1. New reactions design based on directed revolution

Natural enzymes only catalyze a small subset of reactions and designing new biocatalyzed reactions remains unexplored. One major focus of our research is hydrogen bond reorganization and cavity expansion, a concise strategy combining rational cavity design, combinatorial active-site saturation test (CAST), and thermostability engineering was designed, that transformed the weakly active enzymes into a variant mutant with superior performance for new reactions, with good catalytic efficiency and selectivity. 

2. Chemoenzymatic total synthesis of bioactive natural products and drug molecules

In our lab, we are interested in exploring the combination of enzyme-catalytic and synthetic organic methods to provide efficient way to important bioactive natural products and drug molecules. 

3. Semi-biomimetic total synthesis 

We are also interested in the practical total synthesis of bioactive molecules with the combination of semi-synthesis and biomimetic total synthesis stragety. We are specifically engaged in the constructuction of bioactive ergot alkaloids with unanswered questions regarding their chemical and biological properties. 

2007-2011  Northwest A&F University, PRC；Bachelor Degree

2011-2015  University of Bristol, UK；Ph.D Degree

                 

   

2015-2017   The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HK, PRC；Research Associate

2017-2018    Harvard University, USA；Postdoctoral Fellow

2018-2021    Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, USA；Postdoctoral Fellow

1. Zhang, J.*; Cui, C.; Chen, H.; Liu, J. The completion of esterification of free fatty acids in Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil with ethanol. International Journal of Green Energy, 2014, 11, 822.

2. Shi, J.; Wu, J.; Cui, C.; Dai, W.-M.* Microwave-Assisted Iintramolecular Ullmann diaryl etherification as the Post-Ugi annulation for generation of dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine scaffold. J. Org. Chem. 2016, 81, 10392.

3. Thistlethwaite, I. R. G.; Bull, F. M.; Cui, C.; Walker, P. D.; Gao S.-S.; Wang, L.; Song Z.; Masschelein, J.; Lavigne, R.; Crump, M. P.; Race, P. R.; Simpson, T. J.; and Wills, C. L.* Elucidation of the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the Kalimantacin/batumin antioiotics. Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 6196.

4. Cui, C.; Dai, W.-M.* Total synthesis of laingolide B stereoisomers and assignment of absolute configuration. Org. Lett. 2018, 20, 3358. 

5. Cui, C.; Lai, Y.; Dai, W.-M.* Multimodule Assembly Strategy for Diverted Total Synthesis and Stereochemical Determination of Laingolide A and Laingolide. ChemRxiv posted on 05.04.2021. [DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.14347145.v1] (co-first author)

6. Raffa, N.; Won, T. H.; Sukowaty, A.; Candor, K.; Cui, C.; Halder, S.; Dai, M.;* Figueroa, J. A. L.; Schroeder, F. C.; Keller, N. P.* Dual-purpose isocyanides produced by Aspergillus fumigatus contribute to cellular copper suffiency and exhibit antimicrobial activity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2021, 118, e2015224118.

7. Wang. Y.; Cui, C.; Dai, M.* Flow Chemistry-Enabled Divergent and Enantioselective Total Syntheses of Massarinolin A, Purpurolides B, D, E, 2,3-Deoxypurpurolide C, and Structural Revision of Massarinolin A. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 24828. (co-first author)

8. Cui, C.; Dwyer, B. G.; Liu, C.; Abegg, D.; Yin, X.; Hoch, D.; Cai, Z.; Qiu, N.; Liu, J.; Adibekian, A.; Dai, M.* Total synthesis and chemoproteomics connect curcusone diterpenes with oncogenic protein BRAT 1. J. Am. Chem Soc. 2021, 143, 4379. (co-first author) 

9. Zhang, J.; Liao, D.; Chen, R.; Zhu, F.; Ma, Y.; Gao, L.; Qu, G.; Cui, C.; Sun, Z.; Lei, X.; Gao, S. Tuning Imine Reductase for Asymmetric Synthesis of Azacycloalkylamines by Concise Structure-Guided Engineering. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2022, e202201908.

10. Li, H.; Younes, S. H. H.; Chen, S.; Duan, P.;* Cui, C.; Ron Wever, R.; Zhang, W.;* Hollmann, F.;* A chemoenzymatic Hunsdiecker-type decarboxylative bromination of cinnamic acids. ACS Catal., 2022, 12, 4554-4559.

​Dai, M.; Adibekian, A., Cui, C.; Dwyer, B. G.; Cai, Z.; The synthesis of curcusone derivatives. U.S. 63/084,594.

Total Synthesis of Bioactive Natural Products

New Reactions Design Based on Directed Revolution

New Enzymes Discovery and Rational Design