
Overview
Background
- 2023-now Joint Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (CNFS, QAAFI)
- 2022-now Senior Research Fellow, AIBN, The University of Queensland
- 2020-now NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, AIBN, The University of Queensland
- 2017-2019 ARC DECRA Fellow, AIBN, The University of Queensland
- 2016-2017 Research Associate, AIBN, The University of Queensland
- 2013-2015 Macquarie University Research Fellow (MQRF), Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science (CBMS), Macquarie University
- 2012-2013 Postdoc Research Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University
- July 2012 PhD, Analytical Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology (DLUT), China
Research Team: Dr Zhang is now leading more than 15 researchers, working on the development of responsive molecules/nanomaterials for biosensing and imaging, early disease detection and treatment, food/agricultural/environmental applications. He has collaborations with scientist in Chemistry, Materials Science, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture Science, and Biophotonics from Australia, US, UK, Sweden, India, Russia and China.
Research Support: Since 2011, Dr Zhang has attracted 11 research grants (> 3 million) as chief investigator (lead CI and/or co-CI). These grants include 3 Fellowship (NHMRC Emerging Leadership, ARC DECRA and MQRF to develop responsive probes for redox biomarkers detection within body), 1 NHMRC Project grant in redox quantification in liver cancer chemotherapy, 1 UQ ECR grant, 1 NSFC grant, and another 3 grants from universities.
Research Output: Dr Zhang has published more than 180 research papers since his first publication in 2010 (>95 papers published as first and/or corresponding author), and 1 patent. He frequently publishes in a number of premier journals, such as Nature Photonics, Nature Plants, Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), Angewandte Chemie, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Society Reviews, and Accounts of Chemical Research. These publications have received >9,000 citations with an H-index of 55. He has 8 Highly Cited Papers (7 in the ESI field of Chemistry-Analytical) and 3 Hot Articles.
Service: Dr Zhang is an Editor of TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry (Elsevier, 1/106 in Analytical Chemistry) and Methods (Elsevier), and Editorial Board Member of several international high impact journals, such as Chemistry-An Asian Journal (Wiley), Aggregate (Wiley), Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis (Elsevier), Green Analytical Chemistry (Elsevier). He is a referee of ~80 international journals (2nd most contributions of all UQ researchers, with >20 awards from RSC and Elsevier journals), and grant assessor for more than 10 country and regions, such as Australia, UK, Europe, Netherland, New Zealand.
Award: Dr Zhang's national and international standing in the fields of chemistry (analytical and inorganic) and functional nanomaterials is evidenced by the awards of ACS Rising Star in Measurement Science, NJC Emerging Investigator, Biosensors Young Investigator Award, IAAM Scientist Medal, Vebleo Fellow, IAAM Fellow, ARC DECRA, NHMRC EL Fellow, MQRF, and more than 20 TOP Outstanding Reviewer awards from RSC and Elsevier. He has been a World's Top 2% Scientist in Chemistry (Analytical) and Nanoscience & Nanotechnology since 2022. He has delivered about 40 invited presentations and keynotes.
Teaching and Supervision: Dr Zhang has a strong commitment to training students. His students have received several awards, such as 4 "Dean’s Commendation for Outstanding Academic Performance", 1 "Dean’s Award for Excellence in Higher Degree Research", 1 "Dean's Award for Outstanding HDR Theses", ANFF-Q students award, 3MT Runner-UP and People's Choice. He has supervised 6 PhD and >20 Masters to completion. He is now co-coordinating and lecturing the MSE PP ENGY7112/7115/7114/7215 in School of Chem. Eng., EAIT. His teaching contributions in Faculty of Science, UQ are recognised by two nominations of "Dean’s Commendation for Excellent Teaching Awards" in semesters 1 and 2 in 2022.
Availability
- Dr Run Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Engineering, Dalian University of Technology
Research interests
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Responsive probes to detect and visualise highly reactive biomolecules
design and synthesis of organic/organometallic complexes (including Ru(II) and Ir(III) complexes and lanthanide chelate) for sensing of bioactive ions, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), redox biomolecules, gasotransmitters, amino acid, and proteins in various diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular, and inflammatory diseases.
