Zhenxiang Zhao

BSc Chemistry, Nankai University

PhD Student in Chemistry (Chemical Biology)

Pines Graduate Fellow

Publications

11. Zhang Z, Li M, Harrison W, Lu J, Zhao Z, Yuan Y, Zhao H.* Photoenzymatic stereoablative enantioconvergence of γ-chiral oximes via hydrogen atom transfer. Nat. Catal., 2025, 8, 548–555.

10. Jiang C, Zhao Z, East AK, Bandyopadhyay S, Jiang Z, Chan J.* Logic-gated approach for targeted delivery and site-selective activation of photothermal agents in precision cancer treatment. Chem. Sci. 2025.

9. Zhao Z, Lucero MY, Su S, Xu JJ, Myszka M, Chan J.* Activity-based sensing reveals elevated labile copper promotes liver aging via hepatic ALDH1A1 depletion. Nat. Comm. 2025, 16, 1794.

8. Bandyopadhyay S, Zhao Z, East AK, Tapia Hernandez R, Forzano JA, Shapiro BA, Yadav AK, Swartchick CB, Chan J.* An activity-based nitric oxide-responsive porphyrin for site-selective and nascent cancer ablation. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2024, 16, 8, 9680–9689.

7. Zhao Z, Yadav AK, Weng Y, Chan J.* Development of nitroreductase-activatable fluoroquinolone prodrugs exhibiting attenuated magnesium ion binding. Helv. Chim. Acta. 2023, 106, 10, e202300100.

6. Yadav AK, Zhao Z, Weng Y, Gardner SH, Brady CJ, Pichardo Peguero OD, Chan J. Hydrolysis-resistant ester-based linkers for development of activity-based NIR bioluminescence probes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 2, 1460–1469.

5. Lucero MY, Gardner SH, Yadav AK, Borri A, Zhao Z, Chan J. Activity-based photoacoustic probes reveal elevated intestinal MGL and FAAH activity in a murine model of obesity. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202211774.

4. Zhao Z, Swartchick C, Chan J. Targeted contrast agents and activatable probes for photoacoustic imaging of cancer. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2022, 51, 829-868.

3. Deng Z, Zhao Z, He G, Chen G. Photoredox-mediated mono-and difluorination of remote unactivated methylene C(sp3)–H bonds of N-alkyl sulfonamides. Org. Lett. 2021, 23, 3631–3635.

2. Flood DT, Zhang X, Fu X, Zhao Z, Asai S, Sanchez BB, Sturgell EJ, Vantourout JC, Richardson P, Flanagan M, Piotrowski DW, Kölmel DK, Wan J, Tsai M-H, Chen JS, Baran PS, Dawson PE. RASS‐enabled S/P−C and S−N bond formation for DEL synthesis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 132, 7447–7453.

1. Li X, Qi L, Li B, Zhao Z, He G, Chen G. Synthesis of cyclophane-braced peptide macrocycles via palladium-catalyzed intramolecular C(sp3)–H arylation of N-methyl alanine at C-termini. Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 6209–6213.

Select Awards

8. Pines Graduate Fellowship (2024-25)

7. Second Best Oral Talk, Hitchhiker's Guide to Biomolecular Galaxy (2024)

6. Drickamer Fellowship (2023)

5. Marvel Travel Award (2023)

4. Fuson Travel Award (2023)

3. Chia-Chen Chu Fellowship (2022)

2. Hongqin Scholarship (2020)

1. Boling Scholarship (2017)