Yongxin Zhao

Dr. Yongxin (Leon) Zhao is an Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering. He leads a research group developing tools for understanding biological systems at the biomolecular level, with a focus on expansion microscopy and optogenetic probes. His work has advanced nanoscale imaging and diagnostic methodologies, supported by grants from NIH, NSF, DoD, and others.

Education: B.S., Sun Yat-Sen University (2009); Ph.D., University of Alberta (2014); Postdoctoral Research at University of Alberta (2014). Key achievements include the GECO calcium indicators and QuasAr voltage indicators, and foundational contributions to expansion microscopy (Nature Biotechnology 2017, 2023; Science 2022).

Research interests span bioengineering, cell/tissue engineering, and nanotechnology-driven diagnostics. Zhao's lab pioneers applications in neuroscience, cancer, and infectious diseases. Awards include the NIH Director's New Innovator Award (2018–2023) and MIT Translational Fellowship (2015–2016).

Collaborations emphasize global technology democratization, with projects ranging from nanofabrication to computational analysis using deep learning. His lab's tools are widely adopted in neurobiology and pathology labs worldwide.