Liju Yang

Dr. Liju Yang is a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and a principal investigator at the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE). She joined NCCU in February 2006, establishing herself as a productive researcher and dedicated educator in interdisciplinary sciences.

Dr. Yang's educational background includes:

• Postdoctoral, Electrical Engineering (BioMEMs), Purdue University, 2004–2006
• Postdoctoral, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 2003–2004
• Ph.D., Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, 2003
• M.S., Chemistry, Hangzhou University, 1996
• B.S., Chemistry, Hangzhou Normal University, 1991

Her research spans interdisciplinary fields with a current focus on nanomaterials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Key areas include biosensors and biochips for foodborne pathogen detection, nanomaterial-based inactivation of bacterial pathogens/viruses, and 3D cancer cell culture systems. Her work integrates engineering principles with pharmaceutical sciences to address critical health challenges.

Dr. Yang has secured approximately $3.45 million in research funding from federal agencies including NSF, NIH, ARO, and USDA. Her active projects demonstrate sustained research momentum:

• RUI: Rational Design of Carbon-Based Hybrid Nanostructures for Microbicidal Function (NSF #2102056; 2021-2024; PI)
• Photo-Activated Antiviral Functions of Carbon Dots (NSF #1855905; 2019-2022; PI)
• Visible Light-Activated Antimicrobial Nanomaterials (USDA #2019-67018-29689; 2019-2022; PI)
• Microbicidal Carbon Dots for Antibiotic Resistance (NSF #1701399; 2017-2022; PI)

As a BRITE principal investigator, she maintains active collaborations with NCCU Physics/Chemistry departments, Clemson University, and North Carolina State University, fostering cross-institutional research in biomanufacturing and nanotechnology.