• Xiaolian Sun

    Professor
    Research:Molecular Imaging and Visualized Drug Delivery
    Tel:
    E-mail:xiaolian_sun@cpu.edu.cn
    Office:Building B Lab 604, 607
    Laboratory:Building B Lab 609
  • 1. Educational Experience

    2008-2012  Brown University, Ph.D., Chemistry 2012

    2004-2008  Nanjing University, Bachelor of Science, Chemistry 2008

    2. Working Experience

    Nov 2017 – till now  Professor, Department of Pharmaceutic Analysis, China Pharmaceutic University,  

    Aug 2015 – Nov 2017  Professor, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, XiamenUniversity,

    Sep 2012 – Aug 2015  Postdoctoral Fellow (Intramural Research Training Award), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health.


    1. Radiochemistry and nuclear imaging

    2. Design and synthesis of nanomaterials-based system for multimodality imaging and synergistic therapy

    3. Design and synthesis of enzyme-mimics for in vitro diagnostics

    4. Physicochemical evaluation of nanomaterials


    1. Research Projects

    (1)Smart nanoassembly to rebuild tumor microenviroment and delivery iron for visualized therpay Distinguish Youth Fundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20220086) 2022.8-2024.8

    (2)Temperature responsive copper gold nanoassemblies for self-regulated photothermal therapy and controlled copper release to accelerate chronic wound healing National Natural Science Foundation of China (82272138) 2023.01-2026.12

    (3)Synthesis of porous yolk shell Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as microenvironment-responsive delivery of zero-valent iron for MRI guided cancer therapy National Natural Science Foundation of China (81971738) 2020.01-2023.12

    (4)Synthesis of copper gold nanorod/iron oxide core/shell nanostructures and their applications in imaging guided photothermal therapy National Natural Science Foundation of China (51502251) 2016.01-2018.12

    (5)89Zr labeled iron oxide nanoparticles for PET/MRI tracking of dndritic cell National Natural Science Foundation of China (81571743) 2016.01-2019.12

    (6)Tumor microenvironment responsive magnetic nanovesicles for liver cancer theranostic National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFA0203600) 2016-2020 Participating

    2. Academic Awards

    (1)2018,The dual creative talents in Jiangsu Province

    (2)2015,The recruitment program of global youth experts (around 500 persons awarded each year in China)  

    (3)2013,Intramural postdoctoral research training fellowship in NIH

    (4)2011,Dissertation Fellowship in Brown University

    (5)2009,Fellowship for First Year Graduate in Brown University

    3. Representative Research Achievements

    (1)Deep tumors selective photodynamic therapy through activating photosensitizer by Cerenkov radiation of radionuclides.

    Tumor-microenvironment-activated self-illuminating photosensitizers were constructed for photodynamic therapy in deep tumor with no need for external light irradiation. These photosensitizers demonstrated minimal phototoxicity in normal tissues but produced plenty of reactive oxygen species to kill cancers cells in tumor microenvironment. This design can solve the toxic and side effects caused by excessive doses of traditional nuclear drugs in tumor treatment, and provide a new idea for photodynamic therapy in deep tumors.

    (2)Tumor treatment system based on zero valent iron nanomaterials.

    Iron is an essential element in human beings. The iron-based Fenton-type reaction has drawn tremendous attention in cancer therapy. Compared with oxidized iron, Fe(0) possesses high catalytic activity, could induce ferroptosis and further potentiate immunotherapy effectively. However, Fe(0) were unstable for biomedical application. We developed various of nanocarriers to selective deliver Fe(0) to the tumor for imaging guided therapy.

    (3)Temperature/Magnetic field/Radiation triggered drug delivery.

    We developed various nanoassemblies which could be triggered by additional stimulation such as temperature/magnetic field/radiation to realize temporal and spatial accurately controlled therapy. By applying heating/magnetic field/radiation to the disease area, it is possible to effectively cure the disease without any side effect to normal tissues. 


    1.Gao M, Feng K, Zhang X, Ruan Y, Zhao G, Liu H, Sun X*.Nanoassembly with self-regulated magnetic thermal therapy and controlled immuno-modulating agent release for improved immune response.  J. Conrol. Release, Accepted on 19 Mar 2023. (IF:11.467)

    2.Wang J, Sheng Z, Guo J, Sun X*, Liu Y*.  Near-Infrared Fluorescence Probes for Monitoring and Diagnosing Nephron-Urological Diseases. Coordin Chem Rev, Accepted on 17 Mar 2023. (IF:24.833)

    3.Feng K, Xu Z, Wang Y, Wu X, Xiong F, Ruan Y, Wu X, Ye L, Su D, Yu J*, Sun X*. Renal-clearable porous hollow copper iron oxide nanoparticles for trimodal chemodynamic-photothermal-chemo anti-tumor therapy. Nanoscale 2023, 15, 3188-3198. (IF: 8.307)

    4.Guo J, Feng K, Wu, W, Ruan Y, Liu H, Han X, Shao Q*, Sun X*. Smart 131I labeled self-illuminating photosensitizers for deep tumor imaging guided therapy. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 21884-21889. (IF: 15.336)

    5.Liang H, Wu X, Zhao G, Feng K, Ni K, Sun X*. Renal clearable ultrasmall single crystal Fe nanoparticles for highly selective and effective ferroptosis therapy and immunotherapy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143 (38), 15812-15823. (IF: 15.419)

    6.Wang Q, Wei N, Guo J, Feng K, Wong Y, Zhang J*. Wang J*. Sun X*. Hemin-lipid assembly as an artemisinin oral delivery system for enhanced cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Nanoscale. 2021, 13 (31), 13231-13240. (IF: 7.79)

    7.Zhou F, Yang S, Zhao C, Liu W, Yao X, Yu H, Sun X*, Liu Y*. g-glutamyl transpeptidase-activatable near-infrared nanoassembly for tumor fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy. Theranostics 2021, 11 (14), 7045-7056. (IF:11.60)

    8.Liang H, Guo J, Shi Y, Zhao G, Sun S*, Sun X*. Porous yolk-shell Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticles with controlled exposure of highly active Fe(0) for cancer therapy. Biomaterials 2021, 268, 120530. (IF: 12.479)

    9.Liu N, Shi J, Wang Q, Guo J, Hou Z, Su X*, Zhang H*, Sun X*. In vivo repeatedly activated persistent luminescence nanoparticles by radiopharmaceuticals for long-lasting tumor optical imaging. Small 2020, 16, 2001494. (IF: 11.459)

    10.Wang Q, Liu N, Hou Z, Shi J, Su X*, Sun X*. Radioiodinated persistent luminescence nanoplatform for radiationinduced photodynamic therapy and radiotherapy. Adv. Healthcare Mater. 2020, 2000802. (IF:9.9328)


    Postdoctoral Fellow:  

    Jingru Guo

    PhD Candidate: 

    Kai Feng (2019), Hehua Xiong (2020), Yang Liu (2020), Yiling Ruan (2021), Huihui Liu (2022), Yiyang Sun (2022)

    Master's degree candidate:

    Maoyu Gao (2020), Xiaojing Wu (2020), Xinmiao Zhang (2020), Changjun Li (2020), Guojun Lei (2020), Yaxuan Zhao (2020), Linqian Ye (2021), Yaoting Li (2021), Jingjing Shen (2021), Zixuan Liu (2021), Ruifang Chen (2021), Mengxia Xu (2021), Yuyang Yun (2021), Minxia Xu (2022), Yuan Shao (2022), Jinglang Gong (2022), Beijia Wang (2022), Keying Li (2022)