Materials Horizons Emerging Investigator Series: Professor Jingchao Li, Donghua University, China

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Abstract

Our Emerging Investigator Series features exceptional work by early-career researchers working in the field of materials science.

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Jingchao Li (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8994-3202) is a Professor and PhD Supervisor at Donghua University. He has been recognized as a National High-Level Young Talent, Shanghai Distinguished Professor (Oriental Scholar), and Shanghai Overseas High-Level Talent. He received his PhD from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, in 2017, and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, from 2017 to 2020. Dr Li has established a strong international profile in polymeric biomaterials and biomedicine, publishing more than 170 SCI-indexed papers in leading journals. His publications have received over 18 000 citations, with an h-index of 68. He is also the first inventor of four authorized Chinese invention patents and has been repeatedly listed in the global rankings of career-long and annual scientific impact.

His research centers on the functional regulation of polymer-based biomaterials for disease diagnosis and therapy. In particular, he focuses on the design of activatable multimodal probes for biomarker detection and early disease diagnosis, the development of functional polymeric nanobiomaterials for integrated treatment of cancer and other major diseases, and the engineering of microenvironment-responsive active materials for cell modulation and regenerative medicine. Through the integration of polymer science, nanotechnology, and biomedicine, his work aims to advance next-generation platforms for precision diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and tissue repair.

Read Jingchao Li's Emerging Investigator Series article ‘Magnetically navigated and near-infrared programmable nanoinducers for co-activating pyroptosis and ferroptosis in antitumor immunotherapy’ (https://doi.org/10.1039/D6MH00063K) and read more about him in the interview below:

MH: Your recent Materials Horizons Communication uses a magnetically navigated and near-infrared programmable nanoinducer to overcome the limitations of conventional cancer immunotherapy. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article and where do you see your research going in future?

JL: My research has gradually evolved from the design of functional polymeric biomaterials and molecular probes toward programmable nanoplatforms for precision biomedicine. In the early stage, I was mainly interested in how materials could be engineered to respond to biological signals for diagnosis and imaging. Over time, my focus expanded to therapeutic systems, especially how nanomaterials can be designed to regulate the tumor microenvironment and enhance treatment efficacy.

In this recent work, we moved a step further by integrating magnetic navigation, near-infrared activation, photothermal therapy, and dual immunogenic cell-death pathways, pyroptosis and ferroptosis, into one programmable nanoinducer. I think this reflects the direction our research has been taking: from single-function materials to multifunctional and spatiotemporally controlled therapeutic systems. In the future, I would like to further develop more precise and clinically relevant biomaterial platforms for metastatic tumors, recurrence prevention, and combination immunotherapy.

MH: What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

JL: What excites me most is the possibility of using materials design to reshape the tumor immune microenvironment in a controllable way. In this work, magnetic navigation improves tumor enrichment, while near-infrared irradiation provides on-demand activation at the tumor site. This allows us to combine local treatment precision with systemic immune activation.

I am particularly excited by the fact that the co-activation of pyroptosis and ferroptosis not only inhibits primary tumors but also generates a strong abscopal effect, and when combined with aPD-L1 therapy, establishes immunological memory. For me, this is a very encouraging direction because it shows how functional biomaterials can go beyond drug delivery and actively regulate antitumor immunity.

MH: In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

JL: I think one of the most important questions is how to achieve truly efficient and selective accumulation of therapeutic nanomaterials in tumors in vivo. Delivery remains a major bottleneck for many nanomedicine systems. Another important question is how different forms of immunogenic cell death interact with each other and with the tumor microenvironment to produce durable immune responses.

In addition, for this field to move forward, we need to better understand the balance between therapeutic efficacy, biosafety, and translational simplicity. It is not enough to show strong antitumor effects in one model. We also need robust mechanistic understanding, reproducibility, and strategies that may eventually be adapted for clinical use.

MH: What do you find most challenging about your research?

JL: I think the most challenging part is balancing mechanistic sophistication with practical feasibility. In biomaterials research, it is often possible to design highly integrated systems with multiple functions, but it is much more difficult to ensure that every component contributes clearly, reproducibly, and meaningfully in complex biological environments. Another challenge is the heterogeneity of tumors and their microenvironments. A strategy that works well in one tumor model may behave differently in another. Because of this, we always need to think carefully about biological complexity, not just material performance.

MH: In which upcoming conferences or events may our readers meet you?

JL: My schedule is still being arranged, but I regularly participate in conferences related to biomaterials, nanomedicine, bioengineering, and clinical disease theranostics. These meetings are always valuable opportunities to exchange ideas with researchers working at the interface of materials science and biomedicine.

I am particularly interested in discussions on probes, immunomodulatory biomaterials, and translational nanotherapeutics, so readers may meet me at conferences in these areas in China and internationally.

MH: How do you spend your spare time?

JL: In my spare time, I like reading and thinking about new research ideas in a more relaxed way. I also enjoy spending time with my family, which helps me maintain balance and recharge outside work. In addition, I find that light exercise and short breaks are very helpful for keeping a clear mind. Sometimes the best ideas come when I step away from the laboratory for a while.

MH: Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

JL: I would say that it is important to build your research around questions that you genuinely care about, rather than simply following short-term trends. Trends change quickly, but a clear research identity and long-term curiosity can sustain you through difficulties.

At the same time, young scientists should be patient. Meaningful research often takes much longer than expected, and setbacks are part of the process. If you keep learning, stay rigorous, and continue refining your ideas, those efforts will gradually connect and form your own path.

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