Associate Professor Xia Lou, BSc (Wuhan), MSc (Wuhan), PhD (Dublin)
Room: 204-530
Phone: 08 9266 1682
Fax: 08 9266 4699
E-mail: x.lou@curtin.edu.au
Professional Appointments
- 2007 – Present, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University of Technology
- 2005 – 2007, Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University of Technology
- 2003 -2004, Principal Chemist, seconded from Lions Eye Institute to CooperVision Surgical Inc, Cooper Companies USA
- 1999 – 2002, R&D Director and Production Manager, seconded from Lions Eye Institute to Argus Biomedical Pty Ltd
- 1995 – 2004, Research Fellow, Lions Eye Institute & The Centre for Ophthalmology & Visual Science, The University of Western Australia
Relevant Professional Appointments
- Bio-nano Program Leader, Nanochemistry Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, 2005- (http://nanochemistry.curtin.edu.au/people/staff/index.cfm)
- Guest Professor, Centre for Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, 2006-
- Member (Chartered Chemist), Royal Australian Chemical Institute, 1994 -
- Member, Australasian Society of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, 1997 -
- Member, Institute of Materials Engineering Australia, 2005 -
- Reviewer: Acta Biomaterialia; Biomacromolecules; Experimental and Clinical Research; Journal of Materials Chemistry; Lab on a Chip; Soft Matter…
Research Interests
Xia’s research interests span a wide range from synthesis and characterization of functional polymers to evaluation and application of such polymers as biomaterials, nanomaterials and other modern technologies. The current research activities focus on design and development of novel polymeric materials and nanopaticulates for applications as medical implants, controlled drug delivery and targeting systems, cell and biomolecule encapsulations, tissue engineering scaffolds, as well as for gas hydrate inhibitors. Following research projects are available for postgraduate and honors students. Some are in collaboration with internal and external researchers.
- Synthesis and characterization of nano core-shell and hollow particles for cell and bimolecules encapsulation
- Development and evaluation of environmental (pH, temperature) responsive polymers for controlled delivery of drugs and proteins
- Porous polymer composite hydrogels for tissue engineering applications
- Synthesis and characterisation of novel functional polymers as low dose gas hydrate inhibitors
- Instrumental analysis of gas hydrates properties
- Mathematical modeling in design and development of advanced polymers for various applications (in collaboration with Professor S Wang in UWA)
Recent Major Research Projects
- Development of low dose gas hydrates inhibitors. Funded by CSIRO Flagship-Wealth from Ocean Collaborative Grant, in collaboration with CSIRO Petroleum & CMHT (2006 - 2008).
- Optimal design of drug delivery systems (jointly with Prof S Wang), funded by ARC Discovery Grant (2005 - 2007).
- Instrumental analysis of gas hydrates properties, funded by Curtin and CSIRO PhD scholarships (2007 - ).
- A new device for ophthalmic drug delivery (jointly with Drs C Hicks T Chirila & IJ Constable), funded by NHMRC Development Grant (2003-2004).
- Development of the kera-Clear artificial cornea (jointly with Drs TV Chirila & C Hicks), funded by AusIndustry R&D Start-up Grant (2001-2003).
Selected Publications in Referred Journals
- Hicks CR, Morrison D, Lou X, Crawford GJ, Gadjatsy A, Constable IJ. Orbit Implants: Potential new directions. Expert Rev Med Devices 2006;3:805-815.
- Lou X, Vijayasekaran S, Sugiharti R, Robertson T. Morphological and topographic effect on calcification tendency of pHEMA hydrogels. Biomaterials, 2005; 26:5808-5817.
- Lou X, Munro S, Wang S. Drug release characteristics of phase separation pHEMA sponge materials. Biomaterials,2004; 25:5071-5080.
- Crawford GJ, Hicks CR, Lou X, Vijayasekaran S, Tan D, Chirila TV, Constable IJ. The Chirila Keratoprosthesis: Phase I human clinical trials, Ophthalmology 2002;109:883-889.
- Chirila TV, Rakoczy PE, Garrett KL, Lou X, ConstableIJ. The use of synthetic polymers for delivery of therapeutic antisense oligodeoxynucleotides: a critical review. Biomaterials, 2002;23:321-342.
- Lou X, Garrett KL, Rakoczy PE, Chirila TV. Synthetic hydrogels as carriers in antisense therapy: preliminary evaluation of an oligodeoxynucleotide conjugate with a copolymer of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. J Biomater Appl 2001;15:307-320.
- Lou X, van Coppenhagen C. Mechanical characteristics of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels crosslinked with various difunctional Compounds, Polym Intern 2001;50:319-325.
- Lou X, Dalton PD, Chirila TV. Hydrophilic sponges based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate VII. Modulation of sponge characteristics by changes in reactivity and hydrophilicity of crosslinking agents, J Mater Sci Mater Med 2000;11:319-325.
- Hicks CR, Crawford G, Chirila TV, Wiffen S, Vijayasekaran S, Lou X, Fitton JH, Maley M, Clayton A, Dalton P, Platten S, Ziegelaar B, Hong Y, Russo A, Constable I. Development and clinical assessment of an artificial cornea. Prog Ret Eye Res 2000;19: 147-170.
- Vijayasekaran S, Chirila TV, Robertson T, Lou X, Fitton JH Hicks CR, Constable IJ. Calcification of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel sponges implanted in the rabbit cornea, J Biomater Sci Polymer Edn 2000;11:599-615.