Author Interview: Dr. Yiyao Liu

Event Introduction

Since its founding in 2016, Bioactive Materials (BAM) has emerged as a leading international platform in materials science and biomedicine. Over the past decade, the journal has achieved remarkable growth, with its impact factor rising from 8.724 (2019) to 20.3 (2024). It has also been listed as a top-tier journal in the Chinese Academy of Sciences Journal Classification (Q1) and the T1 category of the High-Quality Scientific Journal Grading Catalog for materials science for five years (2020–2025). None of this would have been possible without the trust and contributions of our global authors, whose innovative research has shaped BAM’s success. 

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we launch the **Author Interviews** series, featuring distinguished contributors who have grown alongside BAM—including early-stage submitters, highly cited scholars, and rising scientists. Through their stories, we will explore their journeys with BAM: from the excitement of first submissions to the impact of published research, from upholding research integrity to navigating academic influence, and their visions for the field’s future. These conversations aim to provide practical insights for emerging researchers and express our deepest gratitude to all authors who have been part of our journey.

Author Interview: Dr. Yiyao Liu

Dr. Yiyao Liu is a professor in the School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), with a concurrent appointment as the deputy director of Interdisciplinary Center for Informational Biology in UESTC. He received his Ph.D. degree from Gunma University of Japan and finished his postdoctoral training from the Institute of Health Biosciences, School of Medicine, Tokushima University of Japan, in 2004 and 2007, respectively. He joined the School of Life Science and Technology, UESTC in 2004 as an associated professor, and promoted to full professor in 2008.

Here is the interview we did with him:

I. Origins with BAM

1. What first introduced you to BAM? Do you remember the research topic of your first submission to BAM? What key factors influenced your decision to choose BAM at the time?

Our first encounter with Bioactive Materials was at the 8th Annual Conference (2022) of Nanobiology of the Chinese Society for Biophysics, where we learned about its high-standard editorial principles and distinctive multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary orientation. Subsequently, through the journal’s official WeChat, we gained a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of it. Our first submission to BAM focused on the research theme "Remodeling tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment via a novel bioactive nanovaccines potentiates the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy", which aligns perfectly with the journal’s academic scope. More importantly, Bioactive Materials has established itself as a platform with growing international academic influence and authority in the field of biomaterials. The success of our initial submission inspired us to continue engaging with the journal. Recently, we published another study titled "Smart biomimetic ‘nano-med-fireman’ blocking inflammation and lactate metabolism crosstalk for normalized spatiotemporal photo-immunotherapy" in BAM.

2. Among your publications in BAM, which article stands out the most? How has it impacted your academic career?

BAM has published numerous high-quality research articles and review papers. I pay close attention to the reports relevant to our team’s research focus. From my point, one of the most impactful papers was a review by Professor Gao Changyou of Zhejiang University, titled "Adaptable hydrogel with reversible linkages for regenerative medicine: dynamic mechanical microenvironment for cells". This review underscores the critical role of adaptable hydrogels in simulating dynamic extracellular mechanical microenvironments in regenerative medicine. It comprehensively reviews strategies for constructing such hydrogels via supramolecular chemistry and dynamic covalent chemistry, elucidates the bidirectional mechanisms between dynamic mechanical environments and cellular behavior/fate, and explores emerging technologies like 3D printing for regenerative medicine. This review inspired us to model tumor extracellular matrix microenvironments using hydrogels and investigate how physical cues influence tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapy.

Another recent review, "Engineering human immune organoids for translational immunology", provocatively highlights the potential of human immune organoids to overcome limitations of animal-based immunological studies. This has significant implications for our research on immunoregulatory biomaterials, offering us fresh perspectives and methodological insights. In summary, BAM focuses on in-depth academic research and its frontier, providing invaluable inspiration and references for our interdisciplinary research modality. I strongly recommend that researchers continue to engage with and learn from BAM.

3. As a long-term supporter of BAM, how would you describe the journal’s development over the past decade (e.g., impact factor, review processes, internationalization)? What changes have impressed you the most?

Over the past decade, BAM has risen from a nascent Chinese journal to a leading international publication, which is truly inspiring. This remarkable achievement reflects the growing influence of China's academic community in the field of biomedical materials. It is the result of the collective commitment of the journal's operational team, editorial staff, and rigorous peer review process to maintain BAM’s academic excellence.

Three aspects of BAM's development have particularly impressed me:

1). Rapid ascent in impact factor: From an initial 8.724 to the current 20.3, this significant growth demonstrates the high academic quality of published papers. The journal consistently features innovative research that guides scientific study for researchers like ourselves.

2). Efficient and rigorous review process: During our submission, the double-blind peer review system operated with remarkable speed and precision. Detailed feedback from five reviewers offered multidimensional insights to improve our manuscript, leaving us deeply moved by their professionalism and constructive criticism.

3). Global engagement: BAM's internationalization is evident not only in its editorial board but also in its inclusion of high-quality studies from scholars worldwide. This truly reflects its status as a platform bridging global research communities.

BAM's success exemplifies how Chinese journals can achieve global recognition through unwavering dedication to quality, fairness, and innovation. I strongly encourage researchers to continue engaging with this pioneering publication.

II. Submission and Academic Exchange Experiences

4. Could you share your secrets to success in submitting to BAM? For example, how do you prepare manuscripts that align with the journal’s scope? How do you efficiently respond to reviewer comments?

First, it is essential to thoroughly understand the academic positioning and scope of BAM, carefully read the submission guidelines, and meticulously prepare the manuscript to fully demonstrate the cutting-edge nature, innovation, and significance of our own research.

Regarding the reviewers' comments, we first diligently study and read each comment, analyze the core issues, highlight key points, and then provide a point-by-point sufficient response. It is crucial to maintain polite language, avoid emotional reactions, and ensure that editors and reviewers clearly perceive our gratitude and earnest efforts to improve and refine the manuscript. For scientific questions requiring additional experiments, we strive to address them through supplementary experiments, objectively responding with data and figures. If an experiment cannot be completed, we conduct thorough literature research to formulate well-founded responses. In the event of unfair criticism, we respond with calm and patient explanations, avoiding perfunctory replies or emotional retaliations.

5. BAM emphasizes mult-discipline-crossing and clinical translation potential. How do you balance academic innovation with practical application in your research design?

In my view, academic innovation and practical application are not contradictory. Clinical demands serve as a driving force for innovative research, and the resulting scientific breakthroughs ultimately return to address clinical challenges, realizing their value. This forms a cyclical process of mutual feedback and enhancement.

Guided by this philosophy, our team focuses on tumor biomechanics and micro-nano medicine. On one hand, we investigate how mechanical factors in the tumor microenvironment regulate tumor fate, centered around the fundamental scientific question of tumor-microenvironment-tumor cell interactions and their regulatory mechanisms. We explore how mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment influence metastasis, proliferation, drug resistance, energy metabolism, and self-renewal, elucidating underlying regulatory principles and mechanisms.

On the other hand, based on these mechanistic insights, we integrate tools and concepts from materials science, chemistry, nanotechnology, immunology, and biomedical engineering to develop nanobiomaterials, theranostic micro/nano carriers, controlled drug delivery systems, and immune-modulating materials, aiming to pioneer novel therapeutic approaches for the malignant tumor.

In recent years, our team has prioritized transdisciplinary integration of medicine and engineering, collaborating closely with affiliated hospitals such as the Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, and the People’s Hospital of Deyan. These partnerships strive to bridge the causal loop between basic research and clinical application, fostering genuine translational impact.

6. Research integrity is a core principle of BAM. How do you ensure the authenticity and reproducibility of your data in your research? What advice would you give to early-career scholars on this topic?

Scientific integrity is a core component of the scientific ethos and an essential professional ethic and academic baseline for researchers. Our team has established a mentor-led system that encompasses ethical review, experimental documentation, data organization and preservation, ensuring the authenticity and reproducibility of research data. We prioritize rigorous verification of critical findings through multiple experimental approaches rather than pursuing experimental progress or novelty in results for its own sake. In matters of authorship and conflicts of interest, we consistently adhere to principles of truth-seeking and honesty.

For early-career scholars, maintaining a constant sense of reverence, upholding research integrity, and resisting the temptation to prioritize "research speed and personal gain" are essential to achieving sustainable advancement in the scientific career.

III. Discipline Outlook and Future Aspirations

7. At the forefront of the materials science and biomedicine intersection, what do you see as the key breakthrough directions for the next decade? How might BAM contribute to these developments?

I believe that the key breakthrough direction in the next decade will be the research on intelligent biomaterials, achieving digitalization and precision medicine. Developing temperature-sensitive, pH-sensitive, and magnetically responsive hydrogels, enabling on-demand drug release and dynamic regulation of tissue repair, are currently hot research topics. The next decade will be the era of artificial intelligence. 4D printing of customized implants based on medical imaging data, using AI to optimize material properties and biocompatibility, and researching personalized medical materials are among the critical breakthrough directions. Meanwhile, integrating wearable flexible bioelectronic materials with sensing functions, building remote detection systems, real-time monitoring of pathological changes in lesions or drug concentrations in wounds, and achieving a closed-loop management system of "material-patient-doctor" are essential. As a leading international journal, BAM, under the leadership of Editors-in-Chief Yufeng Zheng and Jian Yang, will continue to guide researchers and contribute to the dissemination of science.

8. What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to young scholars submitting to BAM for the first time?

Conducting interdisciplinary and distinctive research, enhancing the innovation and frontier nature of scientific work, deeply understanding BAM's publishing philosophy and academic orientation, and responding objectively and fairly to peer review comments will undoubtedly lead to successful publication in BAM.

9. Please share a one-sentence wish for BAM’s next decade and your expectations for the journal.

We hope that in the next decade, BAM will create brilliance in intelligent biomaterials through interdisciplinary integration, clinical traction, and sustainable development strategies, promoting biomaterials from "passive repair" to "active regeneration," and contributing Chinese strength to human health.