Associate Professor Stefano Palomba is an experimental physicist specializing in nanophotonics and nanoplasmonics at The University of Sydney's School of Physics. He leads the Nanophotonics and Plasmonics Advancement Lab (NPAL) and serves as Deputy Director of the Institute of Photonics and Optical Science. His research focuses on developing next-generation integrated optical devices, leveraging advanced facilities like femtosecond-OPO lasers and near-field scanning optical microscopes. He is a domain leader in Sydney Nano and a member of the Net Zero Institute. His work bridges fundamental physics and applied technologies, with emphasis on nonlinear optics, plasmonic nanostructures, and biomedical applications of nanomaterials. Notable contributions include innovations in hybrid plasmonic circuits, carbon dot-based biosensors, and nanolasers for compact optical systems. Palomba has secured significant grants, including a 2022 NHMRC Ideas Grant for neurophotonics research and a 2024 grant for mobile optical sensing platforms. His lab's modular approach to plasmonic systems enables scalable solutions for telecommunications and healthcare. Recent projects include direct growth of MoS₂ monolayers on silicon waveguides and breakthroughs in sub-Poissonian photon emission using hexagonal boron nitride. Palomba collaborates internationally, advancing photonics applications in quantum technologies and environmental sensing. Grants include $23M+ for innovative health research (2022) and $31M+ for interdisciplinary photonics projects (2016). His publications span high-impact journals like Nanophotonics and Nanoscale Advances , reflecting contributions across plasmonics, nonlinear optics, and bio-nanotechnology.
Dr. Kevin Ni is a Conjoint Senior Lecturer in the School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), based at the St George and Sutherland Clinical Campuses. He leads the translational uro-oncology research portfolio in Radiation Oncology at Cancer Services St George Hospital and serves as a founding member and St George local lead for the EMPCAR Network. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 30, Dr. Ni has made substantial contributions to cancer research, particularly in prostate, breast, and bladder cancers. Dr. Ni holds a BA and MBBS/MD degrees from China and a PhD from UNSW Sydney. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary research spanning basic science and clinical applications: Bachelor of Arts from China Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from China Doctor of Medicine from China Doctor of Philosophy from UNSW Sydney Dr. Ni's research encompasses the full translational spectrum of oncology, with a focus on molecular biomarker discovery, liquid biopsy and extracellular vesicles, transcriptomics, chemo-/radio-resistance, radiation biology, cancer stem cells, and imaging in prostate, breast, and bladder cancers. His work integrates basic science and clinical studies to drive the discovery of new knowledge for cancer control across the continuum of early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. He has extensive experience in preparing and reviewing complex human research ethics applications and promoting good clinical practice in clinical trials across diverse health disciplines. Dr. Ni's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on biomarker discovery for cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring, particularly through liquid biopsy approaches using exosomes and microRNAs. His research has increasingly emphasized the role of cancer stem cells and specific molecular pathways like PI3K/Akt/mTOR in therapeutic resistance, with applications spanning prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers. This work has significant implications for developing more personalized and effective cancer treatments. Dr. Ni has received numerous awards and recognitions for his research contributions: National Scholarship of Excellence (2008) Outstanding Graduate (2011) Prostate and Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarships (2012-2015) Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad Award of China (2013) Best oral presentation in Basic Science, 2nd Prize, St George and Sutherland Medical Research Symposium (2016) Travel grant award, European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia 2017 Congress (2017) Service Excellence Award, AACBS (2018) As an academic supervisor, Dr. Ni has successfully guided multiple Honours and HDR students to completion, including PhD students Dr. Xupeng Bai (2017-2021, with Dean's award) and Dr. Bairen Pang (2017-2022). He currently supervises two PhD students and one Honours student, and is available to supervise additional PhD and ILP/Honours students in areas related to liquid biopsy, tumor biology, molecular biology, biomarker discovery, radiation oncology, prostate cancer, cancer stem cells, and radio-/chemo-resistance. His research is supported by multiple grants, including: CIA: A novel liquid biopsy assay of blood exosomal microRNA profiles to improve prostate cancer diagnosis (St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation, A$46,000, 2021-2022) AI: Combining nanoplasmonic profiling with machine learning for non-invasive early detection of ovarian cancer using plasma exosomes (Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, A$134,026, 2020-2021) CIC: Validation of extracellular vesicle protein biomarkers in blood for the personalised treatment decision of prostate cancer patients (SSMRF-St George Cancer Care Foundation Award, A$50,000, 2022-2023) Multiple other grants totaling over A$300,000 in research funding Dr. Ni is actively involved in several research networks and teams, including the Innovation and Industry Platform of SPHERE (Maridulu Budyari Gumal), which transforms healthcare innovation by accelerating technology implementation to address unmet healthcare needs. He also serves as an Executive Member of the Human Research Ethics Committee at SESLHD and is a Contracted Scientific Reviewer for the Research Directorate. His collaborative efforts extend both within and beyond UNSW, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships that drive innovative cancer research forward.
