Research Interests
1.Embodied Intelligence Brain-Machine Interface;
2.Nonlinear Neural Dynamics and Neural Cybernetics
3.Brain-Machine Intelligence Fusion and Micro/Nano-Robotics.
Education
2000 D.Sc. Washington University in St. Louis Systems Science & Mathematics/Robotics.
1996 PhD Zhejiang University, P. R. China Industrial Automation
2007 M.S. Stanford University, USA Bioengineering
2007 M.S. Stanford University, USA Electrical Engineering
2000 M.S. University of Missouri-Rolla, USA Computer Science
1994 M.S. Zhejiang University, P. R. China Mechanical Engineering
1990 B.S. Zhejiang University, P. R. China Mechanical Engineering
Research Highlights
As the lead and corresponding author, Mingjun published in Cell, Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Cell Device, PNAS, Advanced Science, ACS Nano, Nano Letters, IEEE Transactions, among many others;
As PI, Mingjun’s research has been supported by NSF-China (4), Ministry of Sci. & Tech-China (2), USA NIH R01 (1), NSF (4), ONR (3), ARO (3), private foundation and industry (16);
Through collaboration with clinical practicers, first proposed to hijack skull immune cells using nanoparticles to bypass BBB for CNS drug delivery. The work was published in Cell in 2026 and highlighted by NSFC, Cell, Nature Reviews Neurology and Tsinghua University, among multiple scientific media;
Through collaboration with colleagues, first proposed a porcupinefish-inspired microneedle robots leveraging inherent intestinal peristaltic contractions for oral drug delivery. It inflates, deploys drug-loaded microneedles, and uses peristalsis for mucosa penetration. In vivo tests show efficacy comparable to subcutaneous injections. The work was published in Science Advances in 2024 and featured by NSFC;
Through collaboration with colleagues, discovered the behavior-specific spatiotemporal neural dynamics of freely moving marmoset across various natural behavioral repertoire using a miniaturized wireless BMI. The work was published in Advanced Science, 2025;
Proposed a modular design for multimodal brain-machine interfaces capable of neurorecording, neuromodulation and drug delivery. Cell Device, 2025;
Inspired by the red shift seen in the yellow fluorescent protein that results from p-p stacking and by the enhanced fluorescence intensity seen in the green fluorescent protein mutant, Designed and fabricated the first dipeptide nanoparticle that can shift the peptide’s intrinsic fluorescent signal from the ultraviolet to the visible range. This work was published in Nature Nanotechnology. “This study paves the way for a new front in peptide optics” (Editorial Views, Nature Nanotechnology, 01/2016). This work was also featured by NSF of USA;
Developed NIR fluorescence peptide nanoparticles for esophageal cancer early detection (Nat. Commun., 9, 2605, 2018) and discovered quantum confined peptide assemblies with tunable fluorescence properties (Nat. Commun., 9, 3217, 2018);
First to propose to use physical biomarkers (Young’s modulus and nanomorphology) of amyloid-beta and tau proteins to diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Developed a Kalman-filer based learning algorithm to integrate multiple biomarkers including my lab’s unique fluorescent nanoparticles for Alzheimer’s disease progression prediction, and offer patients the best check-up frequencies based on Shannon sampling theory. The work was published in Science Advances in July 2017;
Discovered that nanoparticles secreted from carnivorous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora can stimulate immune responses and kill tumor cells. The carnivorous fungus forms adhesive traps for capturing and digesting nematodes that cross its path. Advanced Functional Materials, 2012;
Discovered that the highly elastics adhesive secreted from Sundew plants can form nano-scaffolds for applications in regeneration and chronic wound healing. The discovery was featured by BBC News and National Science Foundation: Discovery News. Our work on bio-inspired adhesive was also featured by Nature Outlook, Synthetic coatings: Super surfaces. Nature 519, S7-S9 (2015);
Discovered that the curved swimming trajectories of whirligig beetles were more energy efficient hydro-dynamically than linear trajectories, which explains why they are more often observed in nature (PLoS Comp. Bio.). Propulsion efficiency of whirligig beetles, which can fly through the air, swiftly swim on the surface of water, and quickly dive across the air-water interface, has been claimed in the literature to be one of the highest measured for a thrust generating apparatus within the animal kingdom. IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2015;
Discovered the unique energy-efficient swimming mechanism of Giardia trophozoite. The research result was published in PNAS, 2011. The unique mechanism has inspired the design of an energy-efficient propulsion mechanism for micro/nano-robots. IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2015;
Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award, Office of Naval Research, Department of Defense, USA, 2011;
Early Career Award, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, July 2003.
