PUBLICATION
Journal Publications
2026
J. Kong, L. Wang, and S. Pi, “Tartrazine-Enhanced Visible-Light OCT for Deep-Tissue Imaging,” Biomedical Optics Express, Feb. 2026, doi: https://doi.org/10.1364/boe.585266.
Conference
ARVO 2026
Kong, Jiaxuan, Wang, Lingyun, Pi, Shaohua.
Tartrazine-Enhanced Visible-Light OCT imaging.
https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2812371
ARVO 2026
Lingyun Wang, Jiaxuan Kong, Chengcheng Zhao, Chi-Yu Chen, Dimitrios Stavropoulos, Takaaki Kuwajima, Kun-Che Chang, Peixoto Rui, Susana da Silva, John D Ash, Jose Alain Sahel, Shaohua Pi
3D AI-driven Retinal Ganglion Cell Axon Bundle Morphometry by Visible-Light OCT
https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2812228
LABORATORY
EXPERIENCE
Cardiac Development & iPSC Organoid Engineering,
Department of Cell Biology, UPitt
Dr. Li, Guang’s Lab
Feb 2026 - Present
Doctor of Philosophy
– Developing in vivo–like, four-chambered heart organoids from human iPSCs to decode the cellular and molecular regulation of cardiac lineage specification during early heart development.
– Applying CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and patient-derived iPSCs to model congenital heart disease and dissect the lineage defects underlying cardiac and valve disorders.
– Characterizing engineered tissues by single-molecule in situ hybridization, single-cell RNA sequencing, tissue clearing, and confocal imaging to resolve the spatial and temporal identity of individual cardiac cells.
Pitt Optical Coherence Tomography Laboratory,
Department of Ophthalmology, UPitt
Dr. Pi, Shaohua’s Lab
Oct 2024 - Feb 2026
Undergrade & Master Research
- Designed and led a project utilizing tartrazine solution and glycerol to render animal skin, cerebral cortex, and ocular structures transparent. Combined this approach with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) visiblelight imaging to explore deep tissue structures.
- Designed a prospective cohort study comparing murine ocular tissue sections with OCT imaging to assess the accuracy and validity of the imaging technique. Incorporated a self-developed AI model to enhance structural interpretation.
- Analyzed retinal biological structures, including segmentation of vascular and fibrous tissues, and trained a self-developed AI model to improve diagnostic accuracy and enable multidimensional structural analysis.
Fabricating phantom for shear wave elastograph
Multi-modality Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging Lab, UPitt
Dr. Kim, Kang's Lab
Feb, 2024 - Feb 2025
Undergrade Research
- Designed and developed hydrogel-based phantom models to simulate human tissue mechanical properties, integrating ultrasound imaging to enable visualization and analysis of shear wave propagation.
- Designed and developed ultrasound probe models using 3D printing technology for prototyping and evaluation, aiming to improve deep tissue imaging capabilities.
- Investigated shear wave elastography techniques to study the mechanical response characteristics of human liver tissue under varying physiological conditions.
Influence of the Synthetic Cannabinoid Agonist on Normal and Inflamed Cartilage: an in vitro Study
Joint Tissue Biology, Pathology, and Engineering lab
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UPitt
Dr. Lin, Hang’s Lab
August 2022 - December 2022
Volunteer
- Led primary chondrocyte isolation, culture, and inflammatory model construction; performed RNA extraction, qPCR, and immunofluorescence analysis on 200+ samples to systematically evaluate the reparative effects of cannabinoids on osteoarthritic cells, identifying specific concentrations that significantly promoted cell migration and inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion.
- Proficiently prepared pathological samples using cryostat sectioning (5μm thickness) and conducted subcellular fractionation with high-speed centrifugation (15,000rpm). Applied GraphPad Prism for multigroup statistical analysis (ANOVA, p < 0.05) and established cannabinoid dose–response curves.
- Developed standardized cell culture protocols (contamination rate <5%) and optimized experimental workflows to enhance detection efficiency. Verified cannabinoid receptor-mediated signaling pathways via Western blot, providing novel therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis treatment.
RESEARCH & PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Senior Design: Bioimaging and Signal Processing Group
Prof. Mark Gartner
BIOE 1160 & 1161 Senior Design | Team Member & Engineer
August 2023 - December 2023
Aug 2024 – Apr 2025
Medical Device Development & Management Experience — Intravenous Tubing Management System
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Device Design & Functional Development
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Led the design of a mechanical arm system with lockable ball-and-socket joints, enabling 360° multidirectional adjustment (load capacity: 5 kg); significantly reduced ICU catheter entanglement rates.
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Completed medical-grade PLA material selection with biocompatibility verification.
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Regulatory Compliance & Submission
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Prepared a complete FDA 510(k) submission package, achieving successful Class I medical device designation.
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Established an EU MDR-compliant technical documentation system
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Full Product Lifecycle Management
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Optimized second-generation product design: introduced an aluminum C-clamp (1.5–5 cm range) to address rigidity limitations of the first-generation plastic hook.
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Managed accessory supply chain (sterilization brushes), reducing overall production costs by 25%
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Neural Engineering & BioSignal Analysis Research
Dr. Helen Schwerdt
BIOE 1351: Biological Signal Acquisition and Analysis Course
Aug 2023 - Dec 2023
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Alzheimer’s Cognitive Assessment System Development: Developed a multimodal testing platform using MATLAB App Designer and NI-DAQ hardware, integrating visual stimulus presentation (100ms precision), acceleration measurement (1,000 Hz sampling), and reaction time recording (±5ms error).
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Cognitive Function Quantification: Designed reaction time tests (simple and choice paradigms) and memory tasks (N-back), applying RMSE analysis to evaluate the correlation between motor and cognitive performance (r = 0.97, p < 0.01).
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System Optimization: Built a GUI interface (MLapp framework) enabling automatic data storage and analysis; validated system performance with 10 volunteers (ICC = 0.89).
The Floral Microbiome Affected by UV Patterns and Surrounding Environment
Brianna Reed
Taking Course and UTA in BIOSC 0057
(Foundations of Biology Research Laboratory 1)
Aug 2022 - Dec 2023
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Floral Microbiome Environmental Response Study: Investigated UV-induced petal pattern changes, isolated and cultured 12 representative strains across 5 genera, and established growth dynamics models under varying light and humidity conditions.
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Molecular Biology Techniques: Performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on 200+ samples and analyzed αand β-diversity using QIIME2.
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Experimental Technique Innovation: Optimized micro sampling protocols, increasing PCR success rate from 65% to 97%.
Molecular Biology: Food and Food Metabolism
Remote
Research Group Member
Jul 2020 - Sep 2020
- Solid understanding of the fundamental principles related to protein degradation and have researched the roles of proteins within the human body.
- Gained valuable insights into the mechanisms by which proteins function in biological processes and physiological functions.