PhD - Mechanical Engineering
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities - 2014
Zhenpeng Qin
Associate Professor - Mechanical Engineering
Research Interestes: Interdisciplinary research at the intersection of nanomaterials, photonics, neurosciences, and rapid diagnostics.
Professional Preparation
MS - Mechanical Engineering
University of Akron - 2009
University of Akron - 2009
BS - Energy and Power Engineering
Xi'an Jiaotong University - 2007
Xi'an Jiaotong University - 2007
Research Areas
Interdisciplinary research at the intersection of nanomaterials, photonics, neuroscience, and rapid diagnostics.- Nanoscience and Neuroscience (NanoNeuro)
- Blood-brain barrier modulation
- Point-of-care Diagnostics
NanoThermal Bioenginering Laboratory
Biotransport and Nanotechnology, including- Fundamentals: Bio Heat and Mass Transfer, Thermo-Plasmonics, Optics
- Diagnostics: Point-of-Care, Nano Biosensors, Immunoassay
- Therapeutics: Nanomaterials, Nanomedicine, Cancer Nanotechnology
While developing technologies that will eventually translate into biomedical applications, we are also interested in tackling challenging problems from medical device and pharmaceutical industry with our unique set of knowledge and tools in the areas listed above.
We are always looking for highly motivated individuals to join our laboratory. With the interdisciplinary nature of the work, candidates with different backgrounds (engineering, biology, chemistry etc) are welcome to apply.
Publications
Liu, Y., Ye, H., Peerzade, S.A.M.A., Zhang, T., Cai, Q., Huynh, H.D., Kahn, J.S., and Qin, Z.*, Gold Nanourchins Improve Virus Targeting and Plasmonic Coupling for Virus Diagnosis on a Smartphone Platform. ACS Sensors 2022 - Publication
Youn, J.#, Kang, P.#, Basavarajappa, L., Wang, Q., Kim, M., Hoyt, K. and Qin, Z.* Significantly Amplified Photoacoustic Effect for Silica-coated Gold Nanoparticles by Gold-Silica Electron-Phonon Coupling. Nano Letters 2022 - Publication
Gao, Z.#, David, E.T.#, Leong, T.W., Li, X., Cai, Q., Mwirigi, J., Giannotta, M., Dejana, E., Wiggins, J., Krishnagiri, S., Bachoo, R., Price, T.J., Qin, Z.* Minimally Invasive Delivery of Peptides to the Spinal Cord for Behavior Modulation. ACS Nano 2022 - Publication
Youn, J., Kang, P., Crowe, J., Thornsbury, C., Kim, P., Qin, Z, Lee, J. Tripeptide-assisted gold nanocluster formation for sensing Fe3+ and Cu2+, ChemRxiv. 2022 - Publication
Parsamian, P.#, Liu, Y. #, Chen, Z.#, Xie, C.#, Kang P., Benjamin, C., Wijesundara, Y., Shahrivarkevishah, A., Kharji, N., Ehrman, R.N., Howlett, T., Hagge, L., Qin, Z.* Gassensmith, J. J.* Enhanced nanobubble formation: Gold Nanoparticle conjugation to Qβ virus-like-particles. 2022 - Publication
Li, X., Cai, Q., Wilson, B.A., Fan, H., Giannotta, M., Bachoo, R.*, Qin, Z.* Calcium-Mediated Modulation of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability by Laser Stimulation of Endothelial-Targeted Nanoparticles. Small (under review). bioRxiv. 2022 - Publication
Cai, Q., Li, X., Xiong, H., Fan, H., Gao, X., Vemireddy, V., Margolis, R., Li, J., Ge, X., Giannotta, M., Dejana E., Hoyt, K., Bachoo R.* and Qin, Z.*, Optical Modulation of Blood-Brain-Tumor Barrier Permeability Enhances Drug Delivery in Diverse Preclinical Glioblastoma Models. bioRxiv. 2022 - Publication
Xiong, H., Alberto, A. K., Youn, J., Taura, J., Morstein, J., Li X., Wang Y., Trauner, D., Slesinger, A. P.,* Nielsen, S.O.,* Qin, Z.*, Optical control of neuronal activities with photoswitchable nanovesicles. Nano Research. 2022 - Publication
Awards
Inagurual Pitch Competition Winner (Avsana Labs) - MassChallenge North Texas [2022]
Y. C. Fung Early Career Award - The American Society of Mechanical Engineers [2021]
Lifetime Member - World Association for Chinese Biomedical Engineers [2021]
Federal Research Innovation ExpeNditures Dynamo (FRIEND) Award - UT Dallas Office of Research [2020]
Faculty Research Award - Eric Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, UT Dallas [2020]
Research Leaders Academy (2021 due to COVID-19) - American Heart Association [2020]
Member - Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society [2020]
Discovery Award - Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, Department of Defense [2019]
