Dr Ruirui Qiao

NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow

Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
r.qiao@uq.edu.au
+61 7 344 31295

Overview

Dr Ruirui Qiao is a Group leader and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland. Dr Qiao received her BSc (2005) and MSc (2007) in Peking University and was a tenured associate professor (2016–2017) and assistant professor (2009–2015) at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where she received her PhD in 2014. In 2017, she joined ARC Centre of Bio-Nano Science (CBNS), Monash University as a project co-leader. Currently, she leads a nanobiotechnology research group at AIBN, focusing on the development of functional nanohybrids toward biomedical and clinical translations.

Dr Qiao has made significant contributions to both research fields with work in synthetic methodology development, surface functionalisation, enhancing the physical properties of inorganic nanoparticles, as well as bioapplications in molecular imaging and drug delivery. She has publushed >100 peer reviewed articles in international top refereed journals such as Science, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, Chemistry of Materials, Advanced Materials, Polymer Chemistry, and so on., with citation >7000 times (H-index = 42). Her current research focuses on the development of advanced polymer/inorganice hybrid materials, employing cutting-edge technologies such as inorganic nanoparticle synthesis, polymer synthesis, PET-RAFT, and 3D/4D printing. Her group aims to harness these advanced materials for various biomedical applications, including disease diagnosis, drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering, antibacterial solutions, and soft robotics.She received NHMRC Investigator Grant (2020) and UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award (2021).

She is currently serving in Editorial Borad and Associate Editor of Science Advances (AAAS), Journal of Nanobiotechnology and Cancer Nanotechnology (BMC, Part of Spring Nature), and Guest Editors of Biosensors and Frontier in Pharmacology.

Dr Qiao is looking for highly motivated Ph.D. students, and highly competitive full scholarship can be provided. The University of Queensland ranks in the top 50 as measured by the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities. The University also ranks 45 in the QS World University Rankings, 52 in the US News Best Global Universities Rankings, 60 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 55 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Research Impacts

Dr Qiao displays excellence in communication and community engagement by actively promoting an understanding of science through impactful outreach activities. For example, as the co-Chair of AIBN EMCA committee, she played a key role in organising the AIBN Career Development Week, which serves as a platform for inspiring the next generation of scientists and promoting STEM education. Additionally, she participated in the AIBN GEDC Women in Science Panel, where she shared her career path to promote diversity in STEM fields.

Furthermore, her participation in media interviews and public talks has helped raise awareness about complex scientific topics, making them more accessible to the general public. For example, her research projects on 4D printing soft robots and seawater-degradable plastics have been featured in numerous media outlets, including COSMOS Magazine, Australian Manufacturing Magazine, and the Sydney Morning Herald.

The impact of Dr Qiao's communication efforts is underscored by the wide audience reach of her media releases, with 190,000 people reached across radio, 580,000 across print, and 15.6 million online. Overall, her communication engagements have made a meaningful impact on promoting an understanding of science in the community, particularly in encouraging participation in STEM and enhancing scientific literacy.

Qualifications

  • Doctoral Diploma of Natural Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Science
  • Masters (Research) of Medicinal Chemistry, Peking University
  • Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University

Publications

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Grants

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Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Qiao, Ruirui, Wang, Kun and Zhong, Jian (2018). Tumor-penetrating peptides. Peptide Applications in Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Bioengineering. (pp. 371-386) Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-100736-5.00014-4

  • Qiao, Ruirui, Gao, Mingyuan and Galla, Hans-Joachim (2015). Nanoparticles: important tools to overcome the blood-brain barrier and their use for brain imaging. Soft matter nanotechnology: from structure to function. (pp. 109-130) edited by Xiaodong Chen and Harald Fuchs. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley. doi: 10.1002/9783527682157.ch04

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

Completed Supervision