(4bl) Biomolecular Interactions Understanding and Controlling at Biotic/Abiotic Interfaces

My primarily research interest is experimental study to understand the mechanism of biomolecular interactions at biotic/abiotic interfaces, such as peptide, protein, bacteria, and bio-inspired molecules, with a long-term goal to apply the underlying concepts to solve problems in energy, environment, and human health.

My interdisciplinary research experience includes biomolecular interactions understanding and improvements from small molecules such as peptides, to big molecules such as proteins and complete microbial system. My postdoc research covers three distinct aspects: 1) genetic engineering on extremophiles, focusing on engineering a bioleaching bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to improve environmental durability and metal recovery. 2) extracellular electron transfers (EET) mechanism experimental demonstration at molecular level in membrane redox protein, with biomimetic platform. 3.) protein engineering for protein-inorganic metal interaction improvements to recovery rare earth element (REE).

My doctoral research focused on surface-immobilized biomolecular characterization with multi-functional polypeptides, applied to energy and environments, including spatial control ionomer morphology for promoting performance in fuel cells, sensing, metal capture, and phosphate adsorption from wastewater.

With above research experience, I will be uniquely qualified to explore the untouched potential of biomolecule and their functions at abiotic/biotic interface, where the different boundary layers forms and reaction happens. My research group will work on interdisciplinary projects focused on molecular interactions understanding, controlling and promoting at biotic/abiotic interfaces, largely consist of interfaces at peptide/protein-inorganic materials, microbial-inorganic materials, and bio-inspired materials, 3 example projects are listed below:

1. Genetic circuit development for microbial environmental remediation, resource recovery, waste controlling.
2. Protein engineering in metabolic control for bioelectrocatalysis, bioproducts, biofuel, and microbial sensing.
3. Bio-inspired molecules developments as catalysts for modern technology, clean energy, and human health.

My research will apply protein/genetic engineering, molecular biology, material science, and electrochemistry. These efforts delivered the understanding of biomolecular functions both in vivo and in vitro, created novel paradigm with biomolecular development at abiotic/biotic interface, for energy, environment, and human health.

Teaching Interests

Teaching is an opportunity that interact with students to explore knowledge together, using experience and based on individual difference to guide young generation build critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, gaining knowledge also leading to their own interests. I have been mentoring more than 20 excellent undergraduate/graduate students during my research career yet, and as STEM mentor in NYAS. I also worked as teaching assistant for chemical engineering core lectures and laboratory.

I obtained my B.S., Master and Ph.D degrees in Chemical Engineering major, which prepared me to comfortably teach core courses in Chemical Engineering, such as transport phenomena, kinetics, and thermodynamics. As an interdisciplinary biochemical researcher, my own research journey built me strong backgrounds of molecular biology and electrochemistry. I would be excited to teach biomaterials, protein engineering, molecular biology, and electrochemistry as well.