Dr. Yaping Chen, Researcher/PI at the Oujiang Laboratory, was selected for the National High-level Overseas Young Talent Program in 2021 and the Zhejiang Provincial High-level Young Talent Program in 2023. Dr. Chen obtained her PhD degree in Immunology from the School of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University in 2017. Following that, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and visiting scholar at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 2017 to 2023. In November 2023, Dr. Chen joined the Oujiang Laboratory full-time to establish the "Nano-Immuno Group", focusing on integrating novel nanotechnology with molecular biology and immunology. The group's aim is to develop efficient and precise nano-injection techniques and explore their applications and mechanisms in gene editing and cell therapy. To date, Dr. Chen has published 27 SCI articles in high-impact journals such as Advanced Materials, Nature Protocols, Materials Today, Nature Medicine, Nature Immunology, and JACS, with her being the first/co-first/corresponding author on 16 of them. She has led six projects, including the Australian Research Council CTET Youth Research Project, the Australia-Germany Joint Research Project, and the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Commercial Incubation Project. She has applied for two international patents. Dr. Chen's research has been featured in various publications and media outlets (e.g., Monash News, CV News), and she has received a wide range of accolades, including the "Best Lightning Talk Award" at the Melbourne Biomedical Research Society (2023), the Monash University “Early Career Researcher Publication Award” (2021), the "Milstein Award" from the International Cytokine Society (2017), the "German Academic Exchange Service Award" (2016), and the "Australian Chinese Biomedical Association Young Investigator Award" (2015). Dr. Chen is also an invited reviewer for several academic journals, including Advanced Functional Materials and Science Advances.

Molecular mechanisms of interactions between novel nanomaterials and immune cells, and their applications in cell transfection, gene editing, and immunotherapy.

The "Nano-Immuno Group" is based in the Oujiang Laboratory, leveraging platforms such as the National Key Clinical Specialty, the Joint Medical Translational Center of Wenzhou Medical University's First Affiliated Hospital and the National Institute of Wenzhou Research Institute, and the Biobank. The group is part of a national strategy to promote high-tech industrialization. In recent years, significant breakthroughs have been made in nanotechnology and immunotherapy, particularly in cell immunotherapy, but the safety of traditional viral vectors in gene delivery remains a critical issue. To advance the application of non-viral nano-injection technology in immunotherapy, this group focuses on cutting-edge research in this area, aiming to innovate continuously and publish world-class scientific research results. The team is composed of highly qualified members with multidisciplinary backgrounds, bringing together complementary expertise. The team includes the PI, associate investigators, assistant researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate students, combining deep theoretical knowledge with rich practical experience. The international background of the members also brings diverse perspectives and innovative thinking to the team.

The team is continuously recruiting associate researchers/postdoctoral fellows and research assistants. Interested individuals are invited to send their resume (including a profile photo, academic and work experiences, and representative publications) to chenyaping@ojlab.ac.cn, with the subject line specifying the applicant's name and the position applied for. After receiving the materials and an initial review, the team will contact the applicants for further communication.