Dr Wenbo Zhan

Biography

Wenbo Zhan is a Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering in the School of Engineering. He received his undergraduate degrees from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2008 and a master degree from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2010. He graduated from Imperial College London with his PhD degree in 2014 and then worked as a project consultant at Imperial College London and a postdoctoral research fellow at the National University of Singapore until 2016. Prior to joining the University of Aberdeen in 2019, he was a research associate at Imperial College London.

External Memberships

• Editorial Board member of Scientific Reports, 07/2026-present
• Editorial Advisory Board member of Pharmaceutical Research, 12/2022-present
• Member of European Society of Biomechanics

Research Overview

Dr Zhan's research centres on biomedical engineering. He develops multiphysics and AI-enabled models to study fluid and tissue mechanics and transport processes in biological and physiological systems, with an emphasis on revealing the biophysical mechanisms underlying disease progression and on developing personalised medicine and precision therapy.

1. Mass transfer in biological systems, focusing on advanced drug delivery systems and modalities
2. Biofluid mechanics, including haemodynamics and fluid transport in tissues
3. Tissue mechanics, with applications to soft biological tissues and disease modelling
4. Image-based modelling, integrating medical imaging with physics-based modelling approaches 

Funding and Grants

• M2M-Brain: Mechanics to medicine - biphasic biomechanics and fluid transport in the brain, European Society of Biomechanics, Co-I (01/08/2026-31/07/2028)
• Injectable thermosensitive hydrogel for controlled drug release targeting resected glioblastoma, The Royal Society, PI (01/10/2024-30/09/2026)
• HyWay: Hydrogen production from waste, European Union & EPSRC, Co-I (15/04/2024-14/04/2028)
• Evaluation and optimisation of thermosensitive hydrogel for controllable drug delivery against brain tumour, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, PI (01/02/2023-30/09/2023)
• Image-based modelling and optimisation of convection-enhanced delivery for combination therapy against heterogeneous human brain tumour, The Royal Society, PI (12/08/2022-11/08/2024)
• Gender differences in sex hormone transport in abdominal aortic aneurysm, The Royal Society, PI (31/03/2022-30/03/2024)
• Optimisation of infusion catheter posture for improving convection-enhanced drug delivery to brain cancer, Children with Cancer UK – Children's Brain Tumour Drug Delivery Consortium, PI (01/03/2022-30/09/2022)
• Porescale modelling of drug transport in brain tumours, University of Aberdeen School of Engineering PhD studentship, PI (01/09/2021-31/08/2024)
• Nanoparticle-embedded membranes for long-term bioactive SARS-CoV2 prevention, Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust, Co-I (01/04/2021-31/03/2023)
• Multifunctional liquid crystals stabilised by hydrogen-bonding and their integration in new devices for energy harvesting, conversion and storage, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Co-I (23/10/2020-30/12/2021)

Teaching Responsibilities

Module coordinator

• EG20H7 - Fluid Mechanics 1 
• EG30H3 - Fluid Mechanics 2 
• EG555L - Modelling of Biological Systems

Module contributor  

• EG55M1/6E - Finite Element Methods

Previously delivered modules

• EG504Q - Introduction to Engineering for Life Scientists
• EG555J - Research Methods for Bioengineers
• EG4578 - BEng Group Design Project (Chemical Engineering)
• EG5565 - MEng Group Design Project (Chemical & Mechanical Engineering)