Recently, undergraduates from BNBU's Faculty of Science and Technology have made remarkable strides in research. Li Jinci (Department of Life Sciences, Class of 2025) published a first-author paper in Nano Letters, a top-tier journal in nanotechnology. Meanwhile, Wu Yuqian and Peng Yuhong (Department of Computer Science, Class 2025) had their paper accepted at the prestigious 29th Pacific-Asia Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (PAKDD 2025).
Breakthrough in Environmental Science: Nanoplastics and DNA Damage
Nanoplastics are pervasive in daily life, yet their biological impact remains a growing concern. Li's paper, "Bioeffects of Nanoplastics: DNA Damage and Mechanism", reveals that aminated nanoplastics exhibit stronger interactions with DNA, shedding light on potential ecological risks.
Li Jinci in the laboratory
"The biggest challenge was understanding how nanoplastics cut DNA, as they differ from my previously studied materials," Li shared. Under the guidance of Dr Zhao Yingcan, she overcame the key obstacles. Dr Zhao, an expert in environmental nanotechnology and the paper's corresponding author, provided crucial direction to her research.
Li Jinci(left) with Dr Yingcan Zhao
Li has received offers from prestigious institutions including Johns Hopkins University and the National University of Singapore for her postgraduate study. She advises aspiring researchers to engage in lab work early to gain hands-on experience.
AI-Powered Travel Recommendations: A Multi-Agent Approach
While Li tackled nanoplastics, Wu and Peng explored AI's role in personalised travel. Their study, "MAS4POI: A Multi-Agent Collaboration System for Next POI Recommendation", addresses the limitations of conventional travel recommendation systems, which struggle with new users and locations.
Supervised by Dr Raymond Lee, they designed MAS4POI with four intelligent agents handling task allocation, data processing, trajectory analysis, and recommendation optimisation.
Peng Yuhong , Dr Raymond Lee and Wu Yuqian (from left)
PAKDD reviewers praised their work for its innovation and impact on next-location recommendations. Regarding their research, Wu and Peng credit BNBU's AI courses and research projects for equipping them with essential knowledge and computational resources.
BNBU Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Research Hub
Through structured curricula, cutting-edge research platforms, and dedicated mentorship, BNBU students continue to make an impact on global academia.
From MPRO
Reporter: Uki Zhou
Photos provided by the interviewees and Season Li
Editor: Cecilia Yu
