Biography
Professor, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University (2004-now)
Research Assistant, SUNY at Stony Brook (2001-2004)
Ph.D. in Polymer Physics,SUNY at Stony Brook (2001)
B.S. in Environmental Chemistry, Nankai University (1994)
Research Interests
It is still a puzzle where and how the life was originated on early Earth about 3.8 billion years ago. Using DNA/RNA, proteins/peptides, polysaccharides, fatty acids, and other biomolecules as the raw materials, our group is to construct protocells with hierarchical structures via spontaneous physical processes like self-organization and phase separation, and to achieve “living” features such as metabolism, growth and division, and evolution. We expect to reveal the transition mechanism of non-living to living matter, as well as the possible approach of origin of life on early Earth. The current research projects in our group include, but not limited to:
Formation and dynamics of coacervate protocells on mineral surface
Effects of macromolecular crowding and confinement on dynamics of coacervate protocells
Construction of coacervate protocells and their behaviorsunder extremeconditions
Origin of homochirality in living cell
Teaching
Polymer Chemistry
Selected Publications
Bai, Q.W.; Liu, Z.J; Chen, J.X.; Liang, D.H.* “Crowded Environment Regulates the Coacervation of Biopolymers via Nonspecific Interactions”, Biomacromolecules 2023, 24, 283−293.
Chen, J. X.; Bai, Q. W.; Li, Y.Z.; Liu, Z. J.; Li, Y.; Liang, D.H.* “Coacervates Forming Coexisting Phases on a Mineral Surface”, Langmuir 2023, 39, 5814−45824
Bai, Q.W.; Chen, X.; Chen, J.X.; Liu,Z.J.; Lin, Y.N.; Yang, S.;* Liang, D.H.* Morphology and Dynamics of Coexisting Phases in Coacervate Solely Controlled by Crowded Environment”,ACS Macro Lett. 2022, 11, 1107−1111.
Liu, Z.J.; Chen, J. X.; Bai, Q.W.; Lin, Y.N.; Liang, D.H.* “Coacervate Formed by an ATP-Binding Aptamer and Its Dynamic Behavior under Non-equilibrium Conditions”, Langmuir 2022, 38, 6425−6434.
Jing, H. R; Bai, Q. W.; Lin, Y. N.; Chang, H. J.; Yin, D. X.; Liang, D. H.*, “Fission and Internal Fusion of Protocell with Membraneless Organelles Formed by Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation”, Langmuir 2020, 36, 8017−8026