HUIMIN YU Professor    Tel：+8610 62795492   Mail：yuhm@tsinghua.edu.cn

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Professor Yu’s research mainly focuses on Industrial biocatalysis, Synthetic biology and Bio-nanotechnology. Current efforts especially emphasize the fundamentals and applications of novel/ evolved biocatalysts via genome editing tools, promoter engineering, molecular chaperone engineering and metabolic engineering and bionanotechnology. Projects on “Smart Green Biomanufacturing”, such as developing a platform Rhodococcus cell-biocatalyst with high-solvent-tolerance, biomaufacturing valuable chemicals including acrylamide, biosurfactant, hyaluronic acid and chiral pharmaceutical intermediates, and designing novel bio-nano interdisciplinary systems such as Fe-Ni(Cu)@M13 micro electrolysis system and novel immobilized enzymes are highlighted. Currently, she is the associate editor of Biotechnology Notes, the editor of American Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, and Chemistry & Bioengineering.

 

●  Education & Professional Career

1991-1996  B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, China

1996-2001  Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, China

2000-2003  Assistant Professor in Tsinghua University

2005-2006  Visiting scholar in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, USA

2003-2012  Associate professor in Tsinghua University

2011-2016  Center head of Tsinghua University (ChemE Dept)-Shandong Polymer Company Biochemicals Joint center

2012-2016  Professor in Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University

2016-present  Tenured Professor, Tsinghua University

2022-present  Vice-director of the Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, P. R. China

●  Research interest

Advanced bio-manufacturing;

Synthetic biology;

Microbial metabolic engineering;

Bio-nanotechnology

●  Selected Awards

2017，Award for Technological Invention (2nd prize), Ministry of Education, China

2016，Award for Cooperation of Science and Technology in Dongying City, National Science and Technology Board of Dongying, Shandong Province.

2013, Award for Technological Invention (2nd prize), China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association

2010, Outstanding Young Contributor in Science and Technology, China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association

2008, New Century Excellent Talents in University, Ministry of Education

2007, Beijing Nova (A) in Science and Technology, Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission

2005, Hua-xin Prominent Scholar Award, Tsinghua University

2003, National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation

● Selected Publications

1. Youxiang Liang, Huimin Yu*. Genetic toolkits for engineering Rhodococcus species with versatile applications. Biotechnology Advances, 2021, 49: 107748.

2. Fulong Li, Youxiang Liang, Yuwen Wei, Yukun Zheng, Yan Du and Huimin Yu*. Biochemical and structural characterization of an (R)-selective transaminase in the asymmetric synthesis of chiral hydroxy amines. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis, 2021, 363, 1–9.

3. Yan Du, Fangyu Cheng, Miaomiao Wang, Chunmeng Xu and Huimin Yu*.  Indirect pathway metabolic engineering strategies for enhanced biosynthesis of hyaluronic acid in engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 2021,9:768490.

4. Wenjing Qi, Huimin Yu*. Virus-templated magnetic composite hydrogels for surface immobilization of mimic-free-lipase. Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 17871 – 17880.

5. Youxiang Liang#, Yuwen Wei#, Song Jiao and Huimin Yu*. A CRISPR/Cas9-based single-stranded DNA recombineering system for genome editing of Rhodococcus opacus PD630. Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2021, 6: 200–208.

6. Youxiang Liang, Song Jiao, Miaomiao Wang, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. A CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system for Rhodococcus. Metabolic Engineering, 2020, 57: 13-22.

7. Yukun Zheng#, Fangyu Cheng#, Bo Zheng and Huimin Yu*. Enhancing single-cell hyaluronic acid biosynthesis by microbial morphology engineering. Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2020, 5, 316–323.

8. Miaomiao Wang, Huimin Yu*, Xu Li, Zhongyao Shen. Single-gene regulated non-spore-forming Bacillus subtilis: different patterns, transcriptome responses and applications for producing enzymes and surfactin. Metabolic Engineering, 2020. 62：235–248.

9. Chunmeng Xu, Lingjun Tang, Youxiang Liang, Song Jiao, Huimin Yu,* and  Hui Luo. Novel chaperones RrGroEL and RrGroES for activity and stability enhancement of nitrilase in Escherichia coli and Rhodococcus ruber. Molecules. 2020, 25(4):1002-1016.

10. Song Jiao, Fulong Li, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. Advances in acrylamide bioproduction catalyzed with Rhodococcus cells harboring nitrile hydratase. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2020, 104(3), 1001-1012.

11. Fangyu Cheng, HuiminYu*, Gregory Stephanopoulos*. Engineering Corynebacterium glutamicum for high-titer biosynthesis of hyaluronic acid. Metabolic Engineering, 2019, 55:276-289.

12. Miaomiao Wang*, Huimin Yu*, Zhongyao Shen. Antisense  RNA-based strategy to enhance ACCase activity and surfactin production in Bacillus subtilis TS1726. ACS synthetic biology. 2019, 8: 251-256.

