Environmental pathogen surveillance and risk assessment
Environmental pathogen monitoring, wastewater epidemiology and health risk assessment in water and built environments.
XCW LAB / ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH
Environmental
microbiology.
Public health.
Chuanwu Xi Research Group
Connecting environmental science, engineering and medicine — from microbial mechanisms to technologies for a healthier world.
EASTERN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NINGBODiscover XCW Lab ↓
01 / ABOUT US
Understanding our environment.
Protecting our health.
Led by Chair Professor 奚传武, XCW Lab brings together environmental microbiology and public health at the School of Environmental and Sustainable Engineering, Division of Engineering, 宁波东方理工大学. The group studies water quality and health, environmental surveillance and control of infectious disease transmission, microecology and health risk assessment, and biofilm formation and infection control, connecting fundamental research with engineering applications.
To bring together expertise in environmental science, engineering and medicine, and provide scientific evidence and non-medical interventions for emerging infectious disease prevention and public decision-making.
02 / OUR RESEARCH
Research areas
From molecular mechanisms to environmental interventions.
01Molecular Mechanisms and Engineering Applications of Microbial Elemental Cycling
Investigating the molecular mechanisms of microbial carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycling, and their applications in environmental remediation and resource recovery.
Explore this area ↗
02Environmental Surveillance and Control of Infectious Disease Transmission
Developing environmental pathogen surveillance and risk assessment methods for early warning and infection prevention.
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03Microecology and Health Risk Assessment
Understanding environment–microbe–host interactions and evaluating health risks associated with environmental exposure.
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04Biofilm Formation and Infection Control
Investigating bacterial biofilms and their role in medical-device infections, and developing anti-infective materials and intervention strategies.
Explore this area ↗RESEARCH PLATFORMS
Tools for discovery and application
Rapid nucleic acid detection
Development and integration of PCR, isothermal amplification and microfluidic approaches for pathogen and environmental monitoring.
03 / OUR PEOPLE
People behind the research
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Chuanwu Xi 奚传武
Chair Professor · Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo
Chuanwu Xi leads the group’s research in water quality and health, environmental transmission of infectious diseases, and biofilms and infection control. He received his PhD from KU Leuven and was a tenured professor at the University of Michigan before joining EIT.
View profile ↗
04 / SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Research in focus
- 2026
Optimization of loop-mediated isothermal amplification harnessing a novel primer design targeting at short DNA sequence
Zhang Y, Ouyang G, Zheng D, Chen X, Mao R*.
Microchemical Journal
- 2026
Establishment of closed dumbbell mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid and simple detection of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS)
Zhang Y, Chen X, Zhong Y, Guo F, Chen Y*, Ouyang G*, Mao R*.
Microchemical Journal
- 2025
Development and validation of on-site authentication of Gadus morhua using closed dumbbell mediated isothermal amplification
Jiang H, Chen X, Mao R*.
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
- 2025
Long-term effects of pH and salinity on performance and bacterial community of bioaugmented sequencing batch reactor for treatment of nitrogen-containing organic pollutants
Zhaojian Song, Qidong Tang, Haiqian Wei, Hao Zhou, Yuanyuan Qu, Jingjing Zhan, Xuwang Zhang*
Journal of Water Process Engineering
Projects & collaborations
2020-2022
Environmental monitoring and infection risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2
Air and surface monitoring in campus buildings and buses supported infection risk assessment, disinfection strategies and public health decision-making.
2026-07
Engineering–medicine collaboration with Li Huili Hospital
Researchers from EIT and Ningbo Medical Center Li Huili Hospital exchanged research and clinical perspectives at the July 2026 workshop.
Related announcement ↗2024-08 至今
Building an interdisciplinary environment and health research team
Since joining EIT in August 2024, Chuanwu Xi has led the development of the Environment and Health Research Center, connecting faculty, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and research assistants.
Related announcement ↗05 / LAB UPDATES
News & updates
EIT and City University of Hong Kong sign an engineering doctorate agreement
Chuanwu Xi attended the signing and introduced EIT’s educational mission and industry collaboration. The agreement supports international doctoral education for industry executives.
EIT and Li Huili Hospital advance engineering–medicine collaboration
Researchers from EIT and Ningbo Medical Center Li Huili Hospital exchanged ideas on fundamental research and clinical applications, with Chuanwu Xi representing the university.
Chuanwu Xi delivers a keynote at the THE Europe Universities Summit
At the summit in Milan, Chuanwu Xi discussed how universities prepare for global technological change, including educational innovation, digital development and industry collaboration.
06 / JOIN XCW LAB
Research with us
Postdoctoral researchers (2–4 positions); Researchers / Associate Researchers / Assistant Researchers; Research Assistants.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Positions & application ↗GET IN TOUCH
Contact
ADDRESS
郑坚-利红楼, 宁波东方理工大学
RECRUITMENT ENQUIRIES
tljin@eitech.edu.cn ↗