Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Biomedical engineering, Human biophysics, Regenerative medicine (incl. stem cells), Cardiovascular medicine and haematology, Medical devices, Microfluidics and nanofluidics, Neural engineeringBiography
Dr Jingjing Li is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. She is working with A/Prof Robert Nordon on a CRC-P project developing an automated microscale bioreactor for cell and gene therapy. Her research is at the interface of biology and engineering, focusing on the development of microfluidic organ on chip systems and their application in stem cell science, cardiovascular and blood development.
Being trained...view more
Dr Jingjing Li is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. She is working with A/Prof Robert Nordon on a CRC-P project developing an automated microscale bioreactor for cell and gene therapy. Her research is at the interface of biology and engineering, focusing on the development of microfluidic organ on chip systems and their application in stem cell science, cardiovascular and blood development.
Being trained as a biomedical engineer, she developed multidiscipline skills spans from microfluidics, stem cell biology, and bioinformatics. Her PhD and Post-Doctoral research focus on studying the influence of pulsatile fluid shear stress on human embryonic blood formation using microfluidic model mimicking foetal circulation, live cell imaging of hPSC differentiation and single-cell RNA sequencing of developing blood niches. She is now working on upscaling the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip models and applying them in the expansion, maturation and engraftment of blood stem and progenitor cells generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs).
My Grants
CIA, Early Career Researcher Seed Grant ,UNSW Engineering Faculty (2021)
CIA, International Seed Grant, UNSW Engineering Faculty (2022)
Contributor for
Scaling microfluidics for cell manufacture. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP160100570 (2016-2019)
Manufacturing 3D microstructures for the medical device industry. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP160100573 (2016-2019)
My Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering) (2015 – 2019), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Master of Biomedical Engineering (by research) (2009-2011), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering (2003 – 2007), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
My Awards
Travel Grants
2022 The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) and the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society (AGCTS) Joint Scientific Meeting / National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA) Travel Award
2019 The Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) and the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society (AGCTS) Joint Scientific Meeting / National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA) Travel Award
2019 International Society of Experimental Hematology Conference Award
2018 International Society of Stem Cell Research ECR and student Conference Award
2017 Australian Society for Stem Cell Research ECR and student Conference Award
2015-2017 Stem Cell Australia (SCA) Meeting Travel Grant
2010 Australian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) Conference Travel Award
Scholarship, Awards and Fellowship:
2019 Best Poster Presentation Award, UNSW Cross Faculty Research Symposium
2018-2019 Postdoctoral Writing Fellow Award, UNSW
2015-2019 Women in Engineering Award, UNSW
2015-2019 Faculty Top-up Scholarship, UNSW, Engineering
2015-2019 Australia Postgraduate Award
My Research Activities
1. Modelling human heart, vascular and blood development from pluripotent stem cells on a microfluidic chip
We have used lab-on-chip to mimic foetal circulation and to model human blood formation from cells that line blood vessels. We are currently studying the influence of pulsatile blood flow and circulation on the generation of precursor blood stem cells. We are also investigating the use of hydrogels to pattern embryonic development of the cardiovascular system.
2. Enhancing the development of aortic vasculature and blood stem cell from pluripotent stem cells using dynamic culture system
We use upscaled Microfluidic circulation system and orbital shearing culture system to enhance the development of precursor blood stem cells. This work has been featured in UNSW newsroom and The conversation.
3. The manipulation of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived CD34+ blood stem cell precursors, as well as CD34+ blood stem and progenitor cells obtained from cord blood and mobilized peripheral blood, through separation, stimulation, genetic modification, and pre-clinical engraftment, which offers potential applications in cell and gene therapy
My Research Supervision
Areas of supervision
Available to co-supervise HDR candidates for projects
1. Upscaling organ-on-chip systems for manufacturing blood from human pluripotent stem cells.
2. Biomechanical regulation of blood development.
3. Developing bioengineering strategies for the maturation of human pluripotent stem cell derived blood precursors.
Currently supervising
Co-supervising PhD Candidate:
Ada Lee, Lab-on-a-chip scale-out of autologous cell and gene therapies.
My Engagement
Research Society and Committee
International Society of Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)
International Society of Experimental Hematology (ISEH) - New Investigator Committee (NIC) Member
International Society of Cell Therapy (ISCT) - Stem Cell Engineering Committee Member
UNSW Cardiac, Vascular & Metabolic Medicine Theme (CVMM) - Early Career Researcher Committee Member
IEEE Medical Imaging and Image processing
IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBS)
Australia Society of Stem Cell Research (ASSCR)
Engineers Australia
NSW Stem Cell Network
Professional Society
Academic Representative, Level 3 WHS committee, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW
My Teaching
BIOM9640 Biomedical Instrumentation
Contact
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2751-9753
Videos
