![Jin Li BEng PhD MIET](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/4505?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Jin Li
(he/him)
BEng PhD MIET
Lecturer in soft matter and microfluidic engineering
- LiJ40@cardiff.ac.uk
- Queen's Buildings - South Building, Room S/0.46, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am an early-career researcher with a passionate interest in the science and applications of soft matter and microfluidic technology. My expertise lies in the precise control of chemical compartmentalization within complex emulsions, microgels, micro-sized polymeric capsules, and their macrostructure organizations. I work in multidisciplinary research, including integrated microfluidic devices, engineering biology, and tissue engineering. I expand my work to focus on engineered, biomimetic 'Living Machines', built upon functional soft components. This will give rise to a plethora of applications, providing economical, environmental, and sustainable benefits across diverse industries including, critically, new materials, medicine, soft electronics and robots, agriculture, energy, and AI technology development.
Currently, I serve as:
Co-director of Applied Microfluidic Laboratory;
Co-director of Complex Nanofluid Engineering group at Cardiff University;
Consortium member of the EU-Horizon2020 project, entitled "Artificial Cells with Distributed Cores (ACDC)", and the EIC project, entitled "Bio-Hybrid Hierarchical Organoid-Synthetic Tissues (BiohHOST)" under EU flagship research programme - "Engineered Living Materials".
Publication
2024
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2024. Kauffman Model with spatially separated ligation and cleavage reactions. Presented at: Italian Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Venice, 6-8 September 2023 Presented at Villani, M., Cagnoni, S. and Serra, R. eds.Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. WIVACE 2023, Vol. 1977. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 141-160., (10.1007/978-3-031-57430-6_12)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2024. Percolation breakdown in binary and ternary monodisperse and polydisperse systems of spherical particles. Presented at: Italian Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Venice, 6-8 September 2023 Presented at Villani, M., Cagnoni, S. and Serra, R. eds.Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. WIVACE 2023, Vol. 1977. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 161-174., (10.1007/978-3-031-57430-6_13)
2023
- Matuttis, H. et al. 2023. Computational investigation of the clustering of droplets in widening pipe geometries. Presented at: WIVACE 2022, XVI International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Gaeta, Italy, 14-16 September 2022 Presented at De Stefano, C., Fontanella, F. and Vanneschi, L. eds.WIVACE 2022. Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 1780. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 82-93., (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_7)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Artificial chemistry performed in an agglomeration of droplets with restricted molecule transfer. Presented at: WIVACE 2022, XVI International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Gaeta, Italy, 14-16 September 2022 Presented at De Stefano, C., Fontanella, F. and Vanneschi, L. eds.WIVACE 2022. Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation., Vol. 1780. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 107-118., (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_9)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Network creation during agglomeration processes of polydisperse and monodisperse systems of droplets. Communications in Computer and Information Science 1780, pp. 94-106. (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_8)
- Moukachar, A. et al. 2023. Development and evaluation of a low‐cost lego 3d bioprinter: from building‐blocks to building blocks of life. Advanced Materials Technologies 8(6), article number: 2100868. (10.1002/admt.202100868)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Obstacles on the pathway towards chemical programmability using agglomerations of droplets. Presented at: Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, 15-17 September 2021Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, September 15–17, 2021, Revised Selected Papers, Vol. 1722. Springer pp. 35-50., (10.1007/978-3-031-23929-8_4)
- Schneider, J. J., Barrow, D. A., Li, J., Weyland, M. S., Flumini, D., Eggenberger Hotz, P. and Füchslin, R. M. 2023. Geometric restrictions to the agglomeration of spherical particles. Presented at: Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland,, Winterthur, Switzerland, 15-17 September 2021Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, September 15–17, 2021, Revised Selected Papers, Vol. 1722. Springer pp. 72-84., (10.1007/978-3-031-23929-8_7)
