Research

OVERVIEW:

Dr. Xing Wang is a biochemist and bioengineer at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).  His research group utilizes nucleic acids and protein engineering to create and customize designer DNA nanostructure-based “plug-and-play” platforms for the applications centered on engineering and human health.  He also has training in RNA-mediated genome programming and cellular engineering, and RNA chemistry and biology.  He is a winner of Mikashi Award in 2021.  His Nucleic Acids Programming Lab (NAPL) is well funded with research focuses on the development of (1) effective therapeutic candidates and drug delivery platforms for inhibition/prevention of viral infections and cancer treatment/immunotherapy, (2) ultrasensitive and inexpensive biosensors for rapid, simple, and amplification free disease diagnostics in point-of-care, self-testing, and laboratory-based high throughput settings, (3) new DNA aptamers, via AI/machine learning-guided selection strategy, for targeted drug delivery, and (4) molecular barcodes for high to super resolution bioimaging.  Dr. Wang is the co-director of the Center for Pathogen Diagnostics (CPD).  His research group is currently supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIBIB, NIAID, NIDCR, NIAAA, NCI) and National Science Foundation (NSF).

Dr. Wang is the inventor of the DNA Star Platform that utilizes designer DNA nanostructures (DDN) to create biosensors and biomedicines.

AWARDS AND RESEARCH GRANTS/FUNDING: