Her research area is 3D bioprinting technology and organ reconstruction based on human stem cells, focusing on the regulation mechanism of engineering factors on stem cell fate decisions and functional tissue/organ reconstruction.

1. Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Bachelor's degree, 2001-2005, Material Science and Engineering/ Computer Science and Engineering

2. Tsinghua University, Ph.D, 2005-2010, Biofabrication and Bioprinting

3. MIT, Visiting student, 2009-2010, Chemical Engineering and Tissue Engineering 

1. Tsinghua University, Assistant professor, 2013-2017

2. Columbia University, Visiting Scholar, 2016-2017

3. Tsinghua University, Associate Professor, Distinguished Research Fellow, 2017-2024

4. Tsinghua University, Deputy Director of Institute of Forming Equipment and Automation, 2019-2023

5. Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Principle Investigator, 2024-now

1. Principle of Engineering Biology. General education course, Core Curriculum of Undergraduate Students. Tsinghua University, Course Leader

2. Where are We on Organ Reconstruction?-Bioprinting Technology. General education course, Core Curriculum of Undergraduate Students. Tsinghua University, Course Leader

3. Principle and Methodology of Biofabrication. Core Curriculum of Graduate Students. Tsinghua University, Course Leader

   

She published more than 50 peer-reviewed and conference papers in Trends in Biotechnology, Nano Energy, Biomaterials, and Small and other journals, 10 of which were selected as cover stories, highlight articles, or highly cited papers (Top 1%). The total citations of the publications are more than 3300 times, with an H index of 25. Selected peer-reviewed papers are listed below:

1. Wang X, Luo Y, Ma Y, Wang P, Yao R*. Converging bioprinting and organoids to better recapitulate the tumor microenvironment. Trends in Biotechnology. 2024; 42 (5): 648-663. Highlighted in Science and Technology Daily

2. Feng L, Liang S, Zhou Y, Luo Y, Chen R, Huang Y, Chen Y, Xu M*, Yao R*. Three-Dimensional Printing of Hydrogel Scaffolds with Hierarchical Structure for Scalable Stem Cell Culture. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. 2020; 6 (5): 2995-3004. Front Cover Report

3. Huo H, Liu F, Luo Y, Gu Q, Liu Y, Wang Z, Chen R, Ji L, Lu Y*, Yao R*, Cheng J*. Triboelectric nanogenerators for electro-assisted cell printing. Nano Energy. 2020; 67: 104150. Back Cover Report

4. Yao R, Wang J, Li X, Da J, Qi H, Kee K, Du Y*. Hepatic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells as Microscaled Multilayered Colonies Leading to Enhanced Homogeneity and Maturation. Small. 2014; 10(21): 4311-4323. Frontispiece Cover Report

5. Ouyang L, Yao R*, Zhao Y, Sun W. Effect of bioink properties on printability and cell viability for 3D bioplotting of embryonic stem cells. Biofabrication. 2016; 8(3): 035020. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%), cited 800 times

6. Zhao Y, Li Y, Mao S, Sun W, Yao R*. The influence of printing parameters on cell survival rate and printability in microextrusion-based 3D cell printing technology. Biofabrication. 2016; 7(4): 045002. IOP highly cited paper (top 1%), cited 312 times

7. Chen R, Li L, Feng L, Luo Y, Xu M, Leong K*, Yao R*. Biomaterial-assisted scalable cell production for cell therapy. Biomaterials. 2021; 230: 119627.

8. Liang S+, Luo Y+, Su Y, Zhang D, Wang S, Xu M, Yao R*. Distinct toxicity of microplastics/TBBPA co-exposure to bioprinted liver organoids derived from hiPSCs of healthy and patient donors. International Journal of Bioprinting. 2024.

9. Zhao Y+, Yao R+, Ouyang L, Ding H, Zhang T, Zhang K, Cheng S, Sun W*. Three-dimensional printing of Hela cells for cervical tumor model in vitro. Biofabrication. 2014; 6(3): 035001. Featured Article, Highlight of the Year, cited 568 times

10. Yao R*, Du Y, Zhang R, Lin F, Luan J. A biomimetic physiological model for human adipose tissue by adipocytes and endothelial cell cocultures with spatially controlled distribution. Biomedical Materials. 2013; 8(4): 045005. Featured Article, Highlight, Editor's Pick

She actively carries out technology transformation, licensed and applied for more than 30 Chinese and international invention patents, and the research results are technically transformed into three products to promote the practical application of 3D bioprinting equipment and tissue model products. 

She has been deeply engaged in the research of Stem Cell 3D Printing Technology and Organ Reconstruction for the past 20 years. She focuses on the scientific problem of the regulation mechanism of engineering factors on the fate decision of stem cells, and revealing the influence of printing parameters, bioink viscoelasticity, geometrical structure and other engineering factors on the fate decision of stem cells. Her group have systematically solved the cutting-edge problems of stem cells-bioprinting suitability, large-scale stem cells/tissue culture, and the synergistic control of 3D printing geometric-mechanical information on the key functions of organ function remodeling. Her group have achieved in vitro reconstruction and key functions of human tissue components such as fat, liver, tumor, etc., and explored the industrial transformation routes of cell 3D printing equipment and tissue and organ products.