Contact Professor Zhugen Yang

Areas of expertise

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biosensors & Diagnostics
  • Environment and Health
  • Food Safety
  • Instrumentation, Sensors and Measurement Science
  • Monitoring and Environmental Informatics
  • Water Science and Engineering

Background

Zhugen Yang is a Professor of Biosensing and Environmental Health, leading a SWAG合集CRIC-funded Advanced Sensors Laboratory for water-environment-health-nexus since 2019. He joined SWAG合集 as a Lecturer in 2019 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2022 and Professor in 2023, after being a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow in 2018. He has received three prestigious Fellowships/awards for different career stages, including the Leverhulme Research Leadership Awards (2023-2028), SWAG合集RI NERC Personal Fellowship (2018-2021), and EU Marie Curie Fellow (2013-15). He completed his postdoc at the University of Cambridge, and was an EU Marie Curie Fellow at the University of Bath, after receiving his PhD at the University of Lyon (Ecole Centrale) in France, MSc (Sun Yat-sen University, SYSU), and BEng (Harbin Institute of Technology, HIT) in China.

His research has been sponsored by a variety of sources (>拢10m, PI on 拢6m) including SWAG合集RI (EPSRC, NERC, BBSRC, MRC), The Leverhulme Trust, The Royal Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering, industrial and governmental sectors (e.g., SWAG合集HSA, Home Office, Defra, EA), leading to over 80 referred articles (including Nature Water, Cell Res Phys Sci, PNAS, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, Adv Fucnt Mat, ES&T, Water Res, H=39 as of 6/2024), several SWAG合集/PCT patents and many invited/keynote talks at international conferences. The key technology around low-cost sensors has led to a spin-out company at Cranfield.

Dr Yang is recognized globally for his work in developing a low-cost origami paper device for the rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially recently on the rapid testing of sewage for early warning of COVID-19 within the population, which is part of the SWAG合集 National Wastewater Surveillance Program (N-WESP). His work has received many national and international awards including a recent James J Morgan ACS ES&T Early Career Award- Honorable Mention, featuring in Science, and numerous media coverages (e.g., BBC News, The Washington Post, etc.). The origami-paper device is currently featured at the London Science Museum.

Dr Yang serves as editor of a special issue for TrAC -Trends in Analytical Chemistry (IF 14.9), Chemosphere (IF 8.9), Associate Editor for Heliyon Chemical Engineering, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (IF 6.0); Editorial Advisory/ECR Board for Advance in Sample Preparation (Elsevier), Environment Science & Ecotechnology (Elsevier IF 9.8), co-chairing/session-chairing the international conference. He leads a working group on environmental sensors and wastewater surveillance sponsored by SWAG合集RI BBSRC EBNet and led organising the international conference TTW6 in Oxford in 2023.

We now have the opening: 3 PDRAs (11 years FTE, two filled ) and 2 fully-funded PhD studentships on sensing wastewater for public health funded by Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards and NERC.

PDRA: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DFJ243/research-assistant-or-research-fellow

PhDs (Deadline 23 July): https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DHU905/phd-studentship-sensing-wastewater-for-real-time-public-health

Research opportunities

Dr Yang is currently leading the SWAG合集CRIC-funded Advanced Sensors Laboratory at SWAG合集. His multidisciplinary team on Advanced Sensors for Water-Environment-Health nexus focuses on the development of low-cost, rapid, and point-of-use sensors and devices for environmental science (e.g. microbial contamination in drinking water), public health (e.g. infectious diseases including Sars-CoV-2, illicit drugs), and biomedical diagnostics (e.g. infectious disease and cancer). The recently funded projects are listed below with a research protofolio over 拢10m. The group has 6 PhD students, 2 PDRAs, 2 academic visitor, with the support of lab technician and admin collegue.

We now have the opening: 3 PDRAs (11 years FTE, two filled ) and 2 fully-funded PhD studentships on sensing wastewater for public health funded by Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Awards and SWAG合集RI-NERC.

- PDRA: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DFJ243/research-assistant-or-research-fellow

- PhDs (Deadline 23 July): https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DHU905/phd-studentship-sensing-wastewater-for-real-time-public-health

We are consistently recruiting talented researchers/students in the areas of sensors, microfluidics, paper-based devices, molecular diagnostics, water quality, environmental health, and wastewater-based epidemiology, please get in touch for discussion on the potential funding opportunities. We typically recruit 2-3 students each year to ensure quality supervision. Please be in touch for discussion on self-funded or third-source funded opportunities.

