Group Member

Jian Zhang

jzhan257@ncsu.edu

Dr. Jian Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at NCSU and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC&NCSU. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago. 

Dr. Zhang’s research focuses on the development of advanced biomaterials for drug delivery and tissue engineering. His notable contributions include a hydrogel dressing for scarless wound repair, a photoreactive hydrogel platform for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, and a nanoparticle system for targeted cancer therapy. His work has been published in leading journals such as Advanced Materials, Nature Communications, Advanced Science, and Cell Reports Medicine. 

Dr. Zhang's research has been supported by organizations including the Diabetes Research Connection and the Comparative Medicine Institute. In addition, his innovations have contributed to the founding of Alnair Therapeutics, a biotech startup specializing in tumor-specific drug delivery systems.

Li Wang

lwang85@ncsu.edu

Dr. Li Wang hold a PhD degree from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). His research focuses on advanced biomaterials and drug delivery systems, with a strong emphasis on, 1) Wound healing hydrogels for enhanced tissue regeneration. 2) Inhalable nano/micro formulations for targeted lung disease therapy.

Previously, he worked on overcoming biological delivery barriers to improve drug penetration in cancer treatment, along with projects in immunotherapy and anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

Cong Meng

cmeng2@ncsu.edu

Cong Meng is a doctoral student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on:

1. 3D print hydrogels: develop functionalized, 3D-printed hydrogel organoid and organ-on-chip platforms that engineer the local microenvironment to model disease-relevant barrier functions and enable quantitative, high-throughput evaluation of therapeutic delivery and response.

2. Long-acting local lung drug delivery systems in asthma : inhalable microparticles designed to sustain efficacy in chronic airway disease and response.

Embrea Brannon-Vaughan

asanthi2@ncsu.edu

Hello! My name is Embrea! I am from Greensboro NC, and am a current vet student here at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine! I hold two Bachelor of Science degrees from NC Agricultural and Technical State University in Animal Science and Laboratory Animal Science.

My Focus in veterinary school is mixed animal medicine with a specialization in small animal surgery. A huge goal for me is to find effective surgical techniques to fully remove cancer from certain parts of the body that are deemed impossible or challenging to prolong an animals life.

Outside of school and the lab I love to travel, hike, spend time with family and friends, roller skate, volunteer with Special Olympics or the American Heart Association, and do artistry things like modeling, acting, singing,dancing and painting.

Reid Vanpelt

My name is Reid VanPelt. I am majoring in Biology at NC state and I am planning to go to medical school after I graduate.

I love to know how things work, how the process of something happens, and most of all how I can use those things together to help people. My career goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon. My passion is to use my skills to help people move better, feel better, and have a better quality of life.

Outside of the lab, I enjoy the outdoors, being with my friends, and working out.

Jimmy Lee

Assistant Professor at National Taiwan University