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Functional nanomaterial for early diseases diagnosis and treatment
engineering of functional nanomaterials for disease detection and treatment through monitoring and regulation of redox state, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) for diseases deeply seated in body.
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Sensors for the detection of food quality & safety and environmental pollutants
development of ultra-sensitive sensors for the detection of food additives, antibiotics, pesticides, spoilage, heavy metals, toxic anions and gases (greenhouse gases and VOCs), etc.
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Bionanoprobes for deep tissue sensing and imaging
fabrication of responsive nanomaterials for sensing and imaging of biomarkers located deeply inside the body. The probes allow the monitoring of specific disease-related biomarkers through optical, acoustic, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
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Redox monitoring and regulation for diagnosis and treatment
development of novel luminescent probes with long emission lifetime to eliminate autofluorescence, allowing background-free quantification and bioimaging of redox species in situ development of responsive nanomaterials for treatment through quantitative redox regulation
Works
Search Professor Run Zhang’s works on UQ eSpace
2013
Journal Article
A cell-membrane-permeable europium complex as an efficient luminescent probe for singlet oxygen
Dai, Zhichao, Tian, Lu, Xiao, Yunna, Ye, Zhiqiang, Zhang, Run and Yuan, Jingli (2013). A cell-membrane-permeable europium complex as an efficient luminescent probe for singlet oxygen. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 1 (7), 924-927. doi: 10.1039/c2tb00350c
2012
Journal Article
Lanthanide Complex-Based Luminescent Probes for Highly Sensitive Time-Gated Luminescence Detection of Hypochlorous Acid
Xiao, Yunna, Zhang, Run, Ye, Zhiqiang, Dai, Zhichao, An, Huaying and Yuan, Jingli (2012). Lanthanide Complex-Based Luminescent Probes for Highly Sensitive Time-Gated Luminescence Detection of Hypochlorous Acid. Analytical Chemistry, 84 (24), 10785-10792. doi: 10.1021/ac3028189
2012
Journal Article
Photoluminescent and electrochemiluminescent dual-signaling probe for bio-thiols based on a ruthenium(II) complex
Zhang, Wenzhu, Zhang, Run, Zhang, Jingmei, Ye, Zhiqiang, Jin, Dayong and Yuan, Jingli (2012). Photoluminescent and electrochemiluminescent dual-signaling probe for bio-thiols based on a ruthenium(II) complex. Analytica Chimica Acta, 740, 80-87. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2012.06.028
2012
Journal Article
Developing red-emissive ruthenium(II) complex-based luminescent probes for cellular imaging
Zhang, Run, Ye, Zhiqiang, Yin, Yuejiao, Wang, Guilan, Jin, Dayong, Yuan, Jingli and Piper, James A. (2012). Developing red-emissive ruthenium(II) complex-based luminescent probes for cellular imaging. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 23 (4), 725-733. doi: 10.1021/bc200506w
2012
Journal Article
Design and synthesis of a terbium(III) complex-based luminescence probe for time-gated luminescence detection of mercury(II) ions
Cui, Guanfeng, Ye, Zhiqiang, Zhang, Run, Wang, Guilan and Yuan, Jingli (2012). Design and synthesis of a terbium(III) complex-based luminescence probe for time-gated luminescence detection of mercury(II) ions. Journal of Fluorescence, 22 (1), 261-267. doi: 10.1007/s10895-011-0956-6
2012
Journal Article
Solution-processable iridium complexes for efficient orange-red and white organic light-emitting diodes
Wang, Renjie, Liu, Di, Zhang, Run, Deng, Lijun and Li, Jiuyan (2012). Solution-processable iridium complexes for efficient orange-red and white organic light-emitting diodes. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 22 (4), 1411-1417. doi: 10.1039/c1jm13846d
2011
Journal Article
Development of a heterobimetallic Ru(II)–Cu(II) complex for highly selective and sensitive luminescence sensing of sulfide anions
Zhang, Run, Yu, Xiaojing, Yin, Yuejiao, Ye, Zhiqiang, Wang, Guilan and Yuan, Jingli (2011). Development of a heterobimetallic Ru(II)–Cu(II) complex for highly selective and sensitive luminescence sensing of sulfide anions. Analytica Chimica Acta, 691 (1-2), 83-88. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2011.02.051
2011
Journal Article
A ruthenium(ii) complex based turn-on electrochemiluminescence probe for the detection of nitric oxide
Zhang, Wenzhu, Zhao, Dan, Zhang, Run, Ye, Zhiqiang, Wang, Guilan, Yuan, Jingli and Yang, Mei (2011). A ruthenium(ii) complex based turn-on electrochemiluminescence probe for the detection of nitric oxide. The Analyst, 136 (9), 1867-1872. doi: 10.1039/c0an01003k
2010
Journal Article
Turn-on luminescent probe for cysteine/homocysteine based on a ruthenium(II) complex
Zhang, Run, Yu, Xiaojing, Ye, Zhiqiang, Wang, Guilan, Zhang, Wenzhu and Yuan, Jingli (2010). Turn-on luminescent probe for cysteine/homocysteine based on a ruthenium(II) complex. Inorganic Chemistry, 49 (17), 7898-7903. doi: 10.1021/ic100810z
