Xiao-Xuan Liang Ph.D.

Welcome! I am Xiao-Xuan Liang (feel free to call me Joe), a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Biomedical Optics at the University of Luebeck, Germany. I received my Ph.D. in Biophysics (equivalent to Dr. rer. nat.) from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2019.

My research is deeply rooted in the theoretical modeling of light-matter interactions and their applications in laser surgery and advanced biophotonics. Specifically, I focus on laser-induced optical breakdown in water (plasma generation, bubble formation, and shockwaves), photodamage in nonlinear microscopy, and non-resonant plasmonic effects. The ultimate goal of my theoretical work is to translate these physical insights into practical improvements for cellular and tissue surgery and laser-induced molecular modifications.

Driven by this research vision, I have published my work in esteemed journals such as PNAS, Optica, and the Journal of Fluid Mechanics (JFM), and have had the privilege of sharing my findings through various invited talks and scientific presentations.

In addition to my research, I serve as an Editorial Board Member for Biomedical Instrumentation and the Chinese Journal of Lasers (01.2022–12.2024). I actively contribute to the scientific community as a peer reviewer for over 10 journals, including Optica, Optics Express, Biomedical Optics Express, JFM, and Physics of Fluids. I am also a proud member of Optica and SPIE.

Beyond the lab, I consider myself an expert in “kitchen chemistry”—where the laughter and praise from my Mäuschen act as the ultimate catalyst to enhance the Maillard reaction and stimulate dopamine release!