Welcome to the Li research group! We are a bioanalytical chemistry research group homed at the Department of Chemistry, Brock University. We aim to develop novel analytical tools to address meaningful biological and biomedical questions. Our lab is located at Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, a wonderful place for conducting transdisciplinary research and just a short drive from Niagara Falls!


2019-10-07 Our paper on "Systematic investigation of quantitative paper-based DNA reader (qPDR) for distance-based quantification of nucleic acids and mercury ions" has been accepted by Analytical Methods! This is an invited contribution in "Analytical Methods Emerging Investigator Series". Congratulations to William and Alex!

2019-09-03 Our paper on "Naked-eye detection of grapevine re-blotch viral infection using a plasmonic CRISPR Cas12a assay" has been accepted by Analytical Chemistry! Congratulations to Yongya and Hayam!

2019-06-25 Our paper on "Probing and controlling dynamic interactions at biomolecule-nanoparticle interfaces using stochastic DNA walkers" has been accepted by ACS Nano! Congratulations to Sean, Alex, and Peng!

2019-02-28 Congratulations to Mateo who has made it to the Top 15 of the national NSERC Science Action video competition! Mateo is the only and first undergraduate representing Brock in this competition.

2019-02-01 Our invited review on "Shaping up field-deployable nucleic acid testing using microfluidic paper-based analytical devices" has been accepted by Analytical and Bioanaltyical Chemistry. Congratulations to William and ALex!

2018-09-01 Our review on "Emerging bioanalytical applications of DNA walkers" has been accepted by Trends in Analytical Chemistry. Congratulations to Sean and Yanan!

2018-07-02 Our paper on "Simulation-guided engineering of an enzyme-powered three dimensional DNA nanomachine for discrminating single nucleotide variants" has been accepted by Chemical Science. Congratulations to Yongya and Alex!

2018-06-15 Our paper on "Binding-induced molecular amplifier as a universal platform for biomolecules and biomolecular interaction" has been accepted by Analytical Chemistry!

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2018-04-18 Congratulations to Dr. Li in receiving the Early Researcher Award from Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, Government of Ontario. Find out the news release at [Brock News].

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2018-04-12 Congratulations to Alex in receiving the prestigious Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Award!

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2018-01-22 Our paper on "Paper-Based DNA Reader for Visualized Quantification of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections" has been published in ACS Sensors. Find out the news release at Brock News, Lab Manager, Genomeweb, 360Dx, Niagara Now and St. Catharines Standards*. Congratulations to Alex, Tianyu, and Hayam!

2017-11-16 Our research has been featured at Biotechnology Focus. Find it in the link here: https://biotechnologyfocus.ca/brock-u-researchers-use-nanobots-to-detect-diseases-in-blood-samples/

2017-11-12 Congratulations to Li Group in receiving VIP grant from the Ontario Centres of Excellence and Engage grant from NSERC!

2017-09-06 Welcom new group members, Junpeng, Robert, and Reid in joining Li Group!

2017-08-24 Congratulations to Xiaolong, our first graduate student, for successfully defending his MSc thesis, and also for joining Prof. Shana Kelley's lab at University of Toronto for his PhD study!

2017-05-01 Congratulations to Sarah in receiving the prestigious NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award!

2017-05-01 Welcome new group members, Yongya and Bernadett in joining Li Group for summer research.

2017-01-24 Welcome new group member, Dr. Fangfang Chen, in joining Li Group!

2016-12-10 Our work on allosteric DNA toehold has been featured as stories at Brock News and St. Catharines Standards. Congratulations to Xiaolong, Yanan, and Sarah! Brock News: "Computers with DNA? Brock team working to help make it happen"; St. Catharines Standards: "Brock Team researches computing power of DNA".

2016-11-10 Welcome new group member, Dr. Xiaoyu Xie in joining Li Group!

2016-10-05 Our paper on "Regulation of DNA strand displacement using allosteric DNA toehold" has been accepted by JACS. Congratulations to Xiaolong, Yanan, and Sarah!

2016-09-07 Welcome new group members, Romano, James, and Nicole in joining Li Group!

2016-07-25 Our paper on "Kinetics of proximity-induced intramolecular DNA strand displacement" has been accepted by Analytical Chemistry.

2016-07-08 Welcom to our new group member, Tianyu Dong (William), in joining Li Group!

2016-07-05 Congratulations to Sean Mason in receiving the prestigious NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award!

2016-06-30 Welcome to our new PhD candidate, Guan Wang (Alex), in joining Li Group!

2016-04-07 Congratulations to Xiaolong Yang in receiving the prestigious Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Award!

2016-03-02 Our research has been featured as stories at "Popular Science" and "Brock News". Popular Science release: "This tiny bot glows to diagnose tuberculosis"; Brock News release: "Brock team builds microscopic robot to detect diseases in blood samples".

2016-02-08 Our invited review on "Emerging Techniques for Ultrasensitive Protein Analysis" has been accepted in Analyst! Congratulations to Xiaolong, Yanan, and Ryan!

2016-02-04 Welcome new group members, Hayam and Sarah in joining Li Group!

2016-01-19 Our paper on "An Enzyme-Powered Three Dimensional DNA Nanomachine for DNA Walking, Payload Release, and Biosensing" has been accepted in ACS Nano! Congratulations to Xiaolong, Yanan, and Sean!

2015-12-17 Congratulations to Li group in receiving Seed Grant from Brock University to develop novel technology for sensitive detection of circulating cancer biomarkers!

2015-09-07 Welcome to new members, Ryan, Trevor, and Zechen in joining Li Group!

2015-08-06 Our paper on "Universal Strategy To Engineer Catalytic Hairpin Assemblies for Protein Analysis" has been published in Analytical Chemistry! Congratulations to Yanan and Xiaolong!

2015-07-08 Our paper on "Construct Real-Time, Wash-Free, and Reiterative Sensors for Cell Surface Proteins Using Binding-Induced Dynamic DNA Assembly " has been accepted by Chemical Science! Congraduations to Yanan and Xiaolong! We would also like to thank Professor X. Chris Le for his great support to this work and our research group!

2015-06-23 Congratulations to Li group in receiving Discovery Grant from NSERC!

2015-05-08 Welcome to Sean Mason in joining Li Group! He will be supported by the Match of Minds/Inquiring Minds Fund.to carry out his summer research here!

2015-04-27 Welcome to Xiaolong Yang in joining Li Group!

2015-04-16 Congratulations to Li group in receiving Match of Minds/Inquiring Minds Fund to support undergraduate summer research!

2015-04-02 Feng presented an invited talk at McMaster University titled "Harness dynamic DNA assemblies for amplified protein detection: towards point-of-care disease diagnostics".

2014-12-01 Li group starts at Brock!