Welcome to the Li Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip & Nanotechnology group for Bioanalysis, and Biomedical, 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 science, biomedical engineering, environmental and catalysis science and engineering.

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

• Call for papers: Guest Editor (Dr. Chaoyong Yang, and Dr. Xiujun Li), Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2020, “Analytical Chemistry for Infectious Disease Detection & Prevention”. Welcome to submit.
• Call for papers: Guest Editor (w/ Dr. Manabu Tokeshi), Micromachines, 2020, Special issue “Feature Paper in Chemistry” , open for submission now.
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• 03/22/2021: A new patent received notice of allowance. Congrats to Wan et al. "ONE-STEP SURFACE MODIFICATION TO GRAFT DNA CODES ON PAPER AND ITS BIO-APPLICATIONS”, U.S. Patent (#15/826,072)."
• 2/28/2021: A new manuscript regarding photothermal bar-chart chip was submitted for publication. DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.14131514.v14131511. 
• 02/10/2021: A new patent received notice of allowance. Congrats to Sanjay et al. "Apparatuses and Methods for Pathogen Detection Using Microfluidic Biochips”, U.S. Patent (#15/555,002). "
• 02/07/2021: Our group received a new NSF I-Corps grant to support translational development of our invention in thermometer-based biomarker detection.
• 02/06/2021: Lei received prestigious Keelung Hong Graduate Research Fellowship. Students selected for this fellowship can receive up to one years of annual stipend ($24,000) and $1,000 per year for travel to scientific meetings, dependent on satisfactory progress. Congratulations to Lei! Well done. Also thanks to the support from the Department and Dr. Keelung Hong.
• 01/26/2021: A new patent received notice of allowance. Congrats to Sanjay et al. "US Application 15/454,200 entitled SENSITIVE ELISA FOR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS ON SURFACE MODIFIED POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) (PMMA) MICROFLUIDIC MICROPLATES".
• 01/15/2021: We received a new grant from DOT and Texas A&M for study of COVID-19 to improve transportation safety.  
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• 12/27/2020: A new paper regarding MOFs for biosensing has been accepted by Biosens & Bioelectron. Congrats to Xia et al. "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, In Press."
• 12/18/2020: A new ESE Ph.D. student joined our group (co-supervised with Dr. Ahmed). Welcome, Yohannes!
• 12/09/2020: A new US patent is granted. "X.J. Li*, M. Dou, D.C. Dominguez, “Methods and compositions for paper-based and hybrid microfluidic devices integrated with nucleic acid amplification for disease diagnosis”, US patent (#US14/796,127). Filed on July 10, 2015; -Granted on 12/29/2020. US Patent # 10,875,024 "
• 11/24/2020: A new provisional patent application regarding cancer therapy was submitted.
• 11/11/2020: GRE is not required for Graduate school admission application. Welcome to apply.
• 11/07/2020: A new manuscript regarding MOFs-based biosensing has been submitted for publication. 
• 11/04/2020: Congratulations to Wan for her successful final Ph.D. Dissertation Defense in Cloud! Well done, All the best to the next step!
  
