Broadly, our research areas of interest include advanced drug delivery systems, biomedical engineering, 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.

Specifically, our current research includes:

1. Microfluidics for biomedical applications;
2. Hydrogels for biomedical applications;
3. Nanomaterials for cancer treatment;
4. Nanomaterials for antibacterial applications;
5. Single cell analysis.

Selected publications (*Corresponding authors; vast majority papers appearing in field's top 10% journals)

Latest publications

1. Y Xue, B Lei, X Feng, M Ye, P Hazelton, Y Huang, X Fan, G Zhu, N Robertson, E Hosseini-Beheshti, X Chen*, A novel dye-sensitised solar cell based portable sensor for chemical detection, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 403, 135123, 2024.
2. G Liu, Y Zhang, H Yao, Z Deng, S Chen, Y Wang, W Peng, G Sun, M Tse, X Chen, J Yue, Y. Peng, L Wang, G Zhu, An ultrasound-activatable platinum produrg for sono-sensitized chemotherapy, Science Advances, 9, eadg5964, 2023.​
3. Y Xue, X Ma, F Xue, S Roberts, G Zhu, Y Huang, X Fan, J Fan*, X Chen*, Temperature-derived purification gold nano-bipyramids for colorimetric detection of tannic acid, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 6(13), 11572-11580, 2023. 
4. Q Tan, S Zhao, T Xu, Q Wang, M Zhang, L Yan*, X Chen*, M Lan*, Inorganic nano-drug delivery systems for crossing the blood-brain barrier: Advances and challenges, Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 494, 215344, 2023.
5. X Feng, Y Xue, S Gonca, K Ji, M Zhang, FR Garcia Garcia, Y Huang, Q Li, K Kamenev, X Chen*, Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for enhanced tumor penetration, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 11, 3422-3433, 2023.
6. T Fan, L Yan, S He, Q Hong, F Ai, S He, T Ji, X Hu, E Ha, B Zhang, Z Li, H Zhang*, X Chen*, J Hu*, Biodistribution, degradability and clearance of 2D materials for their biomedical applications, Chemical Society Review, 2022, 51, 7732-7751.
7. L Yan, A Gopal, S Kashif, P Hazelton, M Lan*, W Zhang*, X Chen*, Metal organic frameworks for antibacterial applications, Chemical Engineering Journal, 435, 134975, 2022.
8. A Gopal, L Yan, S Kashif, T Munshi, RAL Vellaisamy, NH Voelcker*, X Chen*, Biosensors and point-of-care devices for bacterial detection: Rapid dianostics informing antibiotic therapy, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 11, 2101546, 2022.
9. Y Xue, X Feng, X Fan, G Zhu, J McLaughlan, W Zhang*, X Chen*, Extracellular vesicles for the diagnosis of cancers, Small Structures, 3, 2100096, 2022.
10. S Karaosmanoglu, Y Zhang, W Zhou, D Ouyang*, X Chen*, Synthesis of carrier-free paclitaxel-curcumin nanoparticles: The role of curcuminoids, Bioengineering, 9(12) 815, 2022.
11. Q Tan, S Zhao, T Xu, Q Wang, M Lan*, L Yan*, X Chen*, Getting drugs to the brain: Advances and prospects of organic nanoparticle delivery systems for assisting drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 10, 9314-9333, 2022.
12. L Yan*, J Li, A Gopal, SC Roberts, J Lin*, T Liu, T Munshi, X Zhang, X Chen*, Layered double hydroxide-silver-chlorin e6 nanocomposite for photo-chemo combination therapy to efficiently combat both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Materials Today Communications, 30, 103101, 2022.
13. S Karaosmanoglu, M Zhou, B Shi, X Zhang*, GR Williams*, X Chen*, Carrier-free nanodrugs for safe and effective cancer treatment, Journal of Controlled Release, 329, 805-832, 2021.
14. M Zhang, X Chen*, N Radacsi, New tricks of old drugs: Repurposing non-chemo drugs and dietary phytochemicals as adjuvants in anti-tumor therapies, Journal of Controlled Release, 329, 96-120, 2021.
