Core Faculty Members

Prof. SHAO, Baihao
Vice-Chancellor Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, CUHK
Area of Expertise: photoresponsive (bio)materials, drug delivery, organic and supramolecular chemistry
E-mail: bshao@cuhk.edu.hk
Tel: 3943 5340
Location: SHB601D

Lab webpage:
https://www.bshaolab.com/

Baihao joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor in 2025. He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Zhejiang University in 2015 and completed his PhD in Chemistry at Dartmouth College in 2021. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College London and the University of Oxford between 2022 to 2025.

2024–2025 Postdoctoral researcher, University of Oxford, UK
2022–2024 Postdoctoral researcher, Imperial College London, UK
2016–2021 Ph. D. in Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA
2011–2015 B. S. in Pharmacy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Our research will leverage bottom-up nanotechnology to develop light-activated (bio)materials and medicines tailored to meet the clinical requirements and needs, ultimately advancing human health. We are interested in the development of
1) photoresponsive molecular systems,
2) modular photoresponsive drug carriers,
3) living cell-based targeted delivery, and
4) purpose-specific light delivery devices.

2025 CUHK Vice-Chancellor Early Career Professorship
2024 Foresight Fellowship in Nanotechnology
2022 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship
2021 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad
2021 The Hannah T. Croasdale Graduate Scholar Award
2019 The Arthur Dunham Holmes 1906 Memorial Graduate Fellowship

BMEG2001 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
BMEG4450 Bionanotechnology

9. Baihao Shao,# Heyifei Fu,# Ivan Aprahamian,* A molecular anion pump. Science 2024, 385, 544-549.

8. Baihao Shao, Ivan Aprahamian,* Hydrazones as New Molecular Tools. Chem, 2020, 6, 2162-2173.

7. Xing Guo,# Baihao Shao,# Shaobing Zhou,* Ivan Aprahamian,* Zi Chen,* Visualizing the Intracellular Particles and Precise Control of Drug Release Using an Emissive Hydrazone Photochrome. Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 3016-3021.

6. Baihao Shao, Ivan Aprahamian,* Planarization-Induced Activation Wavelength Red-Shift and Thermal Half-Life Acceleration in Hydrazone Photoswitches. ChemistryOpen 2020, 9, 191-194.

5. Baihao Shao, Nell Stankewitz, Jacob A. Morris, Matthew D. Liptak, Ivan Aprahamian,* White-Light Emission from a Structurally Simple Hydrazone. Chem. Comm. 2019, 55, 9551-9554.

4. Baihao Shao, Ivan Aprahamian,* pH-Induced Fluorescence and Thermal Relaxation Rate Modulation in a Hydrazone Photoswitch. ChemPhotoChem 2019, 3, 361-364.

3. Baihao Shao,# Hai Qian,# Quan Li, Ivan Aprahamian,* Structure-Property Analysis of the Solution and Solid-State Properties of Bistable Photochromic Hydrazones. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 8364-8371.

2. Baihao Shao,# Massimo Baroncini,# Hai Qian,# Laura Bussotti, Mariangela Di Donato, Alberto Credi,* Ivan Aprahamian,* Solution and Solid-State Emission Toggling of a Photochromic Hydrazone. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 12323-12327.

1. Hai Qian,# Baihao Shao,# Ivan Aprahamian,* Visible-light fluorescence photomodulation in azo-BF2 switches. Tetrahedron 2017, 73, 4901-4904.