Key Programs

Project Name	Project Introduction	Supervisor	Contacts
Structure and Function of High Pathogenic Viruses	The infection disease caused by high pathogenic viruses is one of the major threats to public health and economy development. In recent years, numbers of high pathogenic viruses lead pandemic in the worldwide and cause severe infection diseases. Infections with these viruses often are associated with deadly hemorrhagic fevers with extremely high mortality rates, and currently there is no effective therapeutics or vaccines for any of these agents. Some of them are classified as Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) pathogens, and also represent potential bioterrorism threats. Therefore, the demand for the understanding of these high pathogenic viruses and inhibition mechanisms to their infection is emerging. The applicant (Dr. Zihe Rao, MCAS, Tsinghua University) and the co-applicant (Dr. David Stuart, FRS, University of Oxford) are both interested in structure and function of the key protein complexes which are essential for high pathogenic viruses infection and replication. In the past several years, both have published a series of high impact works on the structures of hand-foot-and-mouth disease virus (HFMDV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and other high pathogenic viruses, through X-ray crystallography, EM and other integrated methods. According to our common interests and expertise, we plan to further investigate the structure and function of the protein complexes encoded by high pathogenic viruses, including Ebola/Marburg viruses, HFMDV, SARS-CoV/MERS-CoV, HAV, and etc. We will also discover leading compounds to inhibit the infection and replication of high pathogenic viruses based on the structural information.	Rao Zihe	Hu Junjie 23507017 13602022065 huj@nankai.edu.cn
Construction of bioactive small-diameter vascular grafts and the mechanism of vascular regeneration	The high restenosis rate of small-diameter vascular grafts has restrained its clinical application. The main bottle-neck in this research is that the regeneration mechanism of small-diameter vascular grafts is clear yet. The challenge is to achieve rapid endothelialization, regeneration of tunicae media and adventitia and prevention of late stage restenosis. Under the old and sick conditions, the regeneration of vascular grafts is more difficult. The function of endothelium often declines in late stage, which caused vascular wall calcification, neointimal formation and complete occlusion of the implants. In this project, we will use transgenic mice and bone marrow transplantation mice to investigate the regeneration mechanism of vascular grafts, the source of vascular cells and their migration route. We will also investigate the regulatory role of macrophages and explore the key active substances that play critical role in vascular regeneration. Following the mechanism study, we will fabricate vascular grafts with aligned pores and fibers that can well facilitate the regeneration of the three vessel layers. We will further modify these grafts with VEGF, NO, protein XBP1 and DDK3 peptide in suitable composition, dosage, immobilization manner, spatial distribution and release profile. We will perform certain amount of rat and rabbit experiment to verify the regeneration mechanism found in the mouse study and systemically evaluate the regeneration capacity of the small diameter vascular grafts which we prepared with the optimized techniques. In the end, we will carry on large animal tests and evaluation in diseased rats and rabbits to further investigate the effect of structure and bioactive modification on vascular regeneration. These animal experiments will help to further optimize the preparation of vascular grafts which may lead to potential vascular graft products for clinical treatment.	Kong Deling	Kong Deling 23502111 13312066555 kongdeling@nankai.edu.cn
Manipulation, novel effects and potential applications of the spatial fractal vector fields	In the NSFC key program finished and the 973 program to be finished, the study on vector optical fields focuses on: principles of manipulating polarization, spatiotemporal evolution, and novel effects and potential applications of linear and nonlinear interaction with the matter. We have resolved the issues on the principles and experimental realization of the local linearly-polarized vector fields with arbitrarily spatial distribution and arbitrarily orientated polarization, and of some hybridly polarized vector fields with specially spatial distributions. However, we cannot still resolve the issue on principles and experimental realization of vector fields with arbitrarily spatial distribution and arbitrary polarization states (including linear polarization with arbitrary orientation, elliptic polarization with arbitrary orientation, ellipticity and sense, and circular polarization with arbitrary sense). In fact, such a unresolved issue as mentioned above is one of the key issues focused in this project. After the above issue has been resolved, the second of issues focused in this project is, through introducing the concept of fractal and based on the self-similarity and iteration rules, to realize the design and control of spatial fractal structures and the generation of spatial fractal vector fields. Furthermore, we will study the unique novel linear and nonlinear effects, peculiar properties and potential applications, which are originated from the fractal structure. We will also reveal the regularities and mechanisms of influences of structure, dimension and level of the spatial fractals. We will explore the principles, schemes and approaches of feasibilities realizing the far-field focusing beyond the diffraction and the far-field imaging beyond the resolution by using the spatial fractal structure.	Wang Huitian	Sun Qian 23506238 13212289690 qiansun@nankai.edu.cn
