Fang Gao

Nanoplatform development for ultrasensitive lateral flow assays

​Lateral flow assays (LFA) are paper-based simple devices for a variety of point-of-care testing, for example the home pregnancy assay. However, the poor sensitivity has limited their applications in quantitative analysis of low-abundant biomarkers. The use of quantum dots (QDs) with high fluorescence quantum yield and high stability to replace gold nanoparticles used in conventional LFA represents a promising approach to improve the sensitivity of LFA. Fang is focusing on the development of advanced LFA with improved detection sensitivity in applications such as early diagnosis based on the nanoporous particles-assisted signal amplification of QDs.

​Prior to joining UQ in 2018, Fang completed her Master of Medicine in Pharmaceutical Science from South-Central University for Nationalities and her Bachelor of Engineering in Pharmaceutical Engineering from Hubei University of Chinese Medicine. 

Key Publications

1. Gao F, Ma SY,  Li J, Dai K, Xiao XC, Zhao D, Gong WF. (2017) Rational design of high quality citric acid-derived carbon dots by selecting efficient chemical structure motifs. Carbon, 2017, 112, 131-141.
2. Gao F,  Ma SY, Xiao XC, Hu Y, Zhao D, He ZK. (2017) Sensing tyrosine enantiomers by using chiral CdSe/CdS quantum dots capped with N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Talanta, 2017, 163, 102-110.
3. Gao F, Liu YY, Fan Y, Zhao D. (2014) Synthesis of N-acetyl-L-cysteine-capped ZnCdSe quantum dots via hydrothermal method and their characterization. Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater., 2014, 15, 055001.
4. Gao F, Li JT, Wang FX, Yang TM, Zhao D. (2015) Synthesis and characterization of high-quality water-soluble CdMnTe quantum dots capped by N-acetyl-L-cysteine through hydrothermal method. J. of Lumin., 2015, 159, 32–37.
5. Gao F, Liu C, Yao YN, Lei C, Li SM, Yuan L, Song H, Yang YN, Wan JJ, Yu CZ. (2022) Quantum dots’ size matters for balancing their quantity and quality in label materials to improve lateral flow immunoassay performance for C-reactive protein determination. Biosens. Bioelectron., 2022, 199, 113892.
6. Gao F, Lei C, Liu Y, Song H, Kong YQ, Wan JJ, Yu CZ. (2021) Rational design of dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles’ surface chemistry for quantum dots enrichment and an ultrasensitive lateral flow immunoassay. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces., 2021, 13, 21507-21515.
7. Gao F1, Liu Y1, Lei C, Liu C, Song H, Gu ZY, Jiang P, Jing S, Wan JJ, Yu CZ. (2021) The role of dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles’ size for quantum dots enrichment and lateral flow immunoassay performance. Small Methods, 2021, 2000924.
8. Gao F, Ma SY,  Li J, Dai K, Xiao XC, Zhao D, Gong WF. (2017) Rational design of high quality citric acid-derived carbon dots by selecting efficient chemical structure motifs. Carbon, 2017, 112, 131-141.
9. Gao F,  Ma SY, Xiao XC, Hu Y, Zhao D, He ZK. (2017) Sensing tyrosine enantiomers by using chiral CdSe/CdS quantum dots capped with N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Talanta, 2017, 163, 102-110.
10. Gao F, Li JT, Wang FX, Yang TM, Zhao D. (2015) Synthesis and characterization of high-quality water-soluble CdMnTe quantum dots capped by N-acetyl-L-cysteine through hydrothermal method. J. of Lumin., 2015, 159, 32–37.
11. Gao F, Liu YY, Fan Y, Zhao D. (2014) Synthesis of N-acetyl-L-cysteine-capped ZnCdSe quantum dots via hydrothermal method and their characterization. Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater., 2014, 15, 055001.