Tiemei Lu received her PhD from the Radboud University in the Netherlands in 2023, under the supervision of Prof. Wilhelm Huck and Dr. Evan Spruijt. Her PhD research focused on protocells, particularly complex coacervates and liposomes, aiming to gain insights into the origins of life and the intricate structure and functions of modern cells.

Following a brief stay as a postdoctoral researcher in the same group at Radboud University, she joined the Bayley and Qing groups in 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow, supported by Rubicon and Marie-Curie Fellowships. Her current work aims to use coacervates and liposomes as key components of bioprinting inks to build oil-free synthetic tissues by 3D-printing.