Education

2009 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
2004 Master of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, NANKAI UNIVERSITY, Tianjin, China
2001 Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, NANKAI UNIVERSITY, Tianjin, China

Professional Experience 

2011–2013 Research Biologist, The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory, USA
2009–2011 Posctdoctoral Researcher, University of Delaware, Chemical Engineering Department, Newark, USA
2004-2009 Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching assistant, University of Florida, Microbiology and Cell Science Department, Gainesville, USA

Research Interest

The aim of Synthetic Biotechnology group is pushing the limit of synthetic biology research by developing enabling technologies. We focus on DNA and genome manipulation techniques for controlling DNA with faster, deeper and bigger fashions. The main research area is Synthetic Biology technologies, focusing on development and application of new methods and techniques, such as genome and base editing techniques, in vivo DNA evolution and mutagenesis techniques and construction of artificial microbial organelles and life forms.

Selected Publications and Patents

1.  Wang, W., He, P., Zhao, D., Ye, L., Dai, L., Zhang, X*., Bi, C*. (2019). Construction of Escherichia coli cell factories for crocin biosynthesis. Microbial cell factories, 18(1), 120. 二区 

2.  Wu, T., Li, S, Zhang, X*,Bi, C*. (2019). Engineering an Artificial Membrane Vesicle Trafficking System (AMVTS) for the Excretion of β-Carotene in Escherichia coli. ACS Synth. Biol 二区

3.  Wu, Z., Wang, J., Zhang, Zhang, X*,Bi, C*. (2019). Engineering an electroactive Escherichia coli for the microbial electrosynthesis of succinate by increasing the intracellular FAD pool. Biochemical Engineering Journal. 146(132-142) 二区

4.  Wu, Z., Wang, J., Liu, J., Wang, Y., Bi, C*., Zhang, X*. (2019). Engineering an electroactive Escherichia coli for the microbial electrosynthesis of succinate from glucose and CO 2. Microbial cell factories, 18(1), 15. 二区

5.      Li, Z., Xiong, B., Liu, L., Li, S., Xin, X., Li, Z., Zhang, X*, Bi, C*. (2019). Development of an autotrophic fermentation technique for the production of fatty acids using an engineered Ralstonia eutropha cell factory. Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology, 1-8. 二区

6.      Ye, L., Zhu, X., Wu, T., Wang, W., Zhao, D., Bi, C. *.,  Zhang, X*. (2018). Optimizing the localization of astaxanthin enzymes for improved productivity. Biotechnology for biofuels, 11(1), 278. 一区

7.      Xiong, B., Li, Z., Liu, L., Zhao, D., Zhang, X*., Bi, C*. (2018). Genome editing of Ralstonia eutropha using an electroporation-based CRISPR-Cas9 technique. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 11(1), 172. 一区

8.      Wu, T., Li, S., Zhang, B., Bi C*, Zhang X*. (2018). Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of the valuable monoterpene ester geranyl acetate. Microbial cell factories, 17(1), 85. 二区

9.      Wu, T., Ye, L., Zhao, D., Li, S., Li, Q., Zhang, B*., Bi, C*. (2018). Engineering membrane morphology and manipulating synthesis for increased lycopene accumulation in Escherichia coli cell factories. 3 Biotech, 8(6), 269. 三区

10.    Feng, X., Zhao, D., Zhang, X., Ding, X*., & Bi, C*. (2018). CRISPR/Cas9 assisted Multiplex Genome Editing Technique in Escherichia coli. Biotechnology journal, 1700604. 二区

11.    Zhao, D., Feng, X., Zhu, X., Wu, T., Zhang, X*., and Bi, C*. (2017) CRISPR/Cas9-assisted gRNA-free one-step genome editing with no sequence limitations and improved targeting efficiency, Scientific Reports. 2017. 16624. 三区 

12.    Zhu X, Zhao D, Qiu H, Fan F, Man S, Bi C*, Zhang X*(2017). The CRISPR/Cas9-facilitated multiplex pathway optimization (CFPO) technique and its application to improve the Escherichia coli xylose utilization pathway. Metab Eng. 43:37-45. 一区 

13.    Wu T, Ye L, Zhao D, Li S, Li Q, Bi C*, Zhang X*. (2017) Membrane engineering - A novel strategy to enhance the production and accumulation of β-carotene in Escherichia coli. Metab Eng., 43: 85-91. 一区 

14.    Li Q, Fan F, Gao X, Yang C, Bi C, Tang J, Liu T, Zhang X*. (2017) Balanced activation of IspG and IspH to eliminate MEP intermediate accumulation and improve isoprenoids production in Escherichia coli. Metab Eng.08.005 一区 

15.    Ye L, He P, Li Q, Zhang X*, Bi C*. (2017) Type IIs restriction based combinatory modulation technique for metabolic pathway optimization. Microb Cell Fact. 16:47. 二区 

16.    Xiao M, Zhu X, Xu H, Tang J, Liu R, Bi C, Fan F*, Zhang X*. (2017) A novel point mutation in RpoB improves osmotolerance and succinic acid production in Escherichia coli. BMC Biotechnology. 17:10 二区 

17.    Li J, Zhu, X Chen, J Zhao, D., Zhang X*, Bi, C*. (2017) Construction of a novel anaerobic pathway in Escherichia coli for propionate production. BMC biotechnology17(1), 38. 二区 

18.    Zhao D, Yuan S, Xiong B, Sun H, Ye L, Li J, Zhang X*, Bi C*. (2016) Development of a fast and easy method for Escherichia coli genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 Microb Cell Fact. 15:205. 二区 

19.    Ye L, Zhang C, Bi C, Li Q*, Zhang X*. (2016) Combinatory Optimization of Chromosomal Integrated Mevalonate Pathway for β-carotene Production in Escherichia coli. Microb Cell Fact. 2016, 15:202.6 二区 

20.    Li S, Ding W, Zhang X, Jiang H*, Bi C*. (2016) Development of a modularized two-step (M2S) chromosome integration technique for integration of multiple transcription units in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol Biofuels. 2016, 9:232 一区 

21.    Sun H, Zhao D, Xiong B, Zhang C*, Bi C*. (2016). Engineering Corynebacterium glutamicum for violacein hyper production. Microb Cell Fact.15(1), 148. 二区