I am currently a postdoctoral associate in Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. My current research task is AI-powered micro-nutrients delivery system for human health.
I graduated from Northwest A&F University with a bachelor’s degree in 2015, and my supervisor for final year project is Dr. Wang Jianlong. After that, I went to National University of Singapore for my Ph.D. degree, advised by Dr. Huang Dejian. In my research journey in Singapore, I also have deep collaboration with Dr. Houk from UCLA, Dr. Liu Fang from Nanjing Agricultural University and Dr. Sun Chenghua from Swinburne University of Technology. Dr. Liu Xiaogang, Dr. Wu Jie, Dr. Chi Chunyan were my thesis advisory committee members and gave me a lot of valuable guidances on my research.
My research interest includes (1) Synthesis of bioactive compounds, (2) Nature products, (3) luminescent molecular and nanoprobes and （4）Chemical principles of antioxidants. I have published papers at the top research journals including Nature Communication, Advanced Materials, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Green Chemistry, Organic letters, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry et al., with total google scholar citations 200(
I was nominated as topic editor for muti-journal topic, Bioactive Compounds with Application Potentials in Nutraceuticals and Nutricosmetics: Focus on Mechanism of Action and Application Science. This topic is now open for submission.
I like basketball and guitar. I formed a band, Handsome Boys, as a lead guitarist when I was an undergraduate student. And we even have an invited performances in our graduation ceremony.
🔥 News
- 2023.09: I start my new work as a postdoctoral associate in Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT.
- 2022.09: 🎉🎉 Our paper (as first author) was accepted by Nature Communication. Special thanks to Dr. Huang’s supervise, and Dr. Houk and Dr. Liu’s cooperation in mechanism calculation, and Dr. Wu Jie for his valuable comments on synthesis.
- 2022.06: 🎉🎉 Our paper (as first author) was accepted by Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
- 2022.05: 🎉🎉 Our paper (as first author) was accepted by Foods.
- 2022.03: 🎉🎉 Our paper (as first author) was accepted by Biosensors.
- 2021.07: 🎉🎉 I got my Ph.D. degree!
- 2021.03: 🎉🎉 I passed my thesis defence!
- 2019.07: 🎉🎉 Our paper (as first author) was accepted by Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. Special thanks to Dr. Sun for his guidance in synthesis of molecule probe.
- 2019.01: 🎉🎉Our paper was accepted by Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
- 2016.06: 🎉🎉 My first paper was accepted by Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
📝 Publications
🎙 First Author/Corresponding Author
(7) Oxygen Mediated Oxidative Couplings of Flavones in Alkaline Water
Yang, X., Lim, S., Lin J., Wu J., Tang H., Zhao F., Liu, F., Sun, C., Shi X., Kuang, Y., Toy, J., Du, K., Zhang, Y., Wang, X., Sun, M., Song, Z., Wang, T., Wu, J., K. N. Houk, Huang, D.,*
- This work was featured in Nature Communications Editors’ Highlights.
- This work was highlighted by EurekAlert!, Science Daily, Phys.org, Mirage news, Verve Times, Crumpe, Xmol, 食品放大镜, NUSRI, BLOCK71 Chongqing, and 科学材料站.
- This work was reported by Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore.
- We accomplished a one-step and food-grade synthesis of flavonoid oligomers which have great potential in combating diabetes.
- Our reaction opens up a green and sustainable way to synthesize flavonoid dimers and oligomer using the readily available monomeric flavonoids isolated from biomass and exploiting their use for health promotion and treatment of diseases.
Yang, X., Wang, T., Žuvela, P., Sun, M., Xu, C., Zheng, H., Wang, X., Jing, L., Du, K., Wang, S. and Wong, M.W., Huang, D.*
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
- The DFT calculated mechanism revealed the catalytic role of water of mono- and di-chlorination reactions, characterized by low activation barriers, and the involvement of neutral, instead of high-energy carbocation, intermediates.
- Three-dimensional quantitative structure and activity relationship (3D-QSAR) combined with comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were reported.
Yang, X., Leong, J.L.K., Sun, M., Jing, L., Zhang, Y., Wang, T., Wang, S. and Huang, D.*
- A smartphone-based optical fiber sensor (SOFS), composed of a 15 mW 365 nm laser for fluorescence signal excitation and a bifurcated fiber system for signal flow direction from probe to smartphone, was designed in this paper.
- The SOFS provides a rapid, compact, cost-effective solution for determination of the fruit ethylene concentration dynamic during ripening for better fruit harvest timing and postharvest management to minimize wastage.
Yang, X., Wang, X., Lin, J., Lim, S., Cao, Y., Chen, S., Xu, P., Xu, C., Zheng, H., Fu, K.C. and Kuo, C.L. and Huang, D.*
- The absolute configurations of (25R)-antcin K,(25R)-antcin A, versisponic acid D, and (25R)-antcin C were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD).
- Antcin A was shown to suppress pro-inflammatory biomolecule release via the down-regulation of iNOS and COX-2 expression through the NF-κB pathway while the mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 were also decreased.
Yang, X., Sun, M., Wang, T., Wong, M. W., & Huang, D.*
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
- A novel molecular probe (DMMA-IR780) which could show cross-channel color response was developed.
- A High-throughput Smartphone-based Colorimetric Reader (HSCR) was designed and applied for signal recording.
- An Android-based application was developed to realize convenient connection between HSCR and camera located in smartphone.
