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

2016.08 - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Department of Orthodontics School of Dental medicine, Adjunct 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 nanozyme materials by mimicking the structure of active center in natural enzymes. In particular, our primary goal is to design and synthesize iron-based nanozymes by mimicking the iron role and peripheral structure in the active center of natural enzymes including peroxidase, catalase, SOD, cytochrome oxidase, etc. Furthermore, with fundamental understanding on nanozymes, we try to develop novel antimicrobial technologies and materials to combat infectious diseases.

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). We further proved that many nanomaterials with iron or similar structure in active center of natural enzymes perform enzyme-like properties, demonstrating that biomimetic design based on natural enzymes is an effective strategy to improve catalytic efficiency of nanozymes. By this way, we have successfully synthesized nanozymes with activity close to or higher than natural enzymes.

2. Catalytic antibacterial strategies using nanozymes. Nanozymes show superior property in killing resistant bacteria, eliminating biofilm, and inhibiting intracellular bacteria by mimicking the antibacterial mechanism of innate immune system which utilizes redox enzymes in lysosome to kill bacteria in macrophage. Nanozymes perform antibacterial activity with high specificity and selectivity.

3. Ferroptosis-like death in bacteria. Our recent work discovered that nanozymes induce bacterial ferroptosis with the hallmark of lipid peroxidation. In addition, macrophages defense intracellular bacteria by regulating ferroptotic stress and inducing bacterial ferroptosis, indicating that bacterial ferroptosis is a general antibacterial mechanism for innate immune system. Such ferroptosis with lipid peroxidation mediated by nanozymes also can be used to inactivate enveloped viruses and enhance immune effects of viral vaccine.

4. Translational applications of nanozymes. Nanozymes have shown great potential as anibiotics alternatives for antibacterial treatment, in particular for dental caries and bacterial vaginosis which have been translated for clinical studies and drug development.

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

1. 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.

2. Caiyu Zhou, Qian Wang, Jing Jiang,Lizeng Gao*.Antibiotics, 2022, 11 (3): 390.

3. Juqun Xi, Yanqiu Wang, Xuejiao Gao, Yaling Huang, Jie Chen, Yong Chen, Lei Fan,Lizeng Gao*. Reverse intratumor bacteria-induced gemcitabine resistance with carbon nanozymes for enhanced tumor catalytic-chemo therapy.Nano Today, 2022, 43: 101395.

4. Jing Pang, Xu Feng, Qian Liang, Xiaoyan Zheng, Yiman Duan, Xin Zhang, Jubiao Zhang, Yang Chen, Kelong Fan*,Lizeng Gao*, Juxue Li*. Ferritin-Nanocaged ATP Traverses the Blood-Testis Barrier and Enhances Sperm Motility in an Asthenozoospermia Model.ACS Nano, 2022, 16 (3), 4175-4185.

5. 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 ResistantGardnerella Vaginalisfor Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment.Advanced Science, 2022, 2104341.

6. Xiaoyan Zheng, Yiman Duan, Jing Pang, Xu Feng,Lizeng Gao*, Juxue Li*. Antibacterial effects of nano-decoction iron polysulfide in epididymitis and the systematic evaluation of its toxicity on the reproductive health of male mice.Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2022, 231: 113184.

7. Qian Wang, Jing Jiang,Lizeng Gao*. Catalytic antimicrobial therapy using nanozymes.Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, 2021, e1769.

8. Ruofei Zhang, Lei Chen, Qian Liang, Juqun Xi, Hanqing Zhao, Yiliang Jin, Xingfa Gao, Xiyun Yan*,Lizeng Gao*, Kelong Fan*. Unveiling the active sites on ferrihydrite with apparent catalase-like activity for potentiating radiotherapy.Nano Today, 2021, 41: 101317.

9. Hui Wei^#,Lizeng Gao^#, Kelong Fan^#, Juewen Liu, Jiuyang He, Xiaogang Qu, Shaojun Dong, Erkang Wang, Xiyun Yan. Nanozymes: A clear definition with fuzzy edges.Nano Today, 2021, 40: 101269.