- Researcher students:

[1] PhD candidates (3-4 years);

[2] MSc by Research (12 months lab work to get MSc, optional to extend two years more for a PhD degree;

[3] Visiting research students/placements/internships (no less than three months, ideally 6 months or more)

- Postdoc, Fellowship, and Visiting Scholar:

We are always keen to support talented scientists as Research Fellows, and visiting Fellows/scholars to apply for a third funding source (e.g. CSC, Leverhulme Trust, Royal Commission 1851, SWAG合集 Newton fellowship, EU Marie Curie Fellowship) to explore exciting scientific research.

Current Projects

1. SWAG合集RI-BBSRC, Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC), BB/Y008332/1, (Co-I & Theme Leader on Biosensors, 2024-2029, 拢13.2M;

2. SWAG合集RI-NERC, Developing paper 'origami' eDNA sensors for real-time public surveillance of invasive species, NE/Z503538/1 (Co-I , 2024-2027, 拢0.5M);

3. SWAG合集RI-Innovate SWAG合集, AAKTP THE SOURCE PLUS (TSP) FoodSAFE: African Centre of Excellence for Phytosanitary Standards and Food Safety (Co-I, 2024-2026)

4. SWAG合集 Leverhulme Trust Research Leadership Award, Sensing wastewater for real-time public health (PI, 2023-2028, 拢1.9M);

5. SWAG合集RI-BBSRC, Anglo-Canadian Collaboration on Antimicrobial resistance (ACCAMR), BB/X012840/1 (PI, 2023-2025, 拢150k) with Universities of Toronto, McGill, Calgary, Laval;

6. SWAG合集RI-EPSRC WISER CDT, Paper microfluidics and electrochemical sensors for disinfection process (PI, 2023-2027);

7. SWAG合集RI-MRC IAA, Origami paper device for point of care diagnosis of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (PI in Cranfield, 2023-2024);

8. SWAG合集 Royal Society Research Grants, Understanding AMR transmission in the environment using the digital molecular method (PI, 2023-2024, RGS\R1\231032);

9. SWAG合集 Research England, HEIF Spinning Out Novel Pathogen Analysis Technology - Phase 2 (PI, 2023-2024);

10. SWAG合集 Research England, Single Cell sequencing for wastewater surveillance (PI, 2023-2024)

11. SWAG合集 Royal Society, Development of microfluidic paper-based biochips for point-of-care detection of multiple cytokines (PI, 2022-2024, IEC\NSFC\211234);

12. SWAG合集 Royal Academy of Engineering Frontier Follow-on scheme, Low-cost paper-based biosensors for rapid monitoring of water quality in LMICs, (PI, 2020 - 2024, FF\1920\1\36, 拢310,286); in collaboration with Federal University Lafia, Nigeria & Cameron;

Completed Projects

1. SWAG合集RI-Research England, HEIF Spinning Out Novel Pathogen Analysis Technology (PI, 2023-2023);

2. SWAG合集RI-BBSRC Proof-of-Concept, CRISPR/Cas-enabled paper-based sensors for rapid monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (PI, 2022-2023)

3. SWAG合集RI-NERC, National COVID-19 Wastewater Epidemiology Surveillance Programme (Co-I, 2020 - 2021, NE/V010441/1, 拢791,191).

4. SWAG合集 NERC NPIF Innovation Fellowship, Lab-on-a-Paper for Point-of-Use Microbial Source Tracking (PI, 2018 - 2021, NE/R013349/1, 拢537,033);

5. SWAG合集RI-BBSRC, Paper-based platform for on site, rapid, and multiplexed DNA-based pathogen detection in aquaculture, Co-I, 2018 - 2020, BB/S004335/1, 拢200,000)