High throughput and high sensitivity pathology slide scanner	The microscopic analysis of stained tissue slide is the gold standard of cancer diagnosis in pathology. A new visualization concept, namely digital pathology medical, is being widely accepted. Meanwhile, a new application area, namely the virtual microscopy, is formed. However, there is still a gap between the user needs and the performance of the digital pathology scanner products available on the market. So it is difficult for these products to replace the existing technology on a large scale. Here we propose a novel instrument research project based on a new principle called Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM), together with many key technologies such as aperture optimization and parallel algorithms. It is worth noting that our new project breaks the resolution limitation of the traditional imaging theory and the resolution of the same lens can be increased several times to more than ten times. In addition, high throughput and high efficiency will be achieved through simultaneously sampling in spatial and frequency domain. With the contradiction between wide field and high resolution solved, the instrument performance could be comprehensively improved. Compared with the products on the current market, overall performance of the new instrument will be improved to more than 5 times. Through the research project, we expect to get new high-end microscopy imaging technology and product with independent intellectual property rights and the ability to occupy the domestic and foreign markets.	Zhou Wenyuan	Sun Qian 23506238 13212289690 qiansun@nankai.edu.cn
Catalytic Asymmetric Kinetic Resolution	Development of precise and efficient methods and technologies for creating new materials is the forefront of chemical science and the focus of technology innovation. In this project, we will combine traditional synthesis and asymmetric catalysis to develop new asymmetric catalytic kinetic resolution reactions, methods and strategies. We will study the kinetic resolutions and dynamic kinetic resolutions in the catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of esters, ketones and enones, aiming efficient, green, and atomic economic synthesis of chiral alcohols, especially the chiral alcohols with multiple chiral centers. We will also study the applications of asymmetric catalytic kinetic resolution in the total syntheses of chiral drugs and bioactive natural products. Hopefully, this project will develop new processes for the creating chiral materials, and promote pharmaceutical industry.	Zhou Qilin	Chen Jun 23506808 13821226868 chenabc@nankai.edu.cn
Novel flexible metal-organic frameworks: Construction, dynamic behavior and properties modulation	In recent years, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have become one of active and frontier fields of chemistry and material science. During the past decades, the investigation in this field has primarily focused on the rigid MOFs, while the study of flexible MOFs is still rare, leaving many scientific issues to be resolved, such as the function-oriented construction of flexible MOFs; the dynamic structure of flexible frameworks as well as the characterization of their dynamic behaviors; and the intrinsic relationship between the dynamic structures and resulting properties of this class of materials. Focusing on these scientific issues and oriented by the aim of achieving effective material storage and dynamic separation, this project will proceed with the reasonable design and construction of flexible MOFs, along with the exploration of their fundamental assembly rules. Through establishing and improving the characterization methods for the dynamic structures and behaviors of such flexible MOFs, this project will then discover the mechanism of their dynamic behaviors and unravel the nature of the resulting unique properties as well as the implicit regularity, followed by further investigation of their material storage and separation functions to reveal the intrinsic structure-property relationship. On this basis, this project eventually aims to explore the functional optimization and practicalization of this class of flexible MOF materials. Finally, we hope to promote and lead the development of this field through the execution of this project together with the resolvement of related scientific problems.	Bu Xianhe	Bu Xianhe 23502809 13821385655 buxh@nankai.edu.cn