10. Juqun Xi, Lanfang An, Yaling Huang, Jian Jiang, Yanqiu Wang, Gen Wei, Zhilong Xu, Lei Fan*,Lizeng Gao*. Ultrasmall FeS2 Nanoparticles-Decorated Carbon Spheres with Laser‐Mediated Ferrous Ion Release for Antibacterial Therapy.Small, 2021, 17 (13): 2005473.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13.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.

14. 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.

15. Qian Liang, Juqun Xi, Xuejiao J Gao, Ruofei Zhang, Yili Yang, Xingfa Gao, Xiyun Yan*,Lizeng Gao*, Kelong Fan*. A metal-free nanozyme-activated prodrug strategy for targeted tumor catalytic therapy.Nano Today, 2020, 35: 100935.

16. 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.

17. Ye Yuan, Liping Wang,Lizeng Gao*. Nano-Sized Iron Sulfide: Structure, Synthesis, Properties, and Biomedical Applications.Frontiers in Chemistry, 2020, 8, 10.3389/fchem.2020.00818.

18. Juqun Xi, Gen Wei, Lanfang An, Zhuobin Xu, Zhilong Xu, Lei Fan*,Lizeng Gao*. Copper/carbon hybrid nanozyme: tuning catalytic activity by copper state for antibacterial therapy.Nano Letters, 2019, 19 (11): 7645-7654.

19. 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.

20. 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 infectionin vivo.Theranostics, 2018; 8(22): 6149-6162.

21. Yunhao Gu, Yixin Huang, Zhiyue Qiu, Zhuobin Xu, Dandan Li, Lei Chen, Jing Jiang,Lizeng Gao*. Vitamin B₂functionalized iron oxide nanozymes for mouth ulcer healing.Science China Life Sciences, 2020, 63 (1): 68-79.

22. 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 andLizeng Gao*. Converting organosulfur compounds to inorganic polysulfides against resistant bacterial infections.Nature Communications, 2018, 9: 3713.

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

24. Qiuwen Wu, Gen Wei, Zhuobin Xu, Jing Han, Juqun Xi*, Lei Fan*,Lizeng Gao*. Mechanistic Insight into the Light-Irradiated Carbon Capsules as an Antibacterial Agent.ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2018, 10(30): 25026-25036.

25. Lei Fan, Xiangdong Xu, Chunhua Zhu, Jie Han,Lizeng Gao*, Juqun Xi*, Rong Guo. Tumor Catalytic-Photothermal Therapy with Yolk-Shell Gold@ Carbon Nanozymes.ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2018, 10 (5): 4502-4511.

26. 唐燕, 仇智月, 许卓斌,高利增*. 纳米酶的抗菌机理与应用[J].生物化学与生物物理进展, 2018, 45(2): 118-128.

27.Lizeng Gao*, Kelong Fan, Xiyun Yan*. Iron Oxide Nanozyme: A Multifunctional Enzyme Mimetic for Biomedical Applications.Theranostics, 2017, 7(13): 3207-3227.

28. Kelong Fan, Hui Wang, Juqun Xi, Qi Liu, Xiangqin Meng, Demin Duan,Lizeng Gao*, Xiyun Yan*. Optimization of Fe₃O₄nanozyme activity via single amino acid modification mimicking an enzyme active site.Chemical Communications, 2017, 53 (2), 424-427.

29.Lizeng Gao, Xiyun Yan. Nanozymes: an emerging field bridging nanotechnology and biology.Science China Life Sciences, 2016, 59(4): 400-402.

30.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.

31.Lizeng Gao, Jiamin Wu, Di Gao. Enzyme-controlled self-assembly and transformation of nanostructures in a tetramethylbenzidine/horseradish peroxidase/H₂O₂system.ACS Nano, 2011, 5 (8): 6736-6742.

32.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, April 18, 2022)