Yajun Wang

Professor Wang Yajun obtained his Ph.D. in biochemical engineering from Zhejiang University (ZJU) in 2004, and conducted postdoctoral training at Cornell University from 2006 to 2007. After graduation, he joined Zhejiang University of technology (ZJUT) and was promoted to full professor in 2012. Professor Wang Yajun is the Jianxing Distinguished Professor of ZJUT, and the Dean of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of ZJUT, the Executive Director of the Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Pharmaceutical (ZJUT), a member of the Molecular Microbiology and Bioengineering Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Microbiology, and a member of the Enzyme Engineering Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Microbiology.

Professor Wang group's research interests focus on Biopharmaceutical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, Synthetic Biology in Drug Discovery and Development. He hosted 1 National Key R&D Program, 3 CNSF funding, 1 sub-project of the National Key R&D Program, 1 key project of the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, and 3 projects funded by enterprises. He has over 110 publications, including ACS Catalysis, Chemical Engineering Journal, Chemical Engineering Science, Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Biotechnology Journal, et al. He has 30 issued China Invention Patents. He was awarded 1 science and technology award, and 6 provincial and ministerial science and technology awards.

Currently, there are some postdoc and faculty positions available. Welcome young scholars having backgrounds in Biopharmaceutical, Pharmacy, Biology, Organic Chemistry (Synthesis), Enzyme Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Artificial Intelligence, Microbial Engineering and related majors to join our group.

Address: Room 533, Building 1 of the Collaborative Innovation Center, Moganshan Campus, Zhejiang University of Technology

Email：wangyj@zjut.edu.cn

WeChat: zjutwyj

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2284-0882

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yajun-Wang-26

1.   Huang, A.^#, Song, X. H.^#, Song, L. L., Pan, S. S., Tian, J. X., Wang, P. F., Ju, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.* Reshaping the substrate-binding pocket of ene-reductase for enhanced and inverted stereoselectivity: A concise access to the stereo-complementary chiral GABA derivatives. ACS Catalysis, 2025, 15: 1961-1972. DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c06784.

2.  Yao, L. L.^#, Xue, B.^#, Ye, Y. F., Wang, Z. X., Li, Y. Y., Zheng, B. F. C., Ju, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.* Structure-guided engineering of carbonyl reductase LbCR to simultaneously enhance activity and thermostability toward bulky ketones. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c01462..

3.   Zhu, J. Q., Xu, J. N., Bian, X. R., Cheng P., Dou, Z., Dai, W. T., Ju, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.* Enhancing the stability and activity of enzymes through layer-by-layer immobilization with nanocomposite hydrogel. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 2025, 215: 109604. doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2024.1096044.

4.   Dou, Z., Hu, P. R., Song, L. L., Wang, Y. C., Tang, H. N., Weng, Z. Q., Wang, Y. J.,* Cai, Y. Q. Extensive gene mining and facile engineering of a novel carbonyl reductase for asymmetric synthesis of anti-aging (S)-Pro-Xylane from d-xylose. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025, 305 (Pt 2):140976. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140976.

5.   Shafiq, M., Zeb, L., Wang, Y. J., Waqas W., Ali, S., Yang, Q. Q., Wong, K. H., Zhang, B. B.* Enhanced production of exopolysaccharide by Antrodia cinnamomea through batch feeding of tansglycocylated sugar mixture: Physicochemical properties, biotechnological application, and gut microbiota modulating potential. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2025, 505: 159730. doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.159730

6. Xue, B., Li, Y. Y., Zheng, B. F. C., Zhang, C., Hadiatullah H., Dai, W. T., Wang, Y. J., Fan Z. C.* Expression and characterization of recombinant triple laterosporulin in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, 2025 , doi: 10.1007/s12602-025-10523-4.

7.   Dai, C,. Tian, J. X., Chen, Y. F., Ni, Y. H., Cui, L., Cao, H. X., Song, L. L., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.,* Zheng, Y. G. Computer-aided design to enhance the stability of aldo-keto reductase KdAKR. Biotechnology Journal, 2024, 19 (3): e2300637. DOI:10.1002/biot.202300637.

8.   Xu, S. Y., Chu, R. L., Liu, H. T., Weng, C. Y., Wang, Y. J.,* Zheng, Y. G. Computer-directed rational design enhanced the thermostability of carbonyl reductase LsCR for the synthesis of ticagrelor precursor. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2024, 121 (5): 1532-1542. doi: 10.1002/bit.28662.

9.   Li, S. F., Gao, Y. C., Xu, H. B., Xu, C. L., Wang, Y. J.*, Liu, Z. Q., Zheng, Y. G. Substrate access tunnel engineering of a Fe-type nitrile hydratase from Pseudomonas fluorescens ZJUT001 for substrate preference adjustment and catalytic performance enhancement. Bioorganic Chemistry, 2024, 152: 107744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107744

10.Wang H.^#, Liu D. ^#, Zhao, K. L., Wang, Y. J.*, Zhang, G. J.* SPDesign: protein sequence designer based on structural sequence profile using ultrafast shape recognition. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2024, 25 (3): bbae146. https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bbae146.

11.Zhang, W., Shao, Z. Q., Wang, Z. X., Ye, Y. F., Li, S. F., Wang, Y. J.* Advances in aldo-keto reductases immobilization for biocatalytic synthesis of chiral alcohols.International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024, 274: 133264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133264

12.Xu, S. Y., Zhou, L., Xu, Y., Hong, H. Y., Dai, C., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Recent advances in structure-based enzyme engineering for functional reconstruction. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2023, 120 (12): 3427-3445. doi.org/10.1002/bit.28540.