15. N Wang, Z Deng, Q Zhu, J Zhao, K Xie, P Shi, Z Wang, X Chen, F Wang, J Shi, G Zhu, An erythrocyte-delivered photoactivable oxaliplatin nanoprodrug for enhanced antitumor efficacy and immune response, Chemical Science, 12(43) 14353-14362, 2021.
16. M Koleoso, X Feng, Y Xue, Q Li, T Munshi, X Chen*, Micro/nanoscale magnetic robots for biomedical applications, Materials Today Bio, 8, 100085, 2020.
17. L Yan, S Gonca, G Zhu, W Zhang, X Chen*, Layered double hydroxides nanostructures and nanocomposites for biomedical applications, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 7, 5583-5601, 2019.
18. X Feng, H Dixon, H Glen-Ravenhill, S Karaosmanoglu, Q Li, L Yan, X Chen*, Smart nanotechnologies to target tumor with deep penetration depth for efficient cancer treatment and imaging, Advanced Therapeutics, 1900093, 2019.
19. J Lin, J Li, A Gopal, T Munshi, Y Chu, J Wang, T Liu, B Shi, X Chen*, L Yan*, Synthesis of photo-excited Chlorin e6 conjugated silica nanoparticles for enhanced anti-bacterial efficiency to overcome methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Chemical Communications, 55, 2656-2695, 2019.
20. JF Zhang, WD Nie, R Chen, J Chelora, YP Wan, X Cui, XH Zhang, WJ Zhang, X Chen, HY Xie, CS Lee, Green mass production of pure nanodrugs via an ice-template-assisted strategy, Nano Letters, 19, 2, 658-665, 2019.
21. X Chen*, Current and future technological advances in transdermal gene delivery, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 127, 85-105, 2018.
22. N Wang, ZG Wang, ZF Xu, X Chen, G Zhu, A cisplatin-loaded immuno-chemotherapeutic nanohybird bearing immune checkpoint inhibitors for enhanced cervical cancer therapy, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 57(13), 3426-3430, 2018. 
23. X Chen*, WJ Zhang*, Diamond nanostructures for drug delivery, bioimaging, and biosensing, Chemical Society Reviews, 46, 734-760, 2017.
24. SH Liu, Y Fu, GJ Li, L Li, HKW Law, X Chen*, F Yan*, Conjugated polymer for voltage-controlled release of molecules, Advanced Materials, 29(35), article number 1701733, 2017.
25. L Yan, MJ Zhou, XJ Zhang*, LB Huang, W Chen, VAL Roy, WJ Zhang*, X Chen*, A novel type of aqueous dispersible ultrathin layered double hydroxide nanosheets for in vivo bioimaging and drug delivery, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9(39), 34185-34193, 2017.
26. L Yan, X Chen*, ZG Wang, XJ Zhang, XY Zhu, MJ Zhou, W Chen, LB Huang, VAL Roy, PKN Yu, G Zhu, WJ Zhang*, Size controllable and surface tunable zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)-poly(acrylic acid sodium salt) (PAAS) nanocomposites for pH responsive drug release and enhanced in vivo cancer treatment, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9(38), 32990-33000, 2017.
27. L Yan, ZG Wang, X Chen*, XJ Gou, ZY Zhang, XY Zhu, MH Lan, W Chen, G Zhu, WJ Zhang*, Firmly anchored photosensitizer Chlorin e6 to layered double hydroxide nanosheets for highly efficient photodynamic therapy, Chemical Communications, 53, 2339-2342, 2017.
28. XY Nan, XJ Zhang*, YQ Liu, MJ Zhou, X Chen*, XH Zhang*, Dual-targeted multifunctional nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging guided cancer diagnosis and therapy, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9 (11), 9986-9995, 2017.
29. YQ Liu, XJ Zhang, MJ Zhou, XY Nan, X Chen, XH Zhang, Mitochondrial-targeting lonidamine-doxorubicin nanoparticles for synergistic chemotherapy to conquer drug resistance, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9 (50), 43498-43507, 2017.
30. XY Zhu, MF Yuen, FJ Ai, L Yan, Y Yang, KN Yu, G Zhu*, WJ Zhang*, X Chen*, Diamond- nanoneedle-array-facilitated intracellular delivery and the potential influence on cell physiology, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 5(10), 1157-1168, 2016. (Inside Cover)

