Read Professor Xie’s Nanotechnology Now Column: Nanobiotechnology: From Stem Cell, Tissue Engineering to Cancer Research

Read Professor Xie’s Nanotechnology Now Column: The Application of Nanotechnology in Stem Cell Research

Read about Professor Xie's research in the Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News article "Enhancement of Cell Culture Techniques" 

Degrees

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chemical Engineering and Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1999-2003

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, 1998
• M.S., Chemical Engineering, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, 1995
• B.S., Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 1992

Areas of research

• Biomedical nanotechnology
• Stem cell technology
• Biomaterials 
• Tissue engineering
• Gene therapy
• Nanomedicine

Description of research

Dr. Xie's research interfaces between stem cell biology and nanotechnology to try and understand stem cell fate decisions and develop stem cell-based platform for the creation of disease models, tissue regeneration, therapeutic screening and drug development. The convergence of engineering and cellular/molecular biology has led to emerging approaches to integrate biologically active components, such as cells, proteins and DNAs into micro-/nanofabricated devices. These bioengineered systems present exciting opportunities to serve as vehicles for biomedical and biopharmaceutical applications.

Bioengineering Trabecular Meshwork Complex for Outflow Physiology and High-throughput Anti-glaucoma Screening

Glaucoma is an age-related disease and a leading cause of irreversible blindness.  Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) represents 90% of glaucoma cases. POAG is characterized by the presence of an open, normal-appearing anterior chamber angle together with increased intraocular pressure (IOP). IOP is determined by the balance between aqueous humor production and elimination (so called outflow). Human trabecular meshwork (HTM) along with its underlining human Schlemm’s canal (HSC) endothelial cells (so called conventional outflow pathway) controls the majority aqueous humor outflow and determines the IOP, which is the only modifiable risk factor of glaucoma. The current perfusion study is heavily relied on the use of ex vivo anterior segment culture from donors which is expensive, difficulty to prepare and not suitable for high throughput testing. Generation of a functional in vitro model of the conventional outflow pathway that allows further understanding of outflow physiology and high throughput screening is of high significance. To address this need, Dr. Xie and collaborators have invented the Artificial Conventional Outflow System (ACOS) using primary cells and stem cells grown on microfabricated scaffolds that provides a unique in vitro platform for understanding outflow physiology, drug screening of IOP-modulating agents, and therapeutic development for glaucoma.

Control of Embryonic Stem Cell Fate Using Nanoengineered Microenvironments

Pluripotent stem cells have great potential as unlimited cell sources to treat many major human diseases including cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, diabetes and cancer. Pluripotet stem cell maintenance and differentiation are governed by unique local microenvironment. A key challenge in stem cell research is to develop an in vitro system that accurately recapitulates functions of the in vivo microenvironment. Our goal is to engineer an in vivo-like stem cell microenvironment to control stem cell expansion and differentiation. The integration of 3-D cues, surface chemistry, drug delivery, microfluidics, and nanotechnology will provide a valuable microsystem for better understanding stem cell- microenvironment interaction, efficiently differentiating stem cells, and facilitating stem cell self-assembly into functional organoids. It will not only set a stage for further understanding stem cell fate decision, but also allow us to develop techniques and strategies for disease modeling, drug development, therapeutic screening, tissue repair and regenerative medicine.

Bioengineering Embryonic Microenvironments to Understand and Restrict Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer is the most prevalent disease among women worldwide. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death. The interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironments plays a crucial role in cancer metastasis. Invasive cancer cells have been linked to embryonic stem cells (ESCs) due to certain similar gene signatures and the convergence of tumorigenic and embryonic pathways. However, embryonic signaling molecules are misexpressed in invasive cancer cells and critical regulators of these signaling pathways are missing in a tumor microenvironment. Since embryonic signaling pathways are tightly controlled in ESCs, bioengineered ESC microenvironments have great potential to supply critical signaling molecules and reprogram the abnormal embryonic signaling pathway in tumors. One of our research goals is to bioengineer embryonic microenvironments using 3D hydrogel and to utilize in vitro dynamic embryonic microenvironments to study ESC-metastatic breast cancer cell interactions. This bioengineering approach provides a unique opportunity for better understanding and effectively restricting metastasis.

