Yongmei Wang

Dr. Yongmei Wang is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Memphis, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a B.S. from the University of Science and Technology, China, and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on computational/theoretical studies at the interface of macromolecular systems and nanomedicine.

Research interests span:

• Nanomedicine applications including diagnostic/therapeutic nanomaterials
• Rational design of polymeric systems for gene/drug delivery
• Plasmonic optical properties of metallic nanoparticles
• Separation and characterization of macromolecules/nanoparticles
• Theoretical modeling of polymer-nanoparticle interactions

Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on polymer characterization, cancer biomarker discovery via machine learning, protein binding affinity prediction, and nanomaterial optical properties. Research consistently integrates computational methods with experimental collaborations.

Awards and honors:

• Alumni Association Distinguished Research Award (2018)
• College Distinguished Research Award (2017)
• Dunavant Professorship (2015-2018)
• PI Millionaire recognition (2012)

Advising and grants:

• Supervised 11+ PhD students and postdoctoral researchers
• NIH R15 grants: Cancer biomarker detection (2020), Molecular modeling in gene delivery (2013)
• Collaborative NIH grant with Meharry Medical College (2021)
• NSF-funded TN-SCORE projects

Leads the Computational Macromolecular Nanomedicine Research Group, developing theoretical approaches for biomedical challenges. Maintains active collaborations with physics, engineering, and medical researchers.