2022
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2022. Paths in a network of polydisperse spherical droplets. Presented at: ALIFE 2022: The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life, Online, 18-22 July 2022The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life Proceedings. MIT Press, (10.1162/isal_a_00502)
- Li, J. et al. 2022. Building programmable multicompartment artificial cells incorporating remotely activated protein channels using microfluidics and acoustic levitation. Nature Communications 13(1), article number: 4125. (10.1038/s41467-022-31898-w)
- Li, J., Dimitriou, P. and Barrow, D. 2022. Acoustic levitation of complex emulsions and hierarchical soft matter constructs. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Jamieson, W., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2022. Active content release from synthetic cell interior towards a novel drug delivery method. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Tornillo, G., Smalley, M. and Barrow, D. 2022. Droplet incubator: a new droplet-based model to investigate living cell-synthetic cell interactions. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
2021
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Tornillo, G., McCloy, T. and Barrow, D. 2021. Droplet microfluidics for tumor drug-related studies and programmable artificial cells. Global Challenges 5(7), article number: 2000123. (10.1002/gch2.202000123)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2021. Influence of the geometry on the agglomeration of a polydisperse binary system of spherical particles. Presented at: ALIFE 2021: The 2021 Conference on Artificial Life, 19-23 July 2021Proceedings of the ALIFE 2022: The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life. ALIFE 2021: The 2021 Conference on Artificial Life.. MIT Press, (10.1162/isal_a_00392)
2020
- Li, J., Baxani Kamal, D., Jamieson, W. D., Xu, W., Garcia Rocha, V., Barrow, D. A. and Castell, O. K. 2020. Formation of polarised, functional artificial cells from compartmentalised droplet networks and nanomaterials, using one-step, dual-material 3D-printed microfluidics. Advanced Science 7(1), article number: 1901719. (10.1002/advs.201901719)
- Li, J., Dimitriou, P., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2020. Generation of complex emulsions using monolithic, dual material 3D-printed microfluidic devices. Presented at: The 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (µTAS 2020), 4-9 October 2020. Cardiff:
2018
- Thomas, R., Li, J., Ladak, S., Barrow, D. and Smowton, P. 2018. In-situ fabricated 3D micro-lenses for photonic integrated circuits. Optics Express 26(10), pp. 13436-13442. (10.1364/OE.26.013436)
2017
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. A. 2017. A new droplet-forming fluidic junction for the generation of highly compartmentalised capsules. Lab on a Chip 17(16), pp. 2873-2881. (10.1039/c7lc00618g)
- Li, J., Lindley-Start, J., Porch, A. and Barrow, D. 2017. Continuous and scalable polymer capsule processing for inertial fusion energy target shell fabrication using droplet microfluidics. Scientific Reports 7, article number: 6302. (10.1038/s41598-017-06746-3)
- Baxani Kamal, D., Morgan, A. J., Li, J., Barrow, D. A. and Castell, O. 2017. The microfluidic manufacture of encapsulated droplet interface bilayers using a hybrid 3D-printed coaxial device. Presented at: 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016), Dublin, Ireland, 9-13 October 2016Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016). Red Hook, New York: Curran Associates, Inc.
- Li, J., Baxani Kamal, D., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2017. Formation of chemically responsive multisomes using droplet microfluidics. Presented at: 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016), Dublin, Ireland, 9-13 October 2016Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016). Red Hook, NY: Curran Associates, Inc.
- Li, J., Wu, F., Wang, H., Cuenca, J., Yang, X. and Barrow, D. 2017. An automated system for the shape optimization of double emulsion droplets used in the fabrication of Inertial Fusion Energy target shells. Presented at: The 21st International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2017), Cardiff, 22-26 October 2017.
2016
- Li, J. 2016. A novel, planar, microfluidic junction for multiphase flow, exemplified through the production of fusion energy targets, encapsulated mouse neuron stem cells and multi-compartmental capsules. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2014
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. 2014. Rapid and precision mass replication of inertial fusion energy targets with multiphase microfluidics. Presented at: The 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2014), Cardiff, 26 - 30 October 201418th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences. USA: Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society pp. 1253-1255.
