For release: April 28, 2011
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey, 901/678-2843

Dr. Xiaohua Huang

Huang was one of 30 recipients selected from 118 candidates nominated by ORAU members. She is the first University of Memphis faculty member to receive this honor.

Huang’s research is at the interface of analytical chemistry and cancer biology; it centers on developing a simple, rapid, and ultrasensitive optical technique for in vivo detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The detection of CTCs can be used to detect cancer at early stages, assess tumor stage, and predict therapeutic outcomes. However, the low concentration of CTCs in the bloodstream makes their detection time-consuming, labor-intensive, and technically challenging. Huang will use her Powe Award and matching funds to develop a novel type of multi-functional nanoprobe and clinically practical technique to address these challenges.     Huang joined the U of M Department of Chemistry in August 2010 following postdoctoral appointments at Georgia Tech and Emory University.   

“Dr. Huang’s Powe Award is a wonderful recognition of the exciting directions she has defined to tackle the problem of selectively identifying cancer cells in circulation to allow earlier detection,” said Dr. Abby Parrill, professor and chair of chemistry at the University of Memphis. “There is no doubt that Dr. Huang is the type of person who sets impressive goals and lines up all the resources – human and technical – necessary to achieve those goals. I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the next few years.”