Professional Experiences：
02/2022 – Professor, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
04/2020 – 01/2022 Associate Editor of the ACS journal Biomacromolecules
02/2020 – 01/2022 Associate Professor with tenure, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
02/2014 – 01/2020 Assistant Professor, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
Education and Training：
07/2011 – 05/2014 Postdoctoral fellow, The Scripps Research Institute
Mentor: Prof. Peter G. Schultz
08/2006 – 05/2011 Ph.D., Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Advisor: Prof. Jianjun Cheng
09/2002 - 07/2006 B.S., College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
Research Areas:
Inspired by the structural precision and functional delicacy of natural biomacromolecules such as proteins and DNA, the research of our lab aims to bridge the gap between synthetic polymers with their natural counterparts. With this goal, we focus on the development of sustainable and recyclable polymers from renewable sources, catalysts for the controlled synthesis of functional polypeptides, and novel protein-polymer biohybrid materials for various biological and biomedical applications. To carry out the research, we harness the power of an array of technologies including organic/polymeric synthesis, molecular design, advanced biotechnologies, and collaborate with expertise in biophysics, bioinformatics, clinical medicine, theoretical simulations, and modeling.
Selected Awards and Honors：
Distinguished Young Investigator, NSFC (2021)
1ST Tier Award and Most Popular Award (selected by students) in the 24th Teaching Skill Competition of PKU (2020)
ACS PMSE Young Investigator (2020)
International Leading Young Scientist of The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (2020)
Young Scholar Award of CCS Polymer Division (2019)
Chinese Chemical Society (CCS) Prize for Young Scientists (2017)
Excellent Young Investigator, NSFC (2017)
ACS AkzoNobel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Polymer Chemistry (2013)
IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, Honorable Mention Award (2012)
Damon-Runyon Cancer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (2011-2014)
Racheff-Intel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research (Top Winner), MSE of UIUC (2011)
Selected Publications since independence
- Y. Hu, Z.-Y. Tian, W. Xiong, D. Wang, R. Zhao, Y.Xie, Y.-Q.Song, J. Zhu, and H. Lu*; “Water-Assisted and Protein-Initiated Fast and Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization of Proline N-Carboxyanhydride”, Natl. Sci. Rev. 2022, DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac033.
- C. Dong; G. Wu; C. Chen; X. Li; R. Yuan; L. Xu; J. Zhang; H. Guo; J. Zhang; H. Lu*, and F. Wang*; “Site-specific Conjugation of a Selenopolypeptide to Alpha-1-antitrypsin Enhances Oxidation Resistance and Pharmacological Properties”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e2021152. (†equal contribution) (Hot Paper).
- Z.-Y. Tian; Z. Zhang; S. Wang; and H. Lu*, “A Moisture-Tolerant Route to Unprotected α/β-Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydrides and Facile Synthesis of Hyperbranched Polypeptides”, Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 5810.
- W. Xiong; W. Chang; D. Shi; L. Yang; Z.-Y. Tian; H. Wang; Z. Zhang; X. Zhou; E.-Q. Chen,* and H. Lu*, “Geminal Dimethyl Substitution Enables Controlled Polymerization of Penicillamine-Derived β-Thiolactones and Reversed Depolymerization”, Chem 2020, 6, 1831-1843. (Highlighted by Chem)
- J. Lu; H. Wang; Z.-Y. Tian; Y. Hou; and H. Lu*, “Cryopolymerization of 1,2-Dithiolanes for the Facile and Reversible Grafting-from Synthesis of Protein-Polydisulfide Conjugates”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 1217-1221. (Selected as JACS Early Career Investigators Virtual Issue)
- J. Yuan; W. Xiong; X. Zhou; Y. Zhang; D. Shi; Z.-C. Li; and H. Lu*, “4-Hydroxyproline-Derived Sustainable Polythioesters: Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization, Complete Recyclability, and Facile Functionalization”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 4928-4935 (ACS Editors’ Choice, Front Cover, also highlighted in Spotlights on Recent JACS Publications).
- Y. Hou; Y. Zhou; H. Wang; J. Sun; R. Wang; K. Sheng; J. Yuan; Y. Hu; Y. Chao; Z. Liu; and H. Lu*, “Therapeutic Protein PEPylation: The Helix of Nonfouling Synthetic Polypeptides Minimizes Antidrug Antibody Generation”, ACS Cent. Sci. 2019, 5, 229-236.
- Y. Hou and H. Lu*, “Protein PEPylation: A New Paradigm of Protein−Polymer Conjugation”, Bioconjugate Chem. 2019, 30, 1604-1616 (Invited Review).
- Y. Hou; Y. Zhou; H. Wang; R. Wang; J. Yuan; Y. Hu; K. Sheng; J. Feng; S. Yang; and H. Lu*, “Macrocyclization of Interferon-Poly(α-amino acid) Conjugates Significantly Improves the Tumor Retention, Penetration, and Antitumor Efficacy”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 1170-1178. (highlighted by C&EN)
- Y. Hou; J. Yuan; Y. Zhou; J. Yu; and H. Lu*, “A Concise Approach to Site-Specific Topological Protein-Poly(amino acid) Conjugates Enabled by in Situ -Generated Functionalities”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 10995-11000.