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. 2014. Microfluidic encapsulation of droplet assemblies. Presented at: 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2014), Cardiff, 26-30 October 2014.
Articles
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Network creation during agglomeration processes of polydisperse and monodisperse systems of droplets. Communications in Computer and Information Science 1780, pp. 94-106. (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_8)
- Moukachar, A. et al. 2023. Development and evaluation of a low‐cost lego 3d bioprinter: from building‐blocks to building blocks of life. Advanced Materials Technologies 8(6), article number: 2100868. (10.1002/admt.202100868)
- Li, J. et al. 2022. Building programmable multicompartment artificial cells incorporating remotely activated protein channels using microfluidics and acoustic levitation. Nature Communications 13(1), article number: 4125. (10.1038/s41467-022-31898-w)
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Tornillo, G., McCloy, T. and Barrow, D. 2021. Droplet microfluidics for tumor drug-related studies and programmable artificial cells. Global Challenges 5(7), article number: 2000123. (10.1002/gch2.202000123)
- Li, J., Baxani Kamal, D., Jamieson, W. D., Xu, W., Garcia Rocha, V., Barrow, D. A. and Castell, O. K. 2020. Formation of polarised, functional artificial cells from compartmentalised droplet networks and nanomaterials, using one-step, dual-material 3D-printed microfluidics. Advanced Science 7(1), article number: 1901719. (10.1002/advs.201901719)
- Thomas, R., Li, J., Ladak, S., Barrow, D. and Smowton, P. 2018. In-situ fabricated 3D micro-lenses for photonic integrated circuits. Optics Express 26(10), pp. 13436-13442. (10.1364/OE.26.013436)
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. A. 2017. A new droplet-forming fluidic junction for the generation of highly compartmentalised capsules. Lab on a Chip 17(16), pp. 2873-2881. (10.1039/c7lc00618g)
- Li, J., Lindley-Start, J., Porch, A. and Barrow, D. 2017. Continuous and scalable polymer capsule processing for inertial fusion energy target shell fabrication using droplet microfluidics. Scientific Reports 7, article number: 6302. (10.1038/s41598-017-06746-3)
Conferences
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2024. Kauffman Model with spatially separated ligation and cleavage reactions. Presented at: Italian Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Venice, 6-8 September 2023 Presented at Villani, M., Cagnoni, S. and Serra, R. eds.Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. WIVACE 2023, Vol. 1977. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 141-160., (10.1007/978-3-031-57430-6_12)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2024. Percolation breakdown in binary and ternary monodisperse and polydisperse systems of spherical particles. Presented at: Italian Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Venice, 6-8 September 2023 Presented at Villani, M., Cagnoni, S. and Serra, R. eds.Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation. WIVACE 2023, Vol. 1977. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 161-174., (10.1007/978-3-031-57430-6_13)
- Matuttis, H. et al. 2023. Computational investigation of the clustering of droplets in widening pipe geometries. Presented at: WIVACE 2022, XVI International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Gaeta, Italy, 14-16 September 2022 Presented at De Stefano, C., Fontanella, F. and Vanneschi, L. eds.WIVACE 2022. Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 1780. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 82-93., (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_7)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Artificial chemistry performed in an agglomeration of droplets with restricted molecule transfer. Presented at: WIVACE 2022, XVI International Workshop on Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation, Gaeta, Italy, 14-16 September 2022 Presented at De Stefano, C., Fontanella, F. and Vanneschi, L. eds.WIVACE 2022. Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation., Vol. 1780. Communications in Computer and Information Science Cham, Switzerland: Springer pp. 107-118., (10.1007/978-3-031-31183-3_9)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2023. Obstacles on the pathway towards chemical programmability using agglomerations of droplets. Presented at: Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, 15-17 September 2021Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, September 15–17, 2021, Revised Selected Papers, Vol. 1722. Springer pp. 35-50., (10.1007/978-3-031-23929-8_4)
