Position

2024-now  -  Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky​
2019-2024  -  Postdoctoral researcher, Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University

Education

Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering, Peking University /Georgia Institute of Technology Joint PhD program,
2018​ B.S. degree in Biology, Shandong University, 2012

Honors and Awards

2025  -  Lafferty Faculty Fellowship in Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky​
2024  -  Outstanding Postdoc Award, Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society-America ​
2023  -  Postdoctoral Recognition Award finalist, Society for Biomaterials ​
2022  -  Stanford Bio-X Travel Award ​
2021  -  Stanford Bio-X Star Mentor Award​
2019  -  Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) Postdoctoral Fellowship

My study focuses on using biomaterials to modulate immune responses for enhanced tissue regeneration. I am particularly interested in how engineered topographical modification of microgel scaffolds and metabolites can direct macrophage behavior to support bone regeneration.

Education

January 2025-Present: Biomedical Engineering, PhD Program, University of Kentucky, KY, USA.
August 2021-December 2024: Biological Sciences, MS in Science, Virginia Tech, VA, USA.
September 2017- June 2021: Central South University, P.R. China. B.S. in Biological Science.

My work centers around characterizing the material aspect of the lab. Primarily I work on imaging the topological structure of our microgels through SEM imaging as well as characterizing our Gelatin Methacrylate formulation through rheological testing. Furthermore, in collaboration with Dr. Zhang, I work on testing 3D printed microfluidic devices in order to achieve different microgel structures like a core shell microgel structure.

The work I do in the lab is best associated with cells, specifically MSCs and their signaling, responses to different primed macrophage conditioned media (M1, M2), and general cellular processes. Through a combination of wet lab techniques and physiological applications, we condition our MSCs to produce the most effective therapeutic effect in relation to osteogenesis by tutoring their exposure to the respective conditioned mediums.