Courses offered in English
Spring Semester: Minimally Invasive Brain-machine Interfaces: Principles and Practices
Fall Semester: Nonlinear Neural Dynamics and Biological Intelligence
1. Xize Gao, Xiangrong Liu, Chengqian Cui, Nanxing Wang, Weiming Liu, Mo Yang, Qin Li, Yunwei Ou, Aiyi Ning, Meiyang Zhang, Xinyue Wei, Shuowen Qiu, Yang Lei, Dongjie Fu, Huimin Li, Leming Sun, Meng Lu, Mingjun Zhang*, Yilong Wang*. Nanoparticles hijack brain-servo calvarial immune cells to bypass BBB for CNS drug delivery. Cell, 189(5), 1341-1355 (2026).
2. Zhen Fan, Leming Sun, Yujian Huang, Yongzhong Wang and Mingjun Zhang*. Bioinspired Fluorescent Dipeptide Nanoparticles for Targeted Tumor Imaging and Realtime Monitoring of Drug Release, Nature Nanotechnology, 11, 388-394 (2016).
3. Tiancheng Sheng, Lingyi Zheng, Jingwei Li, Nianzhen Du, Xiaolong Wang, Mingxiao Xie, Hongru Liu, Cheng’ ao Xu, Huimin Li, Yong Guo, Jing Xu, Lianqing Liu, Mingjun Zhang*. Modular brain-machine interface for neurorecording, neurostimulation, and drug delivery. Cell Device 3, 100687 (2025).
4. Zhen Fan, Chaochu Cui, Yan Chang, Leming Sun, Fan Yuan, Zui Pan*, Mingjun Zhang*. Near-infrared Fluorescent Peptide Nanoparticles for Enhancing Esophageal Cancer Therapeutic Efficacy. Nature Communications, 9, 2605 (2018).
5. Kai Tao, Zhen Fan, Leming Sun, Pandeeswar Makam, Zhen Tian, Mark Ruegsegger, Shira Shaham-Niv, Derek Hansford, Ruth Aizen, Zui Pan, Scott Galster, Jianjie Ma, Fan Yuan, Mingsu Si, Songnan Qu, Mingjun Zhang*, Ehud Gazit*, Junbai Li*. Quantum Confined Peptide Assemblies with Tunable Visible to Near-Infrared Spectral Range. Nature Communications, 9, 3217 (2018).
6. Xize Gao, Jiacong Li, Jing Li, Mingjun Zhang*, Jing Xu*. Pain-free Oral Delivery of Biologic Drugs using Intestinal Peristalsis Actuated Microneedle Robots. Science Advances, 10(1): eadj7067 (2024).
7. Tao Yue, Xinghua Jia, Jennifer Petrosino, Dong Wang, Jesse Fine, Scott Galster, Rebecca Davis, Doug Scharre, Mingjun Zhang*. Computational integration of nano-scale physical biomarkers and cognitive assessments to diagnose and predict the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Science Advances, 3, e1700669 (2017).
8. Hongru Liu, Xinyuan Cao, Jiyong Li, Lingyi Zheng, Jingwei Li, Qianbing Li, Min Xie, Huimin Li, Xiaolong Wang, Yuyu Wu, Xiangyu Zhang, Yizheng Wang, Xize Gao, Tiancheng Sheng, Nianzhen Du, Chengao Xu, Kai Zhou, Jing Xu, Changxiang Yan, Lianqing Liu, Lixia Gao*, Xinjian Li* and Mingjun Zhang*. Deciphering neural mechanisms underlying marmoset dynamic natural behaviors using a miniaturized wireless large-scale coverage neural recorder. Advanced Science, 13(2), e07110 (2025).
9. Zhiheng Tang, Chengqian Cui, Xiaoli Jing, Rui You* and Mingjun Zhang*, Jing Xu*. Wafer-scale bandgap-tunable MoS2/PbS phototransistors enabled by solution processing. Advanced Science, 13(16), e18844 (2025).
