Kai Liu
Tenured Professor
Tsinghua University
Department of Chemistry
Education and Work Experience
2010-2015 PhD, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
2015-2017 Postdoctoral research, University of Groningen & Harvard University
2017-2020 PI, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
2020- PI, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University
Awards and honors
National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars
Chief Scientist for National Key Grant
Editorial board for ACS Applied Bio Materials.
Chinese Academy of Engineering flagjournal Engineering Young expert/guest editor
Jilin Province Youth Science and Technology Award
Netherlands organization for scientific research (NWO)-Rubicon award
National Young Talents Program
Cum Laude Ph.D diploma
Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad
Research areas and interests
We are focusing on biological synthesis and the production of scale-up functional biomaterials. Synthesized DNA and structural proteins are desinged as building blocks, ultrastrong biomaterials for high-tech applications are explored. We are also performing research on the interface of biotechnology (BT) and information technology (IT).
Recent pubilciaitons：
1，Z. Meng, Q. Liu, Y. Zhang, J. Sun, C. Yang, H. Li, M. Loznik, R. Göstl, D. Chen, F. Wang*, N. A. Clark, H. Zhang, A. Herrmann*, K. Liu*, Highly stiff and stretchable DNA liquid crystalline organogels with super plasticity, ultrafast self-healing and magnetic response behaviors, Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2106208.
2，J. Sun, L. Xiao, B. Li, K. Zhao, Z. Wang, Y. Zhou, C. Ma, J. Li, H. Zhang, A. Herrmann*, K. Liu*, Genetically engineered polypeptide adhesive coacervates for surgical applications, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 23687.
3，L. Xiao, Z. Wang, Y. Sun, B. Li, B. Wu, C. Ma, V. S. Petrovskii, X. Gu, D. Chen, I. I. Potemkin, A. Herrmann, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, An artificial phase‐transitional underwater bioglue with robust and switchable adhesion performance, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 12082.
4，C. Ma, B. Li, J. Zhang, Y. Sun, J. Li, H. Zhou, J. Shen, R. Gu, J. Qian, C. Fan, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, Significantly improving the bioefficacy for rheumatoid arthritis with supramolecular nanoformulations, Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2100098.
5，S. Wang, B. Li, H. Zhang, J. Chen, X. Sun, J. Xu, T. Ren, Y. Zhang, C. Ma*, W. Guo*, K. Liu*, Improving Bioavailaibity of Hydrophobic Prodrugs through Supramolecular Nanocarriers based on Recombinant Proteins for Osteosarcoma Treatment, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 11252.
6，C. Ma, J. Sun, B. Li, Y. Feng, Y. Sun, L. Xiang, B. Wu, L. Xiao, B. Liu, V. S. Petrovskii, B. Liu, J. Zhang, Z. Wang, H. Li, L. Zhang, J. Li, F. Wang, R. Gostl, I. I. Potemkin, D. Chen, H. Zeng, H. Zhang, D. Weitz, K. Liu*, A. Herrmann*, Ultra-strong bio-glue from genetically engineered polypeptides, Nat. Commun. 2021, 12, 3613.
7，J. Sun, C. Ma, S. Maity, F. Wang, Y. Zhou, G. Portale, R. Göstl, W. H. Roos, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, A. Herrmann*, Reversibly photo-modulating mechanical stiffness and toughness of bioengineered protein fibers, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 3222.
8，J. Sun, C. Ma, B. Li, F. Wang, K. Liu*, H. Zhang, Proteinaceous fibers with outstanding mechanical properties manipulated by supramolecular interactions, CCS Chem. 2020, 2, 1669.
9，C. Ma, B. Li, B. Shao, B. Wu, D. Chen, J. Su*, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, Anisotropic protein organofibers encoded with extraordinary mechanical behaviors for cellular mechanobiology applications, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 21481.
10，C. Ma, J. Dong, M. Viviani, I. Tulini, N. Pontillo, S. Maity, Y. Zhou, W. H. Roos, K. Liu*, A. Herrmann*, G. Portale*, Denovo rational design of a freestanding, supercharged polypeptide, proton conducting membrane, Sci. Adv. 2020, 6, eabc0810.
11，J. Li#, Y. Sun#, Y. Liang#, J. Ma*, B. Li, C. Ma, R. Tanzi, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, C. Zhang*, Extracellular elastin molecule modulates Alzheimer’s Aβ dynamics in vitro and in vivo by affecting microglial activities, CCS Chem. 2020, 2, 1830.
12，B. Shao, S. Wan, C. Yang, J. Shen, Y. Li, H. You, D. Chen*, C. Fan, K. Liu*, H. Zhang*, Engineered Anisotropic Fluids of Rare Earth Nanomaterials, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 18213.
13，Y. Zhang, L. Kong, F. Wang, B. Li, C. Ma, D. Chen*, K. Liu*, C. Fan, H. Zhang, Information stored in nanoscale: encoding data in a single DNA strand with Base64, Nano Today 2020, 33, 100871.
14，Y. Li, J. Li, J. Sun, H. He, B. Li, C. Ma, K. Liu*, H. Zhang, Bio-inspired and Mechanically Strong Fibers Based on Engineered Non-Spider Chimeric Proteins, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 8148.
15，J. Li, B. Li, J. Sun, C. Ma, S. Wan, Y. Li, R. Göstl, A. Herrmann, K. Liu*, H. Zhang, Engineered Near-Infrared Fluorescent Protein Assemblies for Robust Bioimaging and Therapeutic Applications, Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 2000964.
16，H. He, C. Yang, F. Wang*, Z. Wei, J. Shen, D. Chen, C. Fan, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, Mechanically strong globular protein-based fibers via microfluidic spinning technique, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 4344.
17，Z. Sun, C. Yang, F. Wang, B. Wu, B. Shao, Z. Li, D. Chen*, Z. Yang*, K. Liu*, Biocompatible and pH‐Responsive Colloidal Surfactants with Tunable Shape for Controlled Interfacial Curvature, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 9365.
18，C. Ma, J. Su, B. Li, A. Herrmann, H. Zhang, K. Liu*, Solvent-free plasticity and programmable mechanical behaviors of engineered proteins, Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 1907697.
19，J. Sun, J. Su, C. Ma, R. Göstl, A. Herrmann, K. Liu*, H. Zhang,Fabrication and mechanical properties of engineered protein-based adhesives and fibers, Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 1906360.
20，C.Ma, J. Su, Y. Sun, Y. Feng, N. Shen, B. Li, Y. Liang, X. Yang, H. Wu, H. Zhang, A. Herrmann*, R. E. Tanzi, K. Liu*, C. Zhang*, Significant upregulation of Alzheimer’s β-amyloids in vivo induced by extracellular elastin polypeptides, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 18703.
21，H. He, K. Zhao, L. Xiao, Y. Zhang, Y. Cheng, S. Chen, L. Zhang*, X. Zhou*, K. Liu*, H. Zhang, Detection and chiral recognition of α-hydroxyl acid through proton and CEST NMR using Yb macrocyclic complex, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 18286.
22，L. Zhang, C. Ma, J. Sun, B. Shao, D. Chen, G. Portale, K. Liu*, A. Herrmann*, Genetically engineered supercharged polypeptide fluids: fast and persistent self-ordering induced by a touch, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018. 57, 6878.
Contact
Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084
Office: Biomedicine Hall D-207
Tel: 010-62791893
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.