Biocatalysis, Biosynthesis, Bioengineering, Organic Chemistry

09/2016-06/2021 Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences 

(Advisor: Prof. Feng-Ling Qing)

09/2012-06/2016 B.S., China Pharmaceutical University

05/2026-current     Principal Investigator, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences

06/2024 – 05/2026   Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and HHMI 

(Advisor: Prof. Wilfred van der Donk)

10/2021 – 06/2024   Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton University and Cornell University

(Advisor: Prof. Todd K. Hyster)

   

1. Yao Ouyang, Hassan Nadeem, Yuki Goto, Diwakar Shukla, Wilfred A. van der Donk*. Mapping the sequence preference of the generalist class II lanthipeptide synthetase ProcM by mRNA display. bioRxiv 2026.08.19.745792; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.19.745792

2. Ouyang, Y.; Yu, Y.; Zhu, L.-Y.; Nguyen, D. T.; van der Donk, W. A*. Oxidative Peptide Backbone Cleavage by a HEXXH Enzyme During RiPP Biosynthesis. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 3551.

3. Ouyang, Y.^#; Wang, S.^#; Sorigue, D.; Hyster, T. K*. Nucleophilic α-Functionalization of Benzyl Amines Using an Engineered Threonine Aldolase. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 25184.

4. Liu, S.; Zhou, J.; Yu, L.; Liu, Y.; Huang, Y.*; Ouyang, Y.*; Liu, G.-K.*; Xu, X.-H.*; Shibata, N*. Nitrogen-Based Organofluorine Functional Molecules: Synthesis and Applications. Chem. Rev. 2025, 125, 4603.

5. Ouyang, Y.^#; Page, C. G. ^#; Bilodea, C.^#; Hyster, T. K*. Synergistic Photoenzymatic Catalysis Enables Synthesis of α-Tertiary Amino Acids Using Threonine Aldolases. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 13754.

6. Ouyang, Y.; Qing, F.-L*. Photoredox Catalyzed Radical Fluoroalkylation with Non-Classical Fluorinated Reagents. J. Org. Chem. 2024, 89, 2815.

7. Ouyang, Y.; Turek-Herman, J.; Qiao, T.; Hyster, T. K*. Asymmetric Carbohydroxylation of Alkenes Using Photoenzymatic Catalysis. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 17018.

8. Emmanuel, M. A.; Bender, S. G.; Bilodeau, C.; Carceller, J. M.; DeHovitz, J. S.; Fu, H.; Liu, Y.; Nicholls, B. T.; Ouyang, Y.; Page, C. G.; Qiao, T.; Raps, F. C.; Sorigué, D. R.; Sun, S.; Turek-Herman, J.; Ye, Y.; Rivas-Souchet, A.; Cao, J.; Hyster, T. K*. Photobiocatalytic Strategies for Organic Synthesis. Chem. Rev. 2023, 123, 5459.

9. Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Electrochemical Trifluoromethoxylation of (Hetero)aromatics with a Trifluoromethyl Source and Oxygen. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202114048.

10. Ouyang, Y.; T, C.-L.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Copper and Zinc Copromoted Bromo(Chloro)trifluoromethylation of Alkenes and Alkynes with Trifluoromethanesulfonic Anhydride. Org. Lett. 2021, 23, 346.

11. Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Oxidative Coupling Reactions of Arylboronic Acids and Fluoroform-Derived AgCF₃. Chin. J. Org. Chem. 2020, 40, 3426.

12. Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Hydrotrifluoromethylthiolation of Unactivated Alkenes and Alkynes with Trifluoromethanesulfonic Anhydride through Deoxygenative Reduction and Photoredox Radical Processes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 18508.

13. Xiang, J.-X.; Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Argentination of Fluoroform: Preparation of Stable AgCF₃ Solution with Diverse Reactivities. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 10320. 

14. Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Trifluoromethanesulfonic Anhydride as a Low-cost and Versatile Trifluoromethylation Reagent. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 6926.

15. Yu, W.; Ouyang, Y.; Xu, X.-H.; Qing, F.-L*. Visible Light-Induced Methoxycarbonyldifluoromethylation of Trimethylsilyl Enol Ethers and Allyltrimethylsilanes with FSO₂CF₂CO₂Me. Chin. J. Chem. 2018, 36, 1024.