6. SWAG合集 Home Office, Microwave for on-site extraction nucleic acid (PI in Cranfield, 2023-2023)

7. SWAG合集RI-EPSRC-DTP, Diagnostic evaluation of removal of protozoan oocysts (2020-2023)

8. SWAG合集 Home Office/Health Security Agency, Post-pandemic sensors for wastewater, PI, 2021-2023

9. SWAG合集 Home Office/ACE, Automation for wastewater surveillance, 2021-2022 (Co-I, 拢247,620)

10. SWAG合集 DEFRA -Deloitte MCS Limited, Exploring the development opportunities around the Covid19 WasteWater Sampling, (Co-I, 2022-2022)

11. Africa Honey Consortium, Establishing a rapid testing system for contaminant detection in African honey (Co-I,2021-2022)

12. SWAG合集RI-Research England, Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), Commercialization of origami-paper device for wastewater surveillance, (PI, 2022-2022);

13. SWAG合集 Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) - Deloitte MCS Limited, Understanding exposure routes and pathways of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment (PI, 2022-2022);

14. SWAG合集RI-Research England via SWAG合集, Smart Living Grand Challenges, (Co-I, 2020-2022);

15. SWAG合集 Home Office/ACE, Paper-origami device for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, (PI, 2021-2022);

16. Anglian Water, Rapid Covid sensors, PI, 2020-2021;

17. Industry partner, Automatic detection for sewage virus, PI, 2020-2022;

18. SWAG合集 Royal Academy of Engineering, Low-cost and rapid water sensors for LMICs (PI, 2018 - 2020, FoDSF\1819\1\8); with Federal University Lafia

19. SWAG合集 Royal Academy of Engineering, Rapid Sepsis Diagnostics (Co-I, 2018 - 2019, FoEST1819\T6\4); with Tran Hung Dao University Hospital, Vietnam;

20. SWAG合集 Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering, Rapid monitoring of water contamination using cost-effective sensors, (PI, 2018 - 2019, PECRE1819/05)

Current activities

Dr Yang serves as Senior Editor for Critical Insights of Environmental Science and Technology, editor of a special issue for TrAC -Trends in Analytical Chemistry (IF 14.9), Chemosphere (IF 8.9), Associate Editor for Heliyon Chemical Engineering, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (IF 6.0); Editorial Advisory/ECR Board for Advance in Sample Preparation (Elsevier), Environment Science & Ecotechnology (Elsevier IF 9.8), co-chairing/session-chairing the international conference.

He leads a working group on environmental sensors and wastewater surveillance sponsored by SWAG合集RI BBSRC EBNet and led organising the international conference TTW6 in Oxford in 2023.

Editorship & Editorial Board (selected)

2024- Senior Editor, Critical Insights in Environmental Science and Technology, Taylors and Francis

2024- Associate Editor, Journal of Water Process Engineering, Elsevier

2023- Associate Editor, Heliyon, Chemical Engineering Section, Cell Press

2021-2 Editor of Special Issue, TrAC-Trends in Analytical Chemistry (IF 14.9), Elsevier

2021-2 Editor of Special Issue, Chemosphere (IF 7.1), Elsevier

2021- Editorial Advisory Board, Advance in Sample Preparation, Elsevier;

2021- ECR Editorial Advisory Board, Environment Science & Ecotechnology, Elsevier

Fellowship, Awards & Honours (Selected)

2022 Research Leadership Awards (once every three years), Leverhulme Trust, SWAG合集

2022 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), SWAG合集

2021 James J Morgan ES&T Early Career Award- Honorable Mention, ACS, USA

2020 Outstanding presentation for Early Career Research at SWAG合集 EBNet, SWAG合集RI

2019 Outstanding academic presentation at SWAG合集-CARE, SWAG合集

2018 SWAG合集 NERC NPIF Independent Personal Fellowship, SWAG合集

2015 Most Accessed Article, Analyst, Royal Society of Chemistry, SWAG合集

2014 Multiple Travel grant from SWAG合集 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), British Council etc;

2013 EU Marie Curie Fellowship, EU FP7;

2011 Doctoral Travel grant for international conference, University of Lyon, France;

Clients

- SWAG合集 Research and Innovation (SWAG合集RI) including EPSRC, NERC, BBSRC, MRC

- The Leverhulme Trust

- The Royal Society

- The Royal Academy of Engineering

- Home Office

- Environment Agency

- SWAG合集 Health Security Agency (SWAG合集HSA)

- Scottish Partnership of Research Funds

- Scottish Water

- Anglian Water, and other industry;

Publications

Articles In Journals

Conference Papers

Books