Funding

2020-2021 | National Science Foundation | “RAPID: Developing a novel biosensor for rapid, direct and selective detection of COVID-19 using DNA aptamer-nanopore”

2019-2021 | Discovery Fund, Department of Chemistry | “Developing Genome Editing Tools using DNAzymes”

2019-2020 | Office of Undergraduate Research Faculty Development Grant | “The iScience Model: Strengthening the Link between Science Curricula and Students’ Interests and Individuality”

2019-2021 | Cancer Center at Illinois | “Next generation Cancer Imaging Using Super-resolution Ultrasound Microscopy Combined with Photoacoustic Tomography” (subcontract: PI-Pengfei Song)

2019-2023 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Biosynthetic Models of Heteronuclear Metalloenzymes in Multi-electron Processes”

2018-2020 | Illinois-JITRI Institute | “Novel DNAzyme Sensors for On-site and Real-time Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contaminants”

2018-2021 | National Institute of Health | “Phase II of Telemonitoring of Invasive Fungal Infections” using a Blood Glucose Meter (subcontract: PI-Tian Lan)

2018-2022 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Broadband X-ray Fluorescence Emission Tomography” (co-PI; PI-Ling-Jian Meng)

2017-2022 | Department of Energy | Office of Biological and Environmental Research Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproduct Innovation (CABBI)

2017-2021 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Selection and sensing applications of DNAzymes selective for paramagnetic metal ions”

2017-2021 | National Science Foundation | “Deeper Understanding of Factors that Fine-tune Redox Potentials of Metalloproteins and Applying the Insights to Modulate their Functional Properties”

2018-2019 | Sandia National Lab-UIUC Academic Alliance | “Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic Characterization of Organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) with Unnatural Amino Acid Substitution

2018-2019 | National Institute of Health (R43) | “Point-of-care assay using Blood Glucose Meter for early warning of chronic lung rejection” (subcontract: PI-Tian Lan)

2015-2019 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Biosynthetic Models of Heteronuclear Metalloenzymes in Multi-electron Processes”

2016-2019 | National Institute of Health (R21) | “Novel DNAzyme sensors for lithium and sodium to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms of lithium treatment of bipolar disorder”

2017-2018 | National Institute of Health | “Telemonitoring of Invasive Fungal Infections using a Blood Glucose Meter”

2017-2018 | National Institute of Health (R43) | “A rapid and portable test for home monitoring of phenylalanine levels by patients with phenylketonuria using a blood glucose meter”

2014-2017 | National Science Foundation | “Tuning Redox Potentials of Metal Centers in a Single Protein”

2016-2017 | National Institute of Health (R41) | “Developing an Affordable and Pocketable POC Device for Monitoring Lithium and Sodium in Patients with Bipolar Disorder”

2013-2015 | National Science Foundation | “SBIR Phase II: A Novel Device for Convenient Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Tacrolimus”

2013-2015 | Mayo Clinic-University of Illinois Strategic Alliance | “Using the widely available glucometer for point of care monitoring of lactic acidosis”

2010-2014 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Biosynthetic Protein Models of Heme-copper Oxidases and Nitric Oxide Reductases”

2013-2014 | National Institute of Health | “Low cost quantitative monitoring of kidney injury biomarkers using a glucometer” SBIR Phase I grant (subaward)

2011-2014 | National Science Foundation | “A Biosynthetic Approach toward Biomimetic Studies of Metalloproteins Involved in Long-range Electron Transfer”

2008-2013 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Selection, Characterization & Application of Paramagnetic Metal-specific DNAzymes”

2011-2014 | Department of Energy | “New Catalytic DNA Biosensors for Radionuclides and Metal Ions”

2006-2013 | National Science Foundation | “Active control of nano- and microfluidic systems and its application in chemical and biosensing” (under UIUC NSF Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS))

2003-2013 | National Science Foundation | “New Catalytic DNA Biosensors for Trace Contaminants in Water” (under UIUC NSF Science and technology Center of Advanced Materials for the Purification of Water with Systems —ICTII co-leader)

2011-2012 | National Science Foundation (I-CORPS program) | “Portable sensors using the widely available personal glucose monitor “

2010-2012 | Department of Defense Construction Engineering Research Lab | “Development of Sensors for Detection and Identification of Mold”

2006-2011 | National Science Foundation | “A Biosynthetic Approach toward Biomimetic Studies of Metalloproteins Involved in Long-range Electron Transfer”

2006-2010 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Biosynthetic Protein Models of Heme-copper Oxidases and Nitric Oxide Reductases”

2008-2010 | National Institute of Health STTR Phase II grant (R42) | “Catalytic DNA Biosensor for Toxic Metal Ions”

2009-2010 | Illinois Sustainable Technology Center | “In-vitro selection of DNA aptamers for the detection of endotoxins”

2009-2010 | UIUC Provost’s Initiative on Teaching Advancement (PITA) | “Implementation and In-depth Evaluation of the Chemistry Enrichment Program”

2005-2009 | Department of Defense | “Metal Ion Sensor with Catalytic DNA in a Nanofluidic Intelligent Processor” (under DoD SERDP program, joint with Drs. Cropek and Bohn)

2008-2009 | UIUC Provost’s Initiative on Teaching Advancement (PITA) | “Large-scale Implementation of Enrichment Program for Chemistry Courses”

2002-2009 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professors Program | “A New Integrated Approach to Undergraduate Course Instruction”

2007-2009 | Prostate Cancer Foundation | “Aptazyme-Actuated Invertible Liposomes for Targeted Prostate Cancer Therapy” (co-PI with Drs. Jianjun Cheng and Gerard Wong)

2003-2011 | National Science Foundation | “Design and Engineering Proteins and Nucleic Acids and Their Applications in Directed Assembly of Nanostructures” (under RPI-UIUC NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center on Directed Assembly of Nanostructures)

2003-2008 | Department of Defense | “Self-Assembly of 3-D Multifunctional Ceramic Composites for Photonics and Sensors” (under UIUC DOD MURI Program)

2006-2008 | Environmental Protection Agency SBIR Phase II | “Development of a reliable, lost-cost and user-friendly spot test kit for leaded dusts based on recent advances in bionanotechnology”

2007-2008 | National Institute of Health STTR Phase I | “Allosteric DNAzyme sensors for practical detection of mycotoxins” (PI: Scott Silverman)

2006-2008 | Department Housing and Urban Development | “A New Colorimetric Spot Test Method for Lead in Household Paint Based on Catalytic DNA-Nanoparticles”

2007-2008 | UIUC Provost’s Initiative on Teaching Advancement (PITA) | “The Chemistry 199L Modules Implementation Plan”

2004-2007 | Department of Energy | “New Catalytic DNA Biosensors for Radionuclides and Metal Ions”

2006-2007 | Department of Defense STTR Phase I | “Colorimetric Sensors for Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents”

2003-2006 | Illinois Waste Management and Research Center | “New Catalytic DNA Fluorescent and Colorimetric Sensors for On-site, Real-Time Monitoring of Industrial and Drinking Water”

2005-2006 | National Institute of Health STTR Phase I | “Catalytic DNA Biosensor for Toxic Metal Ions”

2005-2006 | Environmental Protection Agency SBIR Phase I | “Development of a reliable, lost-cost and user-friendly spot test kit for leaded paint and dust based on recent advances in bionanotechnology”

2003-2005 | Department Housing and Urban Development | “A New Colorimetric Spot Test Method for Lead in Household Paint and Dust based on DNAzyme-nanoparticles”

2001-2005 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Designing Heteronuclear Metalloenzymes”

2002-2005 | National Science Foundation | “A Biosynthetic Approach Toward Biomimetic Studies of Metalloproteins Involved in Long-range Electron Transfer”

2001-2004 | Department of Energy | “New Catalytic DNA Biosensors for Radionuclides and Metal Ions”

1998-2000 | National Science Foundation Special Creativity Extension Award | “A Protein-Analog Approach to Biomimetic Studies of Metalloenzymes”

1995-2000 | National Institute of Health (R01) | “Metalloribozymes: a New Class of Metalloenzymes”

1999-2004 | Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award | “Structural characterization and engineering of metalloproteins and metalloribozymes”

1998-2000 | Alfred P. Sloan Foundation | “Building a Metal Bridge between Chemistry and Biology”

1997-1999 | Research Corporation | “Spectroscopic Study of Metal-binding Sites in Ribozymes: A New Class of Metalloenzymes”

1996-1998 | Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation | “Metalloribozymes: a New Class of Metalloenzymes”

1996-1998 | Sloan Center for Asynchronous Learning Environments, UIUC | “Use of the Asynchronous Learning Network to Improve the Instruction of the Accelerated Chemistry Laboratory I”

1995-1998 | National Science Foundation Career Award | “A Protein-Analog Approach to Biomimetic Studies of Metalloenzymes”

1995-1997 | American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund | “Metal-binding Sites in Ribozymes: Spectroscopic Studies of a New Class of Metalloenzymes”