Tianxi Yang

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 2021, Research Chemist/ORISE Research Fellow

BASF’s North American Center for Research on Advanced Materials, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2019, Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2018, PhD, Food Science

Please see Yang Lab at UBC-Research

The Yang Lab is in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Our team is focused on the development of innovative analytical technologies and advanced materials to improve the safety, sustainability, and resilience of agricultural and food systems. We apply interdisciplinary approaches from Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, Material Science, and Nanotechnology to address current and emerging challenges in sustainable food production and the agri-food industry. Our current research is focused on three major themes: (1) Nanosensors in food, (2) Nano-enabled agriculture, and (3) Sustainable food packaging. Our ultimate goal is to ensure a safe and adequate food supply through scientific discoveries and engineering innovations to protect the health of people worldwide. 

FNH 200: Exploring Our Food

FNH 302: Food Analysis

FOOD 520: Advances in Food Analysis

Please see Dr. Yang’s Google Scholar for a full list of publications.

• Yang, T.; Duncan, TV. Challenges and Potential Solutions for Nanosensors Intended for Use with Foods. Nature Nanotechnology. 2021, 16, 251–265.
• Yang, T.; Paulose, T.; Redan, B.; Duncan, TV. Food and Beverage Ingredients Induce Formation of Silver Nanoparticles in Products Stored within Nanotechnology-Enabled Packaging. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2021, 13, 1398–1412.
• Yang, T.; Qu, Y.; Hickey, ME,; Wang, W.; Zhao, B.; Bi, S.; Zhang, G.; He, L. Mapping of Pesticide Transmission on Biological Tissues by Surface Enhanced Raman Microscopy with Gold Nanoparticle Mirror. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2019, 11, 44894–44904.
• Yang, T.; Doherty, J.; Guo, H.; Zhao, B.; Clark, JM.; Xing, B.; Hou, R.; He, L. Real-Time Monitoring of Pesticide Translocation in Tomato Plants by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Anal. Chem. 2019, 91, 2093−2099.
• Yang, T.; Doherty, J.; Zhao, B.; Kinchla, A. J.; Clark, JM.; He, L. Effectiveness of Removal of Pesticide Residues on and in Apples with Commercial and Homemade Washing Agents. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2017, 65, 9744−9752.
• Yang, T.; Zhao, B.; Kinchla, A. J.; Clark, JM.; He, L. Investigation of Pesticides Penetration and Persistence on Harvested and Live Basil Leaves using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Mapping. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2017, 65, 3541−3550.
• Yang, T.; Zhao, B.; Hou, R.; Zhang, Z.; Kinchla, A. J.; Clark, JM.; He, L. Evaluation of the Penetration of Multiple Classes of Pesticides in Fresh Produce Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Mapping. J. Food Sci. 2016, 81, T2891−T2901.
• Yang, T.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, B.; Hou, R.; Kinchla, A.; Clark, JM.; He, L. Real-Time and in Situ Monitoring of Pesticide Penetration in Edible Leaves by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Mapping. Anal. Chem. 2016, 88, 5243−5250.
• Yang, T.; Guo, X.; Wang, H.; Fu, S.; wen, Y.; Yang, H. Magnetically Optimized SERS Assay for Rapid Detection of Trace Drug-Related Biomarkers in Saliva and Fingerprints. Biosens. Bioelectron. 2015, 68, 350−357.
• Yang, T.; Guo, X.; Wu, Y.; Wang, H.; Fu, S.; Wen, Y.; Yang, H. Facile and Label-Free Detection of Lung Cancer Biomarker in Urine by Magnetically Assisted Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2014, 6, 20985−20993.
• Yang, T.; Guo, X.; Wang, H.; Fu, S.; Yu, J.; Wen, Y.; Yang, H. Au Dotted Magnetic Network Nanostructure and Its Application for On-Site Monitoring Femtomolar Level Pesticide. Small 2014, 10, 1325−1331.
• Yang, T.; Wang, P.; Guo, H.; He, L. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy: A Tool for All Classes of Food Contaminants. Reference Module in Food Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.21090-1

• Applied Sciences 2022 Early Career Investigator Award, 2023
• U.S. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship, 2019
• Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Tanner Award for the most-cited paper of 2017 in the Journal of Food Science's Toxicology and Chemical Food Safety section, 2019
• Phi Tau Sigma Student Achievement Scholarship, 2018
• North America BASF Science Competition Award, 2018
• IFT Feeding Tomorrow Scholarship, 2017
• American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Teranishi Graduate Fellowship, 2017
• Phi Tau Sigma Founders' Award, 2017
• Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Student Award, 2017
• Northeast IFT Graduate Scholarship, 2017
• Oral Presentation Award, 7th Life Science Graduate Research Symposium, University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst, 2017
• International Phytotechnologies Scholar, 2016
• Francis Strategic Research Alliance Competition Award, UMass, 2016
• Alumni Graduate Fellowship, UMass, 2015-2018
• National Graduate Scholarship, China, 2013 and 2014

• Chair, Food Bioengineering Subdivision of American Chemical Society Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2022-2023)
• Vice Chair, Food Bioengineering Subdivision of American Chemical Society Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2021-2022)
• Symposium organizer on ACS’s 2023 Spring Annual Meeting & Exposition. Symposium topic: “Advances in Food Packaging and Preservation”.
• American Chemical Society Chicago Section, Women Chemists Committee (2019–2021)
• Phi Tau Sigma-the Honor Society for food science and technology,  Committee (2018-present)
• Guest editor: Membrances, Biosensors