1996.09 - 2000.07  Jilin University, Biochemistry, B.S.

2000.09 - 2003.07  Jilin University, Biochemistry, M.S.

2003.09 - 2006.07  Institute of Biophysics, CAS, Biochemistry and molecular biology, Ph.D.

2006.09 - 2010.01  University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Postdoctoral Scholar

2010.01 - 2013.11  Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, Baker Institute for Animal Health, Postdoctoral Researcher

2013.12 - 2015.07  University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, School of Dental Medicine, Postdoctoral Researcher

2015.08 - 2019.08  Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China, Institute for Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Professor

2019.09 -                Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Principal Investigator

2015  IADR Innovation in Oral Care Award

2010  First prize in Beijing Science and Technology Award

My research focuses on developing novel nanozymes by mimicking the structure of active center in natural enzymes and exploring new characteristics of nanozymes distinct from natural enzymes or other artificial enzymes. In addition, we have discovered that iron-sulfur nanozymes possess a variety of unique biological activities. Furthermore, with fundamental understanding on nanozymes, we aim to establish a biomimetic antimicrobial strategy and promote its translational application.

1. Rational design of nanozymes. We for the first time discovered that iron oxide nanoparticles are a new type of peroxidase-like enzyme mimics (Nature Nanotechnology 2007). To improve the performance of nanozymes, we developed rational design strategy by mimicking the structural features of natural enzyme active sites to enhance catalytic activity beyond that of natural enzymes. We've discovered the multi-enzyme activity and low-temperature catalytic properties of nanozymes, proposing nanozyme-based artificial peroxisome to mimic the complex functions of subcellular organelles. Additionally, we've found that Aβ aggregates act as natural nanozymes, not only associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but also expanding the biocatalysis system from protein-based enzymes and nucleic acid-based ribozymes to nanozymes.

2. Bioactive nano-iron sulfides. We have discovered that nano-iron sulfides (the crystals or MOFs of FeS₂, Fe₃S₄, Fe₇S₈, FeS, etc.) can mimic the functionality of iron-sulfur clusters, exhibiting various oxidoreductase activities. Among them, metastable iron sulfides can responsively release bioactive ferrous ions and polysulfides, not only regulating redox metabolism and ferroptosis, but also inducing protein polysulfidation. These materials hold potential application in anti-tumor, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant fields.

3. Biomimetic antimicrobial strategy. We proposed a strategy using nanozymes to mimic the principle of multiple enzymes synergized bacteria killing in the phagolysosome of macrophages or neutrophils in innate immune system. This strategy can rapidly and efficiently eradicate various drug-resistant bacteria, biofilms, and intracellular pathogens. We have elucidated the mechanism of action of bacterial ferroptosis mediated by nanozymes and extended its bactericidal efficacy to viruses and fungi. We further name these antimicrobial nanozymes as Nanozybiotics, which have demonstrated significant preventive and therapeutic effects in various infection models including oral caries, skin wounds, pneumonia, enteritis, cholecystitis, epididymitis, vaginitis, and sepsis.

4. Translational applications of nanozymes. The prevention and treatment of dental caries and bacterial vaginosis using nanozymes have been conducted in clinical studies and the related patents have been transferred to companies like Procter & Gamble. Additionally, we have established a process for nanozyme pilot testing, scale-up, and mass production, reaching production scale up to tons. Furthermore, we have jointly formulated several Chinese national standards and international ISO standards related to nanozymes, laying the groundwork for the industrial transformation of nanozymes.

(*corresponding author，^#co-first author)

1. Ruofei Zhang, Bing Jiang, Kelong Fan, Lizeng Gao, Xiyun Yan. Designing nanozymes for in vivo applications. Nature Reviews Bioengineering. 2004. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-024-00205-1

2. Ye Yuan, Lei Chen, Kexu Song, Miaomiao Cheng, Ling Fang, Lingfei Kong, Lanlan Yu, Ruonan Wang, Zhendong Fu, Minmin Sun, Qian Wang, Chengjun Cui, Haojun Wang, Jiuyang He, Xiaonan Wang, Yuan Liu, Bing Jiang, Jing Jiang, Chenxuan Wang, Xiyun Yan, Xinzheng Zhang, Lizeng Gao. Stable peptide-assembled nanozyme .mimicking dual antifungal actions. Nature Communications. 2024, 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50094-6

3. Qiu, L., Sun, M., Chen, L., Jiang, J., Fu, Z., Wang, Y., Bi, Y., Guo, Q., Bai, H., Chen, S., Gao, L., & Chang, G.. Iron-Confined CRISPR/Cas9-Ribonucleoprotein Delivery System for Redox-Responsive Gene Editing. Small. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202309431

4. Shengjie Wei, Wenjie Ma, Minmin Sun, Pan Xiang, Ziqi Tian*, Lanqun Mao*, Lizeng Gao*, Yadong Li*. Atom-pair engineering of single-atom nanozyme for boosting peroxidase-like activity. Nature Communications 12024, 5 (1): 6888.

