Welcome to the Li Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip & Nanotechnology group for Bioanalysis, Biomedical, Forensic, and Environmental & Catalysis Applications at UTEP.

Our mission is to develop state-of-the-art microfluidic and nanotechnology for cutting-edge research in analytical chemistry, biological and forensic sciences, biomedical engineering, environmental and catalysis science and engineering to address vital problems in these fields.

We welcome talented individuals to join the group for innovative discovery in a multidisciplinary research environment.

•  Two new postdoc positins available: (one for POC cancer biomarker detection using nanotechnology, and the other one for POC infectious disease study using microfluidic biochips): if you are interested, please send your CV to Dr. Li. 

• 02/22/2025: Dr. Li gave an oral forensic science talk in the recent AAFS conference held in Baltimore. He has also been promoted to AAFS Full Membership.
• 02/25/2025: A new paper has been accepted for publication, Cheers! "Sanjay, S. T.; Kannan, S.; Li, X.* Simple Surface Modification of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Microfluidic Microplates for Enhanced Ultrasensitive Multiplexed Detection of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Sensor and Energy Materials 2025, In Press."
• 02/15/2025: A new paper has been accepted for publication. Cheers! "Li, H.; Liu, J.; Li, C.; Wang, R.; Kannan, S.; Li, X.;* Fu, G.* Development of a syringe-hosted load-and-read immunoassay device using autoinjected multiplexed distance readout in paper inserts. Microchimica Acta 2025, In Press."
• 01/11/2025: A new manuscript about food safety has been submitted for publication.
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• 10/30/2024: Our recent work for cancer diagnostics has also attracted New York Post's attention. It interprets our devices in a different but interesting way. "A $3 ‘coffee filter’ device could detect colorectal cancer in under an hour". Check it out, 🤙 Local Copy.

  https://nypost.com/2024/10/30/lifestyle/new-paper-cancer-detector-costs-less-than-a-cup-of-coffee/ 

• 12/20/2024: A new paper has been accepted for publication. Congrats to Li Chen et al!  "Chen, L.; Deemer, E. M.;* Li, X.;* Walker, W. S.* Sulfonated Polyethersulfone Membranes for Brackish Water Desalination: Fabrication, Characterization, and Electrodialysis Performance Evaluation. Applied Sciences 2024, In Press."
• 12/17/2024: A new manuscript about biosensor material surface modification has been submitted for publication.
• 12/16/2024: Dr. Li as the Program Director was invited in Dec 16 to introduce our Forensic Science program to Franklin High school students. He was very happy to talk to young future scientists and see a lot of interests in Forensic science from them. Look forward to meeting them and working with them at UTEP a few years later! 🤙 
• 12/02/2024:  A new paper has been accepted for publication in Anal Chem. "Li, C.; Liu, J.; Almanza, A.; Li, X.;* Fu, G.* Integration of Immuno-Syringe-Sensors with Bar-Chart Chips for Prick-and-Read Testing of Prostate Specific Antigen. Anal Chem 2024, In Press."
• 11/10/2024:  Dr. Li was recently interviewed by El Paso Inc regarding our latest invention for cancer research. His story and recent work in cancer research were reported by El Paso Inc. Read the story. Local Copy. 
• 11/01/2024 (10:10 AM PDT): Our recent work on low-cost cancer detection on paper/polymer hybrid devices also attracts significant attention beyond our local region. Today Dr. Li just received a live TV interview with FOX KTUV TV from California where he did his first postdoc (UC Berkeley). Watch the FOX KTUV TV. 
  
• 10/28/2024: StudyFinds highlighted our recent work regarding paper/polymer hybrid devices for sensitive cancer early detection, and gave pretty good overview and positive review of our work (published in Lab Chip). Read the article. Local copy. 
• 10/29/2024: UTEP CoS (Linkedin) highlighted our recent “groundbreaking research” in low-cost cancer detection. Visit the Link. 
• 10/25/2024: KFOX14 TV interviewed Dr. Li and reported our recent work for low-cost cancer detection. "UTEP team develops low-cost device for rapid cancer detection" Read KFOX14 News. Local Copy.
  
• 10/24/2024: UTEP highlighted our recent work on low-cost cancer early detection in a Press release. UTEP News: "UTEP Researchers Develop Low-Cost Device that Detects Cancer in an Hour, Particularly beneficial for rural U.S. areas, developing countries".  Read UTEP News.   Local Copy. 
• 10/19/2024: Dr. Li received a Travel Grant Award for GEM on the Road’s PFI Programming.
• 10/16/2024: Dr. Li has been named World's Top Researchers (2% of the most cited researchers by Elsevier). Link 1. Local link.
• 09/10/2024:  As the Director of Forensic Science program at UTEP, Dr. James Li successfully organized the "Forensic Science Welcome Back Pizza Party" to kick off this new Fall semester!! 🔍✨
  
  The event received great support from Dean Dr. Kirken and Chair Dr. Cabrera and many other faculty members and the Scientific Association of Forensics (SAF).
  
  This party served multiple purposes:
  🔬 To provide an opportunity for students to exchange and mingle after the summer break
  🔬 Welcome new FS students
  🔬 Welcome back to the new Fall semester
  🔬 Introduce SAF and help students be involved in the forensic community at UTEP
  
  Dean Dr. Kirken, Chair Dr. Cabrera, and Program Director Dr. James Li gave welcome remarks and introduced recent updates of the FS program in the event.
  
