Education
2002.08 – 2008.11 PhD, Physics, McGill University, Canada
1998.09 – 2002.07 B.S., Physics, Jilin University, China
Research Experience
2017 – present Principal Investigator (Tenured), Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University
2016 – 2017 Associate Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong University
2013 – 2016 Marie-Curie Fellow, University of Oxford
2012 – 2013 Postdoctor, University of California Santa Barbara
2010 – 2012 Postdoctor, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign
2008 – 2010 Postdoctor, The Australian National University
Awards and Qualifications
2021 Elite graduate supervisor of Shenzhen University
2020 Supervisor of 100 excellent Undergraduate thesis of Shenzhen University
2019 Shenzhen Nanshan District Linghang Talent (Level C)
2018Shenzhen Overseas High-Level Talent (Peacock Plan; Level C)
2017 ‘One hundred youth talents’ of Shaanxi Province
2016 “Young Talent Support Plan” of Xi'an Jiaotong University (B level)
2013 Marie-Curie Fellow
Research Interests
Through colloid design and bulk synthesis, we develop active systems and investigate a range of interesting phenomena emerging in the bulk and under confinement. We employ a variety of advanced techniques, such as optical tweezing, structured light, electric/magnetic field, microfluidics, and intelligent feedback setup, aiming for precise control over structure, dynamics and transportation of matter at the micro/nanoscale. Our research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of self-propulsion and the principles of mutual interactions in active colloids, understanding and controlling self-organization, collective dynamics and odd flow properties of active matter. Active colloids are classic micro/nanorobots that show biomimetic functions such as locomotion, transportation, communication, cooperation and assembly, which have great promises in applications ranging from lab on a chip, medicines, sensing to environment.
Research tools and skills
Colloidal synthesis and functionalization, electric/magnetic field, optical microscopy, optical tweezing, structured light control, particle localization and tracking, rheology and micro-rheology, soft lithography and microfluidics, theory on diffusiophoresis, computer simulations and finite element analysis.
Research grants
Ongoing
2024-2026 The key Program of Guangdong Provincial Department of Education
2023-2025 The General Program of Natural Science Foundation of Shenzhen
2022-2023 The General Program of Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province
2020-2022 The Innovation Program of Guangdong Provincial Department of Education
2018-2021 The General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China
2019-2021 Shenzhen Overseas High-Level Talent Startup Fund
2018-2020 The Free Exploration Program of Natural Science Foundation of Shenzhen
Invited talk
Xiamen Soft Matter Forum, Xiamen, 2023.10.20-23
Title: Active turbulence and odd viscosity in a colloidal chiral active fluid
Micro-Nano Technology and Advanced Material Innovation Conference, Chongqing, 2023.06.10-12
Title: Self-propulsion mechanism and self-organization of chemically active colloids
Active Soft Matter Symposium, Hangzhou, 2023.04.21-23
Title: Active turbulence and odd viscosity in a colloidal chiral active fluid
Physics of living matter conference, Shantou, 2023.03.31-04.03
Title：Self-propulsion and self-organization via ionic diffusiophoresis
The 12thNational Soft Matter Conference, Wenzhou (online), 2022.10.28-30
Title: Self-propulsion mechanism and biomimetic transportation of chemically active colloids
Soft matter day, Southern University of Science and Technology, 2022.08.20
Title: Direct observation of microscopic mechanisms for normal grain coarsening kinetics
Xiamen Soft Matter Forum 2021 & ICAM-China 2021 Autumn Workshop, 2021.12.10-12.13
Title: Ionic Diffusiophoresis and Self-organization in Chemically Driven Active Colloids
Center for complex flows and soft matter research at Southern University of Science and Technology, 2021.09.29
Title：Self-propulsion mechanism and self-organization of chemically active colloids
Summer school on active matter, Westlake University, 2021.07.21
Title: Colloidal self-organization in and out of equilibrium
The 11thLiquid Matter Conference, Prague, the Czech Republic (online；Oral talk) 2021.07.18-23
Title：Self-organization of colloidal rotors
Active soft matter workshop for the 10thanniversary of Southern University of Science and Technology, 2020.11.21
Title：Synthesis and active dynamics of silver-based Janus colloidal motors
Summer school of active matter, Wenzhou University, 2020.05.18
Title：Self-organization of colloidal rods in and out of equilibrium
The 16thPacific Polymer Conference, Singapore, 2019.12.08-12
Title: Directed self-assembly into low-density colloidal liquid crystals
Active Soft Matter Symposium, Hangzhou, 2019.09.26
Title: Synthesis of efficient silver-based micromotors
Soft Matter Day, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2019.1.8
Title: Engineering colloidal rods for self-assembly and self-propulsion.
