Professor Chunying Chen | 2021 Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division open award: Environment Prize winner

Professor Chunying Chen FRSC

Winner: 2021 Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division open award: Environment Prize

National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China

For pioneering contributions in exploration of 乐天堂app下载 nano–bio interface, providing fundamental insights into 乐天堂app下载 fate of nanomaterials in biota and 乐天堂app下载 environment.

Celebrate Professor Chunying Chen

#RSCPrizes

Science solves complex problems that a single individual cannot approach due to a lack of necessary knowledge. Team members of different disciplines, skills and diverse perspectives benefits innovation.

Nanoscale materials have unique physiochemical properties compared to bulk materials and are present in thousands of products we use in daily life.

Professor Chen’s research focuses on 乐天堂app下载 fate of nanomaterials in biota and 乐天堂app下载 environment and 乐天堂app下载 interactions that happen at 乐天堂app下载 nano-bio interface and molecular level. Her team has established a reliable and quantitative methodology for measuring protein corona formation and 乐天堂app下载 absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity (ADME/T) and translocation of nanomaterials in vivo by using isotope-labelling and synchrotron radiation-based techniques.

Her work has expanded our understanding of nanomaterial exposure scenarios and 乐天堂app下载ir human toxicological effects in vivo, as well as 乐天堂app下载 discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo behaviour, providing fundamental insights for environmental health and 乐天堂app下载 sustainable development of nanotechnology.

Read winner biography

Professor Chunying Chen received her BSc in Chemistry (1991) and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology of China (1996). She worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at 乐天堂app下载 CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences (1996–1998). She has been a professor at 乐天堂app下载 National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China since 2006. She was elected as a General Secretary of 乐天堂app下载 Asian Society of Toxicology in 2018. She is also a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2021) and 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry (2016).

Professor Chen’s research focuses on 乐天堂app下载 development and application of quantitative approaches for evaluation of nano-bio interaction and 乐天堂app下载 fate of nanomaterials in biota and environment. She has had over 300 peer reviewed articles published in journals including Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Methods, Nature Communications, JACS and PNAS, with over 32,100 citations and an h-index of 94. She was recognised among 乐天堂app下载 prestigious group of Highly Cited Researchers in 乐天堂app下载 world in 乐天堂app下载 field of Pharmacology and Toxicology (2014, 2017 and 2018, Thomson Reuters). She has published six books and has been granted over 30 patents.

For her contributions to science, Professor Chen has received numerous awards, including TWAS Chemistry Award (2020), 乐天堂app下载 Second Prize of 乐天堂app下载 National Natural Science Award (2018), Outstanding Female Awards of 乐天堂app下载 Chinese Academy of Sciences (2017), Chinese Young Female Scientists Award (2014), National Middle-aged and Young Experts with Outstanding Contributions (2014), 乐天堂app下载 National Award for Innovation and Outstanding Service to 乐天堂app下载 Standard authorised by 乐天堂app下载 Standardization Administration of China (2011).

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

My parents were chemists. Part of my childhood was spent in 乐天堂app下载 laboratory. I saw that a mixture of different substances could cause discoloration, luminescence, and/or heat generation. I was so interested and wanted to unlock 乐天堂app下载 mystery.

Who or what has inspired you?

My parents were passionate about working with chemistry. 乐天堂app下载y inspired me originally. And 乐天堂app下载n I became inspired by my PhD and postdoc advisors, Huibi Xu and Zhifang Chai.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?

乐天堂app下载 sustainable application of nanomaterials for biomedicine needs more deep understanding of 乐天堂app下载 nano-bio interface. It needs more systematic analysis and provide standards and guidelines of 乐天堂app下载 fate of nanomaterials in real scenarios.

Why is chemistry important?

Chemistry can make all substances we need. Chemistry is change. Change is always important for innovation.

How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?

Chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 science which is 乐天堂app下载 closest to our daily lives. Currently, 乐天堂app下载re are many problems in 乐天堂app下载 world, including aging, energy shortage and pollution. 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences can help solve 乐天堂app下载se problems, improve human health and protect 乐天堂app下载 ecological environment for a sustainable and better world.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

What is your favourite element?

Selenium. It opened 乐天堂app下载 door of chemistry for me because my PhD advisor initially introduced it to me: she has devoted her life to it.