Book and Selected Book Chapters

Y. Xie, Ed. The Nanobiotechnology Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, November 29, 2012, 692 Pages.

A. M. Unser, Y. Xie. Electrospinning of nanofibers. In: The Nanobiotechnology Handbook (Ed. Y. Xie), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, pp293-320, 2012.

R. Kumar, S. Smith, J. McNeilan, M. Keeton, J. Sanders, A. Talamo, C. Bowman, Y. Xie. Butterfly wing-inspired nanotechnology. In: The Nanobiotechnology Handbook (Ed. Y. Xie), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, pp203-222, 2012.

Selected Peer-reviewed Publications

Y.I. Tian, X. Zhang, K. Torrejon, J. Danias, Y. Du, Y. Xie, “A biomimetic, stem-cell derived in vitro ocular outflow model”, Advanced Biosystems, 4:2000004 (2020). doi: 10.1002/adbi.202000004.

Y.I. Tian, X. Zhang, K. Torrejon, J. Danias, S. Gindina, A. Nayyar, Y. Du, Y. Xie. “Bioengineering approach to Schlemm’s canal-like stem cell differentiation for in vitro glaucoma drug screening”, Acta Biomaterialia, 105:203-213 (2020). doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.01.033.

Kumar, T. Cheng, W. Song, B. Cheuk, E. Yang, L. Yang, Y. Xie, Y. Du. “Two-Step induction of trabecular meshwork cells from induced pluripotent stem cells for glaucoma”. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 529(2):411-417 (2020). doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.05.225.

Olmsted, C. Stigliano, A. Badri, F. Zhang, A. Williams, M.A.G. Koffas, Y. Xie, R.J. Linhardt, J. Cibelli, P.J. Horner, J.L. Paluh.  Fabrication of homotypic neural ribbons as a multiplex platform optimized for spinal cord delivery. Scientific Reports, 10:12939 (2020). doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69274-7.

Nooshin, J.L. Paluh, Y. Xie, V. Saxena, S.T. Sharfstein. “Insulin production from hiPSC-derived pancreatic cells in a novel wicking matrix bioreactor”. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 117: 2247– 2261 (2020). doi: 10.1002/bit-27359.

B. Mooney, Y.I. Tian, E. Rousseau, Y. Xie. “Understanding convergent signaling regulation in metastatic breast cancer cells using a bioengineered stem cell microenvironment”, Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment, 5:19 (2019). doi: 10.20517/2394-4722.2018.93.

Y. Tian, R. Davis, M.R. Zonca Jr, J.H. Stern, S. Temple, Y. Xie. “Screening and optimization of potential injection vehicles for storage of retinal pigment epithelial stem cell before transplantation”, Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 13 (1):76–86 (2019). doi: 10.1002/term.2770.

J.H. Stern, Y. Tian, J. Funderburgh, G. Pellegrini, K. Zhang, J. L. Goldberg, R. R. Ali, M. Young, Y. Xie, S. Temple. “Regenerating eye tissues to preserve and restore vision”, Cell Stem Cell, 22:834-849 (2018). doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.013. (Feature article and cover art)

B. Mooney, N. Abdul-Raof, Y. Tian, Y. Xie. “Restriction of Cancer Metastatic Potential Using Embryonic Stem Cells Encapsulated in Alginate Hydrogel Microstrands”, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 3(8):1769-1779 (2017). doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.7b00237.

Y. Tian, M. R. Zonca Jr., J. Imbrogno, A. M. Unser, L. Sfakis, S. Temple, G. Belfort, Y. Xie. “Polarized, cobblestone, human retinal pigment epithelial cell maturation on a synthetic PEG matrix”, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 3(6):890-902 (2017). doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00757.