2010
Journal Article
Development of a ruthenium(II) complex based luminescent probe for imaging nitric oxide production in living cells
Zhang, Run, Ye, Zhiqiang, Wang, Guilan, Zhang, Wenzhu and Yuan, Jingli (2010). Development of a ruthenium(II) complex based luminescent probe for imaging nitric oxide production in living cells. Chemistry - A European Journal, 16 (23), 6884-6891. doi: 10.1002/chem.200903267
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Run Zhang is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Responsive molecules and nanomaterials for bisoensing and bioimaging
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Sensors for environmental pollutants and food quality & safety
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Theranostic nanomaterials: especially the optical nanomaterials for diagnosis and therapy
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Sensitive Detection of Antibiotics with Nanoprobes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Sensitive Detection of Antibiotics with Nanoprobes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of responsive nanoprobe for enzyme analysis in inflammation
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Activatable nanomaterials for cancer treatment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ruirui Qiao
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Doctor Philosophy
Functional piezoelectric scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Responsive probe for time-gated luminescence bioassay and imaging
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Responsive nanoprobe for redox biomolecules quantification
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Monitoring inflammation through quantitation of redox-mediated macrophage polarisation
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
In-situ growth of layered two-dimensional nano-sonosensitisers for enhanced sonodynamic therapy
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Thermo-triggered Release of Drug/Gene Carrier System by Lipid-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles for Tumour Therapy
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Precision Engineering Lipid Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Upconversion-encoded microspheres for glucocorticoids detection as food hazards or health markers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kayvan Etebari, Dr Zeinab Khalil, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Thermo-triggered Release of Drug/Gene Carrier System by Lipid-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles for Tumour Therapy
Associate Advisor
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Master Philosophy
Bioinspired Piezoelectric Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving the Shelf-life of Salmon Fillets Using an Advanced Nanoencapsulation Technology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dharini Sivakumar, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Precision-engineered hybrid core-shell materials
Associate Advisor
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Master Philosophy
Development of cerium-containing layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as antioxidant for disease treatment
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
The efficacy of nanoencapsulation as a delivery system of Terminalia ferdinandiana extract for periodontal disease therapy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Precision Engineering Lipid Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Associate Advisor
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Precision Engineering Lipid Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Associate Advisor
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2024
Master Philosophy
Development of cerium-containing layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as antioxidants for disease treatment
Associate Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Developing efficient nanoparticle-based platform to deliver biomolecules for plant modification
Associate Advisor
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Lipid-Coated Upconversion Nanoparticle as a Responsive Therapeutic Gas Release Nanoplatform for Cancer Therapy
Associate Advisor
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles tailored to target tumor microenvironment as multifunctional nanoplatforms for synergistic cancer therapy
Associate Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Development of theranostic nanomaterials based on iron oxide and cerium oxide for ROS-related and inflammatory diseases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Novel Cu-LDH-based nanomedicine for combination cancer therapy
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Run Zhang directly for media enquiries about:
- Biosensing and imaging
- Cancer
- Environmental pollution
- Food safety
- Inflammation
- Optical probe
- Redox biomolecules
- Sensor
- Stress resilience
- Theranostic nanomaterials
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