  About 90 people including many faculty members such as Associate Dean Dr. Walsh and former Biology interim Chair Dr. Charles Spencer attended the event.
  The Academic advisor Ms. Navarro also showed up to answer curriculum related questions from students. 📝
  
  Picks Up and Go Miners! 🤙💙🧡
  The revent was reported by Chemistry Web, Forensic Science Web, College of Science at Linkedin etc.
  
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• 09/05/2024: A new paper was accepted for publication by Lab Chip. Congrats to Sanjay et al! "Timilsina, S. S.; Li, X.* A Paper-in-Polymer-Pond (PiPP) Hybrid Microfluidic Microplate for Multiplexed Ultrasensitive Detection of Cancer Biomarkers, Lab Chip 2024, 24, In Press."
• 08/12/2024: Dr. Li was Named Top Scholar by ScholarGPS (Ranked #33 in Microfluidics in recent 5 years)! 
• 08/05/2024: Our group purchase 2nd state-of-the-art 3D printer! 
• 07/30/2024: Welcome a new postdoc Sapna joined our group! 
• 06/04/2024: A new paper about COVID-19 has been accepted for publication by TrAC. "Li, C.; Zhou, W.; Gutierrez, A.; Mohammadi, Y.; Li, Q.; Zhang, S.; Li, X.;* Fu, G.* Microfluidic immunoassays for point-of-care testing of SARS-CoV-2 antigens and antibodies. TRAC - Trend Anal Chem 2024, In Press. (IF 2022, 13.1)". Congrats to all authors!
• 06/02/2024: A new manuscript regarding a hybrid PiPP microfluidic microplate for multiplexed cancer biomarker detection been submitted for publication. 
• 05/08/2024:  A new paper has been accepted for publication by ACS Applied Material & Interface. Cheers!(Yuan, L.; Gao, X.;* Kang, R.; Zhang, X.; Meng, X.; Li, X.C.;* Li, X.* Flexible Strain Sensors Based on an Interlayer Synergistic Effect of Nanomaterials for Continuous and Noninvasive Blood Pressure Monitoring, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024, In Press. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04134. (2021 IF 10.4))
• 05/04/2024: A new manuscript regarding COVID-19 detection has been submitted for publication. 
• 02/18/2024: Angel gave a presentation on forensic pathology in the AAFS 2024 conference held in Denver. This is the first forensic science undergraduate student presetnation at AAFS conferences from UTEP.
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• 12/30/2023: A new patent application received Notice of Allowance. "X.J. Li*, Zhou, W.; “Low-cost quantitative photothermal genetic detection of pathogens on a paper hybrid device”, U.S. Provisional Patent (# 63087709). Filed on October 5, 2020. - U.S. Patent (# 17/450,049). Filed on October 5, 2021. -Granted on 03/29/2024. US Patent #: ???."
• 11/09/2023: A new patent application received Notice of Allowance. "X.J. Li*, Zhou, W.; “Gold nanoparticles aggregation-induced quantitative photothermal biosensing using a thermometer: a simple and universal biosensing platform”. U.S. Patent (#17/112,841). Filed on December 4, 2020."
  
• 05/31/2023: Dr. Li is featured in UTEP CoS media Facebook in Celebrating Diversity in Science post. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041306904531 
• 05/18/2023: A new paper about glucose detection by electrochemical detection was accepted for publication in Biosensors. Congrats to all contributors! "Henao-Pabon,⁺ G.;  Gao, N.;⁺  Prasad, K. S.;⁺ Li, X.,* Direct Electron Transfer of Glucose Oxidase on Pre-Anodized Paper/Carbon Electrodes Modified Through Zero-Length Cross-linkers For Glucose Biosensors. Biosensors 2023, In Press."
• 03/15/2023: A new collaborative paper has been accepted for publication by Trends in Biotechnology. Cheers! "Zhang, C.; Liu, H.; Li, X.; Xu, F.; Li, Z. Modularized Synthetic Biology Enabled Intelligent Biosensors, Trends in Biotechnology 2023, In Press. (2021 IF 21.9)"
• 03/02/2023: A new paper regarding glucose detection has been submitted for publication.
• 02/01/2023: One of our paper is selected as ESI TOP 1% Paper! Cheers. "Sanjay, S. T.; + Zhou, W.; + Dou, M.; + Tavakoli, H.; Ma, L.; Xu, F.; Li, X .* Recent Advances of Controlled Drug Delivery Using Microfluidic Platforms, Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018, 128, 3-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.09.013. (2021 IF 17.9). 
  †Clarivate Highly Cited Paper!
  ESI Top 1% Paper! "
• 01/12/2023: Dr. Li is invited to become an Editorial Board Member, Microsystems & Nanoengineering from Nature Publishing Group (IF 8.0). https://www.nature.com/micronano/editorial-board 
• 01/11/2023: A new paper has been accepted for publication by View. "Katla, S. K.;⁺ Zhou, W.;⁺ Tavakoli, H.; Mendez, E.; Li, X.* Portable in-situ temperature-dependent spectroscopy on a low-cost microfluidic platform integrated with a battery-powered thermofoil heater, View 2023, 4, 20220053."
• 01/05/2023: Dr. Li was highlighted in UTEP News for his professional development leave award (Hosted by Dr. Joseph Wang at UCSD). Link for details. 
• 01/02/2023: Welcome a new Ph.D. student to join our research group, Yasaman Mohamadi !
• 01/01/2023: Dr. Li is chairing a Faculty Search Committee for an assitant professor in forensic science and analytical chemistry. See the positions details. 
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