Xu Zhang to develop environmental monitoring biosensors

New plant pathology and microbiology faculty member bridges biology and technology innovation

Xu Zhang, Ph.D., has joined the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology as an assistant professor and began her new role on Aug. 1.

Zhang’s expertise spans synthetic biology, electrochemistry and materials science to engineer microbe-based biotechnologies for environmental protection. She has pioneered bioelectronic sensors, developing rapid, multiplex microbial systems that detect diverse toxins and are deployable for real-world monitoring.

In a bioelectronic sensor, engineered microbes can recognize toxins or contaminants and respond by producing electrical signals that serve as a measurable readout.

“Understanding and controlling microbial electron flow as an information flux across multiple scales — from a single cell to a microbial ecosystem — opens up big applications such as bioenergy, biosensors and bioremediation,” Zhang said.

Zhang brings cutting-edge research

Zhang’s appointment is 60% research, 30% teaching and 10% service. She said her research goal is to develop microbial platforms that deliver reliable on-site monitoring and open new possibilities for bioremediation to protect the environment.

With a foundation in environmental engineering and science that she gained with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Harbin Institute of Technology, China, she advanced to a doctorate in applied biological sciences at Ghent University, Belgium, and continued her research journey as a postdoctoral associate at Rice University.

Her work has been published in leading journals including Nature, Nature Communications, Advanced Materials and Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

“Dr. Zhang is poised to make significant impacts at the intersection of environmental microbiology and biosensor technology,” said Won Bo Shim, Ph.D., head of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. “Her cutting-edge research will craft practical solutions for agricultural and environmental monitoring and remediation through innovative microbial bioenergy platforms.”

Expertise expands environmental microbiology program

Zhang will teach undergraduate and graduate classes and will supervise graduate students conducting research in her lab.

“When I applied for the position, one of the most exciting parts was the opportunity to help build the environmental microbiology program,” Zhang said. “I look forward to designing courses and inspiring students to discover the many roles microbes play in soil, plants and water.”