Previous representative research papers​

1. RR Xu, LM Huang, X Chen*, WJ Wei, XH Zhang, XJ Zhang*, Real-time imaging and tracking of ultrastable organic dye nanoparticles in living cells, Biomaterials, 93, 38-47, 2016.
2. XJ Zhang, JS Jie, W Deng, QX Shang, JC Wang, H Wang, X Chen, LM Huang, XH Zhang, Alignment and patterning of ordered small-molecule organic semiconductor micro/nanocrystals for device applications, Advanced Materials, 28(13), 2475-2503, 2016.
3. JF Zhang, YN Li, FF An, XH Zhang, X Chen, CS Lee, Preparation and size control of sub-100 nm pure nanodrugs, Nano Letters, 15(1) 313-318, 2015.
4. JF Zhang, XD Lin, XY Zhu, L Yan, SL Li, X Yang, P Shi, AL Rogach, GY Zhu, XH Zhang, X Chen, WJ Zhang, CS Lee, Self-monitoring and self-delivery of photosensitizer-doped nanoparticles for highly effective combination cancer therapy in vitro and in vivo, ACS Nano, 9(10), 9741-9756, 2015.
5. Y Wang, Y Yang, L Yan, SY Kwok, W Li, ZG Wang, XY Zhu, GY Zhu, WJ Zhang*, X Chen*, P Shi*, Poking cells for efficient vector-free intracellular delivery, Nature Communications, 5, article number: 4466, 2014.
6. J Yu, XJ Zhang*, XJ Hao, XH Zhang, MJ Zhou, CS Lee*, X Chen*, Near-infrared fluorescence imaging using organic dye nanoparticles, Biomaterials, 35, 3356-3364, 2014.
7. HQ Huang, R Chen, L Yan, YQ Zhao, WJ Zhang*, J Fan*, X Chen*, Graphitic carbon nitride solid films for selective and recyclable sensing of Cu2+ and Ag+ in water and serum, Chemical Communications, 50, 15415-15418, 2014.
8. L Yan, AP Raphael, XY Zhu, BL Wang, W Chen, T Tang, Y Deng, HJ Sant, G Zhu, KW Choy,  BK Gale, TW Prow, X Chen*, Nanocomposite strengthened dissolving microneedles for improved transdermal delivery to human skin, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 3(4), 555-564, 2014.
9. W Chen, C Wang, L Yan, LB Huang, XY Zhu, B Chen, HJ Sant, XR Niu, G Zhu, KN Yu, VAL Roy, BK Gale, X Chen*, Improved polyvinylpyrrolidone microneedle arrays with non-stoichimetric cyclodextrin, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2, 1699-1705, 2014.
10. L Yan, Y Wang, JH Li, S Kalytchuk, A Susha, SV Kershaw, F Yan, AL Rogach, X Chen*, Highly luminescent covalently bonded layered double hydroxide–fluorescent dye nanohybrids, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2, 4490-4494, 2014.
11. X Chen*, G Zhu*, Y Yang, B Wang, et al., A diamond nanoneedle array for potential high-throughput intracellular delivery, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2(8), 1103-1107, 2013. (Front Cover, Cover Story)
12. L Yan, W Chen, XY Zhu, LB Huang, ZG Wang, GY Zhu, VAL Roy, KN Yu, X Chen*, Folic acid conjugated self-assembled layered double hydroxides nanoparticles for high-efficacy-targeted drug delivery, Chemical Communications, 49, 10938-10940, 2013.
13. X Chen, GJ Fernando, AP Raphael, et al., Rapid kinetics to peak serum antibodies is achieved following influenza vaccination by dry-coated densely packed microprojections to skin, Journal of Controlled Release, 158(1), 78-84, 2012.
14. X Chen, HJ Corbett, SR Yukiko, et al., Site-selectively coated, densely-packed microprojection array patches for targeted delivery of vaccines to skin, Advanced Functional Materials, 21(3), 464-473, 2011.
15. X Chen, GJ Fernando, ML Crichton, et al., Improving the reach of vaccines to low-resource regions, with a needle-free vaccine delivery device and long-term thermostabilization, Journal of Controlled Release, 152(3), 349-355, 2011. (Front Cover and Editor Cover Story)
16. X Chen, AS Kask, ML Crichton, et al., Improved DNA vaccination by skin-targeted delivery using dry-coated densely-packed microprojection arrays, Journal of Controlled Release, 148(3), 327-333, 2010.
17. X Chen*, JL Hutchison, PJ Dobson, G Wakefield, Tunning the internal structures of CdSeS nanoparticles by using different selenium and sulphur precursors, Materials Science and Engineering B, 166(1), 14-18, 2010.
18. X Chen, TW Prow, ML Crichton, et al., Dry-coated microprojection array patches for targeted delivery of immunotherapeutics to the skin, Journal of Controlled Release, 139(3), 212-220, 2009. (Front Cover and Editor Cover Story)
19. X Chen*, JL Hutchison, PJ Dobson, G Wakefield, Highly luminescent monodisperse CdSe nanoparticles synthesized in aqueous solution, Journal of Materials Science, 44(1), 285-292, 2009.
20. X Chen*, JL Hutchison, PJ Dobson, G Wakefield, A one-step aqueous synthetic route to extremely small CdSe nanoparticles, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 319(1), 140-143, 2008.

Granted patents in drug delivery

• US patent 10022322, US patent 9220678, Canadian patent 2745339, European patent 2379160, US patent 8734697, US patent 9526884, US patent 9394547, US patent 9469808, US patent 9603795, Australian patent 2008341030, PRC patent CN103816611, PRC patent CN104178414