10. Chengqian Cui, Xize Gao, Jingwei Li, Nianzhen Du, Qin Li, Huimin Li, Changxiang Yan*, Mingjun Zhang*. Aggregation-enhanced piezoelectric nanotransducers facilitate transgene-free wireless neuromodulation under low-intensity focused ultrasound. ACS Nano, 20(1), 835-848 (2025).
11. S. Lenaghan, C. A. Davis, W. R. Henson, Z. Zhang, and Mingjun Zhang*. High-Speed Microscopic Imaging of Flagella Motility and Swimming in Giardia lamblia Trophozoites. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 108 (34), 13891-13892 (2011).
12. Yongzhong Wang, Leming Sun, Sijia Yi, Yujian Huang, Scott C. Lenaghan and Mingjun Zhang*. Naturally Occurring Nanoparticles from Arthrobotrys oligospora as a Potential Immunostimulatory and Antitumor Agent. Advanced Functional Materials, 23, 2175 (2013).
13. Tiancheng Sheng, Jingwei Li, Lingyi Zheng, Nianzhen Du, Mingxiao Xie, XiaolongWang, Xize Gao, Mengsha Huang, Shenghan Wen, Wenqian Liu, Yong Guo, Yi Yao, Xiaoqiu Shao, Lianqing Liu, Jing Xu, Yilong Wang*, Mingjun Zhang*. An expandable brain-machine interface enabled by origami materials and structures for tracking epileptic traveling waves. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 14(11), 2404947 (2025).
14. Jingwei Li, Lingyi Zheng, Tiancheng Sheng, Mengsha Huang, Ziyi Wang, Lixi Ma, Yilong Wang, Xiaoqiu Shao, Changxiang Yan*, Mingjun Zhang*. Source tracing with spatial phase gradients in epileptiform activity localizes seizure onset zone. Journal of Neural Engineering, 22(6), 066006 (2025).
15. Xinghua Jia, Zongyao Chen, Andrew Riedel, Ting Si, William R. Hamel, Mingjun Zhang*. Energy-efficient Surface Propulsion Inspired by Whirligig Beetles. IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 31, 1432-1443 (2015).
16. Yang Jia, Gongxin Li, Wenxue Wang*, Jialin Shi, Meng Li, Ning Xi, Mingjun Zhang*, Lianqing Liu*. A bio-syncretic phototransistor based on optogenetically engineered living cells. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 178, 113050 (2021).
1. 2025 Mingjun Zhang, Xize Gao, Jiacong Li, Jing Li, Jing Xu, Mingxiao Xie, Hongru Liu, Longxi Ren. Microneedle drug delivery apparatus and preparation method thereof, US patent, US-2026-0077170-A1.
2. 2025 Mingjun Zhang, Xize Gao, Jiacong Li, Jing Li, Jing Xu, Mingxiao Xie, Hongru Liu, Longxi Ren. MIKRONADEL-ARZNEIMITTELABGABEVORRICHTUNG UND HERSTELLUNGSVERFAHREN DAVON, Germany patent, DP11/2023/006/325.7
3. 2025 张明君，高喜泽，李家聪，李靖，徐静，谢铭效，刘鸿儒，任龙喜。微针给药装置及其制备方法，中国专利，CN2023800597166。
4. 2025 王伊龙，张明君，高喜泽，刘向荣。一种NA1-白蛋白纳米颗粒及其制备方法和应用，中国专利，2025118620045。
5. 2024 Mingjun Zhang, Tiancheng Sheng and Lingyi Zheng, Stimulation Electrode Design and Fabrication, PCT/CN2024/132999.
6. 2022 Mingjun Zhang, Tiancheng Sheng and Mingxiao Xie, Foldable Expandable ECoG Electrode Design and Fabrication for Brain Machine Interface, PCT/CN2022/137957.
7. 2022 Zhang Mingjun, Gao Xize, Li Jiacong, Li Jing, Xu Jing, Xie Mingxiao, Liu Hongru, Ren Longxi. Microneedle drug administration apparatus and preparation method thereof: WO2024/243887 A1.