5. Ye Yuan, Lei Chen, Kexu Song, Miaomiao Cheng, Ling Fang, Lingfei Kong, Lanlan Yu, Ruonan Wang, Zhendong Fu, Minmin Sun, Qian Wang, Chengjun Cui, Haojue Wang, Jiuyang He, Xiaonan Wang, Yuan Liu, Bing Jiang, Jing Jiang, Chenxuan Wang, Xiyun Yan, Xinzheng Zhang, Lizeng Gao*. Stable peptide-assembled nanozyme mimicking dual antifungal actions. Nature Communications 2024, 15 (1), 5636.

6. Caiyu Zhou, Qian Wang, Haolin Cao, Jing Jiang, Lizeng Gao*. Nanozybiotics: Advancing Antimicrobial Strategies Through Biomimetic Mechanisms. Advanced Materials 2024, 36(33): 2403362.

7. Tao Qin, Yulian Chen, Xinyu Miao, Mengjuan Shao, Nuo Xu, Chunxiao Mou, Zhenhai Chen, Yuncong Yin, Sujuan Chen, Yinyan Yin*, Lizeng Gao*, Daxin Peng*, Xiufan Liu. Low‐Temperature Adaptive Single‐Atom Iron Nanozymes against Viruses in the Cold Chain. Advanced Materials 2024, 2309669

8. Beibei Li, Ruonan Ma, Lei Chen, Caiyu Zhou, Yu-Xiao Zhang, Xiaonan Wang, Helai Huang, Qikun Hu, Xiaobo Zheng, Jiarui Yang, Mengjuan Shao, Pengfei Hao, Yanfen Wu, Yizhen Che, Chang Li, Tao Qin, Lizeng Gao*, Zhiqiang Niu*, Yadong Li. Diatomic iron nanozyme with lipoxidase-like activity for efficient inactivation of enveloped virus. Nature Communications 2023, 14 (1), 7312.

9. Zhuobin Xu, Yufei Zhu, Mengke Xie, Kankan Liu, Liangliang Cai, Huihui Wang, Dandan Li*, Hao Chen*, Lizeng Gao*. Mackinawite nanozymes as reactive oxygen species scavengers for acute kidney injury alleviation. Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2023, 21 (1), 1-17.

10. Ye Yuan, Lei Chen, Lingfei Kong, Lingling Qiu, Zhendong Fu, Minmin Sun, Yuan Liu, Miaomiao Cheng, Saiyu Ma, Xiaonan Wang, Changhui Zhao, Jing Jiang, Xinzheng Zhang, Liping Wang*, Lizeng Gao*. Histidine modulates amyloid-like assembly of peptide nanomaterials and confers enzyme-like activity. Nature Communications 2023, 14 (1), 5808.

11. Xiaonan Wang, Ting Liu, Mengxia Chen, Qian Liang, Jing Jiang, Lei Chen, Kelong Fan, Jinhua Zhang*, Lizeng Gao*. An Erythrocyte-Templated Iron Single-Atom Nanozyme for Wound Healing. Advanced Science 2023, 2307844.

12. Xinyu Miao, Yinyan Yin, Yulian Chen, Wenhui Bi, Yuncong Yin, Sujuan Chen, Daxin Peng*, Lizeng Gao*, Tao Qin*, Xiufan Liu. Bidirectionally Regulating Viral and Cellular Ferroptosis with Metastable Iron Sulfide Against Influenza Virus. Advanced Science 2023, 2206869.

13. Huizhen Fan, Jiajia Zheng, Jiaying Xie, Juewen Liu, Xingfa Gao, Xiyun Yan, Kelong Fan, Lizeng Gao*. Surface Ligand Engineering Ruthenium Nanozyme Superior to Horseradish Peroxidase for Enhanced Immunoassay. Advanced Materials 2023, 2300387.

14. Haolin Cao, Qian Wang, Xiaonan Wang, Lei Chen, Jing Jiang, and Lizeng Gao*. Metastable Iron Sulfides: A Versatile Antibacterial Candidate with Multiple Mechanisms against Bacterial Resistance. Accounts of Materials Research 2023, 4 (2), 115-132.

15. Yao Chen, Qing Tian, Haoyu Wang, Ruonan Ma, Ruiting Han, Yu Wang, Huibin Ge, Yujing Ren, Rong Yang, Huimin Yang, Yinjuan Chen, Xuezhi Duan, Lianbing Zhang*, Jie Gao*, Lizeng Gao*, Xiyun Yan, Yong Qin*. A Manganese‐Based Metal-Organic Framework as a Cold‐Adapted Nanozyme. Advanced Materials 2022, 2206421.

16. Ruonan Ma, Ling Fang, Lei Chen, Xiaonan Wang, Jing Jiang, Lizeng Gao*. Ferroptotic stress promotes macrophages against intracellular bacteria. Theranostics, 2022, 12(5): 2266-2289.

