Dr Xinyue Chen

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Experimental Officer (Nanocharacterisation)

xinyue.chen@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5476

Royce Discovery Centre

Full contact details

Dr Xinyue Chen
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Royce Discovery Centre
5 Portobello Street
Sheffield
S1 4ND

Profile

Xinyue has an interdisciplinary educational background (BSc in theoretical physics, MRes in biochemistry and PhD in biophysics) and extensive research experience in both biophysics and materials science.

Xinyue started embracing atomic force microscopy (AFM) during her PhD in 2012, and it’s been a big part of her work ever since.

After moving to Sheffield in 2016 to join the world leading SPM group as a PDRA, Xinyue has worked daily with AFM, and over the years, has applied it to over 30 independent research projects; spanning from single molecules and supramolecular assemblies to intact tissues, and from semiconductors to metal alloys.

As Technical Specialist, Xinyue manages the Nanocharacterisation Facility, supporting a large AFM fleet, as well as nanoindenters and an optical profiler. She is actively engaged in her own research in metrology whilst also supporting the research of others through advice, collaboration, experimental work, and training.

Publications

Journal articles

Beer C, Bahri M, Baldinozzi G, Ishimaru M, Zhang Y, Sharpe MK, McAleese CD, Chen X, Bohns F, Manning T , Browning ND et al (2025) Radiation-induced modifications in ZrN: effect of micro vs. nano crystallites. Acta Materialia, 298, 121391-121391.
Wu B, Zhang G, Ji J, Luo R, Chen J, Liu F, Coy E, Moya SE, Li Q, Suo X , Chen X et al (2024) ZIF‐67‐Derived Antivirus Cobalt Hydroxide LDH Nanosheets Produced through High‐Concentration Cobalt Ion‐Assisted Hydration. Advanced Functional Materials, 34(14).
Ngalim SH, Yusoff N, Johnson RR, Abdul Razak SR, Chen X, Hobbs JK & Lee YY (2022) A review on mechanobiology of cell adhesion networks in different stages of sporadic colorectal cancer to explain its tumorigenesis. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, 175, 63-72.
Wacnik K, Rao VA, Chen X, Lafage L, Pazos M, Booth S, Vollmer W, Hobbs JK, Lewis RJ & Foster SJ (2022) Penicillin-binding protein 1 (PBP1) of Staphylococcus aureus has multiple essential functions in cell division. mBio, 13(4). View this article in WRRO
Chen X, Hughes R, Mullin N, Hawkins RJ, Holen I, Brown NJ & Hobbs JK (2021) Atomic force microscopy reveals the mechanical properties of breast cancer bone metastases. Nanoscale, 13(43), 18237-18246. View this article in WRRO
Hughes R, Chen X, Cowley N, Ottewell PD, Hawkins RJ, Hunter KD, Hobbs JK, Brown NJ & Holen I (2021) Osteoblast-derived paracrine and juxtacrine signals protect disseminated breast cancer cells from stress. Cancers, 13(6). View this article in WRRO
Chen X, Hughes R, Mullin N, Hawkins RJ, Holen I, Brown NJ & Hobbs JK (2020) Mechanical heterogeneity in the bone microenvironment as characterized by atomic force microscopy. Biophysical Journal, 119(3), 502-513. View this article in WRRO
Hughes R, Chen X, Hunter KD, Hobbs JK, Holen I & Brown NJ (2019) Bone marrow osteoprogenitors are depleted whereas osteoblasts are expanded independent of the osteogenic vasculature in response to zoledronic acid. The FASEB Journal, 33(11), 12768-12779. View this article in WRRO
Chen X & Richter RP (2019) Effect of calcium ions and pH on the morphology and mechanical properties of hyaluronan brushes. Interface Focus, 9(2). View this article in WRRO
Chen X, Bonfiglio R, Banerji S, Jackson DG, Salustri A & Richter RP (2016) Micromechanical Analysis of the Hyaluronan-Rich Matrix Surrounding the Oocyte Reveals a Uniquely Soft and Elastic Composition. Biophysical Journal, 110(12), 2779-2789. View this article in WRRO
Chen X, Qoutah WW, Free P, Hobley J, Fernig DG & Paramelle D (2012) Features of Thiolated Ligands Promoting Resistance to Ligand Exchange in Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold Nanoparticles. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 65(3), 266-266.
Chen X, Swift HC, Hole P, Humphris ADL & Hobbs JK () The impact on image formation of inevitable tip bending with modern high resolution atomic force microscopy probes. Nanoscale.

Conference proceedings

Chen X, Hughes R, Mullin N, Hawkins R, Holen I, Brown N & Hobbs J (2019) Supracellular Mechanical Architecture of the Intact Bone Microenvironment. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL WITH BIOPHYSICS LETTERS, Vol. 48 (pp S100-S100)
Hughes R, Allocca G, Holen I, Chen X, Hobbs J & Brown N (2017) Breast Cancer Metastasis To Bone: The Perivascular Niche. JOURNAL OF VASCULAR RESEARCH, Vol. 54 (pp 55-56)

Datasets

Wacnik K, Rao V, Chen X, Lafage L, Pazos M, Booth S, Vollmer W, Hobbs J, Lewis R & Foster S Penicillin-Binding Protein 1 (PBP1) of Staphylococcus aureus Has Multiple Essential Functions in Cell Division: Supplementary Figures S1-S8.
Wacnik K, Rao V, Chen X, Lafage L, Pazos M, Vollmer W, Hobbs J, Lewis R & Foster S Penicillin-Binding Protein 1 (PBP1) of Staphylococcus aureus Has Multiple Essential Functions in Cell Division: Figures 1-5.

Other

Pyne A, Shephard N, Gamill M, Whittle S, Du M, Beton J, Catley T, Chen X, Firth T, Holmes E , Moorehead R et al () Open Research Case Study: Alice Pyne and the TopoStats team - Developing open source software aligned with the FAIR4RS principles: The TopoStats project.