13.Dai, C., Cao, H. X., Tian, J. X., Gao, Y. C., Liu, H. T., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Structural-guided design to improve the catalytic performance of aldo-keto reductase KdAKR. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2023, 120 (12): 3543-3556. doi.org/10.1002/bit.28535.

14.Liu, H. T., Weng, C. Y., Zhou, L., Xu, H. B., Liao, Z. Y., Hong, H. Y., Ye, Y. F., Li, S. F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Co-evolving stability and activity of LsCR by a single point mutation and constructing neat substrate bioreaction system. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2023, 120(6): 1521-1530. DOI: 10.1002/bit.28357.

15.Cheng F., Zhou, S. Y., Chen, L. X., Zhang, W., Li, S. F., Weng, C. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Reaction-kinetic model-guided biocatalyst engineering for dual-enzyme catalyzed bioreaction system. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2023, 452: 138997. doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.138997.

16.Li, S. F., Cheng, F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Strategies for tailoring pH performances of glycoside hydrolases.Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 2023, 43 (1): 121-141. doi: 10.1080/07388551.2021.2004084.

17.Zhang, W., Li, S. F., Zhu, J. Q., Cao, H.X., Liu, H. T., Shao, Z. Q., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.,* Zheng, Y. G. Constructing a continuous-flow bioreactor with co-immobilized KmAKR and BmGDH for synthesizing tert-butyl 6-cyano-(3R,5R)-dihydroxyhexanoate. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 2023, 197: 108964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2023.108964.

18.Qiu, S., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Chemoenzymatic catalysis of tert-butyl 6-cyano-(3R,5R)-dihydroxyhexanoate by aldo-keto reductase coupled with composite Fe₃O₄ nanozyme scaffold. Chemical Engineering Science, 2022, 261: 117935. doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2022.117935.

19.Weng, C. Y., Gao, X. F. Chu, R. L., Xie, W. B., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Protein engineering of carbonyl reductases for asymmetric synthesis of ticagrelor precursor (S)-2-chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl)ethanol. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 2022, 108600. doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2022.108600.

20.Liu, H.T., Weng, C. Y., Xu, S. Y., Li, S. F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Directed evolution of a carbonyl reductase LsCR for the enantioselective synthesis of (1S)-2-Chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl) ethanol.Bioorganic Chemistry, 2022, 127: 105991. doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105991.

21.Cheng, F., Xie, W. B., Gao, X. F., Chu, R. L., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Development of a new chemo-enzymatic catalytic route for synthesis of (S)-2-chlorophenylglycine. Journal of Biotechnology, 2022, 358: 17-24. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.08.013.

22.Li, S. F., Xu, S.Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Tailoring pullulanase PulAR from Anoxybacillus sp. AR-29 for enhanced catalytic performance by a structure-guided consensus approach. Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 2022, 9: 25.

23.Pan, Z. T., Liu, T., Ma, Y. M., Yan, J. B., Wang, Y. J.*. Construction of quinazolin(thi)ones by brønsted acid/visible-light photoredox relay catalysis. Chinese Journal of Chemistry, 2022, 42 (9): 2823-2831. doi: 10.6023/cjoc202206001.

24.Cheng F., Chen Y., Qiu S., Zhai Q. Y., Liu, H. T., Li, S. F., Weng, C. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Controlling stereopreference of carbonyl reductases for enantioselective synthesis of atorvastatin precursor. ACS Catalysis, 2021, 11 (5): 2572–2582. doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.0c05607.

25.Cheng, F., Zhai, Q. Y., Gao, X. F., Liu, H. T., Qiu, S., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Tuning enzymatic properties by protein engineering toward catalytic residues in carbonyl reductase. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2021, 118(12): 4643-4654. doi: 10.1002/bit.27925.

26.Li, S. F., Xie, J. Y., Qiu, S., Xu, S. Y., Cheng, F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Semi-rational engineering of an aldo-keto reductase KmAKR for overcoming trade-offs between catalytic activity and thermostability. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2021, 118 (11): 4441-4452. DOI: 10.1002/bit.27913.

27.Qiu, S., Xu, S. Y., Li, S. F., Meng, K. M., Chen, F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Fluorescence-based screening for engineered aldo-keto reductase KmAKR with extended substrate scope and improved catalytic performance. Biotechnology Journal, 2021, 16 (9): 2100130. DOI:10.1002/biot.202100130.

28.Weng, C. Y., Wang, C. E., Xie, W. B., Xu, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Comparative proteome analysis of Actinoplanes utahensis grown on various saccharides based on 2D-DIGE and MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. Journal of Proteomics, 2021, 239: 104193. doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2021.104193.

29.Li, S. F., Xie, J. Y., Qiu, S., Zhou, S. Y., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. Tailoring an aldo-keto reductase KmAKR for robust thermostability and catalytic efficiency by stepwise evolution and structure-guided consensus engineering. Bioorganic Chemistry, 2021, 109: 104712. doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.104712.

30.Weng, C. Y., Wang, D. N., Ban, S. Y., Zhai, Q. Y. Hu, X. Y., Cheng, F., Wang, Y. J.*, Zheng, Y. G. One-step eantioselective bioresolution for (S)-2-chlorophenylglycine methyl ester catalyzed by the immobilized Protease 6SD on multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a triphasic system. Journal of Biotechnology, 2021, 325: 294-302. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.10.007.