. Fe-antibiotic Hydrogels as a Novel Antibiotic Treatment against Gram-Negative Bacteria, Cross-College (College of Science & Engineering and College and Medicine & Veterinary Medicine) EPSRC PhD Scholarship (supported by Biogelx Ltd), £67k, 2021 – 2025, PI.

1. Nanomaterials for anticancer therapy (Chemo-, immuno-, photodynamic, and photothermal therapy), cancer early diagnosis, and biosensing

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The goal is to develop advanced drug delivery systems to transport anticancer drugs to tumours for improved therapeutic outcome and reduced side effects, and to develop tools for cancer early diagnosis.

 

Representative publications:

L Yan, et al., Chem. Comm., 49, 10938-10940, 2013.

MH Lan, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 6(23) 21270-21278, 2014.

HQ Huang, et al., Chem. Comm., 50, 15415-15418, 2014.

L Yan, et al., Small, 10(22) 4487-4504, 2014.

J Yu, et al., Biomaterials, 35, 3356-3364, 2014.

J Yu, et al., Small, 10(6), 1125-1132, 2014.

JF Zhang, et al., Nano Lett., 15(1) 313-318, 2015.

JF Zhang, et al., ACS Nano, 9(10) 9741-9756, 2015.

R Chen, et al., Nanoscale, 7, 17299-17305, 2015.

CT Yu, et al., Nanoscale, 7, 5683-5690, 2015.

MH Lan, et al., Nano Research, 8(7), 2380-2389, 2015.

ZG Wang, et al., Chem. Comm., 51, 11587-11590, 2015.

R Ma, et al., Chem. Comm., 51, 7859-7862, 2015.

WJ Wei, et al., Nanoscale, 8, 8118-8125, 2016.

RR Xu, et al., Biomaterials, 93, 38-47, 2016.

L Yan, et al., Chem. Comm., 53, 2339-2342, 2017.

L Yan, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9(38), 32990-33000, 2017.

L Yan, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9(39), 34185-34193, 2017.

XY Nan, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9(11) 9986-9995, 2017.

SH Liu, et al., Adv. Mater., 29(35), 1701733, 2017.

X Chen, WJ Zhang, Chem. Soc. Rev., 46, 734-760, 2017.

JF Zhang, et al., Nano Letters, 19(2) 658-665, 2018.

N Wang, et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 57(13), 3426-3430, 2018.

L Yan, et al., J. Mater. Chem. B., 7(37) 5583-5601, 2019.

X Feng, et al., Adv. Ther., 2(10) 1900093, 2019.

S Karaosmanoglu, et al., J. Control. Release, in press, 2020.

M Zhang, et al., J. Control. Release, 329, 96-120, 2021.

S Karaosmanoglu, et al., Bioengineering, 9, 12, 815, 2022.

T Fan, et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 51, 7732-7751, 2022.

2. Microfluidic devices for drug screening and understanding the mechanisms of drug action, as well as bioseparation.

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The aims of this research are to develop 3D printing technologies for cheap and fast manufacturing of transparent microfluidic devices for biomedical applications.

 

Representative publications:

Currently under preparation.

3. Nanomaterials for antimicrobial applications

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The aims of this research are: (1) to develop nanomaterials and hydrogel patches for antibacterial applications and wound healing; and (2) to develop a tool for bacteria detection to minimise the usage of antibiotics.

 

Representative publications:

M Zhang, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 8(13), 8834-8840, 2016.

JF Lin, et al., Chem. Comm., 55, 2656-2659, 2019.

J Li, et al., Colloids Surf. B: Biointerfaces,190, 110900, 2020.

A Lewis, et al., ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 5(11), 16250-16263, 2022.

L Yan, et al., Mater. Today Commun., 30, 103101, 2022.

A Gopal, et al., Adv. Health. Mater., 11(3), 2101546, 2022.

L Yan, et al., Chem. Eng. J., 435, 134975, 2022.

4. Diamond nanoneedle arrays for high-throughput intracellular delivery.

The goal is to develop high-throughput and highly efficient tool for intracellular delivery, which is particularly suitable for hard-to-transfect cells and hard-to-deliver molecules. In this research, I hold 4 patents.

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Representative publications:

X Chen, et al., Adv. Health. Mater., 2(8) 1103-1107, 2013.

EYW Chong,  et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 1, 3390-3396, 2013.

B He, et al., Nano Today, 8(3) 265-289, 2013.

L Yan, et al., Small, 10(22) 4487-4504, 2014.

L Yan, et al., Adv. Mater., 26(31), 5533-5540, 2014.

Y Wang, et al., Nat. Comm., 5, 4466, 2014.

Y Yang, et al., CrystEngComm, 17, 2791-2800, 2015.

XY Zhu, et al., Adv. Health. Mater., 5(10) 1157-1168, 2016.

X Chen, WJ Zhang, Chem. Soc. Rev., 46, 734-760, 2017.

5. Microneedle arrays for painless and efficient transdermal vaccination.

The goal is to develop a novel transdermal vaccine delivery tool for highly efficient and painless vaccination. I hold 19 patents in this research area. The research has led to the formation of a biotechnology company, Vaxxas Pty Ltd, with an initial investment of US$ 16.3 million in 2011 (http://www.asianscientist.com/tech-pharma/needle-free-vaccine-delivery-system-nanopatch-vaxxas/), and a subsequent investment of US$ 20 million in 2015 to accelerate the commercialisation process (http://www.vaxxas.com/news/vaxxas-raises-a$25-million-(us$20-million)-in-series-b-venture-financing/index.asp). Two Phase 1 clinical trials have been completed (Vaccine, 35(48) 6676-6684, 2017; Vaccine, 36(26) 3779-3788, 2018) and more clinical trials are undergoing.

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Representative publications:

X Chen, et al., J. Control. Release, 139(3) 212-220, 2009.

X Chen, et al., J. Control. Release, 148(3) 327-333, 2010.

ML Crichton, et al., Biomaterials, 31(16) 4562-4572, 2010.

AP Raphael, et al., Small, 6(6) 1785-1793, 2010.

TW Prow, et al., Small, 6(6) 1776-1784, 2010.

X Chen, et al., Adv. Funct. Mater., 21(3) 464-473, 2011.

X Chen, et al., J. Control. Release, 152(3) 349-355, 2011.

ML Crichton, et al., Biomaterials, 32(20) 4670-4681, 2011.

X Chen, et al., J. Control. Release, 158(1) 78-84, 2012.

GJ Fernando, et al., J. Control. Release, 159(2) 215-221, 2012.

ML Crichton, et al., Biomaterials, 34(8) 2087-2097, 2013.

AP Raphael, et al., J. Control. Release, 166(2) 87-94, 2013.

L Yan, et al., Adv. Health. Mater., 3(4), 555-564, 2014.

L Yan, et al., Adv. Mater., 26(31), 5533-5540, 2014.

AP Raphael, et al., J. Control. Release, 225, 40-52, 2016.

X Chen, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev., 127, 85-105, 2018.

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