Yuanwei Zhang
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Environmental Science
353 Tiernan Hall (TIER)
About Me
Yuanwei received his B.S. and M.S. in Chemistry from Nankai University (Tianjin, China) in the year of 2005 and 2008, separately. He majored in organic chemistry and organometallic chemistry during his M.S. study. He then worked in a pharmaceutical company, Basilea China Ltd., as a research scientist for almost a year in the Research & Development Department. After that, he moved to the U.S. for Ph.D. research and worked in the field of organic chromophore synthesis at Chemistry Department in the University of Central Florida. His Ph.D. thesis was focused on the design and synthesis of near-infrared (NIR) absorbable organic fluorophores for various functional materials applications, which included bovine albumin, viscosity and mercury sensors and their biological applications at cellular levels. These studies started from multi-step synthesis and had broad and strong connections with quantitative analysis, linear and nonlinear photophysical characterization, and biological applications. From 2014, Yuanwei worked as a postdoctoral associate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Department at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he developed approaches to activate neurons with optogenetics using NIR light. These studies broadening his biological technique knowledge, as well as animal handling skills. In 2016, Yuanwei joint Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science in New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), and started a lab with a focus on NIR-light-responsive organic chromophores and biomaterials development.
Education
Ph.D.
; University of Central Florida
; Philosophy
; 2013
M.S. ; State Key Laboratory of Elemento ; Chemistry ; 2008
B.S. ; Nankai University ; Chemistry ; 2005
M.S. ; State Key Laboratory of Elemento ; Chemistry ; 2008
B.S. ; Nankai University ; Chemistry ; 2005
2025 Fall Courses
CHEM 790A - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
FRSC 491 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY I
CHEM 391 - RESEARCH AND INDEPENDENT STUDY
CHEM 491 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY I
CHEM 792B - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
EVSC 591 - GRADUATE WORK EXPERIENCE I
EVSC 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I
CHEM 591 - GRADUATE CO-OP WORK EXPER II
CHEM 700B - MASTERS PROJECT
EVSC 592 - GRADUATE WORK EXPERIENCE II
EVSC 700B - MASTER'S PROJECT
EVSC 701B - MASTER'S THESIS
EVSC 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II
CHEM 590 - GRADUATE CO-OP WORK EXPER I
CHEM 701B - MASTERS THESIS
CHEM 701C - MASTERS THESIS
EVSC 701C - MASTER'S THESIS
EVSC 792B - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
CHEM 243 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
EVSC 790A - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
CHEM 492 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY
CHEM 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I
CHEM 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II
FRSC 491 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY I
CHEM 391 - RESEARCH AND INDEPENDENT STUDY
CHEM 491 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY I
CHEM 792B - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
EVSC 591 - GRADUATE WORK EXPERIENCE I
EVSC 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I
CHEM 591 - GRADUATE CO-OP WORK EXPER II
CHEM 700B - MASTERS PROJECT
EVSC 592 - GRADUATE WORK EXPERIENCE II
EVSC 700B - MASTER'S PROJECT
EVSC 701B - MASTER'S THESIS
EVSC 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II
CHEM 590 - GRADUATE CO-OP WORK EXPER I
CHEM 701B - MASTERS THESIS
CHEM 701C - MASTERS THESIS
EVSC 701C - MASTER'S THESIS
EVSC 792B - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
CHEM 243 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
EVSC 790A - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
CHEM 492 - RESEARCH & INDEP STUDY
CHEM 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I
CHEM 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II
Teaching Interests
Organic chemistry, biomaterials, and nanotechnology
Past Courses
CHEM 243: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 243: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I - HONORS
CHEM 244: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
CHEM 244: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II - HONORS
CHEM 244A: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II LAB
CHEM 245: ORGANIC CHEM FOR CHEM ENGNRS
CHEM 791: GRADUATE SEMINAR
EVSC 791: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SEMINAR
CHEM 243: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I - HONORS
CHEM 244: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
CHEM 244: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II - HONORS
CHEM 244A: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II LAB
CHEM 245: ORGANIC CHEM FOR CHEM ENGNRS
CHEM 791: GRADUATE SEMINAR
EVSC 791: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SEMINAR
Research Interests
NIR Light-Regulated Cell Signaling, and Neuron Activation: Cellular signaling and neuron activities govern a wide variety of essential physiological processes, and strategies that can manipulate these activities will open up new avenues for elucidating cell functions, and potentially, for the treatment of diseases as well as other exciting possibilities. As a highly orthogonal external stimulus, light enjoys wide usage in materials science, chemistry, and biology, because it possesses the unique ability to manipulate photochemistry and photobiology with high spatiotemporal resolution. Herein, we focused on NIR light, which exhibits less tissue scattering, absorption and less photodamage for living organisms, and most important, much deeper tissue penetration than visible light. By working closely with biologists, these newly developed NIR-light-sensitive biomaterials were used to activate neurons in combination with optogenetics, regulate calcium signaling in immunotherapy and extend the vision ability. Overall, NIR-light-responsive biomaterials could transform the way researchers (especially biologist) interrogate and intervene in cellular behaviors in a less-invasive way with high accuracy of resolution. Ultimately, these approaches will offer novel toolboxes and lead to important new insights and therapies that are relevant to clinical practice.
