Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yun Zhang | Environmental Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Chemistry Awards

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yun Zhang | Environmental Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yun Zhang  , Environmental Chemistry , Faculty at  Lanzhou University , China

Dr. Yun Zhang is an Associate Professor at Lanzhou University, China, with extensive expertise in environmental chemistry and nanomaterials. She earned her Ph.D. from Lanzhou University and the University of Vienna, specializing in porous chelating adsorbents and ionic liquids. Dr. Zhang has held academic positions at Lanzhou University and conducted postdoctoral research at Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research bridges environmental science and materials chemistry, focusing on the development of advanced nanostructures for pollutant detection and removal. Dr. Zhang has led several national and provincial research projects on catalysts and adsorbents for environmental remediation. Her contributions are recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship. She is also an active peer reviewer for leading journals such as Chemosphere and Journal of Hazardous Materials. Her innovative work on SERS-based pollutant detection and polymer-nanoparticle composites continues to impact sustainable environmental solutions.

Professional Profile : 

Orcid

Scopus  

Summary of Suitability for Award:

Dr. Yun Zhang’s academic journey, marked by international collaboration, advanced research on nanostructured materials for environmental remediation, and successful leadership in funded projects, makes her a highly suitable candidate for a “Best Researcher Award.” Her work is innovative, globally relevant, and reflects a consistent trajectory of excellence and contribution to both fundamental and applied science. She exemplifies the qualities of a researcher who translates high-impact science into real-world environmental solutions. Dr. Yun Zhang fulfills the criteria expected of a “Best Researcher Award” recipient. Her research record demonstrates scientific innovation, international recognition, and societal relevance. Based on her proven capabilities, scholarly achievements, and impactful contributions to environmental chemistry and nanotechnology, she is strongly recommended as a deserving nominee for the “Best Researcher Award”.

🎓Education:

Dr. Yun Zhang completed her Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry (2008–2011) through a joint program between Lanzhou University and the University of Vienna, where she focused on porous chelating adsorbents and ionic liquids for environmental applications. Prior to that, she earned her Master’s degree in Environmental Chemistry (2005–2008) from Lanzhou University, with research centered on atmospheric particles, PAHs, and analytical methods like GC-MS. Her undergraduate training in Environmental Science (2001–2005), also from Lanzhou University, laid a solid foundation in environmental monitoring and pollution analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of her academic training—spanning inorganic chemistry, environmental science, and polymer technology—has equipped her with a comprehensive approach to tackling modern environmental challenges through material innovation and chemical analysis.

🏢Work Experience:

Dr. Yun Zhang currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Science at Lanzhou University, a role she has held since December 2019. She began her academic career as a Lecturer in the Institute of Polymer Science & Engineering at the same university from 2010 to 2016. From 2016 to 2018, she expanded her international research experience during a postdoctoral fellowship in Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, where she developed expertise in nanostructured materials for pollutant sensing and degradation. Returning to Lanzhou University, she resumed teaching and research as a Lecturer (2018–2019) before her promotion. Dr. Zhang’s career reflects a dynamic blend of teaching, mentoring, and high-impact research across material science, environmental remediation, and nanotechnology. Her interdisciplinary experience has enabled her to lead cutting-edge research projects and mentor emerging scholars in environmental chemistry.

🏅Awards: 

Dr. Yun Zhang has received several prestigious awards recognizing her academic excellence and international research contributions. In 2015, she was selected for the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Project (2016–2018), supporting her research tenure at Georgia Tech. She earned the Bao Gang Education Scholarship in 2011, acknowledging her outstanding academic record. That same year, she also received the Scholarship Award for Excellent Doctoral Student, highlighting her impactful contributions during her Ph.D. studies. Earlier, in 2010, she was honored with a joint doctoral scholarship by the CSC (China Scholarship Council) and FWF (Austrian Science Fund), which facilitated her research at the University of Vienna. These accolades reflect not only her commitment to scientific excellence but also her capacity to contribute meaningfully to global research collaborations. Dr. Zhang’s recognition at national and international levels demonstrates her status as a leading figure in environmental chemistry and materials science.