Haijiao Lu is a Research Fellow at the School of Chemical Engineering , University of Queensland (EAIT Faculty), with a DECRA Fellowship (2023–2026) and multiple ANSTO grants. Her interdisciplinary research spans materials science , photo(electro)catalysis , and chemical engineering , focusing on CO2 conversion, hydrogen production, and sustainable energy systems. Education: Dual B.Sc. in Science (Nankai University, 2014) and Engineering (Tianjin University, 2014) PhD in Chemical Engineering (Tianjin University, 2019), supervised by Academician Jingkang Wang Visiting PhD student, University of Cambridge (UK) Research Interests: Single-atom and dual-atom catalysts High-entropy alloys for energy applications Photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction Oxygen evolution and hydrogen production MXene-based materials for selective catalysis Defect engineering in semiconductors Article Trends: Focus on electrocatalysis (2025: NiMoC, Fe-Mn-N-C), CO2 conversion (2023–2025), and 2D materials (Mo2COx MXene, BiVO4) Keywords: Materials Science , Chemical Engineering , Energy Conversion , Environmental Remediation , with subfields like Hydrogen Evolution , Methane Functionalization , and Plasmonic Effects Scientific Awards: 2022 EAIT Early Career Researcher Award 2022 Nanomaterials Centre Research Excellence Award 2023 EAIT Early Career Leadership Award Supervision and Grants: Principal advisor for 4 PhD projects (2023–2025) Secured >10 grants from ANSTO, QUEX Institute, and UQ Philanthropy Labs & Collaborations: Works with Prof. Lianzhou Wang (ARC Laureate Fellow) and Nanomaterials Centre Projects involve synchrotron beamline analysis, THz spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption studies
Dr. Priyanka Dey is a Researcher at the University of Exeter, UK, affiliated with the BioSpec group within the School of Physics and Astronomy. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, specializing in nanotechnology and optical spectroscopy. Her work focuses on plasmonic nanostructures for optical sensors, including LSPR, SERS, and deep tissue diagnostics, with applications in cancer detection and water treatment. She has led collaborative projects funded by EPSRC, EU H2020, and others, involving institutions like ICN2 (Spain), LMU Munich (Germany), and QUT. Education: Masters in Material Engineering, IIT Delhi, India PhD in Chemistry (Nanotechnology/Optical Spectroscopy), QUT, Australia Research Interests: Development of nanoplasmonic sensors for POC diagnostics Raman-based deep tissue imaging (SESORS) Hybrid nanoparticles for biomedical and environmental applications Awards: 2018 EU Seal of Excellence Award 2015 Outstanding Doctoral Thesis (QUT) 2013 HDR Student of the Month (QUT) Grants & Projects: EPSRC Programme Grant (RaNT) for Raman nanotheranostics H2020 RAIS project for sepsis diagnostics UNION EU FP7 project for plasmonic nanoassemblies Labs/Teams: Active in the BioSpec group, collaborating with global institutions on nanoplasmonic technologies.
