Education:

2002-2008: PhD, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China
2007: visiting student, Southampton University, Southampton, UK
1998-2002: BSc, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China

Appointments:

2019.01-Present: Professor, Institute of Urban Environment, CAS
2010.09-2018.12: Associate Professor, Institute of Urban Environment, CAS
2008.09-2010.09: Assistant Professor, Institute of Urban Environment, CAS
2015.08- 2016.02: Visiting scholar, Oxford University, UK
2015.02- 2015.07: Visiting scholar, Lancaster University, UK
2009.11- 2010.02: Visiting scholar, Bern University, Switzerland

Her main research interests are the development of single-cell spectroscopic (Raman and fluorescence) techniques and molecular tools (qPCR, metagenomics) for investigating environmental microorganisms, including antibiotic resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), functional bacteria driving N and P biogeochemical cycling, biofilms, microplastics. Recently, she investigated the microbial community and ARGs in plastics, a new globally concerned environmental pollutant by combining Raman spectroscopy and qPCR. She has published more than 50 papers in international journals including Nat Protoc, Nat Food, Environ. Sci. Technol., Anal. Chem., Water Res. She served as the editor of the international journal of mSystems. She obtained National Science Foundation for outstanding young scholar in 2019.

1. Li, H. Z.; Yang, K.; Liao, H.; Lassen, S. B.; Su, J. Q.; Zhang, X.; Cui, L*.; Zhu, Y. G*., Active antibiotic resistome in soils unraveled by single-cell isotope probing and targeted metagenomics. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2022, 119, (40), e2201473119.
2. Yang, K.; Xu, F.; Zhu, L.; Li, H.; Sun, Q.; Yan, A.; Ren, B.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L*., An Isotope-Labeled Single-Cell Raman Spectroscopy Approach for Tracking the Physiological Evolution Trajectory of Bacteria toward Antibiotic Resistance. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, (14), e202217412.
3. Cui, L*#.; Xin, Y#.; Yang, K#.; Li, H.; Tan, F.; Zhang, Y.; Li, X.; Zhu, Z.; Yang, J.; Kao, S.-J.; Ren, B.; Zhu, Y.-G.; Musat, F.; Musat, N., Live tracking metabolic networks and physiological responses within microbial assemblages at single-cell level. PNAS nexus 2023, 2, (3), 1-12.
4. Qin, Y.; Shi, Z.; Zhu, L.; Li, H.; Lu, W.; Ye, G.; Huang, Q.; Cui, L*., Impact of Airborne Pathogen-Derived Extracellular Vesicles on Macrophages Revealed by Raman Spectroscopy and Multiomics. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2023, 57, (42), 15858-15868.
5. Qin, Y. F.; Guo, Z. H.; Huang, H. N.; Zhu, L. T.; Dong, S. J.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L*.; Huang, Q. S*., Widespread of Potential Pathogen-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Carrying Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Indoor Dust. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2022, 56, (9), 5653-5663.
6. Zhu, L.; Li, R.; Yang, K.; Xu, F.; Lin, C.; Chen, Q.; Zhu, D.; Sun, Q.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L*., Quantifying health risks of plastisphere antibiotic resistome and deciphering driving mechanisms in an urbanizing watershed. Water Res. 2023, 245, 120574.
7. Li, H.-Z.; Ding, J.-Z.; Xu, F.; Zhu, L.-J.; Cui, L*., Single‐cell Raman and functional gene analyses reveal microbial P solubilization in agriculture waste‐modified soils. mlife 2022, 2, (2), 190-200.
8. Cui, L.*; Li, H.-Z.; Yang, K.; Zhu, L.-J.; Xu, F.; Zhu, Y.-G., Raman biosensor and molecular tools for integrated monitoring of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in wastewater Trac-Trend Anal Chem 2021, 143, 116415.
9. Chen, Q.-L.; Hu, H.-W.; He, Z.-Y.; Cui, L.; Zhu, Y.-G.; He, J.-Z., Potential of indigenous crop microbiomes for sustainable agriculture Nat Food 2021, 2, 233-240.
10. Morais, C. L. M.; Paraskevaidi, M.; Cui, L.; Fullwood, N. J.; Isabelle, M.; Lima, K. M. G.; Martin-Hirsch, P. L.; Sreedhar, H.; Trevisan, J.; Walsh, M. J.; Zhang, D.; Zhu, Y. G.; Martin, F. L., Standardization of complex biologically derived spectrochemical datasets. Nat Protoc 2019, 14, (5), 1546-1577.
11. Li, R.; Zhu, L.; Yang, K.; Li, H.; Zhu, Y.-G.; Cui, L*., Impact of urbanization on antibiotic resistome in different microplastics: evidence from a large-scale whole river analysis. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, (13), 8760-8770.
12. Li, H. Z.; Zhu, D.; Lindhardt, J. H.; Lin, S. M.; Ke, X.; Cui, L., Long-Term Fertilization History Alters Effects of Microplastics on Soil Properties, Microbial Communities, and Functions in Diverse Farmland Ecosystem. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, (8), 4658-4668.
13. Yang, K.; Chen, Q. L.; Chen, M. L.; Li, H. Z.; Liao, H.; Pu, Q.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L*., Temporal Dynamics of Antibiotic Resistome in the Plastisphere during Microbial Colonization. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2020, 54, (18), 11322-11332.
14. Li, H.-Z.; Zhang, D.; Yang, K.; An, X.-L.; Pu, Q.; Lin, S.-M.; Su, J.-Q.; Cui, L*., Phenotypic Tracking of Antibiotic Resistance Spread via Transformation from Environment to Clinic by Reverse D2O Single-Cell Raman Probing. Anal. Chem. 2020, 92, (23), 15472-15479.
15. Yang, K.; Li, H. Z.; Zhu, X.; Su, J. Q.; Ren, B.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L*., Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Pathogenic Bacteria Using Heavy-Water-Labeled Single-Cell Raman Spectroscopy in Clinical Samples. Anal. Chem. 2019, 91, 6296-6303.
16. Li, H.-Z.; Bi, Q.-f.; Yang, K.; Zheng, B.-X.; Pu, Q.; Cui, L*., D2O-Isotope-Labeling Approach to Probing Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria in Complex Soil Communities by Single-Cell Raman Spectroscopy. Anal. Chem. 2019, 91, (33), 2239-2246.
17. Chen, Q. L.; Zhu, D.; An, X. L.; Ding, J.; Zhu, Y. G.; Cui, L.*, Does nano silver promote the selection of antibiotic resistance genes in soil and plant? Environ Int 2019, 128, 399-406.
18. Cui, L.; Yang, K.; Li, H.-Z.; Zhang, H.; Su, J.-Q.; Paraskevaidi, M.; Martin, F. L.; Ren, B.; Zhu, Y.-G.*, A novel functional single-cell approach to probing nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil communities by resonance Raman spectroscopy with 15N2 labelling. Anal. Chem. 2018, 90, 5082-5089.
19. Cui, L*.; Yang, K.; Zhou, G.; Huang, W. E*; Zhu, Y. G., Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with stable isotope probing to monitor nitrogen assimilation at both bulk and single-cell level. Anal. Chem. 2017, 89, (11), 5793-5800.
20. Chen, Q. L.; An, X. L.; Zhu, Y. G.; Su, J. Q.; Gillings, M. R.; Ye, Z. L.; Cui, L.*, Application of Struvite Alters the Antibiotic Resistome in Soil, Rhizosphere, and Phyllosphere. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2017, 51, (14), 8149-8157.
21. Wang, Y.; Huang, W. E*.; Cui, L.; Wagner, M., Single cell stable isotope probing in microbiology using Raman microspectroscopy. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 2016, 41, 34-42.
22. Cui, L.; Zhang, Y.-J.; Huang, W. E.; Zhang, B.-F. M., Francis L; Li, J.-Y.; Zhang, K.-S.; Zhu, Y.-G.*, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Identification of Heavy Metal Arsenic(V)-Mediated Enhancing Effect on Antibiotic Resistance. Anal. Chem. 2016, 88, (6), 3164–3170.
23. Cui, L.*; Chen, P.; Zhang, B.; Zhang, D.; Li, J.; Martin, F. L.; Zhang, K.*, Interrogating chemical variation via layer-by-layer SERS during biofouling and cleaning of nanofiltration membranes with further investigations into cleaning efficiency. Water Res. 2015, 87, 282-291.
24. Cui, L.*, Chen, P., Chen, S., Yuan, Z., Yu, C., Ren, B. and Zhang, K.*,. In Situ Study of the Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Action of Silver Nanoparticles by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Anal. Chem. 2013, 85(11), 5436-5443.
25. Song, Y.#; Cui, L.#; Lopez, J. A. S.; Xu, J.; Zhu, Y. G.; Thompson, I. P.; Huang, W. E*., Raman-Deuterium Isotope Probing for in-situ identification of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in Thames River. Sci Rep 2017, 7, (1), 16648
26. Chen, Q.-L.; Fan, X.-T.; Zhu, D.; An, X.-L.; Su, J.-Q.; Cui, L*., Effect of biochar amendment on the alleviation of antibiotic resistance in soil and phyllosphere of Brassica chinensis L. Soil Biol. Biochem. 2018, 119, 74-82.
