Research Experience
2016-now: Senior Investigator, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences
2015-now: Chairman, Department of Chemical Biology, Peking University
2014-now: Professor, Department of Chemical Biology, Peking University
2011-2015: Investigator, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences
2009-2014: Investigator, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry, Peking University
2007-2009: Postdoctoral Fellow, the Scripps Research Institute, Advisor: Prof. Peter G. Schultz
2002-2007: Ph.D in Chemistry (2007), University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
1998-2002: B.S. in Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing, China
1999-2002: B.S. Double degree in Economics, Peking, Beijing, China
Research Interests
Our group works at the Chemistry-Biology Interface. Current efforts are focused on protein chemistry and engineering. We aim to develop protein-based biosensors as well as specific protein labeling/manipulation strategies in living cells. We hope to use the chemical biology tools we created for the study of fundamental questions in life sciences. The research directions we are actively pursuing include:
- Protein bioorthogonal chemistry
- Protein therapeutic engineering
- Chemical Immunology
Awards
SBIC Early Career Award (Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 2017), Tan Kah Kee Young Scientist Award (2016), Young Scientist Award, Ministry of Education (China, 2016), CAPA Biomatik Distinguished Faculty Award (2014), National Young Scientist Award (China, 2013), National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar (China, 2012)
Selected Publications
- Ge Y, Chen L, Liu S, Zhao J, Zhang H, Chen P*. Enzyme-mediated intercellular proximity labeling for detecting cell-cell interactions, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 1833-37.
- Zhu R, Song Y, Liu H, Yang Y, Wang S, Yi C, Chen P*. An allosteric histidine switch for regulation of intracellular zinc(II) fluctuation, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2017, 114, 13661-13666
- Li J, Chen P*. Development and application of bond cleavage reactions in bioorthogonal chemistry, Nat. Chem. Biol. 2016, 12, 129-137.
- Wang J, Zheng S, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Lin Z, Li J, Zhang G, Wang X, Li J, Chen P*. Palladium-triggered chemical rescue of intracellular proteins via genetically encoded allene-caged tyrosine. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 15118-15121.
- Li J, Jia S, Chen P*. Diels-Alder reaction-triggered bioorthogonal protein activation in living cells, Nat. Chem. Biol.2014, 10, 1003-1005.
- Li J, Yu J, Zhao J , Wang J, Zheng S, Lin S, Chen L, Yang M, Jia S, Zhang X, Chen P*. Palladium-triggered deprotection chemistry for protein activation in living cells, Nat. Chem. 2014, 6, 352-361.
