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Welcome to the Xu Research Group @ Department of Chemistry, LSU

We are a group of chemists using Small-Angle Scattering (SAS) to study the conformation and behavior of biomacromolecules in crowded and confined environments. Our research bridges chemistry, physics, and biology, focusing on how macromolecules such as proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids interact under these complex conditions.

By employing SAS, we explore fundamental questions about phase behavior, molecular crowding, and structural dynamics. This includes investigating biomolecular phase separation, which underlies critical biological processes, as well as understanding how aluminum-based adjuvants influence antigen stability and immune response through confinement effects. Our findings contribute to advancements in biomaterial design, vaccine development, and the broader understanding of macromolecular interactions in biological systems.

 

Oct 2026: We are looking for motivated undergraduate students to join us through funded NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP): AI-Driven Multifunctional Polymer Research. More information can be found here: https://www.lsu.edu/eng/research/epscor-fellowship.php