K.Y. Torrejon, E.L. Papke, J.R. Halman, M. Bergkvist, J. Danias, S.T. Sharfstein, Y. Xie, “TGFβ-2-induced outflow alterations in a bioengineered trabecular meshwork are offset by a rho-associated kinase inhibitor”, Scientific Reports, 6:38319 (2016). doi: 10.1038/srep38319.

K.Y. Torrejon, E.L. Papke, J.R. Halman, J. Stolwijk, C.N. Dautriche, M. Bergkvist, J. Danias, S.T. Sharfstein, Y. Xie, “Bioengineered glaucomatous 3D human trabecular meshwork as an in vitro disease model”, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 113(6):1357-68 (2016). doi: 10.1002/bit.25899.

A.M. Unser, B. Mooney, D.T. Corr, Y.H. Tseng, Y. Xie, “3D brown adipogenesis to create "Brown-Fat-in-Microstrands"”, Biomaterials, 75:123-34 (2016). doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.10.017.

C.N. Dautriche, Y. Tian, Y. Xie, S.T. Sharfstein, “A closer look at Schlemm's canal cell physiology: implications for biomimetics”, Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 6(3):963-85 (2015). doi: 10.3390/jfb6030963.

A.M. Unser, Y. Tian, Y. Xie, “Opportunities and challenges in three-dimensional brown adipogenesis of stem cells”, Biotechnology Advances, 33(6 Pt 1):962-79 (2015). doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.07.005.

C.N. Dautriche, D. Szymanski, M. Kerr, K.Y. Torrejon, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie, J. Danias, W.D. Stamer, S.T. Sharfstein, “A biomimetic Schlemm's canal inner wall: A model to study outflow physiology, glaucoma pathology and high-throughput drug screening”, Biomaterials, 65:86-92 (2015). doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.06.034.

A.D. Dias, A.M. Unser,  Y. Xie, D.B. Chrisey, D.T. Corr, “Generating size-controlled embryoid bodies using laser direct-write”, Biofabrication, 6(2):025007 (2014). doi: 10.1088/1758-5082/6/2/025007.

C. Dautriche, Y. Xie, S. Sharfstein, “Walking through trabecular meshwork biology:  towards engineering design of outflow physiology”, Biotechnology Advances, 32(5):971-83 (2014). doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2014.04.012.

M. R. Zonca Jr, P. S. Yune, J. K. Williams, M. Gu, A. M. Unser, J. Imbrogno, G. Belfort, Y. Xie, “Enhanced stem cell pluripotency in surface-modified electrospun fibrous matrices”, Macromolecular Bioscience, 14(2):215-24 (2014). doi: 10.1002/mabi.201300252.

K. Y. Torrejon, D. Pu, M. Bergkvist, J. Danias, S. Sharfstein, Y. Xie, “Recreating a human trabecular meshwork outflow system on microfabricated porous structures”, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 110(12):3205-3218 (2013). doi: 10.1002/bit.24977.

B. M. Mooney, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Li, Y. Xie, “Convergence of signaling pathways in stem cells and cancer”, Biotechnology Journal, 8:408-419 (2013). doi: 10.1002/biot.201200202.

M. R. Zonca Jr., P. S. Yune, C. L. Heldt, G. Belfort, Y. Xie, “High-throughput screening of substrate chemistry for embryonic stem cell attachment, expansion and maintaining pluripotency”, Macromolecular Bioscience, 13(2):177-190 (2013) doi: 10.1002/mabi.201200315.

M. R. Zonca Jr., Y. Xie, “Chemically modified micro- and nanostructured systems for pluripotent stem cell culture”, BioNanoScience, 2(4), 287-304 (2012), DOI: 10.1007/s12668-012-0052-7.

T. B Phamduy, N. Abdul Raof, N. R. Schiele, Z. Yan, D. T. Corr, Y. Huang, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey, “Laser direct-write of single microbeads into spatially ordered patterns”, Biofabrication, 4, 025006 (2012).