- Schneider, J. J., Barrow, D. A., Li, J., Weyland, M. S., Flumini, D., Eggenberger Hotz, P. and Füchslin, R. M. 2023. Geometric restrictions to the agglomeration of spherical particles. Presented at: Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland,, Winterthur, Switzerland, 15-17 September 2021Artificial Life and Evolutionary Computation 15th Italian Workshop, WIVACE 2021, Winterthur, Switzerland, September 15–17, 2021, Revised Selected Papers, Vol. 1722. Springer pp. 72-84., (10.1007/978-3-031-23929-8_7)
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2022. Paths in a network of polydisperse spherical droplets. Presented at: ALIFE 2022: The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life, Online, 18-22 July 2022The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life Proceedings. MIT Press, (10.1162/isal_a_00502)
- Li, J., Dimitriou, P. and Barrow, D. 2022. Acoustic levitation of complex emulsions and hierarchical soft matter constructs. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Jamieson, W., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2022. Active content release from synthetic cell interior towards a novel drug delivery method. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
- Dimitriou, P., Li, J., Tornillo, G., Smalley, M. and Barrow, D. 2022. Droplet incubator: a new droplet-based model to investigate living cell-synthetic cell interactions. Presented at: MicroTAS 2022, Hangzhou, China, 23-27 October 2022.
- Schneider, J. J. et al. 2021. Influence of the geometry on the agglomeration of a polydisperse binary system of spherical particles. Presented at: ALIFE 2021: The 2021 Conference on Artificial Life, 19-23 July 2021Proceedings of the ALIFE 2022: The 2022 Conference on Artificial Life. ALIFE 2021: The 2021 Conference on Artificial Life.. MIT Press, (10.1162/isal_a_00392)
- Li, J., Dimitriou, P., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2020. Generation of complex emulsions using monolithic, dual material 3D-printed microfluidic devices. Presented at: The 24th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (µTAS 2020), 4-9 October 2020. Cardiff:
- Baxani Kamal, D., Morgan, A. J., Li, J., Barrow, D. A. and Castell, O. 2017. The microfluidic manufacture of encapsulated droplet interface bilayers using a hybrid 3D-printed coaxial device. Presented at: 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016), Dublin, Ireland, 9-13 October 2016Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016). Red Hook, New York: Curran Associates, Inc.
- Li, J., Baxani Kamal, D., Castell, O. and Barrow, D. 2017. Formation of chemically responsive multisomes using droplet microfluidics. Presented at: 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016), Dublin, Ireland, 9-13 October 2016Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016). Red Hook, NY: Curran Associates, Inc.
- Li, J., Wu, F., Wang, H., Cuenca, J., Yang, X. and Barrow, D. 2017. An automated system for the shape optimization of double emulsion droplets used in the fabrication of Inertial Fusion Energy target shells. Presented at: The 21st International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2017), Cardiff, 22-26 October 2017.
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. 2014. Rapid and precision mass replication of inertial fusion energy targets with multiphase microfluidics. Presented at: The 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2014), Cardiff, 26 - 30 October 201418th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences. USA: Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society pp. 1253-1255.
- Li, J. and Barrow, D. 2014. Microfluidic encapsulation of droplet assemblies. Presented at: 18th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2014), Cardiff, 26-30 October 2014.
