Haijun Xiao, Ph.D.
Research Fellow, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan
Aqueous Organic Nanocrystals · Charge-Balanced Aggregation · Ultrasound-Responsive Delivery
Email: haijunx@umich.edu · Website: https://cv.urz.one
Summary
Profile
Drug-delivery scientist advancing aqueous organic nanocrystals through an original charge-balanced aggregation strategy and developing ultrasound-responsive systems for spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery.
Research Interests
Focus Areas
Aqueous organic nanocrystals based on charge-balanced aggregation
Ultrasound-responsive systems for spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery
Google Scholar Metrics
Verified Profile
Verified Google Scholar profile: University of Michigan, verified email at umich.edu; field: Drug Delivery.
175Citations155 since 2021
6h-index6 since 2021
5i10-index5 since 2021
Snapshot confirmed on May 13, 2026.
Academic Education
Czech Republic
Sep 2016 - Nov 2020
Ph.D., Material Science and Engineering, Tomas Bata University
Dissertation: Drug Self-Delivery Systems for Enhanced Targeted Cancer Therapy.
Coursework: Biomaterials, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical analysis.
Macau, China
Sep 2013 - Jun 2015
M.S., Chinese Medicinal Science, University of Macau
Dissertation: Effects of X-shaped Reduction-sensitive Copolymer on Drug Delivery.
Coursework: Molecular pharmaceutics, targeted drug delivery, biosafety evaluation.
Nanjing, China
Sep 2009 - Jul 2013
B.S., Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University
Coursework: Pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical analysis, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology.
Research Experience
Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Jul 2023 - Present
Research Fellow, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan
Invented and advanced charge-balanced aggregation as a molecular-design strategy for excipient-free aqueous organic nanocrystals, linking pH/pKa behavior, charge balance, and conjugated stacking to colloidal stability.
Develop release-mode and kinetic strategies for ultrasound-responsive fibrin hydrogel depots with phase-shift emulsions and acoustic droplet vaporization to program sustained, pulsatile, and sequential local delivery.
Chicago, IL, USA
Feb 2022 - Jun 2023
Research Fellow, Engineering and Radiation Oncology, Loyola University Chicago
Extended drug-delivery training into externally triggered delivery and preclinical therapeutic models.
Zlin, Czech Republic
Nov 2020 - Jan 2022
Academic Researcher, Centre of Polymer Systems, Tomas Bata University
Engineered self-assembled drug nanoparticles for combinatorial chemo-photodynamic cancer therapy.
Established preparation methods to control particle properties for enhanced tumor targeting.
Publications and Scholar-Indexed Outputs
Scholar Outputs
1. Selected Xiao H, Aliabouzar M, Fabiilli ML. Ultrasound-Responsive Composite Hydrogels: Design Rules for Spatiotemporally Controlled Drug Delivery. Journal of Controlled Release. 2026:114997.
2. Hesketh M, Xiao H, Shrestha B, Porter T, Lea C, Rizal B, Hinow P, Aryal M. Probing the Glymphatic System Using Optical Imaging and Mathematical Modeling. bioRxiv. 2026.01.22.701195.
3. Sreejith A, Xiao H, Howson I, Bocchetta M, Aryal M. Development of a Glymphatic Pathway-based Rat Model for Cancer Metastasis from Brain to Lung. In Vivo. 2026;40(2):784-794.
4. Xiao H, Sreejith A, Howson I, Cruz AA, Key T, Iliff JJ, Aryal M. Focused Ultrasound Enhances Glymphatic Transport Robustly Across Anesthesia Levels. Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. 2025;51(10):1701-1709. Google Scholar citations: 3.
5. Selected Xiao H, Maji S, Pinch A, Aliabouzar M, Fabiilli ML. Janus acoustically responsive scaffolds for sequential drug release with phase-programmed steady and pulsatile kinetics. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 2025;700(Pt 3):138523.
6. Xiao H, Aliabouzar M, Fabiilli M. Programmed Sequential Release of Growth Factors Using Janus Acoustically Responsive Scaffolds for Vascular Regeneration. Tissue Engineering Part A. 2025;31(23-24).
7. Selected Zhao W, Li Q, He P, Li C, Aryal M, Fabiilli ML, Xiao H. Charge balanced aggregation: A universal approach to aqueous organic nanocrystals. Journal of Controlled Release. 2024;375:552-573. Google Scholar citations: 1.
8. Selected Xiao H, Aliabouzar M, Fabiilli ML. Acoustically responsive scaffolds: Unraveling release kinetics and mechanisms for sustained, steady drug delivery. Journal of Controlled Release. 2024;374:205-218. Google Scholar citations: 21.
9. Xiao H, Shrestha B, Cruz AA, Iliff JJ, Porter T, Aryal M. The impact of anesthesia on ultrasonic glymphatic perturbation protocol: alertness, and glymphatic influx. bioRxiv. 2024.01.24.576888. Google Scholar citations: 1.
10. Zhao W, Li Q, He P, Li C, Aryal M, Fabiilli ML, Xiao H. Pure Nano Genesis: Pioneering Universal Aqueous Nanostrategies from Pure Molecules to Revolutionise Diverse Applications. bioRxiv. 2024.03.24.586367. Google Scholar citations: 1.
11. Xiao H, Shrestha B, Gallegos G, Kalensky N, Patel D, Bocchetta M, et al. The efficiency of ultrasonic glymphatic manipulation-based intrathecal drug delivery depends on the physiological states. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2023;153(3_supplement):A102-A102.
