Ni Su

Ni Su is an Assistant Professor in the F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Kentucky's Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, appointed in Fall 2024. Her research focuses on developing biomaterial-based immunotherapies to modulate immune responses for treating tissue injury, cancer, and aging-related disorders.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Peking University/Georgia Institute of Technology Joint Ph.D. Program (2018)
• B.E. in Biology from Shandong University, China (2012)

Dr. Su's work centers on immune mechanisms in disease pathology, with emphasis on biomaterial design for targeted immunomodulation. Her lab investigates tissue regeneration, cancer immunotherapy, and aging interventions through interdisciplinary approaches combining materials science and immunology. Key methodologies include biomaterial engineering and disease modeling to translate mechanistic insights into therapeutic applications.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2015-2025) reveals an evolution from foundational structural biology and biomolecular interactions (using NMR spectroscopy) toward applied immunomodulatory biomaterials. Early work focused on protein aggregation and membrane interactions, while recent research demonstrates a strategic shift toward therapeutic development for cancer and tissue repair, aligning with her current faculty role.

Dr. Su leads an active research laboratory in the Healthy Kentucky Research Building, directing interdisciplinary teams that integrate biomaterials engineering, immunology, and disease modeling to develop novel immunotherapeutic platforms.