TV
Dr Chengchen Zhang is a Lecturer (aka Assistant Professor) in Digital Health & Biomedical Engineering, School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the TV, UK. She is also a visiting scholar at University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Sydney in Australia. She was the awardee of EPSRC New Investigator Award (UKRI, UK) and Newton International Fellowship (The Royal Society, UK).
Dr Zhang's research group focuses on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through an integrated approach that combines materials engineering, pharmaceutical science, and computational methods. The aim is to create next-generation antimicrobial and diagnostic technologies that enable more effective infection control and support decentralised healthcare. The work spans three main areas:
- Supermetals vs Superbugs: Developing catalytic gallium-based antimicrobials to combat drug-resistant bacteria, guided by molecular modelling and structural optimisation.
- Infection-on-Chip Models: Building microfluidic infection platforms that replicate clinically relevant bacterial behaviours for precise testing of antimicrobials and biomaterials.
- Accessible Biosensors: Designing affordable, rapid diagnostic tools for early disease detection and health monitoring at the point of care.
Through these efforts, the team aims to deliver scalable, ethical, and clinically meaningful solutions to address the global challenge of infectious diseases and AMR.
Education & Employment
- 2023/09-present Lecturer (aka Assistant Professor), TV, Southampton, UK.
- 2023/09-2025/07 The Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP), TV, UK
- 2023/09-2024/07 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), TV, UK
- 2022/11-2023/07 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Mentor: Prof. Ewa M. Goldys)
- 2019/05−2022/12 Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia (Supervisors: Prof. Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh, Dr Dorna Esrafilzadeh)
Research Grants
Since August 2023, Dr Zhang has successfully secured a total of ~£1.4M in competitive research funding as the sole or lead investigator, supported by prestigious sources including UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), The Royal Society, Wessex Medical Trust, and an industry partner. Details of the awarded grants are as follows:
- 2026-2029, EPSRC New Investigator Award (APP34994), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), UK. Solo Investigator
- 2025/11-2027/11 International Exchanges 2025 (IES\R2\252009). The Royal Society, UK. Lead Investigator
- 2025/10-2027/09 Wessex Medical Innovation Fund 2025 (AF06), Wessex Medical Trust, UK. Sole Investigator
- 2025/07-2027/07 Industrial Collaborative Grant. Industry partner, Sole Investigator
- 2025/05-2025/12 ECS Pump Priming Fund 2025, TV, UK. Lead Investigator
- 2024/05-2024/12 ECS Pump Priming Fund 2024, TV, UK. Sole Investigator
- 2024/03-2026/03 International Exchanges 2023 (IEC\NSFC\233339). The Royal Society, UK. Lead Investigator
- 2024/03-2026/06 Standard Research Grant (RG\R1\241228). The Royal Society, UK. Sole Investigator
- 2023/09-2025/08 Seed Fundings, TV, UK. Sole Investigator
- 2023/08-2026/07 Newton International Fellowship (NIF\R1\231027) awardee. The Royal Society, UK. Sole Investigator
Honours and Awards
- 2024 Dean’s Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Faculty, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, TV, UK.
- 2024 Awarded the Fellowship of the HEA (FHEA) by the Advance HE, UK
- 2023 Accredited as a Global Talent in Biomedical Engineering, Department of Home Affairs, UK
- 2023 Accredited as a Global Talent in Health Industries, Department of Home Affairs, Australia
- 2023 Best Oral Presentation Award, 13th International NanoMedicine Conference, Australia
- 2022 Best Poster Award, 2022 MRS Spring Meeting, Hawai’i, USA
Editorial Activities
- Associate Editor of Health Nanotechnology (2024/02-present)
- Review Editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology on “Biomaterials” (2023/07-present)
- Guest Editor of Biosensors for the special issue on “Enzyme-assisted Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) for the ultra-sensitive diagnosis” (2023/02-2023/09)
- Review Editor of Frontiers in Medical Technology on “Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices” (2022/11-present)