Science

Science

Science

Li, Zigang

LIFE IS HARD
YOU HAVE TO ENJOY IT

Li, Zigang

李子刚

Pingshan Translational Medicine Center

PTMC Executive Director ,Senior Principal Investigator

lizg@szbl.ac.cn

Home page of research group:http://web.pkusz.edu.cn/li

Timeline

  • 2019 - Present

    Shenzhen Bay Laboratory         Senior Principal Investigator

  • 2010 - Present

    Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School         PI and Professor

  • 2009 - 2010

    Harvard University         Postdoctoral Fellow

  • 2004 - 2008

    University of Chicago         PhD

  • 2001 - 2004

    Tulane University         MSc

  • 1996 - 2001

    University of Science and Technology of China         BSc









Research Areas


The research team fuscous on the intersection of chemistry and biology to solve biological problems with chemical methods. The research areas include peptide engineering,microbial research, the methodology construction for secondary structure of stable peptides, the development of peptide drugs for important human diseases and antiviral peptides applications.






Highlights


Dr. Zigang Li, graduated from the University of Science and Technology of China with the bachelor degree in 2001, received the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 2008, and the postdoctoral degree in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Harvard University in 2010. He returned to China in 2010 and was awarded the title of Distinguished Researchers in the "Hundred Talents Program" of Peking University. He is currently a doctoral supervisor and project leader of the chemical genomics major of Peking University. The research team focuses on the intersection of chemistry and biology to solve biological problems with chemical methods. The research team fuscous on the intersection of chemistry and biology to solve biological problems with chemical methods. The research areas include peptide engineering,microbial research, the methodology construction for secondary structure of stable peptides, the development of peptide drugs for important human diseases and antiviral peptides applications. In recent years, Dr Li has been published more than 80 papers in "Science Advances", "Nature Chemical Biology", "Cell Chemical Biology", "Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.", "J. Am. Chem. Soc.", "Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. ","J. Med. Chem.", "Chemical Science", "Cancer research", "Chemical Reviews" and other top journals. He also has applied for more than 30 domestic patents and 3 PCT, and has carried out a number of international cooperation with  Pfizer, Bayer Healthcare, Roche China and other multinational pharmaceutical companies.

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Schematic presentation of biomimetic group transfer reaction for protein degradation. In this approach, the Osimertinib binds to the EGFR with high affinity, driving a group transfer reaction of the warhead with Cys located on the EGFR kinase pocket through the proximity effect. Different complicate groups were transferrable and showed proof-of-concept application in protein labelling, protein profiling and targeted protein degradation.

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Inhibition of the interaction between p53 and MDM2/MDMX has attracted significant attention in anticancer therapy development. We designed a series of in-tether chiral center-induced helical stabilized peptides, among which MeR/PhR effectively reactivated p53. The activation of p53 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in both the MCF-7 normal tumor cell line and the PA-1 pluripotent cancer cell line with only minimal cellular toxicity towards normal cells or cancer cell lines with p53 mutations. The in vivo bioactivity study of the peptide in the ovarian teratocarcinoma (PA-1) xenograft model showed a tumor growth rate inhibition of 70% with a dosage of 10 mg/kg (one injection every other day). This is the first application of a stabilized peptide modulator targeting stem-like cancer cell both in vitro and in vivo and provides references to cancer stem cell therapy.






Honors


• 2018   Second Prize of Shenzhen Science and Technology Progress Award

• 2016   Ten million leading talents of Guangdong special support plan

• 2013   Chutian Scholar Chair Professor, Hubei Province

• 2013   Shenzhen Outstanding Youth Funding

• 2013   Special Commissioner of Guangdong Science and Technology Enterprise

• 2012   Shenzhen Overseas High-level Talents

• 2011    Shenzhen High-level Talents

• 2010    Peking University Hundred Talents Program

• 2009-2010    American Cancer Center Postdoctoral Scholarship

• 2008-2009    University of Chicago Hubble Doctoral Dissertation Scholarship






Selected Publications


[1] F. Yang, Q. Luo, Y. Wang, H. Liang, Y. Wang, Z. Hou, C. Wan, Y. Wang, Z. Liu, Y. Ye, L. Zhu, J. Wu, F. Yin, Z. Li, J. Am. Chem. Soc2023145, 7879-7887.

[2] Y. Zhang, H. Xu, L. Jiang, Z. Liu, C. Lian, X. Ding, C. Wan, N. Liu, Y. Wang, Z. Yu, L. Zhu, F. Yin, Z. Li, ACS Nano. 202216, 19509–19522.

[3] Y. Wang, R. Zhao, C. Wan, W. Kang, R. Wang, C. Chiang, X. Guo, Q. Chang, Z. Hou, Y. Ye, Q. Luo, Z. Zhou, J. Liu, S. Li, D. Wang, F. Yin, Z. Li, CCS Chem.2022.

[4] X. Qin, R. Wang, H. Xu, L. Tu, H. Chen, H. Li, N. Liu, J. Wang, S. Li, F. Yin, N. Xu, Z. Li, Autophagy, 202218, 2178-2197.

[5] Y. Jiang, W. Zhang, F. Yang, C. Wan, X. Cai, J. Liu, Q. Zhang, Z. Li, W. Han, Sci. Adv. 20217, eabd0492.

[6] D. Wang, M. Yu, N. Liu, C. Lian, Z. Hou, R. Wang, R. Zhao, W. Li, Y. Jiang, X. Shi, S. Li, F. Yin, Z. Li, Chem. Sci. 201910, 4966-4972.

[7] D. Wang, W. Li, R. Zhao, L. Chen, N. Liu, Y. Tian, H. Zhao, M. Xie, F. Lu, Q. Fang, W. Liang, F. Yin, Z. Li, Cancer Res. 201979, 1769-1783. 

[8] K. Hu, Y. Jiang, W. Xiong, H. Li, P. Zhang, F. Yin, Q. Zhang, H. Geng, F. Jiang, Z. Li, X. Wang, Z. Li, Sci. Adv. 2018,4, eaar5907.

[9] H. Zhao, Q. Liu, H. Geng, Y. Tian, M. Cheng, Y. Jiang, M. Xie, X. Niu, F. Jiang, Y. Zhang, Y. Lao, Y. Wu, N. Xu, Z. Li, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 201655, 12088-12093.

[10] K. Hu, H. Geng, Q. Zhang, Q. Liu, M. Xie, C. Sun, W. Li, H. Lin, F. Jiang, T. Wang, Y. D. Wu, Z. Li, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 201655, 8013-8017.