N. Abdul Raof, B. M. Mooney, Y. Xie, “Bioengineering embryonic stem cell microenvironments for the study of cancer research”, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 12, 7662-7691 (2011) (Invited & Feature Article).

N. Abdul Raof, M. R. Padgen, A. Gracias, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie, “One dimensional self-assembly of mouse embryonic stem cells using an array of hydrogel microstrands”, Biomaterials, 32(20), 4498-505 (2011).

N. Abdul Raof, W. K. Raja, J. Castracane, Y. Xie, “Bioengineering embryonic stem cell microenvironments for exploring inhibitory effects on metastatic breast cancer cells”, Biomaterials, 32(17), 4130-9 (2011).

N. Abdul Raof, N. R. Schiele, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey, D. T. Corr, “The maintenance of pluripotency following laser direct-write of mouse embryonic stem cells”, Biomaterials, 32(7), 1802-1808 (2011).

N. R. Schiele, D. T. Corr, Y. Huang, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey, “Laser-based direct-write techniques for cell printing”, Biofabrication, 2(3), 032001 (2010).

D. A. Soscia, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie, N. C. Cady, A. P. Gadre, “Antibiotic-loaded PLGA nanofibers for wound healing applications”, Advanced Engineering Materials, 12(4), B83-B88 (2010).

Y. Xie, J. Castracane, “High voltage electric field driven micro-/nanofabrication of polymeric drug delivery systems”, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, 28(1), 23-30 (2009).

Selected Patents

Y. Xie, M. Jorgensen, S. C. R. Kollampolly. “Devices and methods for producing tubular systems useful in cell culture”. U.S. Provisional Patent Application, filed on January 21, 2020.

Y. Xie, K. Torrejon, S. Sharfstein, M. Bergkvist, I. Danias, C. N. Dautriche. “Use of vascular cells to create the conventional outflow tract”. United States Patent Application 16/044806, filed on July 25, 2018.

Y. Xie, K. Torrejon, S. Sharfstein, M. Bergkvist, I. Danias, C. N. Dautriche. “Use of vascular cells to create the conventional outflow tract”. International Application No. PCT/IB2017/051424, filed on October 3, 2017.

M. Bergkvist, Sara A. Brenner, J. Danias, Susan Sharfstein, Y. Xie. “Bioengineered human trabecular meshwork for biological applications”. Patent Application #: US 13/771,007. Grant No. US9506907B2, granted on November 29, 2016.

Selected Conference Abstracts and Presentations

Ramesh, N. Moskwa, Z. Hanchon, A. Koplas, D.A. Nelson, J. Castracane, M. Larsen, S. Sharfstein, Y. Xie. “ECM mimetic cryoelectrospun scaffold as an MSC delivery vehicle for the remediation of mouse salivary gland fibrosis”. International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2020–Virtual, June 23-27, 2020

Y.I. Tian, X. Zhang, K. Torrejon, J. Danias, Y. Du, Y. Xie. "A stem-cell derived in vitro ocular outflow system for glaucoma". NextGen Stem Cell Conference, May 30-31, 2019, Saratoga Springs, NY

Long, Y.I. Tian, K. Torrejon, Y. Xie. “Simulation and Fabrication of a dual-flow microfluidic device for Schlemm’s canal differentiation”. New England Science Symposium, April 6, 2019, Boston, MA

Y. I. Tian, K. Torrejon, J. Danias, Y. Du, Y. Xie. “Stem Cell-Derived Schlemm’s Canal-like Cells for in vitro Glaucoma Drug Screening”. The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2018, April 29-May 3, 2018, Honolulu, Hawaii

K. Y. Torrejon, C. Dautriche, E. Papke, W. D. Stamer, J. Danias, M. Bergkvist, S. T. Sharfstein, Y. Xie. “Recreation of a 3-D Physiological Model of Conventional Outflow Tract in vitro”. The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2015, May 2-7, 2015, Denver, CO

Y. I. Tian, Y. Xie. “Bioengineer Functional 3D Human Retina for Understanding Retinal Degeneration”. The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2015, May 2-7, 2015, Denver, CO