Yang, X., Wang, T., Guo, J., Sun, M., Wong, M. W., & Huang, D.*
Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
- The reaction products of five flavonoids (apigenin, quercetin, naringenin, ampelopsin, and epicatechin) with hypochlorous acid and found that primary chlorination reaction occurred on the A-ring (C6 or C8) and/or C-rings but not on B-rings were characterized.
- The hydroxyl groups in the A-ring and B-ring can enhance the scavenging capacity, whereas the C(2)C(3) double bond has a negative impact on the HClO scavenging capacity.
Yang, X., Wang, Y., Liu, W., Zhang, Y., Zheng, F., Wang, S., Zhang, D. and Wang, J.*
- A formaldehyde sensor based on G-quadruplex-hemin DNAzyme was developed.
- A smartphone-based colorimetric reader was designed and used to read signals.
- This method integrates a portable formaldehyde sampling device.
- It provides great potential for home test or on-site determination of formaldehyde in air.
🎙 Co-author
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(11) Su, L., Jing, L., Zeng, X., Chen, T., Liu, H., Kong, Y., Wang, X., Yang, X., Fu, C., Sun, J. and Huang, D., 2022. 3D‐Printed Prolamin Scaffolds for Cell‐based Meat Culture. Advanced Materials (2022): 2207397.
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(10) Wang, X., Cao, Y., Chen, S., Lin, J., Yang, X. and Huang, D., (2022). Structure–Activity Relationship (SAR) of Flavones on Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity in Murine Macrophages in Culture through the NF-κB Pathway and c-Src Kinase Receptor. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
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(9) Wang, X., Cao, Y., Jing, L., Chen, S., Leng, B., Yang, X., … & Huang, D. (2021). Three-Dimensional RAW264. 7 Cell Model on Electrohydrodynamic Printed Poly (ε-Caprolactone) Scaffolds for In Vitro Study of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 4(11), 7967-7978.
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(8) Sun, M., Wang, T., Yang, X., Yu, H., Wang, S., & Huang, D. (2021). Facile mitochondria localized fluorescent probe for viscosity detection in living cells. Talanta, 225, 121996.
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(7) Zhang, Y., Yang, X., Wu, J., & Huang, D. (2020). Aerobic C–H Functionalization Using Pyrenedione as the Photocatalyst. Synthesis, 52(17), 2512-2520.
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(6) Zhang, Y., Yang, X., Tang, H., Liang, D., Wu, J., & Huang, D. (2020). Pyrenediones as versatile photocatalysts for oxygenation reactions with in situ generation of hydrogen peroxide under visible light. Green Chemistry. 22, 22-27
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(5) Žuvela, P., David, J., Yang, X., Huang, D., & Wong, M. W. (2019). Non-Linear Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationships Modelling, Mechanistic Study and In-Silico Design of Flavonoids as Potent Antioxidants. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(9), 2328.
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(4) Lin, Y., Yang, X., Lu, Y., Liang, D., & Huang, D. (2019). Isothiocyanates as H2S donors triggered by cysteine: Reaction mechanism and structure and activity relationship. Organic letters, 21(15), 5977-5980.
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(3) Sun, M., Yang, X., Zhang, Y., Wang, S., Wong, M. W., Ni, R., & Huang, D. (2018). Rapid and visual detection and quantitation of ethylene released from ripening fruits: the new use of Grubbs catalyst. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 67(1), 507-513.
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(2) Sun, M., Krishnakumar, S., Zhang, Y., Liang, D., Yang, X., Wong, M. W., … & Huang, D. (2018). Singlet oxygen probes made simple: Anthracenylmethyl substituted fluorophores as reaction-based probes for detection and imaging of cellular 1O2. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 271, 346-352.
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(1) Liang, D., Zhang, Y., Wu, Z., Chen, Y. J., Yang, X., Sun, M., & Huang, D. (2018). A near infrared singlet oxygen probe and its applications in in vivo imaging and measurement of singlet oxygen quenching activity of flavonoids. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 266, 645-654.
🎖 Honors and Awards
- 2016.08 Fully Funded research scholarship for Ph.D programme, ministry of education, Singapore.
- 2015.06 Outstanding graduates, Northwest A&F University; Outstanding dissertation Northwest A&F University
- 2014.6 Advanced Individual in social practice, Northwest A&F University
- 2013.8 Third-Grade Award in students innovative research contest competition sponsored by DuPont Nutrition & Health
- 2013.8 Best R & D Report in students innovative research contest competition sponsored by Master Kang Tingyi International Group Holding Corp
- 2012.6 Outstanding League Cadres, Northwest A&F University (recognition of excellent moral character and diligent work).
- 2011.12 First-class Scholarship (recognized as the top student for academic achievement in our university).
- 2011.12 President Scholarship, Merit Student.
📖 Educations
- 2016.09 - 2021.03, Ph.D., Department of Food Science and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- 2011.09 - 2015.06, B.S., Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University (211 & 985), Shaanxi, China
- 2008.09 - 2011.06, Fuzhou No.1 High School, Fuzhou, China.
💬 Research Interest
- (1) Synthesis of bioactive compounds with high values using photo-catalysts, enzymes and radical reactions.
- (2) Nature products isolation, characterization and their bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-virus and enzymes inhibition activities.
- (3) Synthesis of luminescent molecular and nanoprobes for sensing of reactive oxygen species of biological and environmental concerns.
- (4）Chemical principles behind the bioactive compounds in food systems.
💻 Journal Editorial Board Membership
- 2022.04 - 2024.09, MDPI multi-journal joint topic Editor
- 2023.10 - now, Youth Editorial Board of Journal of Future Foods