Faculty

2004–2008: Ph.D in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago

2001–2004: Master in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Tulane University

1996–2001: Bachelor in Neuroscience and Biophysics, University of Science and Technology of China

2009–2010: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University

2017: Bayer Investigator Award

2013: Shenzhen Outstanding Youth Fund Award

2012: Shenzhen High-Level Talent

2010: National Cancer Center (USA) Postdoctoral Fellowship

2008: Harper Dissertation Award, University of Chicago

Our research group applies chemical methods to solve biological problems at the interface of chemistry and biology. Our research areas mainly include four aspects: methodologies for stabilizing peptide secondary structures, therapeutic target studies, microbial virulence and anti-infection therapy research, and peptide self-assembling materials.

1)Methodologies for Stabilizing Peptide Secondary Structures

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are often considered undruggable targets in drug discovery. Most PPIs involve short helical peptides with fewer than 15 amino acid residues. Peptides stabilized in specific conformations through chemical means are important compounds for modulating PPIs. Our group focuses on peptide engineering strategies, aiming to develop novel methods for stabilizing helical peptide conformations to understand how secondary structure affects the biophysical properties of stabilized peptides. Concurrently, we utilize chemically stabilized peptides to study the biological functions and mechanisms of key protein targets, laying the groundwork for more effective drug candidates.

1) Dan, Y. et. al. “Development of a high quantum yield dye for tumor imaging”Chemical Science2017(Accepted)

2) Yin, F.; Hu, K.; Chen Y.; Yu, M.; Wang, D.; Wang, Q.; Yong, K. T.; Lu, F.; Liang, Y.; Li, Z. “SiRNA Delivery with PEGylated Graphene Oxide Nanosheets for Combined Photothermal and Genetherapy for Pancreatic Cancer”Theranostics.2017,7, 1133.

3) Zheng, W.; Cai, X.; Xie, M.; Liang, Y.; Wang, T.; Li, Z. “Structure-Based Identification of a Potent Inhibitor Targeting Stp1-Mediated Virulence Regulation in Staphylococcus aureus”Cell Chemical Biology2016,23, 1002.

4) Zhao, H.; Liu, Q. S.; Geng, H.; Tian, Y.; Cheng, M.; Jiang, Y. H.; Xie, M. S.; Niu, X. G.; Jiang, F.; Zhang, Y. O.; Lao, Y. Z.; Wu, Y. D.; Xu, N. H.; Li, Z. “Crosslinked Aspartic Acids as Helix-Nucleating Templates”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2016,55, 12088.

5) Yuan, F.; Deng, Y. Y.; Zhou, W. Y.; Zhang, M.; Li, Z. “A simple and novel method for the quantitative detection of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine using carbon nanotube field-effect transistors”Nano Research2016,9, 1701.

6) Tian, Y.; Li, J. X.; Zhao, H.; Zeng, X. Z.; Wang, D. Y.; Liu, Q. S.; Niu, X. G.; Huang, X. H.; Xu, N. H.; Li, Z. “Stapling of unprotected helical peptides via photoinduced intramolecular thiol-yne hydrothiolation”Chemical Science2016, 7, 3325.

7) Hu, K.; Geng, H.; Zhang, Q.; Liu, Q.; Xie, M.; Sun, C.; Li, W.; Lin, H.; Jiang, F.; Wang, T.; Wu, Y. D.; Li, Z. “An In-tether Chiral Center Modulates the Helicity, Cell Permeability, and Target Binding Affinity of a Peptide”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2016,55, 8013.

8) Zhang, Q. Z.; Jiang, F.; Zhao, B. C.; Lin, H. C.; Tian, Y.; Xie, M. S.; Bai, G. Y.; Gilbert, A. M.; Goetz, G. H.; Liras, S.; Mathiowetz, A. A.; Price, D. A.; Song, K.; Tu, M. H.; Wu, Y. J.; Wang, T.; Flanagan, M. E.; Wu, Y. D.; Li, Z. G. “Chiral Sulfoxide-Induced Single Turn Peptide alpha-Helicity”Scientific Reports2016,6, 38573.

9) Zhao, W.; Qian, H.; Li, Z.; Sun, J. “Catalytic Ring Expansion of Cyclic Hemiaminals for the Synthesis of Medium-Ring Lactams”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2015,54, 10005.

10) Zhao, W.; Li, Z.; Sun. J. “A new strategy for efficient synthesis of medium and large ring lactones without high dilution or slow addition”J. Am. Chem. Soc.2013,135, 4680.

11) Cai, S.; Zhao, X.; Wang, X.; Liu, Q.; Li, Z.; Wang, D. Z.; “Visible-light-promoted C-C bond cleavage: photocatalytic generation of iminium ions and amino radicals”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2012,51, 8050.

12) Yang, S. D.; Li, Z.; Han, X.; He, C. “Platinum (II)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclization of o-Substituted Aryl Alkynes through sp(3) C-H Activation”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2009,48, 3999.

13) Li, Z.; Brouwer, C; He, C. “Gold-catalyzed organic transformations”Chemical Reviews2008,108, 3239.

14) Chen, H.; Hu, J.; Chen, P. R.; Lan, L. F.; Li, Z.; Hicks, L. M.; Dinner, A. R.; He, C. “The Pseudomonas aeruginosa multidrug efflux regulator MexR uses an oxidation-sensing mechanism”Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.2008,105, 13586.

15) Chang, S.; Bray, S.M.; Li, Z.; Zarnescu, D. C.; He, C.; Jin, P.; Warren, S. T. “Identification of small molecules rescuing fragile X syndrome phenotypes in Drosophila”Nature Chemical Biology2008,4, 256.

16) Li, Z.; Capretto, D. A.; Rahaman R.; He, C. “Gold(III)-catalyzed nitrene insertion into aromatic and benzylic C-H groups”J. Am. Chem. Soc.2007,129, 12058.

17) Li, Z.; Capretto, D. A.; Rahaman R.; He, C. “Silver-catalyzed intermolecular amination of C-H groups”Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2007,46, 5184.