A. M. Unser, B. Mooney, Y. Xie, “Examining the Potential of Embryonic Stem Cells to Undergo Brown Adipogenesis within 3D Alginate Hydrogel Microstrands”. ISSCR 12th Annual Meeting, June 18-21, 2014, Vancouver, Canada

K. Y. Torrejon, A. Goodcoff, C. Dautriche, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie, S. Sharfstein, J. Danias. “Bioengineered 3D HTM is physiologically responsive to glucocorticoid”. The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2014, May 4 – 8, 2014, Orlando, FL

C. Dautriche1, K. Y. Torrejon, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie, S. Sharfstein, J. Danias. “3D-Bio-engineering of the Conventional Outflow Tract for High Throughput Glaucoma Drug Screening”. The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2014, May 4 – 8, 2014, Orlando, FL

E. Rousseau, J. Shih, Y. Xie, “The Development and Characterization of Adhesive Hydrogels for Stem Cell Culture”. Innovative Exploration Forum: Undergraduate Research in New York State's Public Higher Education System, April 1, 2014, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY

Y. Xie, “Bioengineering Functional Human Trabecular Meshwork Outflow Systems for Anti-Glaucoma Drug Screening”. FAST Congress (Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies) -2nd Annual Engineering Functional 3-D Tissue Models meeting, Cambridge, MA, October 28-29, 2013

Y. Xie, B. Mooney, N. Abdul Raof, “The role of bioengineered embryonic microenvironments on breast cancer metastasis” ASME 2013 2nd Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology (NEMB2013), February 4–6, 2013, Boston, MA.

M. R. Zonca Jr., P. S. Yune, Georges Belfort, Y. Xie. “Chemically modified three-dimensional substrates for embryonic stem cell expansion.” The MRS 2012 Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, November 25-30, 2012

N. Abdul Raof, B. Mooney, K. Law, Y. Xie. “Bioengineering embryonic stem cell-breast cancer cell interactions to understand metastasis.” The 3rd International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering (ICSCE), Seattle, WA, April 29-May 2, 2012

K. Y. Torrejon, D. Pu, N. A. Tokranova, M. Bergvist, S. Sharfstein, Y. Xie, J. Danias. “Bioengineering human trabecular meshwork for glaucoma therapeutic screening.” The Association Research for Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2012, Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 6-10, 2012

A.D. Dias, Y. Xie, D.B. Chrisey, D.T. Corr. “Using laser direct-write to influence embryoid body size on uniform substrates.” Proceedings of the ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference SBC2012-80612, Fajardo, PR, June 20-23, 2012

A. M. Unser, B. Mooney, C. Bowman, D. Pu, N. Abdul Raof, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie. “Fabrication of alginate microstrands for 3D mimicking of the stem cell microenvironment.” The MRS 2012 Spring Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 9-13, 2012

T. B. Phamduy, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey. “Layer-by-layer 3-D constructs of adherent and non-adherent cells in hydrogel.” 2012 Northeast Bioengineering Conference, Philadelphia, PA, March 16-18, 2012

M. R. Zonca, P. S. Yune, G. Belfort, Y. Xie. “High-throughput evolutionary substrate screening for embryonic stem cell attachment and long-term maintenance.” 2011 AIChE Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October 16-21, 2011

T. B. Phamduy, N. Abdul Raof, N. R. Schiele, D. T. Corr, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey. “Direct-writing patterns of cells encapsulated in hydrogel microbeads.” BioMedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2011 Annual Meeting, Hartford, CT, October 12-15, 2011

A. D. Dias, N. R. Schiele, B. M. Carr, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey, D. T. Corr. “Precise patterning of mouse embryonic stem cells on glass cover slips for high-throughput analysis using laser direct-write.” Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Summer Bioengineering Conference, SBC2011-53573, Farmington, PA, June 22-25, 2011

Y. Xie. “Bioengineering embryonic stem cell microenvironment for cancer research and tissue regeneration.” 2011 IEEE 37th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, April 1-3, 2011