Maximizing Investigators' Research Award for Early Stage Investigators (MIRA) (R35) - National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institute of Health (NIH/NIGMS) [2019]
Collaborative Science Award - American Heart Association [2019]
Appointments
Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor
[2022–Present]
[2022–Present]
Associate Professor
[2021–Present]
[2021–Present]
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2015–2021]
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Texas at Dallas [2015–2021]
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Consultant
Acthera Therapeutics, Basel, Switzerland [2020–Present]
Acthera Therapeutics, Basel, Switzerland [2020–Present]
Co-Founder, Board of Directors and President
Avsana Labs Inc, Dallas, TX [2020–Present]
Avsana Labs Inc, Dallas, TX [2020–Present]
Visiting Professor
UC San Diego [2019–2019]
Department of Physics and Division of Neurobiology
UC San Diego [2019–2019]
Department of Physics and Division of Neurobiology
Visiting Professor
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai [2018–2018]
Department of Neuroscience
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai [2018–2018]
Department of Neuroscience
Postdoctoral Associate
University of Minnesota [2014–2014]
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
University of Minnesota [2014–2014]
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Advisor and Consultant
Vigilant Diagnostics, Minneapolis, MN [2014–Present]
Vigilant Diagnostics, Minneapolis, MN [2014–Present]
Doctoral Dissertation Fellow
University of Minnesota [2013–2014]
College of Science and Engineering
University of Minnesota [2013–2014]
College of Science and Engineering
Projects
STM talk 2014
Qin, Z., Balasubramanian, S. K., Wolkers, W. F., Pearce, J. A. & Bischof, J. C. Activation Energy As A System Specific Signature Of Thermal Protein Denaturation At Molecular And Cellular Scales. Society of Thermal Medicine 31st Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 2014NEMB talk 2014
Qin, Z., Randrianalisoa, J., Lipiski, W. & Bischof, J.C. Reconciling Theoretical Prediction and Experimental Measurement of Gold Nanoparticle Optical Properties for Biomedical Applications. ASME NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology, San Francisco, CA, 2014 (Travel grant & finalist in Ph.D. poster competition)NEMB talk 2013
Qin, Z., Scheychon, W., Chan, W. W. C., Boulware, D. R., Akkin, T., Butler, E. K. & Bischof, J. C. Significantly Improved Sensitivity of Lateral Flow Immunoassay by Using Thermal Contrast and The Design of Thermal Contrast Readers, ASME NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology, Boston, MA, 2013SBC talk 2012
Qin, Z., Akkin, T., Chan W. C. W. & Bischof, J. C., Thermal Analysis Measurement of Gold Nanoparticle Interactions with Cell and Biomaterials, ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference, Fajardo, PR, 2012 (Ph.D. competition award)SPIE talk 2011
Qin, Z., Etheridge, M. & Bischof, J. C. Nanoparticle Heating: Nanoscale to Bulk Effects of Electromagnetically Heated Iron Oxide and Gold for Biomedical Applications. SPIE – Photonics West, San Francisco, CA, 2011Presentations
Nanoscale Interface with the Brain Using Light and Advanced Nanomaterials. CNRS and University of Bordeaux, Jul 11, 2022
2022/07–2022/07 Bordeaux, FranceNanoscale Interface with the Brain Using Light and Advanced Nanomaterials. The Italian Institute of Technology- Genoa Nsyn Centre, Jul 5, 2022
2022/07–2022/07 Genoa, ItalyNanoscale Interface with the Brain Using Light and Advanced Nanomaterials. World Congress of Biomechanics. Jul 10-14, 2022
2022/07–2022/07 TaipeiNanoscale Interface with the Brain Using Light and Advanced Nanomaterials. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago. April 27, 2022
2022/04–2022/04Understand and Overcoming Brain Barriers with Light and Advanced Nanomaterials. Keynote speaker, WACBE 10th World Congress, April 22-23 2022
2022/04–2022/04 (Online)Additional Information
Selected Awards and Honors
- Finalist, ASME NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology (NEMB) Doctoral Poster Competition (2014)
- Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, University of Minnesota (2013)
- Student Poster Award, Institute of Engineering in Medicine (IEM) Conference and Retreat, University of Minnesota (2013)
- Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship, University of Minnesota (2012)
- Gates Foundation Travel Award, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2012)
- 2nd Place in Doctoral Student Paper Competition, ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference (2012)
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Fellowship, University of Minnesota (2009)
- Excellent Student Award by Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (2006)
- Baosteel Education Foundation Fellowship (2005)
- China General Guangdong Nuclear Power Group Fellowship (2004)
- University Siyuan Fellowship(2004)
- National Scholarship of China (2003)
News Articles
Researchers Receive UT System Grant to Investigate the Brain
Three UT Dallas researchers are among the first grant recipients of a new UT System initiative that aims to fuel interdisciplinary and pioneering research on the human brain.Among the 158 proposals submitted to UT BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies), 45 recipients from various UT System institutions were named, totaling $4.5 million in funding. The UT Dallas recipients are: Dr. Zhenpeng Qin and Dr. Jun Wang, both from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, and Dr. Greg Dussor from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Each will receive $100,000.
Drug Delivery to the Brain
Brain tumors are known to be lethal, with a median survival of about 14.6 months for a type of cancer called glioblastoma multiforme, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. One of the obstacles to delivering drugs to the brain is the presence of blood-brain barrier, which allows only certain materials to cross from the bloodstream into brain tissue.“The blood-brain barrier is a sophisticated structure that gives an optimal environment for brain function but also severely limits the penetration of anti-cancer drugs,” Qin said. “The goal of our project is to develop a novel approach to open the blood-brain barrier and allow the access of a wide range of therapeutic drugs to brain tumor cells.”
Jonsson School Engineer Opens New Avenue for Brain Cancer Treatment
A University of Texas at Dallas researcher has received a $900,000, three-year grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to continue his work developing a new way to deliver cancer drugs to brain tumors.Dr. Zhenpeng Qin, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received the grant for his investigation of a novel way to get therapeutic drugs past the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is composed of densely packed cells that restrict and actively prevent the passage of substances from the bloodstream to the brain.
Jonsson School Engineer Opens New Avenue for Brain Cancer Treatment
A University of Texas at Dallas researcher has received a $900,000, three-year grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to continue his work developing a new way to deliver cancer drugs to brain tumors.Dr. Zhenpeng Qin, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received the grant for his investigation of a novel way to get therapeutic drugs past the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is composed of densely packed cells that restrict and actively prevent the passage of substances from the bloodstream to the brain.
At UT Dallas, this research also draws expertise from Drs. Heather Hayenga, Taylor Ware and Shashank Sirsi, assistant professors of bioengineering, who will contribute to various aspects of the project.
Jonsson School Professor Earns ASME Award for Bioengineering Work
Dr. Zhenpeng Qin, associate professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas, has been chosen to receive the 2022 Y.C. Fung Early Career Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The award, which honors outstanding bioengineering research contributions by young investigators, is named after Yuan-Cheng “Bert” Fung, who is considered the founder of modern biomechanics.