27. Chen, Q. L.; An, X. L.; Li, H.; Zhu, Y. G.; Su, J. Q.; Cui, L.*, Do manure-borne or indigenous soil microorganisms influence the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in manured soil? Soil Biol. Biochem. 2017, 114, 229-237.
28. Chen, P. Y.; Cui, L.*; Zhang, K. S.*, Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy monitoring the development of dual-species biofouling on membrane surfaces. J. Membr. Sci. 2015, 473, 36–44.
29. K？gler, M.*; Zhang, B. F.; Cui, L.*; Shi, Y. J.; Yliperttula, M.; Laaksonen, T.; Viitala, T.; Zhang, K., Real-time Raman based approach for identification of biofouling. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 2016, 230, 411-421.
30. Zhang, B.; Cui, L.*; Zhang, K.*, Dosage- and time-dependent antibacterial effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles determined by a highly uniform SERS negating undesired spectral variation. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016, 408, (14), 3853-65.
31. Cui, L.*; Butler, H. J.; Martin-Hirsch, P. L.; Martin, F. L.*, Aluminium foil as a potential substrate for ATR-FTIR, transflection FTIR or Raman spectrochemical analysis of biological specimens. Anal Methods-Uk 2016, 8, 481-487.
32. Cui, L., Liu, B., Vonlanthen, D., Mayor, M., Fu, Y.C., Li, J.F. and Wandlowski, T.*, In Situ Gap-Mode Raman Spectroscopy on Single-Crystal Au(100) Electrodes: Tuning the Torsion Angle of 4,4 '-Biphenyldithiols by an Electrochemical Gate Field. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133(19), 7332-7335.
33. Cui, L., Yao, M., Ren, B. and Zhang, K.-S.*, Sensitive and Versatile Detection of the Fouling Process and Fouling Propensity of Proteins on Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membranes via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Anal. Chem.2011, 83(5), 1709-1716.
34. Cui, L.*, Chen, S.D. and Zhang, K.S.*, 2015. Effect of toxicity of Ag nanoparticles on SERS spectral variance of bacteria. Spectroc. Acta Pt. A-Molec. Biomolec. Spectr. 137(0), 1061-1066.
35. Cui, L., Wu, D.Y., Wang, A., Ren, B*. and Tian, Z.Q., 2010. Charge-Transfer Enhancement Involved in the SERS of Adenine on Rh and Pd Demonstrated by Ultraviolet to Visible Laser Excitation. J. Phys. Chem. C 114(39), 16588-16595.
36. Cui, L., Ren, B.* and Tian, Z.Q., 2010. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Study on the Co-adsorption of DNA Bases with Perchlorate. Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica 26(2), 397-402.
37. Cui, L., Mahajan, S., Cole, R.M., Soares, B., Bartlett, P.N., Baumberg, J.J., Hayward, I.P., Ren, B., Russell, A.E*. and Tian, Z.Q., 2009. UV SERS at well ordered Pd sphere segment void (SSV) nanostructures. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 11(7), 1023-1026.
38. Cui, L., Wang, A., Wu, D.Y., Ren, B*. and Tian, Z.Q*., 2008. Shaping and Shelling Pt and Pd Nanoparticles for Ultraviolet Laser Excited Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering. J. Phys. Chem. C 112(45), 17618-17624.
39. Cui, L., Liu, Z., Duan, S., Wu, D.Y., Ren, B*., Tian, Z.Q. and Zou, S.Z., 2005. Orientation change of adsorbed pyrazine on roughened rhodium electrodes as probed by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 109(37), 17597-17602.

1. Single-cell Raman and heavy water labelling identify environmental antibiotic resistant bacteria and reveal evolution of antibiotic resistance. National Science Foundation of China (Grants 21777154) (2018.1-2021.12)
2. In situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) study of biofilm on membrane surface: formation process and influencing factors. National Science Foundation of China (Grants 21173208) (2012.1-2015.12)
3. Developing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for in situ study of the membrane fouling mechanism in a membrane bioreactor. National Science Foundation of China (Grants 20903076) (2010.1-2012.12). Finished.
4. SERS study of antibacterial mechanism of graphene and carbon nanotubes. National Science Foundation of Ningbo (Grants 2014A610107）(2014.4.1-2016.3.31)
5. In-situ SERS study of toxic effect of carbon nanomaterials on biofilm. National Science Foundation of Fujian province (Grants 2015J01067) (2015. 4-2018. 4)