Associate Professor Sophia Gu

Research Projects

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for precision diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening diseases. My research group utilises interdisciplinary approaches that bring together material chemistry, biomedical engineering and nanotechnology to synthesise functional nanoparticles, optimise their biomedical properties, and develop smart nanoparticles and advanced delivery strategies. Major interests of our research:

Research interest 1: Targeted, controlled and selective drug delivery system. 

Research interest 2: Bioimaging probe/contrast agent design for disease diagnosis. 

Research interest 3: Multifunctional bioactive nanoparticles, biomimetic nanoparticles, catalytic nanomedicine 

My Expertise

Drug delivery | Bio-imaging nanoprobe construction and application | Theranostic nanomedicine | Bio-nano interface | Nanozyme | Catalytic nanomedicine | Nanoparticles for cancer therapy, cardiovascular disease | Nanoparticle synthesis and modification | Two-dimensional nanomaterials

Ten Most Significant Career Publications

1. Cao Z; Zhang L; Liang K; Cheong S; Boyer C; Gooding JJ; Chen Y;* Gu Z,* 2018, 'Biodegradable 2D Fe–Al Hydroxide for Nanocatalytic Tumor-Dynamic Therapy with Tumor Specificity', Advanced Science, vol. 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/advs.201801155, (IF 16.8)
2. Li B; Gu Z;* Kurniawan N; Chen W; Xu ZP,* 2017, 'Manganese-Based Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles as a T 1 -MRI Contrast Agent with Ultrasensitive pH Response and High Relaxivity', Advanced Materials, vol. 29, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201700373 (IF 30.85)
3. Li B; Hao G; Sun B; Gu Z;* Xu ZP,* 2020, 'Engineering a Therapy-Induced “Immunogenic Cancer Cell Death” Amplifier to Boost Systemic Tumor Elimination', Advanced Functional Materials, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201909745 (IF 18.81)
4. Zhang H; Zhang L; Cao Z; Cheong S; Boyer C; Wang Z; Yun S.L.J; Amal R; Gu Z,* 2022, Two-dimensional ultrathin nanosheets with extraordinarily high drug loading and long blood circulation for cancer therapy Small DOI:10.1002/smll.202200299, accepted in March 2022. (IF 13.28)
5. Zhang H; Cao Z; Zhang Q; Xu J; Yun SLJ; Liang K;* Gu Z,* 2020, 'Chemotaxis-Driven 2D Nanosheet for Directional Drug Delivery toward the Tumor Microenvironment', Small, vol. 16, pp. e2002732, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smll.202002732 (IF 13.28)
6. Cao Z; Li B; Sun L; Li L; Xu ZP;* Gu Z,* 2020, '2D Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles: Recent Progress toward Preclinical/Clinical Nanomedicine', Small Methods, vol. 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smtd.201900343 (IF 14.188)
7. Li B; Tang J; Chen W; Hao G; Kurniawan N; Gu Z;* Xu ZP*, 2018, 'Novel theranostic nanoplatform for complete mice tumor elimination via MR imaging-guided acid-enhanced photothermo-/chemo-therapy', Biomaterials, vol. 177, pp. 40 - 51, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.05.055, (IF 12.48)
8. Guo Z; Wang T; Rawal A; Hou J; Cao Z; Zhang H; Xu J; Gu Z;* Chen V; Liang K,* 2019, 'Biocatalytic self-propelled submarine-like metal-organic framework microparticles with pH-triggered buoyancy control for directional vertical motion', Materials Today, vol. 28, pp. 10 - 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2019.04.022. (IF 31.04)
9. Gu Z; Rolfe BE; Thomas AC; Campbell JH; Lu GQM; Xu ZP, 2011, 'Cellular trafficking of low molecular weight heparin incorporated in layered double hydroxide nanoparticles in rat vascular smooth muscle cells', Biomaterials, vol. 32, pp. 7234 - 7240, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.05.083 (IF 12.48)
10. Gu Z; Thomas AC; Xu ZP; Campbell JH; Lu GQ,* 2008, 'In vitro sustained release of LMWH from MgAl-layered double hydroxide nanohybrids', Chemistry of Materials, vol. 20, pp. 3715 - 3722, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cm703602t (IF 10.159)

(*Corresponding author)

We are looking for highly motivated, intelligent and team-playing students to do their PhD, Master by Philosophy, or Honours proje in our group. 
Postgraduate Scholarship Opportunities
Domestic Research Scholarship: https://research.unsw.edu.au/domestic-research-scholarships
International Research Scholarship: https://research.unsw.edu.au/international-research-scholarships
UNSW-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Joint Scholarship program. For more details, click here. To apply CSC, click here. Top-up scholarship (7k pa) will be provided to CSC awardees.
UNSW / HEC Pakistan Joint Scholarship: https://research.unsw.edu.au/unsw-home-country-joint-scholarships;
UNSW / CONICYT Chile Joint Scholarship: https://research.unsw.edu.au/unsw-home-country-joint-scholarships;
Postdoc and Research Assistant positions are available at specific time.