· Dean Jianjun Cheng
Chair Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
· 1993 B.S. in Chemistry at Nankai University
· 1996 M.S.in Chemistry at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
· 2001 Ph.D. degree in Materials Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara
· 2001~2004 Senior Scientist at Insert Therapeutics, Inc.
· 2004 Postdoctoral Research Scientist at MIT
· 2005 Assistant Professor in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
· 2011 Associate Professor in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
· 2015 Full Professor in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
· 2016~2021 Hans Thurnauer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, UIUC
· 2021 Chair Professor of Materials Science and Engineering,Dean of School of Engineering
· Professor Jianjun Cheng developed IT-101 drug delivery technology at Insert Therapeutics. He also developed aptamer-polylactide nanoparticle delivery system for targeted cancer therapy. These two technologies later entered Phase II clinical trial. At UIUC, his group developed drug-initiated polymerization for PLA-drug nanoparticle formulation, chain-shattering polymeric therapeutics, helical charged polypeptides for gene and siRNA delivery, cell membrane penetration and antimicrobial applications, cell-labeling technology for in vivo cancer targeting and hindered urea dynamic chemistry for self-healing application. He has 41 issued patents, half of which being licensed or being in active use. He has over 200 publications with citation of 20,000.