🔬Research Focus:

Dr. Yun Zhang’s research integrates environmental chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology to develop advanced solutions for pollution control. She specializes in the precise synthesis of noble metal nanostructures such as Ag nanocubes and Ag@Pt-Rh core-frame nanocrystals, which are employed in sensitive detection and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Her work also explores polymer-nanoparticle composite adsorbents for the extraction of heavy metals, as well as the application of ionic liquids (ILs) in micro-pollutant removal. A distinctive feature of her research is the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which enables controlled nanomaterial design for environmental applications. Her interdisciplinary projects are supported by competitive grants, emphasizing applied innovations for antibiotic degradation, mercury detection, and bimetallic catalysis. Through the integration of chemistry and environmental science, Dr. Zhang addresses pressing ecological challenges while advancing fundamental research in nanomaterials.

Publication Top Notes:

1. A Specific Time Lag Regulation of Soil Moisture Across Layers on Soil Salinization in the Northeast Tibetan Plateau Agroecosystem

2. Differential Quantitative Analysis of Carbon Emission Efficiency of Gansu Manufacturing Industry in 2030

3. Multi-Scenario Land Use/Cover Change and Its Impact on Carbon Storage Based on the Coupled GMOP-PLUS-InVEST Model in the Hexi Corridor, Chin

4. Hydrothermal Conditions in Deep Soil Layer Regulate the Interannual Change in Gross Primary Productivity in the Qilian Mountains Area, China

5. Syntheses, Plasmonic Properties, and Catalytic Applications of Ag–Rh Core-Frame Nanocubes and Rh Nanoboxes with Highly Porous Walls

6. Thiazole Orange-Modified Carbon Dots for Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection of G-Quadruplex and Double-Stranded DNA

7. Enriching Silver Nanocrystals with a Second Noble Metal

8. Observing the Overgrowth of a Second Metal on Silver Cubic Seeds in Solution by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

9. Pt–Ag Cubic Nanocages with Wall Thickness Less Than 2 nm and Their Enhanced Catalytic Activity Toward Oxygen Reduction

10. Fabrication of Magnetic Alginate Beads with Uniform Dispersion of CoFe₂O₄ by the Polydopamine Surface Functionalization for Organic Pollutants Removal

11. Facile One-Pot Assembly of Adhesive Phenol/Fe³⁺/PEI Complexes for Preparing Magnetic Hybrid Microcapsules

 

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. yifeng Lan | Environmental Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Chemistry Awards

Assoc. Prof. Dr. yifeng Lan | Environmental Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. yifeng Lan | Environmental Chemistry | Associate Professor at Shanxi medical university, China

Dr. Yifeng Lan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine at Shanxi Medical University, P. R. China. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Shanxi University and has expertise in biosensors, fluorescence, and toxicological analysis. Dr. Lan has held positions as a lecturer and inspector and completed a research exchange at Georgia State University, USA. She is also a postdoctoral fellow at the China Institute for Radiation Protection. Her research is focused on developing biosensing platforms based on nucleic acid aptamers for forensic toxicology applications. Dr. Lan has secured prestigious grants, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has published extensively in high-impact journals. She actively contributes to forensic toxicology education and scientific advancements in nanomaterials and biosensors.

Professional Profile :         

Scopus 

Summary of Suitability for Award:

Dr. Yifeng Lan is a distinguished researcher specializing in fluorescent biosensors, forensic toxicology, and nanomaterial-based sensing platforms. Her work integrates chemistry, nanotechnology, and forensic science, addressing critical challenges in environmental monitoring and toxicological detection. With a strong background in aptamer-based biosensors, she has pioneered novel signal amplification strategies to enhance detection sensitivity. Her postdoctoral research at the China Institute for Radiation Protection further expands her expertise in biosensor applications for forensic and environmental safety. Dr. Lan has received prestigious grants, including funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has published extensively in high-impact journals. Dr. Yifeng Lan’s groundbreaking contributions to forensic science, biosensor technology, and environmental monitoring make her a highly suitable candidate for the “Best Researcher Award”. Her innovative research, international collaborations, and impactful publications demonstrate her leadership and excellence in scientific advancements, making her a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor.

