I develop novel computational models and algorithms to understand, modify, and build microbial strains for industrial biomanufacturing. My work creates predictive, mechanistic-and-data-driven frameworks that connect cellular physiology to design automation, enabling the identification of metabolic targets, pathway optimization, and guided strain construction. By integrating multi-omics data with constraint-based and machine-learning approaches I aim to turn microbes into reliable, high-yield platforms for sustainable production of chemicals, materials.

Sep 2025 – Present: Associate Professor, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Apr 2020 – Sep 2025: Assistant Researcher, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, CAS 

Sep 2014 – Dec 2019: Ph.D., School of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Oct 2015 – Oct 2016: Visiting Scholar (CSC-funded), Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA 

Jan 2012 – Sep 2013: M.Sc., School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Ireland 

Sep 2008 – Jun 2012: B.Eng., College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Cai, J.^#*; Liu, J.; Wei, F.; Wu, W.; Xu, W.; Wang, Y.; Yuan, Q.*; Ma, H*. Exploring Biomass Precursor Synthesis as a Determinant in Microbial Adaptation to Unadapted Carbon Sources. Research 2025, https://doi.org/10.34133/research.0881.

Xu, W.^#; Cai, J.^#*; Wu, W.; Yuan, Q.; Mao, Z.; Ma, H*. Improving Metabolic Engineering Design with Enzyme-Thermo Optimization. Metab Eng 2025, 91, 356–365.

Wei, F.^#; Cai, J.^#; Mao, Y.; Wang, R.; Li, H.; Mao, Z.; Liao, X.; Li, A.; Deng, X.; Li, F.; Yuan, Q.*; Ma, H*. Unveiling Metabolic Engineering Strategies by Quantitative Heterologous Pathway Design. Advanced Science 2024, 11 (45)

Cai, J.^#*; Liao, X.; Mao, Y.; Wang, R.; Li, H.; Ma, H*. Designing Gene Manipulation Schedules for High Throughput Parallel Construction of Objective Strains. Biotechnol J 2023, 18 (9)

Cai, J.^#; Tan, T.*; Chan, S. H. J*. Predicting Nash Equilibria for Microbial Metabolic Interactions. Bioinformatics 2020, 36 (24), 5649–5655.