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Pengju Li

Ph.D. Candidate in Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
My journey began during my undergraduate years at the National University of Singapore, where I dabbled in the development of a skin prosthesis for amputees. This experience marked my first foray into the integration of engineered materials with biological components – a field that I would later become deeply immersed in, combining my love for science with a dedication to enhancing human lives.

Driven by the desire to delve deeper into this fascinating crossroads of physical science, chemistry and biology, I embarked on my Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. In the nurturing environment of the Tian Research Group, I am not just on a career path – I am on a captivating journey. This journey is carefully sculpting me into a pioneering chemist, an innovative nanofabrication and electronic engineer. Moreover, it has honed unique talents within me, transforming me into a dedicated animal caretaker and a proficient specialist in animal surgeries.

Over the past five years, my understanding and skills have deepened. I firmly believe that intertwining diverse knowledge fields is crucial for pushing scientific boundaries. To this end, I have become a steadfast practitioner, collaborating with exceptional professionals, ranging from medical doctors and theorists to artists and entrepreneurs, to advance the frontiers of translational research.

Currently, I am working on optically and electronically mediated systems to address cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases. I look forward to many more milestones in this journey.

Pacemaker powered by light eliminates need for batteries and allows the heart to function more naturally − new research

Mar 18, 2024 09:13 am UTC| Technology

By harnessing light, my colleagues and I designed a wireless, ultrathin pacemaker that operates like a solar panel. This design not only eliminates the need for batteries but also minimizes disruptions to the hearts...

Economy

Gold Price Holds Above $4,130 as Fed Rate Outlook and Middle East Tensions Support Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices remained resilient on Thursday, staying above the $4,130-an-ounce mark as investors continued buying on recent dips despite rising oil prices and growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve could keep...

Asian Stocks Rally on AI Spending Optimism as Middle East Tensions Push Oil to Six-Week High

Asian stock markets advanced on Thursday as strong artificial intelligence (AI) investment plans from major U.S. technology companies boosted confidence in the regions semiconductor sector, while escalating conflict in the...

Australia Jobs Surge in June Strengthens Case for More RBA Rate Hikes

Australias labor market posted a stronger-than-expected performance in June, reinforcing expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could raise interest rates again to curb persistent inflation. Data released by...

Oil Prices Rise as Houthi Attacks on Saudi Tankers Heighten Middle East Supply Fears

Oil prices extended their rally for a fifth consecutive session during Asian trading on Thursday as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East fueled concerns over potential disruptions to global crude supplies. The...

South Korea Q2 GDP Beats Forecasts as AI Chip Exports Drive Growth

South Koreas economy expanded faster than expected in the second quarter of 2026, supported by resilient semiconductor exports as global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continued to boost the countrys...

Politics

Arizona Primaries Set High-Stakes Governor and House Battles Ahead of Midterm Elections

Arizonas Republican primary delivered major victories for candidates backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, setting up closely watched contests for governor and a key U.S. House seat in the November 3 midterm elections....

Amish Shah Wins Arizona Democratic Primary in Key U.S. House Race

Moderate Democrat Amish Shah has won the Democratic primary for Arizonas 1st Congressional District, according to media projections, setting up a closely watched general election contest that could play a significant role...

Trump Administration Opens Civil Rights Probes Into Five U.S. Medical Schools Over Admissions

The U.S. Department of Education has launched civil rights investigations into five medical schools over alleged racial discrimination in admissions, expanding President Donald Trumps campaign against diversity, equity,...

ASEAN Forum Puts Middle East Conflict, South China Sea Tensions in Spotlight

Top diplomats from Asia, Europe, and North America gathered in Manila on Thursday for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), with the escalating Middle East conflict and South China Sea tensions expected to dominate discussions....

Rubio Rejects AI ‘Kill Switch’ Claims as U.S. Defends American Technology Abroad

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed American diplomats to push back against claims that the United States has a kill switch capable of shutting off access to U.S. technology products, according to a State...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Intel, AMD Seek Long-Term China Server CPU Deals as AI Demand Drives Supply Crunch

Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are negotiating long-term purchase agreements with Chinese server customers as demand for data center processors continues to outpace supply, according to people familiar with the...

Alphabet Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates as AI Spending, Google Cloud Growth Fuel Outlook

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) delivered stronger-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, driven by rapid growth in Google Cloud and continued investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Despite beating Wall Street...

Elon Musk Fuels SpaceX-Tesla Merger Speculation After Earnings Call

The possibility of a merger between Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and SpaceX gained fresh attention after Teslas second-quarter earnings call, with Deepwater Managements Gene Munster increasing the odds of a deal taking place in...

IBM Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates as Software Growth Offsets Infrastructure Weakness

International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) reported second-quarter 2026 earnings that missed Wall Street expectations, although its shares gained about 3% after the company had already warned investors about weaker...

OpenAI Australia Data Center Switches Cooling Strategy After Recycled Water Plan Fails

OpenAIs planned mega data center in Australia will rely on a more energy-intensive cooling system after developers abandoned plans to use recycled water, according to a Reuters report published Thursday. The change comes...