Hua Tian

Hua Tian is a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh (2022–present) and a former Associate Research Professor at The Pennsylvania State University (2020–2022). Their academic journey includes roles as Assistant Research Professor (2017–2020) and Postdoctoral Researcher (2012–2015) at Penn State, and a brief appointment at the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2007).

• PhD in Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester, UK (2012)
• MSc in Organic Chemistry and Polymer, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (2004)
• BE in Fine Chemical Engineering, North University of China, China (2001)

Hua Tian’s research focuses on advancing mass spectrometry imaging (GCIB-SIMS) for single-cell resolution with applications in traumatic brain injury, cancer biology, and protein condensates. Their lab develops techniques for multi-omic integration and spatial mapping of biomolecules, emphasizing metabolic pathways and cellular heterogeneity in tissue microenvironments.

Hua Tian’s recent publications and funded projects highlight expertise in GCIB-SIMS optimization, phospholipid analysis, and multi-omics imaging. Their work addresses challenges in chemical sensitivity and spatial resolution for biological systems.

• American Chemical Society' Editors' Choice’ (2021)
• Highlighted by Nature Methods (2021)
• Highlighted by Nature (2021)
• Featured on front cover (2017)
• Very Important Paper designation by Angewandte Chemie (2019)

Hua Tian’s funded studies include NIH grants for single-cell multi-omic imaging (2020–2024), NCI grants for lipid imaging in traumatic brain injury (2018–2023), and industry collaborations with Unilever and Novartis. They are affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh’s Environmental and Occupational Health Department.