Thesis
Research
Research contracts:
| Title | Role | Sponsor | Value | Duration |
| Portable Fluidic Pumps | PI | Cardiff School of Engineering |
£6,325 |
2024 |
| Nano-Droplet Robots | PI | Cardiff University |
£2,680 |
2024 |
| Engineering Biology Mission Awards project, entitled "Agriculture Living Machine of Operatable Nano-Droplets (ALMOND)" | Co-I | BBSRC |
£1.5M |
2024-2026 |
| Bio-HhOST: Next Generation 3D Tissue Models: Bio-Hybrid Hierarchical Organoid-Synthetic Tissues (Bio-HhOST) Comprised of Live and Artificial Cells | Co-I | European Innovation Council (underwrite by Innovate UK) |
£466,313 (Total volume €3.2M) |
2024-2027 |
| Microfluidic Perfusion Device for Organoids | PI | EPSRC | £48,524 | 2024 |
| Biocompatible 3D printed vasculature for bioprinted tissues | Co-I | BBSRC | £49,996 | 2024 |
| Precision microgel materials for engineering biology | PI | Wales Innovation Network | £10,000 | 2023 |
| Precision microfabrication (BMF S230) | PI | EPSRC | £321,613 | 2023-2024 |
| Complex Nanofluid Engineering | Co-PI | Cardiff School of Engineering | £12,000 | 2023-2024 |
| Robot-assisted synthetic cell and tissue engineering | PI | Cardiff School of Engineering | £6, 625 | 2023 |
Teaching
EN0019 Introduction to Calculus
EN0021 Engineering Applications
EN4100 Year 4 Group Project
Biography
Education:
- PhD (2012~2015), School of Engineering, Cardiff University, U.K.
- BEng (First, 2010~2012), School of Engineering, Cardiff Univeristy, U.K.
- BEng (Hons, 2008~2012), North China Electrical Power University (Beijing), China
Work Experience:
- 2023 - now, Lecturer in soft matter and microfluidic engineering, Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University.
- 2019 - 2022, Pointed researcher of EU-H2020 project, entitled with “Artificial Cells with DistributedCores (PN 824060)”. Funded by European Research Council (ERC). Cardiff University. Duties of my role: Research on internal organisations and communications of artificial cell compartments.
- 2018 - 2019, PDRA, project: “Exosomes characterization in fluidic environment”. Funded by Medical Research Council (MRC). King’s College London. Duties of my role: Design and fabrication of optofluidic devices for cells and exosomes imaging.
- 2017 - 2018, PDRA, project: “Development of new microfluidic techniques for the production of artificial cells”. Funded by Medical Research Council (MRC). Cardiff University. Duties of my role: Design and fabrication of 3D printed fluidic devices for the creation of artificial cell chassis.
- 2015 - 2017, Pointed researcher of NRN project (PN097), entitled with “Laser and microfluidic manufacture of novel bio-diagnostic platforms”. Funded by National Research Network Wales. Cardiff University. Duties of my role: Generation of microcapsules with definable architectures for biological applications using multiphase microfluidics.
Honours and awards
- “Young Scientist Award Finalist” with certificate, by Microsystems & Nanoengineering (Springer Nature) Young Scientist Award Summit 2022.
Professional memberships
Member of European Synthetic Cell Initiative
Member of The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Member of Cardiff Synthetic Biology Initiative
Member of Cardiff School of Engineering EDI committee
Committe Member of Cardiff Science Festival
Committees and reviewing
Reviewer of Nature Chemical Biology
Reviewer of Scietific Reports journal
Reviewer of Journal of Fusion Energy journal
Reviewer of Chemical Engineering Science journal
Supervisions
I am available to supervise postgraduate research students in following areas:
- Microfluidics
- Complex emulsions
- Bottom-up synthetic biology
- Soft condensed matter
- Soft technology
- Cell encapsulation
- Micro-/nanoengineering
Past projects
Lab Alumni:
Dr. Pantelitsa Dimitriou (PhD supervision)
Dr. Francisco Munguia Galeano (Paid interim)
Miss Aleksandra Spasova (Paid interim)
Research themes
Specialisms
- Microfluidics and nanofluidics
- Synthetic biology
- Complex emulsions
- 3D-printing
- COMSOL