- Chemical Engineering
Bio
Dr. Zhao’s research integrates directed evolution, protein engineering, viral nanotechnology, structural biology, and immunoengineering to advance therapeutic development for human health. The Zhao Lab focuses on designing virus-like nanoparticles (VLPs) with customized structures and functions as next-generation nanomedicines using diverse engineering approaches. These engineered “smart” VLPs are then evaluated for applications in immunotherapy, drug delivery, and gene therapy, with an emphasis on cancer treatment. The ultimate goal is to translate these promising nanomedicine candidates into clinical applications for human diseases treatment.