13.  Miaomiao Wang#, Wenjing Qi#, Hongping Xu, Huimin Yu*, Shuliang Zhang, Zhongyao Shen. Affinity binding immobilization of D-amino acid oxidase on mesoporous silica by a silica-specific peptide. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, 2019. 1-7.

14. Lingjun Tang#, Ji Yang#, Jie Chen, Jing Zhang, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. Design of salt-bridge cyclization peptide tags for stability and activity enhancement of enzymes. Process Biochemistry 2019, 81: 39-47.

15. Youxiang Liang, Song Jiao, Miaomiao Wang, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. Overexpression of epoxide hydrolase in Rhodococcus ruber with high robustness for the synthesis of chiral epichlorohydrin. Process Biochemistry. 2019, 79, 49-56.

16. Song Jiao, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. Core  elements characterization of Rhodococcus promoters and development of a gradient intensity mini-pool for efficient gene expression. New Biotechnology, 2018, 44, 41-49.

17. Qi Wang, Huimin Yu*, Miaomiao Wang, Huan Yang and Zhongyao Shen. Enhanced biosynthesis and characterization of surfactin isoforms with engineered Bacillus subtilis through promoter Replacement and Vitreoscilla hemoglobin co-expression. Process Biochemistry, 2018, 70，36-44.

18. Miaomiao Wang*, Jie Chen, Huimin Yu*, Zhongyao Shen. Improving stress tolerance and cell integrity of Rhodococcus ruber by overexpressing small‑shock‑protein Hsp16 of Rhodococcus. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2018) 45:929–938.

19. Yangzi Chen, Song Jiao, Miaomiao Wang, Jie Chen, Huimin Yu*. A novel molecular chaperone GroEL2 from Rhodococcus ruber and its fusion chimera with nitrile hydratase  for co-enhanced activity and stability. Chemical Engineering Science, 192  (2018) 235–243.

20. Fangyu Cheng, Sijin Luozhong, Zhigang Guo, Huimin  Yu* and Gregory Stephanopoulos. Enhanced biosynthesis of hyaluronic acid with engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum via metabolic pathway regulation. Biotechnology Journal. 2017, 12, 1700191.

21. Ji Yang, Fangyu Cheng, Huimin Yu*, Junting Wang, Zhigang Guo and Gregory Stephanopoulos. Key role of the carboxyl terminus of hyaluronan synthase in processive synthesis and size control of hyaluronic acid polymers. Biomacromolecules 2017, 18, 1064−1073.

22. Song Jiao, Jie Chen, Huimin Yu*, Zhongyao Shen.  Tuning and elucidation of the colony dimorphism in Rhodococcus ruber associated with cell flocculation in large scale fermentation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol., 2017, 101:6321-6332.

23. Song Jiao, Xu Li, Huimin Yu*, Huan Yang, Xue Li and Zhongyao Shen. In situ enhancement of surfactin biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis using novel artificial inducible promoters. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2017,  114(4): 832–842.

24. Shuai Zhang, Huimin Yu*, Ji Yang, Zhongyao Shen. Design of the nanoarray-pattern Fe-Ni bi-metal nanoparticles@M13 virus for enhanced reduction of p-chloronitrobenzene through micro-electrolysis effect. Environmental Science: Nano, 2017, 4, 876 - 885.

25. Jizhe Sun, Huimin Yu*, Jie Chen, Hui Luo and Zhongyao Shen. Ammonium acrylate biomanufacturing by an engineered Rhodococcus ruber with nitrilase overexpression and double-knockout of nitrile hydratase and amidase. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology. 2016, 43(12):1631-1639.

26. Huan Yang, Xu Li, Xue Li, Huimin Yu* and Zhongyao Shen. Identification of Lipopeptide Isoforms by Tandem MALDI-TOF-MS/MS Based on the Simultaneous Purification of Iturin, Fengycin and Surfactin by RP-HPLC. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 2015, 407(9): 2529-2542.

27. Xu Li, Huan Yang, Donglai Zhang, Xue Li, Huimin Yu* & Zhongyao Shen. Overexpression of specific proton motive force-dependent transporters facilitate the export of surfactin in Bacillus subtilis. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology: 2015, 42(1), 93-103.

28. Jie Chen, Huimin Yu*, Changchun Liu, Jie Liu and Zhongyao Shen. Improving stability of nitrile hydratase by bridging the salt-bridges in specific thermal-sensitive regions. Journal of Biotechnology, 2013, 164: 354–362.

29. Huimin Yu,* Keith Tyo, H. Alper, D. Marcuschamer, Gregory Stephanopoulos*. A High Throughput Screen for Hyaluronic Acid Accumulation in Recombinant Escherichia coli Transformed by Libraries of Engineered Sigma Factors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering. 2008, 101 (4): 788-796.

30. Huimin Yu* and Gregory Stephanopoulos*. Metabolic Engineering of Escherichia coli for biosynthesis of hyaluronic acid. Metabolic Engineering. 2008, 10(1): 24-32.

Lab Page：

http://cbc.chemeng.tsinghua.edu.cn:8080