Xu Li

Dr. Xu Li is a Research Fellow in Industrial Biotechnology at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne. She works in Dr. Sally Gras' research group and has made significant contributions to biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, and microfluidic technologies.

• PhD in Chemical Engineering (Monash University)
• McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Melbourne, 2012-2015)
• Current focus on Escherichia coli biotransformation systems for pharmaceutical production

Her research spans multiple domains:

• Biocatalysis & Enzyme Engineering: Codeine synthesis from thebaine, protein mutagenesis for enhanced biotransformation
• Microfluidic Diagnostics: Development of paper-based and thread-based analytical devices
• Biomaterials: Peptide patterning strategies for tissue engineering applications
• Food Science: Comparative analysis of milk proteins and cheese microstructure

Notable awards include:

• 2012 Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology
• 2011 Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal (Monash University)
• 2011 Postgraduate Publications Award (Monash University)

Dr. Li's scholarly work (34 publications) demonstrates consistent advancements in biochemical engineering, with recent studies focusing on sustainable opiate production and protein-based material design.