Multilevel Controllable Self-Assembly toward Function of Biomimetic System	Simulating the structure and function of biosystems through chemically hierarchical assembly can contribute to obtaining assembled materials with bioactive functions, revealing the relationship between chemically assembled structures and biological functions, and ultimately, exploring new modes for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of major diseases. Among them, mimicking the structure and function of molecular chaperone via the controllable composited assembly can guide us to prepare multi-functionally synergistic artificial molecular chaperone. It will be applied to regulate the protein folding, explore its effective recognition and selective binding to Aβ protein in vivo. Furthermore, new methods for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease can be developed by means of suppressing Aβ protein aggregation, reducing the neurotoxicity of Aβ protein, as well as promoting the degradation of Aβ protein and dissociation of fibrotic Aβ protein. Moreover, in order to simulate the adaptive function of biosystem and meet the requirements of different physiological processes, we utilized the assembly-disassembly process and adopted the strategy that the specific functions of biological assemblies can be triggered only when required. Sequentially, new methods and patterns for precise disease treatments can be constructed, such as cancer chemotherapy and drug resistance issue of anti-microbial. Combining the technique of artificial molecular chaperone and biomarkers, when artificial molecular chaperone selectively binds to Aβ protein, specific fluorescence can be achieved by exciting supramolecular photosensitizer, therefore, high sensitive detection of Aβ protein can be realized. Significantly, combined with the result of animal test, new techniques of early accurate diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases can be greatly developed.	Shi Linqi	Chen Jun 23506808 13821226868 chenabc@nankai.edu.cn
Characterization of Multiscale Structure and Dynamics of Biomacromolecules and Study of the Biomimetic Materials	Spider silk and silkworm silk are the most attractive biomaterials with extraordinary mechanical properties created by nature. Besides, chitin, cellulose and polysaccharides are the most abundant natural biomaterials have been widely used by human. Elucidating the precise control of the multi-scale structure and dynamics in biomacromolecules, and furthermore, developing biopolymer materials with high performance through multi-scale biomimetic methods, and achieving the high-performance for traditional synthetic polymers are important research topics in polymer science. In this project, multi-scale solid-state NMR in combination with other characterization techniques will be adopted to reveal the micro-phase separation structure and interface in high-performance natural biomaterials, the hydrogen bond interaction between water and biomacromolecules, the complex chain motion of the biomacromolecules, evolution of multi-scale structure and dynamics during the stretching process as well as its influence on the mechanical properties in different length and time scales, thus to establish the in-depth understanding of the structure-property relationships of high-performance biomaterials. On the basis of the above work and through multi-scale biomimetic molecular design, we will prepare a series of high-performance biomimetic polymer materials based on biopolymers and synthetic polymer with high density of hydrogen bonds, such as chitosan and multi-block polyurethanes. Our work will promote the fundamental research and industrial applications of high-performance biopolymer and polymer materials of our country.	Sun Pingchuan	Chen Jun 23506808 13821226868 chenabc@nankai.edu.cn
Structural research on pathogens of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases	Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are one of the major threats to human health and economic loss. This project is focuses on the molecular mechanism of the complete biology of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, including EV71/CAV, tubercolosis, heptatitis A virus, coronavirus, influenza virus and bunyavirus. We will dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogens infection/entry, replication and transcription, as well as maturation/releasing, and provide new strategy for anti-infection drug discovery based on the structural information acquired.	Rao Zihe	Hu Junjie 23507017 13602022065 huj@nankai.edu.cn
Statistical Methods and Calculation in Big Data and Design of Experoments	The big data is revolutioning our life, work and thinking. An important and imperative research project is how to mine and use the information in big data, efficiently. Our research about big data and design of experiments will focus on the following four sub-projects: 1) the big data mining and algorithm; 2) the statistical inference of high dimensional convariance matrix; 3) the monitoring and dignost for the on-line big data; 4) the design theory and modelling for complex experiments. The detailed research contents will include: 1) in the view of computer science: data fusion algorithms, data mining and recommendation algorithms, privacy preserving data mining algorithms and parallel algorithms; 2) in the view of statistics: the robust estimation of high dimensional and sparse covariance matrix, the robust two-sample t test for high dimensional data, on-line monitoring and dignostic for high dimensional data stream, how to define and monitor the quality of big data, the on-line monitoring for multivariate functional data, the optimality theory and construction of supersaturated designs with high and mixed levels, the construction and modelling of various Latin hypercube designs, etc. Our research results will include patents or software copyrights, papers and the cultivation of PhD and Master students.	Wang Zhaojun	zjwang@nankai.edu.cn