Research Experience
2013 – present Assistant Professor, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
2013 – present PI, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University
2011 – 2013 Postdoctoral Scholar, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
2010 – 2011 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute of Polymer Science, The University of Akron
2006 – 2010 Ph. D., Department of Polymer Science, The University of Akron
2000 – 2004 B.S., College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
Research Interests
Our research aims to develop unique “precision macromolecules" by integrating the design principles and building blocks of both synthetic and biological polymers for applications in materials science and chemical biology. We are at the interface of polymer science, supramolecular chemistry, and protein engineering. Some detailed projects include:
- Protein topology engineering and its application in biomedicines and biomaterials;
- Hybrid giant molecule systems from precision synthesis to functionalization;
- Catassembly and systems chemistry in biomacromolecules.
Selected Publications
- Wang, X.-W.; Zhang, W.-B.* Chemical Topology and Complexity of Protein Architectures. Trends Biochem. Sci. 2018, 43, 806-817.
- Wu, X.-L.;# Liu, Y.;# Liu, D.; Sun, F.; Zhang, W.-B.* An Intrinsically Disordered Peptide-Peptide Stapler for Highly Efficient Protein Ligation Both in vivo and in vitro. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 17474–17483.
- Wu, W.-H.; Wei, J.; Zhang, W.-B.* Controlling SpyTag/SpyCatcher Reactivity via Redox-Gated Conformational Restriction. ACS Macro Lett. 2018, 7, 1388-1393.
- Wang, X.-M.;# Shao, Y.;# Jin, P.-F.; Jiang, W.; Hu, W.; Yang, S.; Li, W.;* He, J.;* Ni, P.; Zhang, W.-B.* Influence of Regio-Configuration on the Phase Diagrams of Double-Chain Giant Surfactants. Macromolecules 2018, 51, 1110-1119.
- Wang, X.-W.; Zhang, W.-B.* Protein Catenation Enhances Both Stability and Activity of Folded Structural Domains. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 13985-13989.
- Liu, Y.;# Liu, D.;# Yang, W.;# Wu, X.-L.; Lai, L.;* Zhang, W.-B.* Tuning SpyTag-SpyCatcher Mutant Pairs toward Orthogonal Reactivity Encryption. Chem. Sci. 2017, 8, 6577-6582.
- Liu, D.; # Wu, W.-H.; # Liu, Y.-J.; Wu, X.-L.; Cao, Y.; Song, B.; Li, X.; Zhang, W.-B.* Topology Engineering of Proteins in Vivo Using Genetically Encoded, Mechanically Interlocking SpyX Modules for Enhanced Stability. ACS Cent. Sci. 2017, 3, 473–481.
- Wang, X.-W.; Zhang, W.-B.* Cellular Synthesis of Protein Catenanes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 3442-3446.
- Yue, K.; # Huang, M.; # Marson, R.L.; # He, J.; Huang, J.; Zhou, Z.; Wang, J.; Liu, C.; Yan, X.; Wu, K.; Guo, Z.; Liu, H.; Zhang, W.; Ni, P.; Wesdemiotis, C.; Zhang, W.-B.*; Glotzer, S. C.;* Cheng, S. Z. D.* Geometry induced sequence of nanoscale Frank–Kasper and quasicrystal mesophases in giant surfactants. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2016, 113, 14195-14200.
- Huang, M.; Hsu, C.-H.; Wang, J.; Mei, S.; Dong, X.; Li, Y.; Li, M.; Liu, H.; Zhang, W.; Aida, T.; Zhang, W.-B.*; Yue, K.;* Cheng, S. Z. D.* Selective-Assemblies of Giant Tetrahedra via Precisely Controlled Positional Interactions. Science, 2015, 348, 424-428.