Organic Fluorophores Development for NIR Imaging and Sensing: NIR fluorescence imaging is an emerging biomedical imaging modality for use in both fundamental scientific research and clinical practice. Owing to advances in reducing photon scattering, light absorption, and autofluorescence, NIR fluorescence affords high imaging resolution with increasing tissue penetration depths. Together with advances in imaging instrumentation allowing for the efficient detection of long-wavelength NIR photons, recently developed NIR fluorophores have fueled biomedical imaging from contrast-enhanced imaging of specific biomarkers to functional imaging of physiological activities, leading the research for preclinical animal studies and clinical diagnostics and interventions. Yuanwei’s research contribute the knowledge of structure-to-property relationships that can enhance photophysical properties on demand, with a focus on two families of NIR organic fluorophores, namely BODIPY and squaraine dyes. We have synthesized and systematically studied the fluorophores’ optical properties and biomedical applications (such as viscosity sensors, protein fluorogenic probes, and photosensitizers).
Organic Fluorophores Development for NIR Imaging and Sensing: NIR fluorescence imaging is an emerging biomedical imaging modality for use in both fundamental scientific research and clinical practice. Owing to advances in reducing photon scattering, light absorption, and autofluorescence, NIR fluorescence affords high imaging resolution with increasing tissue penetration depths. Together with advances in imaging instrumentation allowing for the efficient detection of long-wavelength NIR photons, recently developed NIR fluorophores have fueled biomedical imaging from contrast-enhanced imaging of specific biomarkers to functional imaging of physiological activities, leading the research for preclinical animal studies and clinical diagnostics and interventions. Yuanwei’s research contribute the knowledge of structure-to-property relationships that can enhance photophysical properties on demand, with a focus on two families of NIR organic fluorophores, namely BODIPY and squaraine dyes. We have synthesized and systematically studied the fluorophores’ optical properties and biomedical applications (such as viscosity sensors, protein fluorogenic probes, and photosensitizers).
Journal Article
Yanmei Li, Emily Kryvorutsky, Yuanwei Zhang, Pier Alexandre Champagne.
2025. "Efficient release of COS/H2S via BODIPY-based photocaged thionocarbamates."
Journal of Materials Chemistry B , vol. 13 , pp. 11046-11054.
Xuan Liu, Rupak Bhakta, Emily Kryvorutsky, Yuanwei Zhang. 2025. "Imaging cells and nanoparticles using modulated optically computed phase microscopy." Scientific Reports , vol. 15 , no. 1 , pp. 3157.
JIe Dou, Shupei Yu, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "A facile and scalable method to synthesize PEGylated PDMAEMA for gene delivery." Biopolymers/Wiley , vol. 115 , no. 4 , pp. e23584.
Haim Grebel, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "Raman spectroscopy of active-carbon electrodes when Au colloids are placed at the electrolyte/electrode interface." Chemical Physics , vol. 579 , pp. 112171.
Haim Grebel, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "Raman spectroscopy of active-carbon electrodes when Au colloids are placed at the electrolyte/electrode interface." Chemical Physics , vol. Volume 579 , no. Volume 579, 1 March 2024, 112171 .
Xuan Liu, Rupak Bhakta, Emily Kryvorutsky, Yuanwei Zhang. 2025. "Imaging cells and nanoparticles using modulated optically computed phase microscopy." Scientific Reports , vol. 15 , no. 1 , pp. 3157.
JIe Dou, Shupei Yu, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "A facile and scalable method to synthesize PEGylated PDMAEMA for gene delivery." Biopolymers/Wiley , vol. 115 , no. 4 , pp. e23584.
Haim Grebel, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "Raman spectroscopy of active-carbon electrodes when Au colloids are placed at the electrolyte/electrode interface." Chemical Physics , vol. 579 , pp. 112171.
Haim Grebel, Yuanwei Zhang. 2024. "Raman spectroscopy of active-carbon electrodes when Au colloids are placed at the electrolyte/electrode interface." Chemical Physics , vol. Volume 579 , no. Volume 579, 1 March 2024, 112171 .
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Conference Proceeding
"Supercapacitors with Gold Colloids That Are Placed at a Short Distance from Active-Carbon Electrodes; The Case for a Plasmonic Effect at the Electrolyte/Electrode Interface"
Electrochemical Society, May, 2023.
"Optically computed phase microscopy to assess cellular uptake of lipid nanoparticles"
Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2022.
Electrochemical Society, May, 2023.
"Optically computed phase microscopy to assess cellular uptake of lipid nanoparticles"
Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2022.