International Symposium on polymer and condensed matter physics, Shenzhen, 2017.11.9-11
Title: Structural disorder, filament growth, and self-poisoning in short rods confined onto a flat wall.
Playing Colloidal Mikado Symposium, Eindhoven, Netherland, 2016.2.17-18.
Title: Directed self-assembly into low-density colloidal liquid crystal phases.
Group member
Postdocs
Nan Yu, PhD in Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shah Zeb (Excellent Postdoc of SZU), PhD in Chemical Engineering, Jinan University
Ahmed Uddin, PhD in Environmental Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology
Muhammad Imran, PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University
Fahmeeda Kausar (Lixin Award of SZU), PhD in Chemistry, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Awais Mahmood (Lixin Award of SZU), PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Azhar Saeed (Lixin Award of SZU), PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Joscha Mercke (Oversea Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow of Guangdong), PhD in Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich/University of Cologne
Aijaz Ahmed Babar (Lixin Award of SZU), PhD in Engineering, Donghua University
PhD students
Aaranda Arooj, 2022
James Obed Nketsiah, 2022
Iqbal Nisa, 2023
Muhammad Nouman 2023
Sana Ullah 2023
Master Students
Jiayu Zhang, 2022
Ruiyao Li, 2022
Fukang Li, 2023
Guixu Liu, 2023
Undergraduate students
Xiyue Li, 2021
Zequ Chen, 2021
Ziwang Chenhe, 2022
Guo Yu, 2022
Siyu Peng, 2022
Publications (*corresponding author)
2023
9. Y Zhang, J Wu, Y Yang, Y Li, X Zhang & Y Gao*, under review.
8. S Zeb, R Hu, M Umair, W Khan, Z Khan, S Naz, M Imran, A Uddin and Y Gao*, under review in JMCC.
7. N Yu, ZH Shah, M Barsharat, S Wang, X Zhou, G Lin, SA Edwards, M Yang* and Y Gao*, Soft Matter, under revision.
6. N Yu, ZH Shah, M Yang* and Y Gao*, Research, under revision.
5. J Mecke, Y Gao*, CA Ramirez-Medina, DGAL Aarts, G Gompper and M Ripoll*, Communication Physics, 2023, 6, 324.
4. M Imran, A Islam, P Zhang, S Ahmed, S Zeb, A Uddin, Q ul Hassan, A Mahmood, Z Chen, M Afroz, F Ismail*, Y Gao*, Surfaces and Interfaces, 2023, 42, 103505.
3. A Uddin, A Rauf, H Luo, M Basharat, M Ikram, S Zeb, M Imran, Q Ul Hassan, Y Gao*, Applied Surface Science, 2023, 631, 157531.
2. M Ikram, G Pan, Q Hassan, M Basharat, Y Li, S Zeb and Y Gao*, Small, 2023,19, 2301625.
1. M Imran, A Islam, F Ismail, P Zhang, M Barsharat, M Ikram, A Uddin, S Zeb, Q Hassan* and Y Gao*, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 11, 109324.
2022
9. X Zhang, Z Chen, Y Li, X Li, R Li, J Zhang, M Imran and Y Gao*, JCIS open, 2022, 100071.
8. SE Ghellab, X Zhang, Y Yang, S Wang, M Basharat, X Zhou, L Lei, Y Zhou, Y Wang, H Fang and Y Gao*, Small,2022, 19, 2204260.
7. Y Li, S Wang, X Zhang and Y Gao*, JCIS open, 2022, 100061.
6. S Wang, L Zhou, Y Gao*, Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2022, 24, 10626-10627.
5. Y Mu, L Lei, J Zheng, W Duan, Z Wang, J Tang, Y Gao* and Y Wang*,ACS Nano, 2022, 16, 6801.
4. S Zeb, Y Cui, H Zhao, Y Sui, Z Yang, ZU Khan, SM Ahmad, M Ikram, Y Gao* and X Jiang*, ACS Appl Mater Interface, 2022, 14, 13836.
3. L Lei, S Wang, X Zhou, SE Ghellab, G Lin and Y Gao*, Frontiers in Chemistry, 2022, 10, 803906.
2. M Basharat, ZH Shah, M Ikram, SE Ghellab, Q Hassan, T Ilyas, L Lei, G Lin & Y Gao*, Small, 2022,18, 2107621.
1. QU Hassan, AI Channa, Q Zhai, G Zhu, Y Gao, N Ali, M Bilal, Chemosphere, 2022, 288, 132668.
2021
8. M Ikram, F Hu, G Peng, M Basharat, N Jabeen, P Ke and Y Gao*, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2021, 13, 51799.
7. X Zhou, S Wang, L Xian, Y Li, ZH Shah, G Lin & Y Gao*, PRL, 2021, 126, 168001.
6.S Wang, L Zhou, Y Gao*, Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2021, 23, 16501.
5. A Rastmaneh, MT Yaraki*, J Wu, Z Wang, P Ghoderao, Y Gao* & YN Tan*, Mol Syst Des Eng, 2021, 6, 566.
4. M Ikram, H Lv, Z Liu, K Shi*, Y Gao*, J Mater Chem A, 2021,9, 14722.
3. S Wang, L Zhou, X Wang, J Hu, L Pan, G Lin, Y Gao*, L Zhang*, C Wang*, Langmuir, 2021, 37, 7986.
2. L Lei, S Wang, X Zhang, W Lai, J Wu & Y Gao*, Chin Phys B, 2021, 30, 056112.
1. S Wang, Y Chen, X Zhou, L Lei, ZH Shah, G Lin & Y Gao*, Langmuir, 2021, 37, 1429.
2020
3. ZH Shah, S Wang, L Xian, X Zhou, Y Chen, G Lin & Y Gao*, Chem Comm, 2020, 56, 15301 (封面论文).
2. G Lin, L Xian, X Zhou, S Wang, ZH Shah, SA Edwards & Y Gao*, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2020, 15, 50512.
1. C Zhou, N Suematsu, Y Peng, Q Wang, X Chen, Y Gao & W Wang, ACS nano, 2020, 14, 5360.
Representative publications from the last three years
1. PRL, 2021, 126, 168001,Ionic Effects in Ionic Diffusiophoresis of Chemically Driven Active Colloids.
2. ACS Nano, 2022, 16, 6801, Binary Phases and Crystals Assembled from Active and Passive Colloids.
3. Communication Physics, 2023, 6, 324, Simultaneous emergence of active turbulence and odd viscosity in a colloidal chiral active system.
4. Small, 2023, 19, 2204260, Cell-Mimic Directional Cargo Transportation in a Visible-Light-Activated Colloidal Motor/Lipid Tube System.
5. Small, 2023, 19, 2301625, Photoactive and Intrinsically Fuel Sensing Metal Organic Framework Motors for Tailoring Collective Behaviors of Active-Passive Colloids.
6. Small, 2022, 18, 2107621, Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Copolymeric Colloids as Multicolor Emission, Fuel‐Free, UV‐and Visible‐Light‐Actuated Micropumps
7. Chem Comm, 2020, 56, 15301, Highly efficient chemically-driven micromotors with controlled snowman-like morphology.
8. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2021, 13, 51799, Light-Activated Fuel-Free Janus Metal Organic Framework Colloidal Motors for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions
Recruitment
We are always keen in recruiting highly motivated students and postdocs.
