Meet our team
A Collaborative Team Advancing Living Medicines Through Nanoengineering
The NanoProBio Lab is an interdisciplinary and collaborative team at Beihang University, dedicated to advancing research at the crossroads of materials science, chemical biology, immunoengineering, and translational medicine.
At the NanoProBio Lab, we harness biomimetic nanocatalysts and nanoprobes to precisely engineer living cells, including probiotics, bacteriophages, and immune cells, with the shared goal of enhancing the theranostic potential and translational applicability of living medicines. Our team includes postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, all contributing to research that advances human health, and is further strengthened by collaborators, including faculty members, clinicians, and industry partners from both domestic and international institutions.
Fangfang Cao, PI
Professor, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University
Fangfang Cao, Professor at School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Science Fund Program for Excellent Young Scientists (Overseas), and Ph.D. supervisor.
Education Timeline:
2010–2014: B.S. in Chemistry, Nanjing Normal University
2014–2019: Ph.D. in Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Advisors: Prof. Jinsong Ren and Prof. Xiaogang Qu)
Professional Experience:
2020–2021: Research Assistant, Zhejiang University (Advisor: Prof. Zhengwei Mao)
2021–2025: Research Fellow, National University of Singapore (Advisor: Prof. Xiaoyuan Chen)
2025–Present: Professor, Beihang University
Prof. Cao’s research focused on engineering living medicines and developing innovative nanomaterials for disease therapy and diagnosis. She has published 23 papers as the first or corresponding author in leading international journals, including Nat. Nanotechnol., Sci. Adv., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (4), and Adv. Mater. (2), with 4 ESI Highly Cited Papers and 1 Hot Paper. She holds 4 authorized international and Chinese invention patents, submitted 1 health product certification to Singapore Health Sciences Authority, and collaborated with Zeria Pharmaceuticals (Japan) under an NDA for preclinical evaluation. She was selected for the 2024 MIT Technology Review “35 Innovators Under 35” China List. She serves on the Community Board of Nanoscale Horizons (Royal Society of Chemistry).
Qirui Wang
PhD Student
Qirui's Bio
2016–2020: B.S., Anhui Xinhua University
2020–2023: M.S., Anhui University of Chinese Medicine
2023–2025: Research Assistant, Zhejiang University (Advisor: Prof. Zhengwei Mao)
Dr. Qirui Wang’s research lies at the intersection of biomaterials and nanomedicine, with a focus on designing innovative probiotic– and phage–nanozyme composite materials for the treatment of major neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. She has published multiple first-author and co–first-author articles in internationally recognized journals such as Small Methods and Medical Mycology. Her work encompasses the rational design of probiotic–nanozyme integrated systems as well as the investigation of immunomodulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine. His long-term goal is to develop intelligent bio–nano hybrid drug delivery platforms to advance precision medicine in disease therapy.
Zhehan Xing
Master Student
Zhehan's Bio
2021–2024: B.S.,University of Science and Technology Beijing
2024–2025: B.S.,Beijing Information Science and Technology University
She has participated in course projects including an ultrasonic distance sensor based on STM32, a high-fidelity audio system design, and electrocardiogram signal detection and analysis, and is proficient in software applications such as Matlab and Keil. She has been awarded the “Double-Training Student First-Class Scholarship” at the University of Science and Technology Beijing for three consecutive years, as well as the Third-, Second-, and First-Class Scholarships for Academic Excellence from Beijing Information Science and Technology University.
During her studies at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, she actively engaged in student work as a member of the Department of Associations of the Youth League Committee and was recognized as an “Outstanding Student Leader” for the 2022–2023 academic year. Her future research will focus on engineering probiotics for imaging and diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases.