Research Interests

• Toxic Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Airborne Contaminants

• Immunotoxicology of Emergency Chemical Concern

• Development Innovative Organoid Models for Exposure

Biography

Dr. Di Wu is an Assistant Professor at Fudan University. Her research focuses on the toxic effects and molecular mechanisms of air pollutants. She is also advancing the development of organoid-based toxicological models to enhance the physiological relevance of in vitro systems for human health risk assessment. Dr. Wu’s work addresses the unequal toxicities of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by integrating emission source profiling, chemical speciation, and in vitro cellular toxicity assays. Her research has been featured in Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Energy, and Environmental Science & Technology, where she has contributed to shaping the emerging paradigm of toxic potency-adjusted air quality control. Her innovative application of human lung and airway organoids closely mimics the physiological and pathological features of native human tissues, providing a powerful platform for investigating chemical-specific responses at the organ level and bridging the gap between environmental exposure and disease pathogenesis.

Prizes and Awards

• Outstanding Oral Presentation at Young Scientists Session of Bioaerosols Conference, 2024

• Young scientist award for the first international chemical weather and chemical climate, 2023

• Outstanding Postdoc of Fudan University, 2023

• Postdoctoral Innovation Talents Support Program, 2022

• Excellent doctoral thesis of Fudan University, 2022

• Outstanding Graduate of Fudan University, 2021

• National Scholarship, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2019                   

Key Publications

Selected ones

1. Zheng, H.#; Wu, D.#; Wang, S.; Li, Q.; Li, X.; Jin, L.; Zhao, B.; Li, S.; Sun, Y.; Dong, Z.; Wu, Q.; Chen, X.; Liu, Y.; Chen, J.; Tian, H.; Liu, Q.; Jiang, J.; Kan, H.; Kebin He, K.; He, H.; Chen, C.; Zhao, J.; Weichenthal, S.; Ji, J.; Cohen, A.; Hao, J., Control of PM2.5 Toxicity Emissions in China. Nature 2025, DOI: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09158-w

2. Su, Y.#; Wu, D.#; Li, Q.; Ding, X.; Chen, Y.; Zheng, H.; Li, Y.; Liu, Y.; Liu, A.; Wang, S.; Cai, R.; Wang, L.; Jiang, J.; Wang, T.; Herrmann, H.; George, C.; Mellouki, A.; Chen, J., Unveiling the intensifying role of significant sulfate formation in industrial plumes in urban air pollution. One Earth, 2025, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101320

3. Wu, D.; Zheng, H.; Li, Q.; Wang, S.; Zhao, B.; Jin, L.; Lyu, R.; Li, S.; Liu, Y.; Chen, X.; Zhang, F.; Wu, Q.; Jiang, J.; Wang, L.; Li, X.; Chen, J.; Hao, J. Achieving health-oriented air pollution control requires integrating unequal toxicities of industrial particles. Nature Communications2023, 14, 6491.

4. Wu, D.; Zheng, H.; Li, Q.; Jin, L.; Lyu, R.; Ding, X.; Huo, Y.; Zhao, B.; Jiang, J.; Chen, J.; Li, X.; Wang, S., Toxic potency-adjusted control of air pollution for solid fuel combustion. Nature Energy2022, 7, 194.

5. Wu, D.; Cheng, A.; Shao, Y.; Huo, Y.; Cai, D.; Wang, Q.; Ding, X.; Liu, A.; Huang, C.; Wang, S.; Zhang, H.; Chen, Y.; Chen, J.; Li, Q., More Than Concentration Reduction: Contributions of Oxidation Technologies to Alleviating Aerosol Toxicity from Diesel Engines. Environ Sci Tech Let2022, 9, 280.

Other ones

1. Wu, D.; Qi, J.; Li, Q.; Chen, J.; Chen, Y.; Chen, J., Extreme Exposure Levels of PCDD/Fs Inhaled from Biomass Burning Activity for Cooking in Typical Rural Households. Environ Sci Technol2021, 55, 7299.

2. Wu, D.; Li, Q.; Shang, X.; Liang, Y.; Ding, X.; Sun, H.; Li, S.; Wang, S.; Chen, Y.; Chen, J., Commodity plastic burning as a source of inhaled toxic aerosols. J Hazard Mater 2021, 416, 125820.

3. Wu, D.; Ding, X.; Li, Q.; Sun, J.; Huang, C.; Yao, L.; Wang, X.; Ye, X.; Chen, Y.; He, H.; Chen, J., Pollutants emitted from typical Chinese vessels: Potential contributions to ozone and secondary organic aerosols. J Clean Prod2019, 238, 117862.

4. Wu, D.; Li, Q.; Ding, X.; Sun, J.; Li, D.; Fu, H.; Teich, M.; Ye, X.; Chen, J., Primary particulate matter emitted from heavy fuel and diesel oil combustion in a typical container ship: characteristics and toxicity. Environ Sci Technol2018, 52, 12943.

5. Wu, D.; Low, W.; Li, D.; Chen, J., Chemical characterization and toxicity assessment of fine particulate matters emitted from the combustion of petrol and diesel fuels. Sci Total Environ2017, 605, 172.

6. Zheng, L.; Wu, D.*; Chen, X.; Li, Y.; Cheng, A.; Yi, J.; Li, Q.*, Chemical Profiles of Particulate Matter Emitted from Anthropogenic Sources in Selected Regions of China. Sci Data 2024, 11, 1206.

7. Liu, Y.; Wu, D.*; Yi, J.; Chen, X.; Shao, Y.; Chen, J.; Li, Q.*, Unequal Health Risks of Integrated Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Various Anthropogenic Sources. J Geophys Res: Atmos2023, 128, e2023JD038594.