Dr. Si Liu

Research Associate

UNSW Sydney

My research interests lie at the interface of chemical engineering, bioengineering, materials science and nanomedicine, with a strong focus on bioinspired and biomimetic materials engineering. Inspired by natural enzymes, cellular systems and biological transport processes, I focus on the rational design of reticular chemistry-based functional materials, including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), for engineering nano–bio interfaces and developing advanced nano-biohybrid systems.

 

My work aims to create bioinspired functional materials for biomanufacturing, solar energy conversion, biosensing, targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy. In particular, I am interested in MOF/HOF-based platforms for cargo loading, multienzyme and photo-biocatalytic cascade catalysis, protein–framework interactions, and cofactor recycling. My current research also explores biomimetic smart nanoplatforms and self-propelled nanomotors for tumour penetration, microenvironment-responsive delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Overall, my research seeks to integrate bioinspired design, chemical engineering, biomolecular engineering and nanomedicine to develop intelligent materials for sustainable biotechnology and precision medicine.