About

Xin Ning is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, starting from August 2023. He holds a Ph.D. in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, earned in 2015, and an M.S. in Aeronautics from Caltech obtained in 2010. His research areas include aerospace materials, aerospace structures, and space systems, with a focus on structural mechanics, structural dynamics, and design. Ning has contributed to the development of innovative materials and structural systems inspired by natural cellular materials, origami, and kirigami, aiming to enhance aerospace engineering applications such as aircraft wings, space deployment mechanisms, and electronic sensing systems. His work emphasizes the integration of advanced materials, computational modeling, and experimental techniques to address challenges in aerospace structural design and space environment effects.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Biomedical engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Materials science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Medicine
• Engineering
• Biology
• Surgery
• Physics
• Mechanical engineering
• Optics
• Acoustics
• Anatomy
• Optoelectronics
• Cell biology

Selected publications

• Development and Characterization of a Combined Low-Earth Orbit Environment Simulation Facility for Space Materials and Structures Research and Education

  2026-01-08

  articleSenior author

  This paper presents the design, development, and calibration of a comprehensive Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) environment simulation facility. The facility integrates multiple systems to reproduce the harsh conditions of LEO, including ultra-high vacuum capabilities reaching 1×10⁻⁷ Torr, controlled thermal cycling between -80°C and 120°C, vacuum ultraviolet radiation exposure (concentrated at wavelength less than 200nm), and plasma-based atomic oxygen generation. Detailed characterization of the atomic oxygen flux measurements is presented. The simulated atomic oxygen environment shows a controllable ion/atom energy from 2 eV to 5 eV. The equivalent atomic oxygen flux determined using Kapton samples can reach an average of 4.2×10¹⁵ atoms/cm²/s, which is approximately 115 times stronger than the expected atomic oxygen flux at an orbit height of 400 km. VUV radiation is also demonstrated to cause 79% expedited erosion. The primary research that will be conducted using this facility is to examine the stability and survivability of flexible electronic skins for in-space structural and environmental sensing developed by our previous research. This versatile facility also enables cost-effective ground-based testing of spacecraft materials and components under simulated LEO conditions, addressing the critical need for accessible pre-flight qualification testing. Preliminary test results demonstrate the facility's capability to replicate key aspects of the LEO environment, offering a valuable resource for aerospace material development and space system qualifications.

  PublisherDOI

• Bilayered all-polyester nonwoven with unidirectional moisture transport

  Separation and Purification Technology · 2026-03-16

  articleCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Integrating Spatial Proteogenomics in Cancer Research

  Advanced Science · 2026-02-08

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Spatial proteogenomics marks a paradigm shift in oncology by integrating molecular analysis with spatial information from both spatial proteomics and other data modalities (e.g., spatial transcriptomics), thereby unveiling tumor heterogeneity and dynamic changes in the microenvironment. METHODS: We systematically reviewed the evolution of spatial proteogenomics, from single-modality profiling to integration with transcriptomics and metabolomics, from the detection of abundant proteins to exploration of "dark proteome" with low abundance or stability, and from analytic software based on traditional machine learning algorithms to advanced artificial intelligence-driven analytical frameworks. RESULTS: Key advances of sub-fields of spatial proteogenomics include: RNA-protein co-localization: Spatial CITE-seq, enabling RNA-protein co-localization to reveal immune microenvironmental patterns and neoantigen distribution. Spatial Proteomics + Spatial Metabolomics: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging (MALDI), overcoming protein detection bottlenecks and capturing metabolic reprogramming. Deep visual proteomics (DVP): achieving unbiased spatial analysis via AI-guided microdissection. Spatial-aware multiplex dark proteome approaches: Examples are nanodroplet processing in one pot for trace samples (NanoPOTS) and proteoform imaging mass spectrometry (PiMS). Multimodal foundation AI models: Examples are KRONOS and HEIST, which integrate multiple data modalities and significantly improve diagnostic precision and therapeutic prediction. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Despite challenges of resolution, standardization, and data complexity, spatial proteomics is advancing rapidly. Together with frontier technologies such as quantum computing, live imaging, and organoid integration, it is driving breakthroughs in cancer diagnosis, personalized immunotherapy, and drug development.

  PublisherDOI

• Thermo-Elastic Behavior of Pristine and Degraded Bistable Ultrathin Composite Booms in Low-Earth Orbits

  2026-01-08

  articleSenior author

  Bistable ultra-thin composite booms capable of self-deploying from coiled stable configuration to extended shape offer significant potential for lightweight deployable space structures. This paper explores the thermo-elastic deformations of the deployed state of ultra-thin composite booms with circular arc cross-sections made from carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy laminates. FEM results show that the previous analytical model is not sufficient to describe the complex shape taken by the boom under uniform temperature variations, and that the boom needs to be sectioned into smaller sections for proper cylindrical fitting. Non-uniform temperature variations in the boom due to two radiation conditions (high and low) were obtained, and results show that the radius of the boom is modified by less than 0.3 mm, whereas the twisting angle is increased up to 1.2° at the tip of the boom. The temperature of the root of the boom was set to 0 °C, 20 °C and 40 °C with minimal impact on the resultant shape. Increasing the subtended angle from 66° to 180° revealed poorer cylindrical fits at the root and tip than in the center of the boom. The influence of mechanical bonding at the root of the boom is minimal and leads to a slight decrease in twisting angle. Finally, atomic oxygen exposure tests were conducted and extrapolated to long mission durations and show that the bistable booms reasonably maintain their profile after three years in low-earth orbits.