Dr. Ying Zhu is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the group leader of the Laboratory of In-Vitro NanoDiagnostics. She holds a PhD in optical biosensors from UNSW (2011–2015), supervised by Prof. Justin Gooding, and completed postdoctoral research at Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering (2015–2017). Her research focuses on advancing diagnostic technologies using nanoplasmonic biosensors and extracellular vesicle analysis for cancer detection. She has secured ~$2 million in grants, including the ARC DECRA (2024) and Cancer Institute NSW Fellowship (2017–2020). Dr. Zhu’s expertise spans nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, and translational cancer research. Her work bridges lab-to-clinic applications, emphasizing clinical translation of biosensors and liquid biopsy techniques. Notable achievements include a highly cited paper in Clinical Medicine (2025) and 31 publications in top-tier journals (82.6% in top 10% journals, H-index 19). Education: PhD in Optical Biosensors (UNSW), Postdoc at Dartmouth College Awards: ARC DECRA, Cancer Institute NSW Fellowship Labs: Laboratory of In-Vitro NanoDiagnostics Teaching: Co-coordinates Biomedical Engineering courses (41160/42721) Her research portfolio includes funded projects on optical metasurfaces, nanoplasmonic sensors, and exosome-based diagnostics. Recent articles highlight innovations in quantum sensors, single-vesicle analysis, and cancer biomarker detection.
Crispin Szydzik is a Research Fellow in the Research & Innovation Department at RMIT University, specializing in interdisciplinary engineering and biomedical research. His work focuses on integrating microfluidics, photonics, and nanotechnology to develop advanced biosensing systems, lab-on-a-chip devices, and point-of-care diagnostics. Research interests include microfluidic systems for cellular assays, nanoplasmonic biosensors, and optofluidic platforms for real-time biological monitoring. He has pioneered projects such as self-sufficient micro-droplet generation systems and hemocompatible microvalve designs. His research spans applications in cancer diagnostics, antiplatelet drug screening, and biomarker detection. Dr. Szydzik supervises PhD and Masters students on topics like lab-on-a-chip integration for ovarian cancer diagnosis, optical interrogation strategies for biosensors, and spatial transcriptomic analysis via microfluidic fabrication. He collaborates on projects involving photonic biosensors, active micropump-mixers, and integrated photonics for diagnostics. His contributions include over 30 peer-reviewed publications in journals like Biosensors and Bioelectronics , Lab on a Chip , and Small . Key innovations include plasmonic nanoprobe-based cancer cell discrimination and optical frequency comb-based sensor interrogation systems.
Dr. Michael P. Nielsen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). He holds a UNSW Scientia Appointment and an ARC DECRA Fellowship. His research focuses on ultrafast spectroscopic techniques for characterizing photovoltaic materials and interfaces, with interests in hot carrier dynamics, semiconductor materials, and solar energy applications. Dr. Nielsen obtained his BEng in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta (2011), followed by an MSc in Electrical Engineering (2013) and a PhD in Physics from Imperial College London (2017). Before joining UNSW as a postdoctoral fellow in 2018, he was a Research Associate at Imperial College London. His research interests include: Ultrafast Spectroscopy Photovoltaic Materials Hot Carrier Dynamics Semiconductor Nanoplasmonics Concentrated Solar Power Silicon Solar Cells He has been awarded grants such as the ARC Linkage Project for nonlinear optical metrology and the ARC Discovery Project for hot carrier photodetection. Dr. Nielsen currently supervises four PhD students focusing on ultrafast spectroscopy, silicon and III-V materials, and the thermoradiative diode. His lab, the AOS Group, is located in the Tyree Energy Technologies Building.
