Biodesign Directory Profile

Bio

I started my Ph.D. research from 2003 in the department of biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, China. My research aim was to develop new detection techniques for protein microarrays. During this time, I developed a new label-free detection method for protein array based on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, which had been successfully demonstrated in the detection of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. From 2006 to 2007, I was working in Beijing Proteome Research Center. As the group leader of antibody array, my work was to develop new techniques for proteomics research. During this period, I developed an assembly 96-well protein array system, which had been successfully applied into the screening of antibodies, protein-protein interactions and clinical diagnostics research.

From 2008 to 2009, I obtained the Alexonder von Humboldt Fellowship (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany) and was working in Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tuebingen. My advisor is Dr. Thomas Joos, a world leading expert and opinion leader within the field of protein microarray technologies and applications. My work was to perform the assay development of multiplexed immunoassays using Luminex bead-based array system and screen for biomarkers associated with inflammatory diseases using self-developed and commercial multiplexed cytokine and chemokine assays. During the last two years, I developed four multiplexed immunoassay panels including cytokines, chemokines and soluble receptors. As their important roles in the human immune system, the relationship between the changes of these protein levels with inflammatory diseases was investigated. In addition, I developed a new microfluidic bead-based immunoassay technique (µFBI) which can detect up to 100 different proteins with high-sensitivity using only 1 microliter sample, 1 microliter detetecion antibody and 1 microliter fluorescent molecules. This significant save the reagents and extends the applications of protein microarrays in the study of minute amount of sample materials, like tumor biopsies or tissue sections. I also have collaborations with Dr. Li-Tang Yan, associate professor in Hsinghua University. Our aim is to study drug carrier and cell membranes interactions using simulation and experimental techniques.Our results could provide valuable insights into the mechanism of drug delivery and would be very helpful for the design of new highly-efficient and safety drug carriers.

From the January of 2010, I came to Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Biodesign Institute. My advisor is Professor Joshua LaBaer, one of the nation’s foremost investigators in the rapidly expanding field of personalized medicine, formerly director of the Harvard Institute of Proteomics. My research is to study protein functions and discovery of disease related biomarkers using high-density Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays (NAPPA) Microarrays. To date, I have got 17 publications and 2 Chinese patents. The papers were published in the journals of  Clinical Chemistry,  Analytical Chemistry, Proteomics, PLos One,   Journal of Biomolecular Screening,    ACS Nano, NanoScale,  Macromolecules, and Analyst, etc