We are focusing on the field of biochemical engineering, biocatalysis, and bioelectrocatalysis. We use the tools and principles of synthetic biology, bioelectrochemistry, and bionanotechnology to investigate fundamental sciences behind biocatalysis and electron transfer, and construct biofuel cells, bioelectrosynthesis cells, and biosensors for real applications.

2003-2007     B.S. Department of Biotechnology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, China

2007-2009     M.S. Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA

2009-2013     Ph.D. Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA

2013-2016     Chief Technology Officer, Cell-Free Bioinnovations Inc., USA

2016-Present   Professor, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China

2022 Special Award in Natural Science of Tianjin (Rank 8/12)

2019 Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talent of Tianjin

2017 Qimingxing Talent of Chinese Academy of Sciences

2012 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Student Abroad

• Kang ZP#, Wang YM#, Song HY, Wang XL, Zhang YHPJ, Zhu ZG*. 2024. A wearable and flexible lactic-acid/O2 biofuel cell with an enhanced air-breathing biocathode. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 246: 115845 (# co-first authors)
• Wu RR#, Li F#, Cui XY, Li ZH, Ma CL, Jiang HF, Zhang LL, Zhang YHPJ, Zhao TX, Zhang YP, Li Y, Chen H, Zhu ZG*. 2023. Enzymatic electrosynthesis of glycine from CO2 and NH3. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 62: e202218387 (# co-first authors)
• Xu J#, Wang J#, Ma CL#, Wei ZX, Zhai YD, Tian N, Zhu ZG*, Xue M*, Li DM*. 2023. Embracing a low-carbon future by the production and marketing of C1 gas protein. Biotechnology Advances 63: 108096 (# co-first authors)
• Li ZH, Wu RR, Chen K, Gu W, Zhang YHPJ*, Zhu ZG*. 2023, Enzymatic biofuel cell-powered iontophoretic facial mask for enhanced transdermal drug delivery. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 223: 115019
• Zhu HW, Xu LR, Luan GD, Zhan T, Kang ZP, Li CL, Lu XF*, Zhang XL*, Zhu ZG*, Zhang YP*, Li Y*. 2022. A miniaturized bionic ocean-battery mimicking the structure of marine microbial ecosystems. Nature Communications 13:5608
• Zhu ZG*, Song HY, Wang YM, Zhang YHPJ*. 2022. Protein engineering for electrochemical biosensors. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 76: 102751
• Wang YM, Kang ZP, Zhang LL, Zhu ZG*. 2022. Elucidating the interactions between a [NiFe]-hydrogenase and carbon electrodes for enhanced bioelectrocatalysis. ACS Catalysis 12: 1415-1427
• Li F, Wei XL, Zhang L, Liu C, You C, Zhu ZG*. 2022. Installing a green engine to drive an enzyme cascade: a light-powered in vitro biosystem for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) synthesis. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 61: e202111054
• Li ZH, Kang ZP, Zhu ZG*. 2022. A photo-switch for enzymatic biofuel cells based on the photo-oxidization of electron acceptor in cathode by C-dots nanozyme. Chemical Engineering Journal 428: 131258
• Wu RR, Yu Y-Y, Wang YM, Wang Y-Z, Song HY, Ma CL, Qu G, You C, Sun ZT, Zhang WY, Li AT, Li CM*, Yong Y-C*, Zhu ZG*. 2021. Wastewater-powered high-value chemical synthesis in a hybrid bioelectrochemical system. iScience 24: 103401
• Song HY, Zhou XG, Zhu ZG*. 2021. An integrated NAD+-dependent dehydrogenase-based biosensor for xylose fermentation sample analysis. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 193: 113573
• Wu RR, Ma CL, Zhu ZG*. 2020. Enzymatic electrosynthesis as an emerging electrochemical synthesis platform. Current Opinion in Electrochemistry 19:1-7
• Song HY, Ma CL, Liu P, You C, Lin JP, Zhu ZG*. 2019. A hybrid CO2 electroreduction system mediated by enzyme-cofactor conjugates coupled with Cu nanoparticle-catalyzed cofactor regeneration. Journal of CO2 Utilization 34:568-575
• Xiao XX#, Xia HQ#, Wu RR#, Bai L, Yan L, Magner E, Cosnier S, Lojou E*, Zhu ZG*, Liu AH*. 2019. Tackling the challenges of enzymatic (bio)fuel cells. Chemical Reviews 119:9509-9558
• Kang ZP, Zhang Y-HP, Zhu ZG*. 2019. A shriveled rectangular carbon tube with the concave surface for high-performance enzymatic glucose/O2 biofuel cells. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 132:76-83
• Wu RR, Zhu ZG*. 2018. Self-powered enzymatic electrosynthesis of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in a hybrid bioelectrochemical system. ACS Sustainable Chemistry Engineering 6:12593-12597

National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China general project, and other projects funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tianjin Science and Technology Bureau