Spotlight: Dr Xiaochen Fu

Xiaochen Fu worked as a Research Assistant for four years at the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, specialising in developing electrochemical sensors, including aptamer-based, enzyme-based, and hybrid 2D material biosensors for food safety, heavy metal detection, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) monitoring. Xiaochen headed to Australia to pursue his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Sydney, focusing on the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and is now a Research Fellow in the Nanosensor Engineering Lab at Monash University, working with Chief Investigator A/Prof Simon Corrie on AI-guided protein design for electrochemical applications.

Describe your research problem and ultimate goal.
My research focuses on combining enzymes—both wild-type and AI-guided designs—with carbon-based materials for electrochemical catalysis and sensing applications. Our long-term goal is to retain the high selectivity and catalytic activity of enzymes, while enhancing their stability, so they can be applied more broadly in real-world electrochemical systems.

What do you consider your key challenges?
One of my biggest personal challenges is learning how to become more self-consistent and emotionally resilient. A recent car accident reminded me that life is filled with not only the pressure of research and the joy of small everyday moments, but also unpredictable events. While we often talk about “work–life balance”, I believe psychological well-being is equally essential and deserves attention.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I get up each morning excited to check on my little balcony plants. Watching new buds emerge in the soft morning sunlight feels like nature’s quiet way of telling me a new day—and a new chance—is here.

Favourite thing to do on the weekend?
I love gardening on weekends and spending time with my plants. I enjoy preparing slow-cooked meals to reward myself after a busy week. These hobbies may seem unrelated to work, but they’ve become my source of inner strength and balance.

How would you describe your cultural background? Tell me something interesting about your culture and how you celebrate it?
I’m originally from China. Unlike Christmas in the Gregorian calendar, our most important holiday is the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year). On New Year’s Eve, my family gathers to make dumplings together and welcome the new year. Children often receive red envelopes from elders, filled with blessings and good wishes. It’s a time of reunion, renewal, and deep cultural connection.