A. D. Dias, N. R. Schiele, B. M. Carr, N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie, D. B. Chrisey, D. T. Corr. “Using laser direct-write to precisely pattern cells on glass cover slips.” The Northeast Bioengineering Conference, Troy, NY, April 1-3, 2011

M. R. Zonca, C. L. Heldt, S. H. Yun, Y. Xie and G. Belfort, “Embryonic stem cell attachment on synthetic chemical surfaces.” 2010 AIChE Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, November 7-12, 2010

A. Mannarino, Y. Yao, M.R. Zonca, N. Abdul Raof, J. Gu, Y. Xie. “Fabrication and characterization of hydrogel nanofibers for mimicking stem cell microenvironments” Proceedings of the 2010 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, November 30-December 2, 2010

N. Abdul Raof, M. Padgen, A. Gracias, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie. “3D micro-cultivation of mouse embryonic stem cell in alginate hydrogel microstrands.” International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, June 16-19, 2010

N. Abdul Raof, T.Phamduy, X. Guo, N.R. Schiele, D.B Chrisey, D.T. Corr, Y. Xie. “Laser direct writing of mouse embryonic stem cells encapsulated in alginate microbeads.” Society for Biomaterials (SFB) 2010 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, April 21-24, 2010

N. Abdul Raof, Y. Xie. “Three dimensional micro-tissue cultivation of stem cell.” The Bioprocessing Summit, Boston, MA, August 24-27, 2009

W.F. Hynes, A. Gracias, N. Fahrenkopf, N. Abdul Raof, W.K. Raja, K. Lee, Y. Xie, M. Bergkvist, N.C. Cady “Direct cell printing with microfabricated quill-pen cantilevers.” Proceedings of the Materials Research Society 2009 Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, November 30-December 4, 2009

N. Abdul Raof, M.R. Zonca, Jr., Y. Xie. “Enabling micro-/nanotechnology for stem cell engineering.” 238th ACS National Meeting, Washington D.C., August 16-20, 2009

M. R. Zonca Jr., N. Abdul Raof, M. Bergkvist, Y. Xie. “Regulate embryonic stem cell fates using microscale bioactive elastic hydrogel” 2009 AIChE Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN November 8-13, 2009

N. Raof, M.R Zonca, Jr, B. Graham, Y. Xie. “Self-assembly and cell encapsulation: a ‘top-down’ challenge-driven learning-through-research module for undergraduate and high school students” NCLT Symposium on Undergraduate Nano-Education. Albany, NY August 5-8, 2009

Honors and Awards

• Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, State University of New York (SUNY), 2020
• Excellence in Teaching Award,  SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 2020
• Hermes of All for Excellence in Teaching, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 2016-2017
• National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award
• University at Albany Faculty Research Awards Program (FRAP)-A Award
• American Institute of Chemists (AIC) Award
• Chinese Academy of Sciences Distinguished Young Scholars Award
• The Ohio State University Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Chinese Academy of Sciences Presidential Scholarship

Other Professional Activities

Co-organizer and Co-chair for “A Symposium on the Convergence of Nanotechnology and Life Science” held at CNSE, Albany, NY, March 18-19, 2010

Co-organizer and Co-chair for “A Symposium on the Convergence of Bio/Nanotechnology and Medicine” held at CNSE, Albany, NY, November 6-7, 2008

Session Chair for “The Bioprocessing Summit”, Boston, MA, August 24-27, 2009

Invited Technical Reviewers for the Following Journals: Nature Nanotechnology, Progress in Polymer Science, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology Advances, Biomaterials, Journal of Controlled Release, Biomacromolecules, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Tissue Engineering, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Cytotherapy, Journal of Medical Microbiology, Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Biofabrication, Biochemical Engineering Journal, Polymer, Biomedical Materials, Biotechnology Progress, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Journal of Immunological Methods, Current Nanoscience (CNANO), Engineering in Life Sciences, European Polymer Journal, and Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology.