News
June 12, 2023
Xiaoyu Zou successfully defended her thesis "Development and Characterization of Engineered Vocal Fold Tissue Models." Congratulations, Dr. Zou!
May 11, 2023
Aditya Natu is selected as one of two inaugural Rama Marda Scholars, a new graduate fellowship at UD. Congratulations, Aditya!
Feb 22, 2023
Apoorva Metkari is a recipient of the 2023–2024 UD Doctoral Fellowship for Excellence Award. Congratulations, Apoorva!
January 1, 2023
Samiksha Udan, Stephen Frazier and Chris Duda joined the Jia Group. Welcome Samiksha, Stephen and Chris!
June 8, 2022
Jiyeon Song successfully defended her thesis "A Bioorthogonal Hydrogel Platform for the Development of an Engineered Vocal Fold Tissue Model." Congratulations, Dr. Song!
May 25, 2022
Olivia George successfully defended her thesis "Novel Hydrogel Microfibers and Microparticles via Interfacial Bioorthogonal Tetrazine Ligation." Congratulations, Dr. George!
Feb 1, 2022
Daniel Slusaw and Nayantikakumari Chaudhari joined the Jia Group. Welcome Daniel and Nayantika!
August 10, 2021
He Zhang successfully defended his thesis "Interfacial Bioorthogonal Crosslinking for the Fabrication of Functional 3–D Networks." Congratulations, Dr. Zhang!
August 2, 2021
Eric successfully defended his thesis "Fine Tuning Matrix Structure and Bioactivity to Mediate 3D Assembly of Human Salivary Progenitor Cells." Congratulations, Dr. Fowler!
April 30, 2021
Our interdisciplinary project entitled "Bottom-Up Assembly of Functional Salivary Gland Tissues" has been funded by NIH. Collaborators on this grant include Drs. Joseph Fox (University of Delaware, Chemistry and Biochemistry), Jason Gleghorn (University of Delaware, Biomedical Engineering), Robert Witt (Helen F. Graham Cancer Center) and Kenneth Yamada (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research). We welcome interested graduate students and postdocs to join us. See the
NIH announcement
April 19, 2021
Our interdisciplinary project entitled "A Hydrogel-Based Cellular Model of the Human Vocal Fold" has been funded by NIH. Collaborators on this grant include Drs. Joseph Fox (University of Delaware, Chemistry and Biochemistry), Charles Dhong (University of Delaware, Materials Science and Engineering) and Susan Thibeault (U of Wisconsin Madison, Surgery). We welcome interested graduate students and postdocs to join us. See the
NIH announcement.
February 1, 2021
Emmett van Venrooy and Aditya Natu joined the Jia Group. Welcome Emmett and Aditya!
March 2020
Olivia George is a recipient of the 2019–2020 University Graduate Doctoral Fellowship. Congratulations, Olivia!
August 2020
We have received a new research award from The Delaware Bioscience Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) program.
August 13, 2019
Anitha successfully defended her thesis "Regulating Cell Phenotype and Function Using Custom–Designed Synthetic Matrices." Congratulations, Dr. Ravikrishnan!
May 30, 2019
Sarah successfully defended her thesis entitled "A 3D PHOTONIC SENSOR–INTEGRATED TISSUE MODELFOR STRAIN SENSING". Congratulations, Dr. Geiger!
March 19, 2019
Aidan successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled "Directing Stem Cell Behavior in an Engineered Vocal Fold–Like Microenvironment". Congratulations, Dr. Zerdoum!
March 5, 2019
Jiyeon Song is a recipient of the 2019–2020 University Graduate Doctoral Fellowship. Congratulations, Jiyeon!
March 5, 2019
Eric Fowler is a recipient of the 2019–2020 University Dissertation Fellowship. Congratulations, Eric!
June 24, 2018
Our poster presentation entitled “Bioactive Peptides Direct Salivary Gland Stem/Progenitor Cell Fates in a Synthetic Matrix” was recognized for the Best Poster Award at the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Multi-Scale Adhesion Mechanics and Signaling (June 23-24, 2018, Biddeford, ME). Eric Fowler and Anitha Ravikrishnan contributed equally to this work.
See the award.
March 21, 2018
Professor Xinqiao Jia received the 2018 ACS Delaware Section Award.
March 5, 2018
Anitha Ravikrishnan is a recipient of the 2018–2019 University Graduate Doctoral Fellowship Award. Congratulations, Anitha!
January 11, 2018
Kevin Dicker successfully defended his PhD thesis "Interfacial Bioorthogonal Crosslinking for the Fabrication of Functional Hydrogels." Congratulations, Dr. Dicker!
May 17, 2017
Dr. Xinqiao Jia is promoted to Full Professor.
January 26, 2016
Olivia George has been selected to receive the competitive NSF IGERT Fellowship. The IGERT Program at UD is a doctoral traineeship program for students interested in studying cells in engineered environments using systems biology tools. Congratulations, Olivia!
December 1, 2015
The National Institutes of Health awards an R01 grant entitled "A Hydrogel–Based Cellular Model of the Human Vocal Fold" to the University of Delaware. Led by Prof. Xinqiao Jia and in collaboration with Profs. Joseph Fox (UD), Randall Duncan (UD), Susan Thibeault (University of Wisconsin) and Luc Mongeau (McGill University), this project seeks to develop an
in vitro model of the human vocal fold using multilayered synthetic matrix with well–defined spatial gradients and tissue–like anisotropy and a dynamic culture device that recaptures the mechanical environments of the native tissue. The engineered tissue model can be used as a reliable platform for studying vocal fold physiology and pathology, as well as for the screening and testing of new treatment options.
Please see the UDaily article for full details.
August 21, 2015
Anitha Rankrishnan's confocal image capturing cells clustered on an electrospun fibrous scaffold won MSEG's 3rd Annual Art in Materials Contest (1st place winner). Congratulations, Anitha!
July 1, 2015
Our collaborative project with Drs. X. Lucas Lu, Joseph M. Fox and John Vorrasi, entitled "A Biomimetic Heterogeneous Synthetic Matrices for TMJ Condylar Cartilage Repair", has been funded by the Osteo Science Foundation.
Please see the UDaily article for full details.
March 11, 2015
Shuang Liu and Han Zhang's paper entitled "Meter–Long Multiblock Copolymer Microfibers via Interfacial Bioorthogonal Polymerization" has been accepted for publication in Advanced Materials. Congratulations, Shuang and Han!
Synopsis: High molecular weight multiblock copolymers are synthesized as robust polymer fibers via interfacial bioorthogonal polymerization employing the rapid cycloaddition of s–tetrazines with strained trans–cyclooctenes. When cell–adhesive peptide was incorporated in the tetrazine monomer, the resulting protein–mimetic polymer fibers provide guidance cues for cell attachment and elongation.
January 22, 2015
Vinu Krishnan successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled "Bioengineering Targeted Nanodrugs for Hematologic Malignancies". Congratulations, Dr. Krishnan!
April 16, 2014
Sarah Geiger has been awarded the 2014 George W. Laird Merit Fellowship. Congratulations, Sarah!
January 2014
ACS Polymer Science Podcast – Managing Editor, Paulomi Majumder, interviews Professor Xinqiao Jia about her article published in
Biomacromolecules on hydrogels containing drug depots with possible applications for osteoarthritis therapy.
November 13, 2013
Vinu Krishnan received the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) graduate award at the international Student Research Poster Presentation Competition held at ISPE's annual meeting in Washington, DC, November 3–6, 2013.
November 12, 2013
Xian Xu successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled "Engineered tumor models for the evaluation of nanoparticle–based cancer therapeutics". Congratulations, Dr. Xu!
November 6, 2013
Longxi Xiao's work on "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogels Containing Covalently Integrated Drug Depots" is featured on
ACS Weekly PressPac.
August 13, 2013
Longxi Xiao successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled "Mechano–Responsive Hydrogels Crosslinked by Reactive Block Copolymer Micelles". Congratulations, Dr. Xiao!
May 1, 2013
Our work on vocal fold repair using hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels is highlighted in ENT Today, a publication of the Triological Society.
Read the article.
May 1, 2013
The Jia Group welcomes our new postdocs: Drs. Shuang Liu and Sam Lahasky.
April 15, 2013
Xian Xu won the 2013 MSEG Research Award. Congratulations, Xian!
February 11, 2013
Xian Xu's paper entitled "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogels: from a Natural Polysaccharide to Complex Networks" is one of the top 10 accessed Soft Matter articles of 2012. Congratulations Xian!
October 26, 2012
Longxi Xiao's paper "Mechano–Responsive Hydrogels Crosslinked by Block Copolymer Micelles" is one of the top 10 most–read Soft Matter articles in September.
October 5, 2012
Xian Xu's paper entitled "Recreating the Tumor Microenvironment in a Bilayer, Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Construct for the Growth of Prostate Cancer Spheroids" has been highlighted in Prostate cell News (3.37, September 28) and Extracellular Matrix News (3.37, October 4), both published by Connexon Creative. Congratulations, Xian!
September 14, 2012
Kevin Dicker has been awarded the College of Engineering Gore Fellowship to conduct cutting edge research at the interface of materials and biology. Congratulations, Kevin!
August 24, 2012
Xian Xu has been selected for a TA Instruments Graduate Student Presentation Award for his talk at the Polymeric Biomaterial Symposium at The 244th American Chemical Society Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Congratulations, Xian!
August 19, 2012
Xinqiao Jia is the Thematic Program Chair of the 244th American Chemical Society National Meeting. The central theme of this meeting is Materials for Health and Medicine.
July 27, 2012
Lisa Gurski successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis entitled "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogel Systems for Mechanistic Studies of Prostate Cancer Metastasis". Congratulations Dr. Gurski!
April 20, 2012
Xian Xu's paper entitled "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogels: from a Natural Polysaccharide to Complex Networks" has been identified as a ‘hot article’ for Soft Matter. Congratulations Xian!
April 13, 2012
Longxi Xiao is the winner of 2012 MSEG Chairman's Award. Congratulations, Longxi!
March 20, 2012
Xian Xu is awarded the competitive UD Graduate Fellowship for the 2012/2013 academic year. Congratulations, Xian!
December 12, 2011
Sarah Grieshaber successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis entitled "Tunable Elastin–Mimetic Multiblock Hybrid Copolymers for Biomedical Applications". Congratulations Dr. Grieshaber!
December 9, 2011
Alexandra Farran successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis entitled "Tissue Engineering of Vocal Fold Lamina Propria". Congratulations Dr. Farran!
November 14, 2011
Sarah Grieshaber is selected to present her work at the "Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research" Symposium sponsored by the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry (POLY). The symposium will take place at the San Diego ACS meeting on March 25–26, 2012. The title of Sarah's presentation is "Tunable Elastin–Mimetic Multiblock Hybrid Copolymers for Biomedical Applications". Congratulations Sarah!
May 14, 2011
Alexandra Farran and Sarah Grieshaber received 2011 MSEG Chairman's Award and Teaching Award, respectively.
May 11, 2011
Xinqiao Jia was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure.
March 3, 2011
Xinqiao Jia, together with Joseph Fox (Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry), won the University of Delaware Research Foundation (UDRF) Strategic Initiative grant. The goal of this project is to synthesize hybrid, multiblock polymers by condensation polymerization employing tetrazine ligation. "
University of Delaware Research Foundation awards nine projects", UDaily
November 17, 2010
Amit Jha was selected to present his work at the "Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research" Symposium sponsored by the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry (POLY). The symposium will take place at the Anaheim ACS meeting on Monday, March 28, 2011. The title of Amit's presentation is "Engineered Extracellular Matrices for Soft Tissue Engineering". Congratulations Amit!
October 26, 2010
Amit Jha successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogel Particles and Doubly Crosslinked Networks for Soft Tissue Regeneration". Congratulations Dr. Jha!
June 3, 2010
Xinqiao Jia delivered an invited lecture entitled "Molecular design of functional biomaterials for biomedical applications" at the International Symposium on Polymer Chemistry, PC 2010 in Suzhou, China.
May, 2010
Longxi Xiao won the MSEG Teaching Award for his excellent performance as a teaching assistant for MSEG 630/CHEG600.
April 7, 2010
Xinqiao Jia was named the 2010 Outstanding Junior Faculty Member for the College of Engineering.
June 26, 2010
Adyta Bose successfully defended his senior thesis entitled "Synthesis and Characterization of Block Copolymer Nanoparticles for the Controlled Release of Cancer Therapeutics".
June, 15, 2010
Amit Jha’s paper entitled "Hierarchically Structured, Hyaluronic Acid–Based Hydrogel Matrices via the Covalent Integration of Microgels into Macroscopic Networks" was accepted for publication in a themed issue on "Tissue Engineering", jointly published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journals, Journal of Materials Chemistry and Soft Matter, online, DOI 10.1039/c0sm00101e.
April 18, 2010
Xiaoying Wang’s paper entitled "Amphiphilic Block Co–polyesters Bearing Pendant Cyclic Ketal Groups as Nanocarriers for Controlled Release of Camptothecin" was accepted for publication on Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition.
August 19, 2009
Xinqiao Jia delivered an invited talk entitled "Engineering Artificial Extracellular Matrices for Biomedical Applications" at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Washington, DC.
April 2009
Xinqiao Jia gave an invited talk entitled "Synthesis and Characterization of Elastin Mimetic Hybrid Polymers with Alternating Molecular Architecture and Elastomeric Properties", at the Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting in San Francisco, CA.
January, 2009
Xinqiao Jia delivered an invited lecture entitled "Hyaluronic Acid–Based Doubly Crosslinked Networks for Vocal Fold Tissue Regeneration" at the Gordon Research Conference (GRC): Macromolecular Materials in Ventura, CA.
October 28, 2008
Xinqiao Jia, together with 10 other researchers at UD, won a $10.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish UD’s Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) focusing on molecular Design of Advanced Biomaterials.
November 2008
Megan Wood's work on elastin–mimetic hydrogels highlighted in ASBMB Today, a monthly publication of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
September 22, 2008
Sarah Grieshaber and Alexandra Farran’s work on the synthesis of elastin mimetic hybrid polymers and the engineering of functional vocal folds highlighted in the American Chemical Society weekly magazine, Chemical & Engineering News, "
Hybrid Polymers for Healing Voices".
April 24, 2008
Research in the Jia Group highlighted at CNN, "Help for Damaged Vocal Cords", Health News–Medicine, Diet, Fitness and Parenting, CNN
June 14, 2007
Xinqiao Jia receives a five–year, $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders to develop technologies for the regeneration of vocal fold tissues. Link: Vocal Harmony, News Journal; "
New UD Tissue–Engineering Research Focuses on Vocal Cords" UDaily.
