Education

• 2022 – Present: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
  • Ph.D. in Bioengineering
  • Advisor: Yun-Sheng Chen, Ph.D.
• 2018 – 2022: University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)
  • B.Sc. in Chemical Biology
  • Lu Jiaxi Chemistry Honors Program

Honors & Awards

• Beckman Institute Graduate Fellow, UIUC, IL (2026)
• Mavis Future Faculty Fellow, UIUC, IL (2026)
• Lu Jiaxi Talent Program Scholarship, USTC, Anhui, China (2018, 2020, 2021)
• Wu Xuezhou Scholarship, USTC, Anhui, China
  (Sponsored by Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences) (2020)
• Outstanding Student Scholarship (Bronze), USTC, Anhui, China (2021)

Publications

* indicates co-first authors

Peer-reviewed journals

1. J. Yi*, F. Xie*, J. Q. Moller*, Z. Xu, S. Zhao, Y. Diao, A. D. B. Leakey, J. S. Moore, Y.-S. Chen.
   “Ultrasound-driven mechanophore activation in living plants.”
   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) (2026).
   DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2533066123.
   

2. S. Zhao, J. Yi, Y. Qiu, Z. Huang, Y.-S. Chen.
   “Photo-activated ultrasound localization imaging with laser-activated nanodroplets.”
   Communications Engineering (2026).
   DOI: 10.1038/s44172-026-00592-w.

3. J. Yi*, M. Chauhan*, Y. Zhao, Y.-S. Chen.
   “Near-infrared-triggered nanodroplets for macrophage-targeted cancer immunotherapy.”
   Small Methods (2025).
   DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202401679.
   (Frontispiece paper)
   

4. J. Yi, Y.-S. Chen.
   “How can nanotechnology be leveraged to produce multifunctional contrast agents to improve imaging and diagnostics?”
   Nanomedicine (2025).
   DOI: 10.1080/17435889.2025.2501515.

5. S. Zhao, S. Paul, J. Yi, Y.-S. Chen.
   “Dual modal photoacoustic/fast ultrasound localization imaging.”
   Bio-protocol (2025).
   DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.5247.

6. J. Wang*, S. Zhao*, J. Yi*, Y. Sun, M. Agrawal, M. L. Oelze, K. Li, J. Moore, Y.-S. Chen.
   “Injectable mechanophore nanoparticles for deep-tissue mechanochemical dynamic therapy.”
   ACS Nano (2024).
   DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04090.
   

7. X. Hu*, Y. Xu*, J. Yi*, C. Wang, Z. Zhu, T. Yue, H. Zhang, X. Wang, F. Wu, L. Bai, H. Liu, Q. Chen.
   “Using protein design to monomerize a bright near-infrared fluorescent protein.”
   ACS Synthetic Biology (2024).
   DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00643.

Conference publications

1. J. Yi, A. J. Loarte, A. Michailidis, Z. S. Rehman, M. C. Fanning,
   M. R. Surburg, F. Buranits, P. W. Hsu, Y. Li, M. Griebel, C. Cvetkovic.
   “WIP: An Undergraduate Neural Tissue Engineering Lab Course.”
   2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (accepted).

Conference Presentations

• 2026 Poster:
  “Ultrasound-driven molecular activation in vivo.”
  NSF cMUSIC Meeting, Raleigh, NC.

• 2025 Poster:
  “Near-infrared-triggered nanodroplets for macrophage-targeted cancer immunotherapy.”
  Cancer Center at Illinois Student Poster Session, Urbana, IL.

• 2024 Poster:
  “Cancer killing effect of ultrasound-responsive mechanophore nanoparticles.”
  Cancer Research Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

• 2023 Poster:
  “In vivo mechanochemical dynamic cancer therapy using focused ultrasound-triggered mechanophores.”
  BMES Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

• 2023 Poster:
  “Non-invasive imaging of gut microbes with reversibly switchable photoacoustic protein.”
  BMES Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.

Invited Talks

• 2025 Talk:
  “Near-infrared-triggered nanodroplets for macrophage-targeted cancer immunotherapy.”
  Mechanochemical Dynamic Therapy Workshop, Cancer Center at Illinois, Urbana, IL.

• 2024 Talk:
  “Injectable mechanophore nanoparticles for deep-tissue mechanochemical dynamic therapy.”
  Bioengineering Graduate Research Symposium, UIUC, Urbana, IL.

• 2022 Panel:
  “Flying Across the Ocean: panel discussion of overseas research experiences.”
  Department of Environment, USTC, Hefei, Anhui, China.

Research Experience

2022 – Present

Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Developed ultrasound-responsive mechanophore nanocarriers and imaging-guided actuation strategies for controlled drug release and cancer therapy.
• Built bubble-nucleation and gas-vesicle integration methods to improve activation efficiency and localization.
• Mentored undergraduate researchers.

Jul – Oct 2021

Research Intern, The University of Edinburgh

• Designed plant E3 ubiquitin ligases to degrade pathogen effectors and improve plant immunity.

Jul – Oct 2020

Research Intern, McMaster University

• Developed a machine-learning method for molecular potential energy surface calculations.

Teaching Experience

Spring 2026

Teaching Assistant, BIOE 486 (Applied Deep Learning in Biomedical Imaging)
Department of Bioengineering, UIUC

• Developed and graded assignments.
• Supported PyTorch-based imaging pipelines during office hours.

Spring 2026; Fall 2025

Teaching Assistant, BIOE 303 (Quantitative Physiology Lab)
Department of Bioengineering, UIUC

• Led lab/discussion sections.
• Graded reports and provided feedback on analysis and scientific writing.

Fall 2025

Teaching Assistant, NE 431 (Neural Engineering Lab)
Department of Bioengineering, UIUC

• Supported lab instruction and troubleshooting.
• Graded assignments and reports.

Spring 2025; Fall 2024

Teaching Assistant, BIOE 210 (Linear Algebra for Biomedical Data Science)
Department of Bioengineering, UIUC

• Delivered lectures and MATLAB demonstrations.
• Hosted weekly office hours.

Fall 2023

Teaching Assistant, BIOE 306 (Biofabrication)
Department of Bioengineering, UIUC

• Led 3D bioprinting and biomaterial fabrication labs.
• Assisted with setup and data analysis.

Outreach & Service

June 2024

ECE Summer School, Urbana, IL

• Led lab tours and delivered hands-on demonstrations of an ultrasound imaging system.

April 2023; April 2024

Beckman Open House, Urbana, IL

• Designed and presented public-facing demonstrations on 3D printing and ultrasound-based “treasure hunting”.

July 2023

Discover ECE MS Day Camp, Urbana, IL

• Facilitated hands-on STEM activities for visiting students.

July 2020

Volunteer Instructor, “Zhuangmiao Program”, Chongzuo, Guangxi, China

• Delivered a two-week science and engineering curriculum for a rural primary-school cohort.