🎓Education:

Dr. Yifeng Lan completed her B.Sc. in Chemistry from Jinzhong College, P.R. China, in July 2008. She pursued her M.Sc. in Pharmacy at Shanxi University, where she specialized in the extraction and separation of chemical components from safflower, a traditional Chinese medicine, and successfully isolated five flavonoid compounds. She then earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Shanxi University in July 2020, focusing on the development of multi-functional label-free nucleic acid aptamer sensing systems using signal amplification strategies. Additionally, she undertook an exchange research program at Georgia State University, USA, in 2019, where she synthesized and characterized two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide nanosheets. Her diverse academic background integrates chemistry, pharmacy, environmental sciences, and nanotechnology, shaping her expertise in biosensor development.

🏢Work Experience:

Dr. Yifeng Lan has accumulated extensive research and academic experience. She began as an undergraduate researcher (2004-2008), working on microcapsule preparation using chitosan-based coatings. As a graduate researcher (2008-2011), she studied the chemical components of safflower using chromatography techniques. From 2011 to 2017, she worked as an inspector at the Shanxi Food and Drug Control Institute, where she contributed to the national evaluation of drug samples and explored quality assessment methods. She then pursued her Ph.D. at Shanxi University (2017-2020), specializing in nucleic acid aptamer-based biosensing systems. In 2020, she joined the Department of Forensic Medicine at Shanxi Medical University as a lecturer, where she developed optical sensing platforms for small molecules. She was promoted to Associate Professor in December 2024, teaching forensic toxicology and conducting research on biosensor platforms. Since 2021, she has also been a postdoctoral fellow at the China Institute for Radiation Protection, focusing on fluorescent biosensors for test strips.

🏅Awards: 

Dr. Yifeng Lan has received multiple prestigious grants and recognitions for her contributions to biosensor research. She was awarded the Shanxi Province Science Foundation for Youths (2021-2024) for her research in fluorescence-based sensing systems. She also secured funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2022-2025) for developing advanced aptamer-based biosensors for forensic applications. Her innovative work in toxicological analysis has earned her several institutional and national recognitions, further solidifying her reputation in the field of forensic medicine. Additionally, she has been an invited speaker at multiple international conferences, sharing her expertise on nanomaterials and biosensor technology. As a recognized expert, she actively collaborates with researchers worldwide and serves as a reviewer for high-impact scientific journals. Her contributions to biosensor development, forensic toxicology, and nanomaterial synthesis continue to influence cutting-edge research in environmental and medical applications.

🔬Research Focus:

Dr. Yifeng Lan’s research primarily focuses on the development of fluorescent biosensors for forensic and toxicological applications. She specializes in nucleic acid aptamer-based sensing platforms, utilizing signal amplification strategies to enhance detection sensitivity for small molecules and toxicants. Her expertise includes the fabrication of optical sensing platforms, leveraging nanomaterials such as molybdenum disulfide nanosheets for improved sensor performance. Her studies extend to microscale chemistry, where she explores novel approaches to environmental and toxicological monitoring. Additionally, she is involved in the development of rapid and cost-effective test strips for detecting contaminants and hazardous substances in food and environmental samples. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates chemistry, nanotechnology, and forensic science, addressing challenges in toxicological analysis, environmental sciences, and biosensor applications. Her ongoing research at the China Institute for Radiation Protection further expands the applications of fluorescence-based biosensing in radiation and forensic detection.

Publication Top Notes:

  • “A label-free Exonuclease I-assisted fluorescence aptasensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of silver ions.”

  • “Development of Rapid Colorimetric Assay for Detection of Gluconic Acid Using Iron(α) and Indigo Carmine.”

  • “Dual-signal fluorescence aptasensing system for adenosine triphosphate assisting by MoS₂ nanosheets.”