Background Information: 

Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering

Professor of Chemical Engineering, Nanotechnology and Physics

University of Waterloo

Canada Research Chair in Nano-Biomaterials

Research Field:

Pu Chen is internationally renowned for his interdisciplinary work at the interface of materials, biomedicine and energy. His all-inclusive approaches to surface thermodynamics, interfacial and nanostructure design, and peptide self/co-assembly have found practical applications in peptide biopharmaceutics, drug and gene delivery, protein-lipid membrane interactions, coating, sustainable energy storage and conversion. Two classes of his patents have resulted in successful large scale commercialization.

Educational Background:

Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, 1998

Thesis: Applied Surface Thermodynamics; Biointerfaces

Master of Applied Science, Metallurgy and Materials Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, 1993

Thesis: Hardware and Software Development of Scanning Reference Electrode Techniques for Localized Corrosion

Master of Science, Solid State Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, 1988

Thesis: Microstructure and Phase Transition of High Tc Superconductivity Ceramics

Bachelor of Science, Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, 1985

Work Experience:

Professor (2008-present) Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Professor (cross-appointed, 2008-present) Department of Physics, Faculty of Science University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Canada Research Chair (2004-2014) Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada

Associate Professor (tenured, 2003-2008) Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of  Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Associate Professor (cross-appointed, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, 2003-2008) University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Visiting Scientist/Associate Professor Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and (2004-2005) Technology, and Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Assistant Professor (1998-2003) Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Assistant Professor (cross-appointed, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science 2001-2003) University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Lecturer (part time, January 1997-May 1997) Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Academic Part-time Jobs (Partial):

- Academic Editor, PLoS ONE (2007-present), and several other journals

- Experts board member, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, 2017-

- Experts review board member, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2017-

Awards and Honors:

- University Research Chair, 2015-

- Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, 2015-

- Canada Research Chair Tier 1, 2015-, (declined)

- Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award, University of Waterloo, 2010

- Canadian Who’s Who, 2008

- Canada Research Chair in Nano-Biomaterials, 2004-present

- Outstanding Performance Faculty, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 2001

- Premier’s Research Excellence Award (PREA), Ontario, 2000

- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1998-2000, (declined)

Representative Works:

General Information

Pu Chen is internationally renowned for his work at the interface of materials, biomedicine and energy, with applications in drug and gene delivery, protein-lipid interactions, emulsification, coating, energy storage and conversion. His lab has produced about 300 peer reviewed papers in first rate biomaterials, chemistry and energy journals, including Sci. Adv., Nat. Commun., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. and JACS; 200 international patents/patent applications; 250 invited/keynote speeches and conference talks. His Hirsch Index of 71, i10 Index of 256 and total citations of over 17,000 are excellent for his interdisciplinary fields of research.

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=zwXp6n8AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

(1) J. Wang and P. Chen, “Engineering biomimetic protein camouflage for delivering peptide/siRNA nanocomplexes,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 146 (22), 15096-15107 (2024), DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00691.

(2) L Zhang, L Yao, F Zhao, A Yu, Y Zhou, Q Wen, J Wang, T Zheng and P Chen, “Protein and Peptide‐Based Nanotechnology for Enhancing Stability, Bioactivity, and Delivery of Anthocyanins,” Advanced Healthcare Materials, (accepted, 2023).

(3) Mei Han, Jian Zhi, Jing Huang, Weinan Zhao, Yan Wu and P. Chen, “Ultra-stable Aqueous Zinc-ion Battery Enabled by Highly Reversible Zn2+/Na+ Co-Intercalation Chemistry.” Cell Reports Physical Science, (accepted, 2022).

(4) Jian Zhi and P. Chen, “Design principles for the fabrication of high-performance cathode-electrolyte interphase for Li-ion batteries,” One Earth, Volume 5, Issue 3, 18 March 2022, 227-229 (2022).

(5) Jun Wang, Guang Chen, Nan Liu, Xiaoxia Han, Feng Zhao, Lei Zhang and P. Chen, “Strategies for improving the safety and RNAi efficacy of noncovalent peptide/siRNA nanocomplexes,” Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, (accepted, 2022).

(6) Yu Liu, Jian Zhi, Mina Sedighi, Mei Han, Qiuyu Shi, Yan Wu and P. Chen, “Mn2+ Ions Confined by Electrode Micro-Skin for Aqueous Battery beyond Intercalation Capacity,” Advanced Energy Materials, (accepted, 2020).

(7) Jian Zhi, Shengkai Li, Mei Han and P. Chen, “Biomolecule guided cation regulation for dendrite-free metal anodes,” Science Advances, (accepted, 2020).

(8) Jian Zhi, Shengkai Li, Mei Han, Yuxuan Lou and P. Chen, “Unveiling conversion reaction on intercalation-based transition metal oxides for high power, high energy aqueous lithium battery,” Advanced Energy Materials, 8, 1802254, (2018).

(9) Wenlong Xiong, Dongjie Yang, Tuan K. A. Hoang, Moin Ahmed, Jian Zhi, Xueqing Qiu and P. Chen, “Controlling the sustainability and shape change of the zinc anode in rechargeable aqueous Zn/LiMn2O4 battery,” Energy Storage Materials, (accepted, 2018).

(10) Jian Zhi, Alireza Zehtab Yazdi, Gayathri Valappil, Jessica Haime and P. Chen, “Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Aqueous Lithium Energy Storage Systems,” Science Advances, Vol. 3, no. 9, e1701010, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701010 (2017).