Wei Zhang is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University, currently engaged in cancer biomarker research using small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). His work bridges nanotechnology, oncology, and diagnostic engineering, with a focus on translating laboratory discoveries into clinical applications for early cancer detection. His academic foundation includes: PhD in Molecular Science, Macquarie University (2018-2023), specializing in cancer-derived sEVs as biomarkers and therapeutic vehicles Dr. Zhang's research centers on developing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) techniques for detecting cancer biomarkers on sEVs, particularly for pancreatic and breast cancer diagnosis. He has pioneered SERS-based assays for liquid biopsy and engineered hybrid vesicle-liposome systems for targeted gene therapy. His methodology integrates nanomaterials science with clinical oncology to create point-of-care diagnostic tools. Analysis of his 30+ publications (2020-2025) reveals three dominant trajectories: (1) SERS-microfluidic integration for portable cancer diagnostics, (2) aptamer-amplification strategies for ultra-sensitive exosome quantification, and (3) biomimetic drug delivery systems using engineered sEVs. These efforts consistently target translational oncology with emphasis on breast, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. His scientific contributions have been recognized through competitive awards: Macquarie University Research Training Program (MQRTP) (2018) Macquarie University Postgraduate Research Fund (PGRF) (2019) Research Scholar Award from Sydney Vital Translational Cancer Research Centre (2020) Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence (2023) Dr. Zhang secured research funding for the project 'Glycan profiling of cancer derived small extracellular vesicles for cancer diagnostics using SERS nanotags' (2020-2021). His work demonstrates significant industry relevance, evidenced by pre-PhD experience at Shanghai and US Aucta pharmaceuticals. While no formal students are listed, his research has garnered 423 citations and attracted media attention from multiple news outlets. His laboratory work operates within Macquarie University's interdisciplinary nanomedicine ecosystem, collaborating with oncology clinicians and microfluidics engineers. The research leverages core facilities for spectroscopy, nanofabrication, and cancer biology, with recent publications indicating partnerships with international institutions in China and the United States.
Dr Robertson Burgess is a Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia, specialising in secondary science and mathematics teacher education. Leveraging his PhD in Physics and prior experience as a high-school science and mathematics teacher in both England and Australia, he now leads research and teaching initiatives that integrate emerging technologies into STEM education. Education Doctor of Philosophy (Physics), University of Newcastle Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Newcastle Master of Teaching (Secondary), University of Newcastle Research Interests Dr Burgess investigates how cutting-edge technologies—particularly artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and games-based learning—can be harnessed ethically and effectively in secondary classrooms. His work addresses two intertwined strands: (1) understanding the impact of these technologies on student learning and teacher practice, and (2) supporting early-career science teachers, many of whom teach outside their specialisation. By analysing large-scale teacher interactions in online communities using generative AI, he identifies pressing challenges and feeds these insights back into initial teacher education programs. Grants & Funding Across 2023–2024 he has secured or co-secured eight grants totalling $164,491 . Key projects include: Developing a Pacific Waste Curriculum Toolkit for Pacific Island Nations – SPREP (2023) Google Educator PD Grant Workshop – Google Asia Pacific (2024) CNC Plasma Cutter, Mobile Immersive Learning Lab, ICE Software iCave, Eye-Tracking Wearable, Video Editing Workstation – multiple CAPEX awards (2024) CHSF Pilot Research Scheme – College of Human and Social Futures (2024) Research Supervision He currently co-supervises or principal-supervises five PhD candidates , all within the College of Human and Social Futures. Projects span immersive digital tools in architecture education, teacher decision-making for VR integration, instructional balance for low-SES science students, HSC course-prediction modelling, and the cognitive effects of lighting on colour perception. Labs & Teams Dr Burgess is an active member of interdisciplinary teams within the School of Education and the College of Human and Social Futures, contributing to the university’s Mobile Immersive Learning Lab and collaborating with colleagues on the integration of AI-driven analytics into teacher professional development programs.
Professor Yong Li is a Conjoint Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, a Principal Scientific Officer at St George Hospital (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District), and Director of the Cancer Research Laboratory at the Cancer Care Centre. He is a leading cancer researcher with expertise in biomarker discovery, radiation biology, and targeted therapies. Bachelor of Medicine (1987) and Master of Science (1992) from Henan Medical University, China PhD in Medicine from UNSW Sydney (2000) His research focuses on: Investigating novel extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarkers from body fluids and tissues for cancer diagnosis and progression monitoring in prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers Elucidating mechanisms of cancer metastasis and chemo/radio-resistance linked to cancer stem cells, EMT, and signaling pathways Developing targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and combination approaches for metastatic cancers Creating rapid diagnostic methods using nanoplasmonic sensors for liquid biopsy applications Professor Li has secured over 7.2 million AU$ in research funding, including grants from NHMRC, ARC, and the US Department of Defense. He serves on editorial boards for the World Journal of Cancer Research and Open Biomarker Journal, and is Honorary President of the Australian Association of Chinese Biomedical Scientists.