  PublisherDOI

• Air bypass flow influence analysis and configuration parameters optimization for fan culvert surface heat exchanger based on hybrid methods of Taguchi-PSO-ANFIS and NSGA II-MOWOA

  International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer · 2026-04-20

  articleCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Optimization, additive manufacturing, and testing of bird-bone-inspired materials for aircraft wing designs

  International Journal of Solids and Structures · 2026-01-12

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Inspired by the continuous shells and graded porous interiors of natural bird bones, this study presents a framework to design, optimize, and additively manufacture bird-bone-like materials for a new class of aircraft wing designs without traditional components such as ribs, spars, and stiffeners. Additive manufacturing, including fused deposition modeling (FDM), enables the rapid fabrication of these complex bio-inspired geometries with minimal material waste but introduces significant anisotropy due to its layer-by-layer deposition process. We implemented a transversely isotropic material model with Hill’s yield criterion to capture the directional dependence of FDM-printed polylactic acid (PLA). Using the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES), the bird-bone-inspired materials were optimized to minimize wing mass while maximizing load-carrying capacity. This framework achieved substantial improvements in structural efficiency, with 48–54 % for wings with lattice-based internal structures and 23–37 % for foam-based internal structures compared to reference designs. Experimental validation through structural testing of 3D-printed wings showed strong agreement with numerical predictions, with differences in effective stiffness and load-carrying capacity within 1.4–3.3 % and 1.2–13.5 %, respectively, of simulated values. The results confirm the effectiveness of this integrated framework for designing lightweight, high-performance bird-bone-inspired materials for aerospace applications.

  PublisherDOI

• Zn-coordinated lipid nanoparticles synergistically enhance spleen-targeting delivery and elicit CD8+ T cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy

  Journal of Colloid and Interface Science · 2025-09-15 · 5 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Comparative Study of One Detection and Three Confirmation LC-MS Methods for Norfloxacin in Freshwater Shrimp

  Food Analytical Methods · 2025-11-21

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A modulated broadband polarimetric insensitive metamaterial absorber based on a monolayer of graphene

  Communications in Theoretical Physics · 2025-03-12 · 43 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract This paper presents a tunable and polarization-insensitive wideband metamaterial absorber based on single-layer graphene. By comparing the simulated experimental data with theoretical derivations, it was found that the absorbance of the material can be sustained above 90% in the frequency range of 2.78 to 7.14 (4.36) THz, of which the absorption rate exceeds 99% in the frequency range of 4.1–4.54 (0.44) THz, and remarkably, perfect absorption is achieved at 4.32 THz. In the range of 2.78–7.14 THz, the average absorption rate is 96.1%, by adjusting the physical size of the graphene layer pattern, we can modify the working band gap of the absorber. By applying a voltage to modulate the Fermi level of graphene, we can increase the absorption bandwidth. When the chemical potential is 1.0 eV, at the bandwidth of 4.36 THz, its absorption rate exceeds 90%. The working principle of absorbing materials was deeply explored using the principles of electromagnetic field distribution and impedance adaptation. Through detailed analysis of different polarization states and incident angles, we found that the absorber is not sensitive to polarization due to its symmetrical structure, and found that it exhibits low sensitivity at incidence angles. In addition, after comparative analysis, significant differences were observed in the absorption efficiency of the absorber under various relaxation time conditions, and the obtained data were elaborated in detail using the carrier mechanism of plasma vibration. We found that in addition to obtaining an almost perfect absorber with wide band by adjusting the parameters, it is also feasible to obtain an approximately narrow band absorber by changing the relaxation time without having to re-manufacture the structure. The absorber offers several advantages, including tunability, a wide absorption band, a high absorption rate, polarization insensitivity, and a simple structure. Therefore, this absorber exhibits great potential for absorption, monitoring, and sensing in the terahertz band.

  PublisherDOI

• Configuration Optimization of a Plate Fin Precooler Based on Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimizer

  Energies · 2025-11-12

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  The method of effectiveness-number of heat transfer units (ε-NTU) is adopted to establish a design indicator prediction model for plate fin precooler (PFP), and experimental verification is conducted. The average error between the experimental heat transfer capacity and the calculated heat transfer capacity is 4.65%, and the predicted mass matches the mass computed via the commercial software SolidWorks 2020. This outcome confirms the model’s reliability. An investigation is conducted into the influences of parametric factors, including hot stream flow length, cold stream flow length, hot side number of layers, and hot side fin pitch on the heat transfer capacity and mass of the PFP. To realize the maximization of heat transfer capacity and the minimization of mass, optimization is performed on the four sensitive configuration parameters by leveraging the multi-objective grey wolf optimizer (MOGWO). This optimization can significantly reduce the mass while ensuring the stability of the heat transfer capacity. Three classes of optimal configurations were derived from Pareto optimal points. Compared to the original structure, the selected schemes exhibit an average 2.95% rise in heat transfer capacity and a 10.7% reduction in mass. These findings show that the optimization method proposed in this study is effective and provides valuable guidance for precooler design.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• EAGER: Origami-Based, Shape-Adaptive, Skin-Like Wireless Sensors for Monitoring COVID-19 Patients in Field Hospitals

  NSF · $265k · 2020–2023

Frequent coauthors

• Yonggang Huang

  Northwestern University

  16 shared

• John A. Rogers

  Northwestern University

  13 shared

• John A. Rogers

  11 shared

• Xinge Yu

  City University of Hong Kong

  11 shared

• Mitansh Doshi

  Pennsylvania State University

  8 shared

• Haiwen Luan

  University of California, San Diego

  8 shared

• Wubin Bai

  Applied Physical Sciences (United States)

  8 shared

• Yihui Zhang

  Xi'an Jiaotong University

  8 shared

Labs

• Combustion, Flow, and Plasma Interaction LaboratoryPI

Awards & honors

• Alumni Awards and Endowments - Alumni Award for Distinguishe…
• Alumni Loyalty Award