Speaker:Professor Li Aitao College of Life Sciences, Hubei University
Time:10:00–11:30 a.m., April 15, 2026
Venue: Room 307, High-End Building
Lecture Abstract
Heme oxygenases (e.g., cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and unspecific peroxygenases UPOs) are known as "universal biocatalysts". They can selectively activate inert C–H bonds under mild conditions, presenting remarkable advantages over traditional chemical synthesis. This lecture focuses on their catalytic selective C–H activation, covering catalytic mechanism elucidation, artificial enzyme creation, and synthetic pathway construction.
By structural analysis and computational simulation, the team clarifies catalytic mechanisms and structure–activity relationships; develops strategies for enzyme molecular modification to construct high-performance artificial enzymes; reveals the matching mechanism of enzyme-enzyme-substrate cascade systems, and establishes novel biosynthetic systems to realize biomanufacturing of high-value-added products from cheap substrates. This research provides new strategies for constructing biosynthetic systems, with great academic value and application prospects.
Speaker Biography
Li Aitao, Second-Class Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at Hubei University, Young Scholar of the Chang Jiang Scholars Program (Ministry of Education), and Vice Dean of the College of Life Sciences.
He has published nearly 100 papers in top journals including Nature Catalysis, Nature Communications (4 papers), Angewandte Chemie International Edition (5 papers), and ACS Catalysis (10 papers), and filed more than 40 invention patents. As principal investigator, he has undertaken multiple research projects including the National Key R&D Program and National Natural Science Foundation of China.
He has received numerous honors such as the Outstanding Young Enzyme Engineering Scientist Award, Special Prize of National Commercial Science and Technology Progress Award, and Hubei May 4th Youth Medal. His research achievements were selected into the National "13th Five-Year Plan" Science and Technology Innovation Achievements Exhibition. He currently serves as Associate Editor of Bioresources and Bioprocessing and Biodesign Research, as well as editorial board member of several other academic journals.
