OVERVIEW:
Dr. Xing Wang is a bioengineer and biochemist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). His research group utilizes nucleic acid and protein engineering and chemistry to evolve new molecular binders, and create and customize designer DNA nanostructure-based “plug-and-play” platforms for bioengineering, bionanotechnology, and biochemical applications centered on healthcare. He is an inventor of the DNA Star, DNA Net, and DNA NanoGripper platforms and multivalent, pattern-recognition enabled principle/strategy for disease diagnostics and therapeutics (Nat. Chem., 2020; Nat. Protoc., 2022; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 2024; Sci. Robot., 2024; Adv. Funct. Mater., 2025). Dr. Wang's Nucleic Acids Programming Lab (NAPL) is focused on the creation and development of (1) ultrasensitive and inexpensive biosensors for rapid, simple, and amplification free disease diagnostics in point-of-care, self-testing, on-farm, and laboratory-based high-throughput settings, (2) effective therapeutic candidates and targeted drug/mRNA delivery platforms for cancer treatment and immunotherapy, as well as inhibition and prevention of viral infections, (3) machine learning model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulations pipeline to rapidly obtain new ligands for targeted drug delivery, and (4) molecular barcodes for multiplex and high resolution biosensing and imaging. His research group is mainly supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
AWARDS AND RESEARCH GRANTS/FUNDING:
S. Umrao, A. Dwivedy and X. Wang*, Engineering advanced functional nanomaterials for virus detection, Nano-Engineering at Functional Interfaces for Multi-Disciplinary Applications, 445-472 (2025). Link
J. Duan*, X. Wang* and M.E. Kizer*, Biotechnological and therapeutic applications of natural nucleic acid structural motifs, Topics in Current Chemistry, 378, Article number: 26 (2020). Link
M. Kizer*, R.J. Linhardt, A.R. Chandrasekaran* and X. Wang*, A molecular hero suit for in vitro and in vivo DNA nanostructures, Small, June 26, 2019, 1805386 (2019). Link
X. Wang#*, A.R. Chandrasekaran#*, et al., Paranemic crossover DNA: there and back again, Chemical Reviews, 119, 6273-6289 (2019). Link
A.R. Chandrasekaran*, N. Anderson, M. Kizer, K. Halvorsen and X. Wang*, Beyond the fold, emerging biological applications of DNA origami, ChemBioChem, 17, 1081-1089 (2016). Link
P.S. Kwon#, S. Ren#, S-J. Kwon#, M.E. Kizer#, L. Kuo# [...] X. Wang*, Designer DNA architecture offers precise and multivalent spatial pattern-recognition for viral sensing and inhibition, Nature Chemistry, 12, 26-35, DOI: 10.1038/s41557-019-0369-8 (2020). Regular Link and Open access Link
Selected as a journal cover story. Link
The Times-London report. Link
The Scientific American report. Link
360DX report. Link
FNANO 2020 talk. Link
See PR and news reports from RPI, HMNTL-UIUC, Illinois News Bureau, IGB-UIUC, AIChE, Science & Vie in France, linkresearcher, MDPI Journal-Molecules-Medicinal Chemistry, Clinical OMICs, Cosmos Magazine, Phys.org, Clinical Lab Products, News Wise, Med Gadget, Nano Werk, The Science Advisory Board, AAAS-EurekAlert, Spektrumde, Nanotechnology World Association, News Medical, Precision Vaccinations, Innovations Report, Biotecnika, BioNews Central, Nano.gov, Labroots, Science Buddies, NRC Science, 7thSpace, Long Room, Spektrum, MDLinx, Mirage News, Molecular Laboratory Observer, Asian Campus Tribune, Biotecnika, Nanoer
Harvard Business Review. Link
"Nano comes to life" with Professor Sonia Contera @ Oxford Martin School. YouTube Link.
See the PEST Technology. Link