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. 

• 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/ 

• 12/02/2024:  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: Welcome another new postdoc Tugba joined our group! 
• 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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• 11/02/2022: A new paper has been accepted for publication by Lab Chip. Congrats to Hamed and Elisabeth et al! "Tavakoli, H.; Hirth, E.; Luo, M.; Sharma, S.; Dou, M.; Dominguez, D. C.; Li, X.* A microfluidic fully paper-based analytical device integrated with loop-mediated isothermal amplification and nano-biosensors for rapid, sensitive, and specific quantitative detection of infectious diseases, Lab Chip 2022, In Press. DOI: 10.1039/D1032LC00834C."
• 10/26/2022: A new paper has been accepted for publication by Analyst. Cheers! "Li, H.; Deng, R.; Tavakoli, H.; Li, X.C.;* Li, X.* Ultrasensitive detection of acephate based on carbon quantum dots-mediated fluorescence inner filter effects, Analyst 2022, In Press. DOI: 10.1039/D2AN01552H."
• 10/24/2022: A new review paper on nanomaterial-based microfluidic platform for biosensing has been accepted for publication in TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry. Congratulations to Hamed et al. "Tavakoli, H; Mohammadi, S.; Li, X.C.; Fu, G.;* Li, X.* Microfluidic platforms integrated with nano-sensors for point-of-care bioanalysis, TRAC - Trend Anal Chem 2022, In Press. (Invited. 2021 IF 14.9)."
• 08/03/2022:  We received a new major NSF grant award for the acquisition of major equipment XPS for material science and engineering (total funds: $600,000; PI: Li, Xiujun). Thanks to all people who support this application! Cheers! Now we move to the purchase stage. Stay tuned.
• 08/01/2022: Welcome two new Ph.D. students to join our research group, Somayeh Mohammadi and Samuel  Ajiboye! 
• 07/19/2022: A new paper regarding continuous flow nanocatalysis system on a microfluidic device has been accepted for publication by ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. Congratulations to Kaiqiang et al! "Hu, K.; Ma, L.; Wang, Z.;^* Fernandez-Delgado, O.; Garay, Y.; Lopez, J. A.; Li, X.* Facile synthesis and integration of polyvinyl alcohol sponge-supported metal nanocatalysts on a microfluidic chip enable a new continuous flow multi-reactor nanocatalysis platform for high efficiency and reusability catalysis, ACS Sustain Chem Eng 2022, In Press.".
• 7/18/2022: A new collaborative paper regarding nanomaterials for electrocatalysis was accepted for publication by International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. "Ge, Y.; Wu, Y.; Ma, L.; Li, X.; Román, M.; Chianelli, R. R.; Torres, B.; Villagrán, D. Amine and Carbon-pretreated nickel–molybdenum disulfide as bifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen gas evolution, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2022, In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.114."
• 07/08/2022: Our group received a new NSF grant for technology innovation in rapid infectious disease diagnosis (PI: Xiujun Li). Cheers！ 
• 07/05/2022: EClinicalMedcine, a Lancet family journal in which we published a paper (Dou, M.; Macias, N.; Shen, F.; Dien Bard, J.; Dominguez, D. C.;* Li, X.* Rapid and Accurate Pertussis Diagnosis on a Point-of-Care Biochip, EClinicalMedicine 2019, 8, 72-77), received a new impact factor of 17.03. 
• 06/10/2022: Dr. Li is promoted to Full Professor! Many thanks for all group members' great work and every colleague, collaborator, and UTEP administrator and staff's strong support! 
• 06/02/2022: A new manuscript regarding in-situ temperature-dependent spectroscopy was submited for publication. 
• 05/23/2022: A new manuscript about cancer microenvironment and immunotherapy has been accepted by ADDR for publication. Congrats to Jie, Hamed and Lei et al.  "Zhang, J.;⁺ Tavakoli, H.;⁺ Ma, L.; Li, X. C.; Han, L.; Li, X.* Immunotherapy discovery on tumor organoid-on-a-chip platforms that recapitulate the tumor microenvironment, Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022, In Press. (2021 IF 15.5)"
• 04/08/2022: A new manuscript about food safety study was submitted for publication.
• 03/29/2022: A new collaborative manuscript about environmental study has been accepted for publication. Getahun, Y. W.; Gardea-Torresdey, J.; Manciu, F. S.; Li, X.;* El-Gendy, A. A.* Green synthesized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for water treatment with alternative recyclability, J Mol Liq 2022, 356, 118983. (2021 IF 6.2)
• 03/19/2022: A new manuscript about paper microfluidic devie for pathogen detection was submitted for publication. 
• 02/16/2022: A new paper is selected as Clarivate "Highly Cited Paper". "Lv, M.;⁺ Zhou, W.;⁺ Tavakoli, H.;⁺ Bautista, C.; Xia, J.;* Wang, Z.; Li, X.* Aptamer-functionalized Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for biosensing, Biosens Bioelectron 2021, 176,112947". Cheers!
• 02/08/2022: A new invited manuscript regarding cancer microenvironment and immunotherapy has been submitted for publication. 
• 01/21/2022: Dr. Li was appointed as the new Director of Forensic Science Program.
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