Shirley Tang

• Nanobiomaterial
• Nanobioelectronics
• Graphene
• Carbon nanotube
• Nanocomposite

Shirley Tang's research interests encompass nanomaterials and nanodevices for biology and medicine, bio-molecule assisted nanomaterial self-assembly, and the health and environmental effects of engineered nanomaterials. Her lab is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments tailored for nanocarbon-based synthesis and characterization and a biosafety II cell culture lab dedicated to the investigation of nanocarbon-biosystem interactions. Her current projects include 

• Nanoporous Membranes and Nanofluidic Devices
• Carbon Nanotube Biosensors
• Synthesis of 3D Hierarchical Materials
• Nano-Bio Hybrids for Tissue Engineering and Medicine

Shirley teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses. Recent course offerings have included topics in bioelectronics, nanostructured materials, nanoelectronics, nanoscale biosystems and quantum mechanics.

• Wang, Yuxing, Irfani R. Ausri, Zimeng Wang, Cam Derry, and Xiaowu Shirley Tang. "Towards a transdermal membrane biosensor for the detection of lactate in body fluids." Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 308 (2020): 127645.

• Lee, Junmin, Vijayan Manoharan, Louis Cheung, Seungkyu Lee, Byung-Hyun Cha, Peter Newman, Razieh Farzad et al. "Nanoparticle-Based Hybrid Scaffolds for Deciphering the Role of Multimodal Cues in Cardiac Tissue Engineering." ACS nano 13, no. 11 (2019): 12525-12539.

• Li, Zhi, Yael Zilberman, Qing-Bin Lu, and Xiaowu Tang. "Electrochemical methods for probing DNA damage mechanisms and designing cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy." BioTechniques 66, no. 3 (2019): 135-142.Wang, Kai, Irfani R. Ausri, Kyle A. Chu, Annela Seddon, and Xiaowu Tang. "Pressure‐Driven Solvent Transport and Complex Ion Permeation through Graphene Oxide Membranes." Advanced Materials Interfaces 6, no. 12 (2019): 1802056.

• Wang, Kai, Irfani R. Ausri, Kyle A. Chu, Annela Seddon, and Xiaowu Tang. "Pressure‐Driven Solvent Transport and Complex Ion Permeation through Graphene Oxide Membranes." Advanced Materials Interfaces 6, no. 12 (2019): 1802056.

• Li, Zhi, Irfani R. Ausri, Yael Zilberman, and Xiaowu Shirley Tang. "Towards label-free, wash-free and quantitative B-type natriuretic peptide detection for heart failure diagnosis." Nanoscale 11, no. 39 (2019): 18347-18357.

• “3D bioprinting of liver-mimetic construct with alginate/cellulose nanocrystal hybrid bioink”, Y. Wu, Z. Y. Lin, M. K. C. Tam, X. S. Tang, Bioprinting, 9, 1-6 (2018).

Please see Shirley Tang's Google Scholar profile for a current list of her peer-reviewed articles.

• “Nanobiosensors with electrochemical transducer coupled with gate-keeper membrane”, X. S. Tang, Chinese Patent Application, November, 2015.

• Outstanding Mid-Career Achievements in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NanoOntario, 2018

• Stars in Global Health, Grand Challenges Canada, 2012

• Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leader’s Opportunity Award, 2008

• Who’s Who in American Women Award, 1998

• Honored Graduate, HuaZhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), 1993

• Distinguished Undergraduate Scholarship, HUST, 1989-1993

• ​Member of the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology
• Member of the Water Institute
• Member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology
• Member of Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research

• Director, Nanotechnology Engineering Program, 2014–present

• Faculty of Science Foundation – Chemistry representative, 2012-14

The following news stories have featured Shirley Tang's research:

• October 20, 2014:  Food Safety:  Waterloo nanotech device tests for bacteria

• February 12, 2013:  Improving lives at nano-scale

1999 Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

1993 B.S., Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China