• 10/11/2020: Dr. Li has been invited to serve on Editorial Board of Journal of Analysis and Testing. 
• 10/06/2020:  A new paper regarding photothermal genetic detection of pathogen has been accepted for publication by Anal Chem. "Zhou, W.; Sun, J.; Li, X.* Low-Cost Quantitative Photothermal Genetic Detection of Pathogens on a Paper Hybrid Device Using a Thermometer, Anal Chem 2020, Accepted." Congrats, Wan et al!
• 10/05/2020: A new provisional patent application regarding photothermal genetic analysis was filed.
• 08/28/2020: A new patent is beging granted. "X.J. Li*, M. Dou, D.C. Dominguez, “Methods and compositions for paper-based and hybrid microfluidic devices integrated with nucleic acid amplification for disease diagnosis”, US patent (#US14/796,127). Filed on July 10, 2015"
• 08/19/2020: Cynthis won a poster award in the recent COURI summer symposium for undergraduate students. Congrats, Cynthia!
• 07/14/2020: A book chapter regarding low-cost disease diagnosis was submitted for publication. 
• 07/11/2020: A new manuscript regarding photothermal studies was submitted for publication.
• 06/14/2020： Our recent work published in Anal Chem regarding one-step surface modification to graft DNA code on paper is highlighted by X-Mol. Link 1; Link 2. Local Download. 
• 06/08/2020: A new paper regarding using nanomaterials to amplify colorimetric signals is accepted for publication by Analyst. "Prasad, K.S.; Abugalyon, Y.; Li, C.; Xu, F.; Li, X.* New method to amplify colorimetric signals of paper-based nanobiosensors for simple & sensitive pancreatic cancer biomarker detection, Analyst 2020, In Press." Congrats to Prasad et al! 
• 05/13/2020: A new paper regarding photothermal microfluidic pumping has been accepted for publication by Lab Chip. Congrats to Guanglei and Wan et al! "Fu, G.;⁺ Zhou, W.;⁺ Li, X.* Remotely tunable microfluidic platform driven by nanomaterial-mediated on-demand photothermal pumping, Lab Chip 2020, In Press. DOI: 10.1039/D0LC00317D."
• 05/05/2020: A new patent about hemoglobin A1C and glucose detction  is granted. "XiuJun Li*, Gilberto Henao-Pabon, “Devices and methods using modified paper electrodes for the detection of hemoglobin A1C and glucose”, U.S. Patent (#15/276,408). Filed on September 26, 2016.
  -Granted on 5/5/2020. US Patent #: 10,640,801. "
• 05/07/2020: Congrats to Yousef for receiving Academic and Research Excellence  Award for Undergraduate Student in Chemistry. Well done, Yousef! He has received an offer to go to Texas A&M for graduate study. 
• 04/14/2020: A new US patent is granted. Congrats to Maowei et al!  "Xiujun Li,* Maowei Dou, "Methods and compositions for hybrid microfluidic devices integrated with nano-biosensors", US patent (#US14/725, 689). Filed on May 29, 2015.
  -Granted on 4/14/2020. US Patent #: 10,620,200. " 
• 04/25/2020: Teamed up with Drs. Dominguez and Sun, we, a team for infectious disease study, received the IDR grant and IDR space from the new UTEP IDR building. Congrats to the team!
• 04/07/2020: Our recent work regarding smart paper transformer in Chem Sci was highlighted by RSC communications. Local link.
• 03/24/2020: A new paper regarding paper surface modification for grafting DNA codes has been accepted for publication in Analytical Chemistry. "Zhou, W.; Feng, M.; Valadez, A.; Li, X.* One-Step Surface Modification to Graft DNA Codes on Paper: The Method, Mechanism and Its Application, Anal Chem 2020, In Press." Congrats to Wan et al！ 
• 02/25/2020: A new paper regarding PnP hybrdid microfluidic devices for high-sensitivity immunoassay has been accepted for publication by Microsystems & Nanoengineering. "Sanjay, S. T.;+ Li, M.;+ Zhou, W.; Li, X.C.;  Li, X.* A Reusable PMMA/Paper Hybrid Plug-and-Play Microfluidic Device for Ultrasensitive Immunoassay with Wide Dynamic Range, Microsystems & Nanoengineering 2020, Accepted.". Congrats to Sanjay and Meihan (Undergraduate) et al!
• 02/09/2020: A new paper regarding paper transformer-suppported catalysis has been accepted for publication by Chemical Science. "Jin, Q.; Ma, L.; Zhou, W.; Shen, Y.; Fernandez-Delgado, O.; Li, X.* Smart Paper Transformer: New insight for enhanced catalytic efficiency and reusability of noble metal nanocatalysts, Chemical Science 2020, Accepted." Congrats to Qijin et al. Well done!
• 02/08/2020: A new paper regarding photothermal genetic biosensing using a thermometer has been accepted for publication by Anal Chem. "Zhou, W.; ⁺ Hu, K.;⁺ Kwee, S.; Tang, L.; Wang, Z.; Xia, J.; Li, X.* Gold Nanoparticle Aggregation-Induced Quantitative Photothermal Biosensing Using a Thermometer: A Simple and Universal Biosensing Platform, Anal Chem 2020, 92, 3, 2739-2747.". Congrats to Wan and Kaiqiang et al. 
• 02/02/2020: We received a NSF I-Corps grant award for exploring commercialization of our "products". Thanks for the significant contributions from Hamed, Sanjay, Maowei, Les et al. Good job!
• 01/19/2020： One new paper has been accepted for publication in Catalysis Today. "Jin, Q.; Ma, L.; Zhou, W.; Chintalapalle, R.; Shen, Y.*; Li, X.* Strong interaction between Au nanoparticles and porous polyurethane sponge enables efficient environmental catalysis with high reusability, Catalysis Today 2020, Accepted." 
• 01/07/2020: Dr. Li was invited to serve at the Advisory Board of Lab on a Chip.
•  01/06/2020: Dr. Li was invited to serve at the Advisory Board of Analyst.
• 01/01/2020: A new paper regarding high-sensitivity immunoassay was submitted for publication. 
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