Biomedical physicist honored with lifetime achievement award

Biomedical physicist honored with lifetime achievement award

For 27 years, Dr. Yong-Qing Li, an East Carolina University professor of physics in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, has shared his passion for research in the field of biomedical physics and quantum optics. Now, he is being recognized for his numerous accomplishments with ECU's Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award. The award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the university - reflecting deep respect for scientific contributions and their enduring impact.

"Receiving ECU's Lifetime Achievement Award is an exciting and deeply meaningful honor," Li said.

Advancing Biomedical Physics

Originally from China, Li came to the United States as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arkansas. But it was ECU's biomedical physics program that drew him to Greenville.

Li's research specialty focuses on developing advanced optical tools to study biological systems at the single-cell level, which can help advance medical diagnostics, control infectious disease, strengthen biodefense, combat antibiotic resistance and improve food safety.

Many applications exist for the technology Li is using in ECU's Biomedical Optics Laboratory. He has used the Raman tweezer technology to track the germination of single bacterial spores, as well as optical pulling and trapping techniques for manipulating particles in the air.

In a low-pressure gas environment, Li and his students have successfully demonstrated that tiny particles, like dust particles or smut spores (produced by parasitic fungi), can be optically pulled over a length of 10 meters. He said this is the longest world-record distance.

"The new tools allow us to observe single cells' behaviors, understand the mechanisms behind them, and manipulate cells and aerosol particles with lasers," Li said.

"What excites me today is using these tools to uncover hidden biological processes, such as cellular heterogeneity and memory, and create new possibilities for medicine," he said. "This research helps improve medical diagnostics, food safety and combat antibiotic resistance, opening new possibilities in science and technology."

Leading through Mentorship

Throughout his career at ECU, Li has served as a leader, not only through innovative research but also as a mentor for his students both inside and out of the lab and classroom. He provides scholars with rigorous training in advanced optical instrumentation, spectroscopy and quantitative modeling. He has served on or chaired more than 16 master's theses and doctoral dissertations, and approximately 11 graduate students and 20 postdoctoral or visiting scientists have participated in research projects under his mentorship.

"I love showing students how experiments and theory reveal the fascinating world of physics," he said.

Dr. Vladimir Dobrokhotov, professor and chair of the Department of Physics, said, "His students gain hands-on experience working at the frontier of physics applied to biological systems, preparing them for competitive careers in academia, industry and research institutions."

Vedant Deshpande, a doctoral student pursuing his degree in biomedical physics who has known Li for three years, said Li is a tough mentor, but he breaks down complex ideas into easily understandable and engaging terms.

"He is a great teacher and a really great scientist," Deshpande said.

Working with Li, Deshpande has acquired critical thinking skills for solving electrodynamics problems. He has developed the knowledge to use Raman spectroscopy, the laser microscope, also known as confocal microscopy, and how to culture bacteria, among other tasks, which he uses in his research.

Deshpande is examining the inactivation process of bacterial spores, without the influence of external stimuli, to help determine how bacterial cells die. This can lead to knowledge about how to deactivate or kill bacteria, which could help in the processes of disinfection as well as the delivery of medicines.

"We work on some really interesting projects. I know I work hard, but part of that is inspiration from Dr. Li," Deshpande said. "I hold him in high regard because of his visionary ideas."

When not conducting his own research or showing others the skills needed to perform research, Li teaches general physics and modern optics to undergraduate students, and electrodynamics, biomedical optics, and thermodynamics and statistical physics to graduate students.

"The best part of teaching and mentoring is seeing students design their own experiments and develop new tools, ask insightful questions in weekly lab meetings and discover how to explain the phenomena they observe," Li said.

"My favorite classes are biomedical optics and electrodynamics," he said. "I love them because they let students explore how physics principles directly apply to medicine and technology."

Lifetime Achievement

Li was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award by Dobrokhotov, who said Li is widely respected by colleagues for his intellectual rigor, creativity and generosity in collaboration.

"I felt compelled to nominate Li because of his sustained, transformative contributions to science and to East Carolina University over more than two decades," Dobrokhotov said. "Dr. Li is an internationally recognized scholar whose pioneering work integrating optical trapping with Raman spectroscopy led to the invention of laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS). His research bridges quantum optics, biomedical physics and microbiology, demonstrating both intellectual depth and interdisciplinary breadth."

While at ECU, Li has secured more than $4.5 million in external research funding to support projects in physics, optics and biomedical research from agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. He has published more than 170 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers across the disciplines of physics and microbiology.

"My proudest accomplishment at ECU is building a strong research lab/program in biomedical optics, where students actively engage in cutting-edge research, develop new tools and contribute to meaningful discoveries in both physics and microbiology - supporting the growth of ECU's doctoral program in biomedical physics," said Li.

"Dr. Li's career reflects a rare combination of innovation, productivity and long-term impact. He has dedicated his career to building research at ECU, mentoring the next generation of scientists and expanding the boundaries of how physics can contribute to biomedical discovery," said Dobrokhotov. "His body of work exemplifies the sustained excellence and creative achievement that this lifetime award is designed to recognize," Dobrokhotov said.

ECU's Lifetime Achievement Award was formally presented to Li during the university's annual Research and Scholarship Awards Ceremony on April 9 in the Main Campus Student Center Ballrooms.

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