17. Ling Fang, Ruonan Ma, Xuejiao J Gao, Lei Chen, Yuan Liu, Yanwu Huo, Taotao Wei, Xiaonan Wang, Qian Wang, Haojue Wang, Chengjun Cui, Qifeng Shi, Jing Jiang, Lizeng Gao*. Metastable Iron Sulfides Gram-Dependently Counteract Resistant Gardnerella Vaginalis for Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment. Advanced Science, 2022, 2104341.

18. Xiangqin Meng, Dandan Li, Lei Chen, Helen He, Qian Wang, Chaoyi Hong, Jiuyang He, Xingfa Gao, Yili Yang, Bing Jiang, Guohui Nie, Xiyun Yan*, Lizeng Gao*, Kelong Fan*. High-performance self-cascade pyrite nanozymes for apoptosis-ferroptosis synergistic tumor therapy. ACS nano, 2021, 15 (3): 5735-5751.

19. Juqun Xi, Ruofei Zhang, Liming Wang, Wei Xu, Qian Liang, Jingyun Li, Jian Jiang, Yili Yang, Xiyun Yan*, Kelong Fan*, Lizeng Gao*. A nanozyme-based artificial peroxisome ameliorates hyperuricemia and ischemic stroke. Advanced Functional Materials, 2021, 31 (9): 2007130.

20. 高利增^#, 梁敏敏^#, 温涛^#, 魏辉, 张宇, 范克龙, 江冰, 曲晓刚, 顾宁, 庞代文, 许海燕*, 阎锡蕴*. 纳米酶标准术语. 中国科技术语, 2020, 22 (6): 21-24.

21. Xinyu Shen, Ruonan Ma, Yixin Huang, Lei Chen, Zhuobin Xu, Dandan Li, Xiangqin Meng, Kelong Fan, Juqun Xi, Xiyun Yan, Hyun Koo, Yili Yang, Jing Jiang, Lizeng Gao*. Nano-decocted ferrous polysulfide coordinates ferroptosis-like death in bacteria for anti-infection therapy. Nano Today, 2020, 35: 100981.

22. Tao Qin, Shang Ma, Xinyu Miao, Yan Tang, Dandan Huangfu, Jinyuan Wang, Jing Jiang, Nuo Xu, Yuncong Yin, Sujuan Chen, Xiufan Liu, Yinyan Yin*, Daxin Peng*, Lizeng Gao*. Mucosal Vaccination for Influenza Protection Enhanced by Catalytic Immune-Adjuvant. Advanced Science, 2020, 7 (18): 2000771.

23. Tao Qin^#, Ruonan Ma^#, Yinyan Yin, Xinyu Miao, Sujuan Chen, Kelong Fan, Juqun Xi, Qi Liu, Yunhao Gu, Yuncong Yin, Jiao Hu, Xiufan Liu, Daxin Peng*, Lizeng Gao*. Catalytic inactivation of influenza virus by iron oxide nanozyme. Theranostics, 2019; 9(23): 6920-6935.

24. Shourong Shi*, Shu Wu, Yiru Shen, Shan Zhang, Yunqi Xiao, Xi He, Jiansen Gong, Yuhua Farnell, Yan Tang, Yixin Huang, Lizeng Gao*. Iron oxide nanozyme suppresses intracellular Salmonella enteritidis growth and alleviates infection in vivo. Theranostics, 2018; 8(22): 6149-6162.

25. Zhuobin Xu, Zhiyue Qiu, Qi Liu, Yixin Huang, Dandan Li, Xinggui Shen, Kelong Fan, Juqun Xi, Yunhao Gu, Yan Tang, Jing Jiang, Jialei Xu, Jinzhi He, Xingfa Gao, Yuan Liu, Hyun Koo, Xiyun Yan and Lizeng Gao*. Converting organosulfur compounds to inorganic polysulfides against resistant bacterial infections. Nature Communications, 2018, 9: 3713.

26. Kelong Fan, Juqun Xi, Lei Fan, Peixia Wang, Chunhua Zhu, Yan Tang, Xiangdong Xu, Minmin Liang, Bing Jiang, Xiyun Yan*, Lizeng Gao*. In vivo guiding nitrogen-doped carbon nanozyme for tumor catalytic therapy. Nature communications, 2018, 9 (1): 1440.

27. Lizeng Gao*, Yuan Liu, Dongyeop Kim, Yong Li, Geelsu Hwang, Pratap C. Naha, David P. Cormode, Hyun Koo*. Nanocatalysts promote Streptococcus mutans biofilm matrix degradation and enhance bacterial killing to suppress dental caries in vivo. Biomaterials, 2016, 101: 272-284.

28. Lizeng Gao^#, Jie Zhuang^#, Leng Nie, Jinbin Zhang, Yu Zhang, Ning Gu, Taihong Wang, Jing Feng, Dongling Yang, Sarah Perrett*, Xiyun Yan*. Intrinsic Peroxidase-like Activity of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles. Nature Nanotechnology, 2007, 2 (9): 577-583.

(From Lizeng Gao, September 14, 2024)