Introduction to the Lab/Research

Dr. Fangyu Zhang is a Principal Investigator (PI) and doctoral supervisor at the School of Engineering, Westlake University. His research focuses on micro/nanorobotics and their biomedical applications, covering areas such as drug delivery, gene therapy, in vivo imaging, and intelligent control. The lab aims to develop smart bioinspired micro/nanorobotic drug delivery systems that integrate "biomimetic design – multimodal actuation – imaging navigation – targeted therapy," with the goal of advancing their clinical translation in diseases such as pulmonary infections, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and genetic disorders.

Dr. Zhang obtained his bachelor's degree from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, his master’s degree in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University, and his Ph.D. in Chemical and Nano Engineering from the University of California, San Diego (mentored by Prof. Joseph Wang and Prof. Liangfang Zhang). He then completed postdoctoral training at UT Southwestern Medical Center with Prof. Daniel Siegwart. His research has been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Materials, Science Robotics, Science Advances, Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, JACS, etc, with multiple ESI Highly Cited Papers. In 2024, he was named to the MIT Technology Review’s “Innovators Under 35 (TR35)” Global list as his leadership and contributions in the field of robotics.

Job Description

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow (2-3)

Requirements:

1) Direction 1: Micro/Nanorobot Construction and Locomotion Control

Experience in naturally swimming systems such as bacteria or microalgae, or expertise in designing and fabricating synthetic micro/nanorobots (magnetic, optical, or acoustic actuation) is preferred.

2) Direction 2: Bioinspired Micro/Nanorobotic Drug Delivery Systems

Proficient in in vitro and in vivo experimental techniques, including drug administration, cell transfection, RT-PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and other biofunctional evaluations.

3) Direction 3: Drug Delivery and Imaging Platform Development

Background in nanoparticle (e.g., LNPs, liposomes) or nucleic acid delivery systems; skilled in the design, synthesis, and characterization of vectors for siRNA/mRNA/CRISPR-based therapeutics.

Other requirements:

1) Hold or expect to hold a Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, or related fields;

2) Strong proficiency in English academic reading and writing;

3) Track record of high-quality publications as the first author in international peer-reviewed journals;

4) Candidates with experience in micro/nanorobots, nucleic acid/drug delivery, biomaterials, cell/tissue engineering, will be given priority.

Compensation and Benefits

1.The research team offers a competitive and negotiable compensation package commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

2.The university assists with enrolling children in childcare and school.

3.The university boasts comprehensive postdoctoral training, with programs including the Westlake University Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellows and Westlake Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women.

Funding

1. Postdocs receive a living allowance and research funding from the Hangzhou municipal government.

2. Recipients of funding from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation or the Zhejiang Province Selected Funding for Postdoctoral Research Projects are entitled to supplementary funding of the same amount from the Hangzhou municipal government.

3. Postdocs who work full-time in Hangzhou after completing their postdoctoral research qualify for an allowance of 400,000 RMB from the Hangzhou municipal government.

4. Eligible new university graduates holding a doctoral degree or equivalent who work full time in Hangzhou (including those who studied abroad and returned to China within 5 years of graduation as well as foreign talent) can apply to the Hangzhou municipal government for a living allowance of 100,000 RMB.

5. Postdocs recognized as high-level talent in Hangzhou enjoy corresponding preferential policies.

How to Apply

To apply, please send the following documents in English in PDF format to zhangfangyu@westlake.edu.cn and indicate “Postdoc Application–[Your Name]” in the email subject.

CV

2 reference letters

Doctoral degree certificate