Miqin Zhang

In 1999, Zhang joined the faculty at the University of Washington, where she was made professor in 2008.^[2] She has developed new biomaterials for the diagnosis and detection of disease. Her research focused on three activities; the development of nanoparticles for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the realization of materials to serve as biodegradable scaffolds and the development of cellular biosensors for detecting chemical agents.^{[citation needed]}

Zhang developed novel synthesis strategies for the creation of functionalized nanoparticles. Nanovectors are nanoparticle cores that are surrounded by an agent that targets cells with specific functionality.^[3] Zhang designed a nanovector that can target glioma, a form of brain cancer. The Zhang nanovector was based on a superparamagnetic iron oxide core, a polyethylene glycol coating, a chlorotoxin targeting agent and a fluorescent dye. The cyanine-based dye emits infrared light, which can penetrate brain tissue. Her nanoparticles could be traced using both MRI and fluorescence microscopy.^[4]

Zhang has also developed nanofibrous matrices from polymeric materials to use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.^[5] She has also developed hydrogels that can be used for drug delivery.^[6]

To detect and identify biological agents, Zhang has developed surface modification techniques to pattern proteins and live cells. She makes use of receptor mediated cell adhesion, a technique which involves immobilizing proteins on electrodes which can be patterned.^[7]

• Conroy Sun; Jerry Ssu-Hsien Lee; Miqin Zhang (10 April 2008). "Magnetic nanoparticles in MR imaging and drug delivery". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 60 (11): 1252–1265. doi:10.1016/J.ADDR.2008.03.018. ISSN 0169-409X. PMC 2702670. PMID 18558452. Wikidata Q37192908.
• Narayan Bhattarai; Jonathan Gunn; Miqin Zhang (30 September 2009). "Chitosan-based hydrogels for controlled, localized drug delivery". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 62 (1): 83–99. doi:10.1016/J.ADDR.2009.07.019. ISSN 0169-409X. PMID 19799949. Wikidata Q37607445.
• Omid Veiseh; Jonathan W Gunn; Miqin Zhang (10 November 2009). "Design and fabrication of magnetic nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and imaging". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 62 (3): 284–304. doi:10.1016/J.ADDR.2009.11.002. ISSN 0169-409X. PMC 2827645. PMID 19909778. Wikidata Q37631874.