Dr. Jiao Zhai is an Associate Professor at the Hebei University of Technology, specializing in digital microfluidics, single-cell analysis, drug screening, and nanomedicine. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and her B.Sc. from Huazhong Agricultural University. Before joining Hebei University of Technology, Dr. Zhai served as a Research Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Macau’s State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI. Her pioneering work focuses on developing smart microfluidic platforms for cancer precision medicine and single-cell genomic analysis. She has published extensively in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications, ACS Nano, Lab on a Chip, Talanta, and Advanced Materials. Dr. Zhai has led several competitive research projects, including CityU Strategic Research Grants and collaborative ITF and FDCT-funded initiatives in nanomedicine and biomedical device innovation. Her recent research integrates microengineering and biotechnology to enhance drug screening and tumor cell analysis at the microscale. In recognition of her contributions, she was selected for the Hebei Provincial Outstanding Talents Program and ranked first on the waiting list for the Macao Young Scholars Program. Beyond her research, she actively contributes to the academic community as a Guest Editor for Molecules and a Young Editorial Board Member of Exploration and Military Medical Research.
Profile: Google Scholar | Scopus
Featured Publications
Song, N., Zhang, J., Zhai, J., Hong, J., Yuan, C., & Liang, M. (2021). Ferritin: A multifunctional nanoplatform for biological detection, imaging diagnosis, and drug delivery. Accounts of Chemical Research, 54(17), 3313–3325.
Gao, L., Liu, M., Ma, G., Wang, Y., Zhao, L., Yuan, Q., Gao, F., Liu, R., Zhai, J., Chai, Z., & Gao, X. (2015). Peptide-conjugated gold nanoprobe: Intrinsic nanozyme-linked immunosorbent assay of integrin expression level on cell membrane. ACS Nano, 9(11), 10979–10990.
Zhai, J., Li, H., Wong, A. H. H., Dong, C., Yi, S., Jia, Y., Mak, P. I., & Deng, C. X. (2020). A digital microfluidic system with 3D microstructures for single-cell culture. Microsystems & Nanoengineering, 6(1), 6.
Zhai, J., Yi, S., Jia, Y., Mak, P. I., & Martins, R. P. (2019). Cell-based drug screening on microfluidics. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 117, 231–241.
Zhai, J., Wang, Y., Xu, C., Zheng, L., Wang, M., Feng, W., Gao, L., Zhao, L., Liu, R., & Chai, Z. (2015). Facile approach to observe and quantify the αIIbβ3 integrin on a single cell. Analytical Chemistry, 87(5), 2546–2549.
Wang, Y., Xu, C., Zhai, J., Gao, F., Liu, R., Gao, L., Zhao, Y., Chai, Z., & Gao, X. (2015). Label-free Au cluster used for in vivo 2D and 3D computed tomography of murine kidneys. Analytical Chemistry, 87(1), 343–345.