许志平博士的研究领域主要集中于纳米材料，纳米生物技术，生物医学和癌症治疗。他是粘土纳米材料（水滑石）可控合成的先驱者之一，并在粘土纳米材料作为抗癌药物、基因和蛋白疫苗的载体和输送工具等生物医学和植物保护等应用方面做出大量杰出的研究工作，为动植物和人类的健康保护提供有效的手段。目前的研究主要围绕肿瘤微环境和慢性炎症的物化调控，减轻病症的同时重建局部炎症组织的免疫平衡，达到长期有效控制炎症引起的疾病。研究课题包括三个大的方向：

1. 针对肿瘤微环境的物化性能正常化开发多功能的粘土纳米材料；

2. 研发基于粘土纳米载体的抗癌症免疫治疗和辅助治疗新方法；

3. 研发基于粘土纳米载体调控治疗骨关节炎、肠炎和肺炎的新方法。

Yang, XM; Lin, XD; Shi, W; Xie, SX; Huang, XN; Yin, SH; Jiang, XB; Hammock, BD; Xu, ZP*; Lu, XL*: “Nanobody-based bispecific T-cell engager (Nb-BiTE): a new platform for enhanced T-cell immunotherapy”. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 8, 328, 2023.

Zhang, LX; Hou, SJ; Movahedi, F; Li, ZJ; Li, L; Hu, J; Jia, YB; Huang, YR; Zhu, J; Sun, XY; Zeng, LH; Liu, RT*; Xu, ZP*: “Amyloid-β/Tau burden and neuroinflammation dual-targeted nanomedicines synergistically restore memory and recognition of Alzheimer’s disease mice”. Nano Today 49, 101788, 2023.

Sun, LY; Gao, WD; Wang, JJ; Niu, XM; Kurniawan, N; Li, L*; Xu, ZP*: “A new sono-chemo sensitizer overcoming tumor hypoxia for augmented sono/chemo-dynamic therapy and robust immune-activating response”, Small 19, 2206078, 2023.

Zhang, LX; Jia, YB; Yang, JJ; Zhang, L; Hou, SJ; Niu, XY; Zhu, J; Huang, YR; Sun, XY; Xu, ZP*; Liu, RT*: “Efficient Immunotherapy of Drug-Free Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles via Neutralizing Excess Acid and Blocking Tumor Cell Autophagy”. ACS Nano, 16, 12036-12048, 2022.

Sun, LY; Gao, WD; Liu, J; Wang, JJ; Li, L*; Yu, HJ; Xu, ZP*: “O2-Supplying Nanozymes Alleviate Hypoxia and Deplete Lactate to Eliminate Tumors and Activate Anti-Tumor Immunity”, ACS Appl. Mater. Interface 14, 56644–56657, 2022.

Liu, JP; Liu, K; Zhang, LM; Zhong, M; Hong, TL; Zhang, R; Gao, YF; Li, R; Xu, TF*; Xu, Z.P*: “Heat/pH-boosted release of 5-fluorouracil and albumin-bound paclitaxel from Cu-doped layered double hydroxide nanomedicine for synergistical chemo-photo-therapy of breast cancer”. J Control Release 335, 49-58, 2021.

Zhang, LX; Sun, XM; Jia, YB; Liu, XG; Dong, MD; Xu, ZP*; Liu, RT*: “Nanovaccine's Rapid Induction of Anti-tumor Immunity Significantly Improves Malignant Cancer Immunotherapy”. Nano Today 35, 100923, 2020.

Chen, WY; Zuo, HL; Li, B; Duan, C; Zhang, B; Rolfe, R; Mahony, TJ*; Xu, ZP*: “Clay nanoparticles elicit long-term immune responses by forming biodegradable depots for sustained antigen stimulation”, Small 14, e1704465, 2018.

Mitter, N*; Worrall, EA; Robinson, K; Li, P; Jain, RG; Taochy, C; Fletcher, SJ; Carroll, BJ; Lu, GQ; Xu, ZP*: “Clay nanosheets for stable delivery of RNA interference as a topical application to protect plants against viruses”. Nature Plants, 3, 16207, 2017.

Li, B; Gu, Z*; Kurniawan, N; Chen, WY; Xu ZP*: “Manganese-based Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticle as a T1-MRI Contrast Agent with Ultrasensitive pH Response and High Relaxivity”. Adv. Mater. 29, 201700373, 2017.