12. Guo Y, Liu H, Xiao H, Yuan M, Liu Y, Sedlarik V, Chin WC, Liu J, Guo L, Li C. Self-assembled Camptothecin derivatives - Curcuminoids conjugate for combinatorial chemo-photodynamic therapy to enhance anti-tumor efficacy. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology. 2021;215:112124. Google Scholar citations: 23.
13. Liu H, Yuan M, Liu Y, Guo Y, Xiao H, Guo L, Liu F. Self-Monitoring and Self-Delivery of Self-Assembled Fluorescent Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2021;16:2487-2499. Google Scholar citations: 20.
14. Selected Xiao H, Guo Y, Liu H, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li C, Cisar J, Skoda D, Kuritka I, Guo L, Sedlarik V. Structure-based design of charge-conversional drug self-delivery systems for better targeted cancer therapy. Biomaterials. 2020;232:119701. Google Scholar citations: 59.
15. Xiao H, Sedlarik V. A Rapid and Sensitive HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Irinotecan Hydrochloride and Curcumin in Co-delivered Polymeric Nanoparticles. Journal of Chromatographic Science. 2020;58(7):651-660. Google Scholar citations: 9.
16. Xiao H. Systémy dávkování léčiv pro léčbu rakoviny. Tomas Bata University in Zlin. 2016.
17. Xiao H, Wang L. Effects of X-shaped reduction-sensitive amphiphilic block copolymer on drug delivery. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2015;10:5309-5325. Google Scholar citations: 29.
Patents
Intellectual Property
Haijun Xiao. A curcumin self-dispersing particle system, its preparation method, preparation device, and applications. US Patent Application 18/998,114; US20250221945A1, 2025.
Haijun Xiao. Turmeric self-dispersing particle system, method for preparing same, preparation device, and use thereof. WO2023221774A1, 2023.
Haijun Xiao, Q Li. Double-yellow nano-particles and preparation and application thereof. CN116019780A, 2023.
Haijun Xiao. Self-dispersed particle system, and preparation and application thereof. WO2023045778A1, 2023.
Haijun Xiao, Vladimir Sedlarik. Methods of making nanocrystals with enhanced biological availability and formulation for such nanocrystals preparation for use in anticancer therapy. WO2020088702A1, priority 2018; published May 7, 2020; related Czech patent CZ308874B6. Google Scholar citations: 3.
Conferences
Nov 2025
Oral presentation, TERMIS-AM 2025 Conference, Detroit, MI, USA. Presentation OP-068: Programmed sequential release of growth factors using Janus acoustically responsive scaffolds for vascular regeneration.
Jun 2025
Poster, 24th Annual International Symposium of International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU), Banff, Canada. Topic: Janus acoustically responsive scaffolds for sequential drug release with phase-programmed steady and pulsatile kinetics.
Apr 2025
Poster, 50th Annual Meeting & Exposition of The Society For Biomaterials, Chicago, USA. Topic: Acoustically responsive scaffolds for sequential drug release with phase-programmed steady and pulsatile kinetics.
Oct 2024
Poster, 23rd Annual International Symposium of International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU), Taipei, Taiwan. Topic: Acoustically Responsive Scaffolds: Unraveling Release Kinetics and Mechanisms for Sustained, Steady Drug Delivery.
Nov 2023
Poster, Biomaterials Day, Cleveland, USA. Topic: Ultrasound influence on fibrin gel degradation and dextran release: implications for controlled release.
Apr 2023
Poster, Acoustical Society of America, Chicago, USA. Topic: The efficiency of ultrasonic glymphatic manipulation-based intrathecal drug delivery depends on the physiological states.
Apr 2020
Invited oral presentation, Bioengineering Seminar Series, California, USA. Topic: Drug self-delivery systems for cancer therapy.
Oct 2019
Oral presentation, Poly-Char World Forum on Advanced Materials, Naples, Italy. Topic: A drug self-delivery system for cancer therapy.
Oct 2016
Oral presentation, NewGen Conference: Hydrogel/Bio-mineralised Biomaterial, Zlin, Czech Republic. Topic: Polymeric micellar nano systems for drug delivery.
Academic Visits
Qingdao Agricultural University
Mar 2021 - May 2021
Academic Visitor, China. Project: Drug self-delivery system for myocardial ischemia protection in nude mice.
University of California, Merced
Mar 2020 - May 2020
Academic Visitor, USA. Project: Drug self-delivery system for cancer treatment based on photodynamic therapy.
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Mar 2019 - Apr 2019
HR Mobility Research Experience, China. Project: In vivo therapeutic effects of anti-cancer drugs in nude mice.
Grants and Fellowships
Funding
University of Michigan Regenerative Medicine Translational Research Fellowship Program, 2025.
Research member, Internal Grant Agency projects IGA/CPS/2017/005, IGA/CPS/2018/003, IGA/CPS/2019/006, IGA/CPS/2020/002.
Grant No. LO 1504, funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.
Core Expertise
Technical Focus
Formulation strategy: charge-balanced aggregation; carrier-free and self-delivery nanoparticles; pH/pKa-, molecular-charge-, and conjugated-stacking-guided colloidal design.
Triggered local delivery: ultrasound-responsive fibrin hydrogel depots; phase-shift emulsions; acoustic droplet vaporization; sustained, pulsatile, and sequential release.
Evaluation and analysis: HPLC method development; release-kinetic modeling; in vitro and in vivo biosafety, delivery-efficiency, and efficacy evaluation; R-based data analysis.